Installing Exhaust
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Woodland Hills California
Installing Exhaust
2008 Z51 coupe. I had forgotten how much fun it was to hook up the mid-pipe to the cat pipe and mufflers. Does anyone have a procedure that makes this easier for one person to do? Sequence of connecting parts, etc.?
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
If you're swapping manifolds too then I try to leave everything snug'ish but not tight until everything is together. You can get a little bit of adjustment on the manifolds/cats which can sometimes make things easier
Hardest part for me is always getting the axle back to connect to the H pipe. It's always tough to get going but it just takes time to get the alignment right then brute force twisting them back and forth to get them to go together. Sometimes they go right together, sometimes not so much.
Hardest part for me is always getting the axle back to connect to the H pipe. It's always tough to get going but it just takes time to get the alignment right then brute force twisting them back and forth to get them to go together. Sometimes they go right together, sometimes not so much.
Last edited by schpenxel; Jan 17, 2016 at 04:01 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Woodland Hills California
If you're swapping manifolds too then I try to leave everything snug'ish but not tight until everything is together. You can get a little bit of adjustment on the manifolds/cats which can sometimes make things easier
Hardest part for me is always getting the axle back to connect to the H pipe. It's always tough to get going but it just takes time to get the alignment right then brute force twisting them back and forth to get them to go together. Sometimes they go right together, sometimes not so much.
Hardest part for me is always getting the axle back to connect to the H pipe. It's always tough to get going but it just takes time to get the alignment right then brute force twisting them back and forth to get them to go together. Sometimes they go right together, sometimes not so much.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Woodland Hills California
Got to love California
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
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Best advice I can give you to get the muffler pipe tips straight without someone helping, before you clamp down muffler to X pipes brackets, use a piece of wood on a floor jack to try to hold the muffler pipes level.
Even with this, your still going to have to go back and re-adjust, once the pipes do a few heat cycles. So having said that, put scribe lines between the two, so when you have to go back and readust the muffler,you have a start point on the two pipes to clock again each other. for the needed rotation on the muffler pipe at the K pipe.
Even with this, your still going to have to go back and re-adjust, once the pipes do a few heat cycles. So having said that, put scribe lines between the two, so when you have to go back and readust the muffler,you have a start point on the two pipes to clock again each other. for the needed rotation on the muffler pipe at the K pipe.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Woodland Hills California
Best advice I can give you to get the muffler pipe tips straight without someone helping, before you clamp down muffler to X pipes brackets, use a piece of wood on a floor jack to try to hold the muffler pipes level.
Even with this, your still going to have to go back and re-adjust, once the pipes do a few heat cycles. So having said that, put scribe lines between the two, so when you have to go back and readust the muffler,you have a start point on the two pipes to clock again each other. for the needed rotation on the muffler pipe at the K pipe.
Even with this, your still going to have to go back and re-adjust, once the pipes do a few heat cycles. So having said that, put scribe lines between the two, so when you have to go back and readust the muffler,you have a start point on the two pipes to clock again each other. for the needed rotation on the muffler pipe at the K pipe.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,360
Likes: 59
From: San Jose California
I have done mine many times by myself.
I just jack the rear of the car only as high as I can and place my jack stands.
I then loosen the clamps for the muffler pipes.
I then remove the nuts for the spring hangers.
I place another set of jack stands under the muffler pipes. (Leave some clearance to lower the mid pipe.)
I remove the nuts for the front of the mid pipe, and pull back and down to clear the donut gaskets.
I then pull down on the mid pipe to allow the muffler pipes to contact the Jack stands and spread the clamp ends a little.
Then I just wiggle the mid pipe out.
Then unbolt your sway bar bushings and gently let the sway swing down.
I wrap my tips to avoid damage.
I remove the passenger side muffler, then the target.
When doing the target be mindful of the electrical connector. I disconnect it to allow the pipe to pass over the diff.
DJ
I just jack the rear of the car only as high as I can and place my jack stands.
I then loosen the clamps for the muffler pipes.
I then remove the nuts for the spring hangers.
I place another set of jack stands under the muffler pipes. (Leave some clearance to lower the mid pipe.)
I remove the nuts for the front of the mid pipe, and pull back and down to clear the donut gaskets.
I then pull down on the mid pipe to allow the muffler pipes to contact the Jack stands and spread the clamp ends a little.
Then I just wiggle the mid pipe out.
Then unbolt your sway bar bushings and gently let the sway swing down.
I wrap my tips to avoid damage.
I remove the passenger side muffler, then the target.
When doing the target be mindful of the electrical connector. I disconnect it to allow the pipe to pass over the diff.
DJ
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Woodland Hills California
You got that right. Getting the z06 passenger side muffler in and out is a challenge and requires lowering the transaxle about 1/2", but the real challenge is getting the pieces to fit back together. If the fit was not so tight between the mufflers and the mid pipe, things would be a lot easier. I wonder if slightly expanding the mid pipe so the muffler pipe would fit into it a bit easier might be the trick.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
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From: Texas
I've never lowered the transaxle.
Regarding the original question....exhaust pipe expander. Any good shop will have one if you can get your mufflers to them. Couple taps with the impact gun and the pipe will be a 16th bigger and more importantly round. You just need to expand the first half inch of the pipe where it's already split. It'll then slide right onto the intermediate pipe and the factory clamp will tighten them up just fine
That's the whole reason the pipes are slotted on the end.
Regarding the original question....exhaust pipe expander. Any good shop will have one if you can get your mufflers to them. Couple taps with the impact gun and the pipe will be a 16th bigger and more importantly round. You just need to expand the first half inch of the pipe where it's already split. It'll then slide right onto the intermediate pipe and the factory clamp will tighten them up just fine
That's the whole reason the pipes are slotted on the end.
Last edited by 96GS#007; Jan 19, 2016 at 08:28 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Woodland Hills California
Got a lift. Can't see any way that passenger side can be installed or removed without lowering the transaxle. I remember when I installed the system I found the same thing. Tried everything I could to get the axle over pipe in but finally had to lower the transaxle. Do you have a m6 or a6?
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
I've done it with rear cradle, etc. installed. It's a really tight fit on the passenger side because of all the evap junk on that side. It's easier with the rear lowered a little bit for sure
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,360
Likes: 59
From: San Jose California
Got a lift. Can't see any way that passenger side can be installed or removed without lowering the transaxle. I remember when I installed the system I found the same thing. Tried everything I could to get the axle over pipe in but finally had to lower the transaxle. Do you have a m6 or a6?
Do you have a diff cooler installed?
If so, remove the heat shield above the exhaust.
Then support the driver's side fuel tank and remove the screws tha support the fuel tank pan, and remove it. This will give you a little more room to get the end of the pipe up and over.
DJ
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Woodland Hills California
I have done Z06 mufflers exactly how I wrote, there is no need to lower the transaxle.
Do you have a diff cooler installed?
If so, remove the heat shield above the exhaust.
Then support the driver's side fuel tank and remove the screws tha support the fuel tank pan, and remove it. This will give you a little more room to get the end of the pipe up and over.
DJ
Do you have a diff cooler installed?
If so, remove the heat shield above the exhaust.
Then support the driver's side fuel tank and remove the screws tha support the fuel tank pan, and remove it. This will give you a little more room to get the end of the pipe up and over.
DJ
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,009
From: Texas
Look ma, exhaust out and cradle not lowered. Go figure
ZR-1/Z06 mufflers installed, cradle still in place.
The key is simply flipping the rear sway bar down. No need to waste time screwing with the cradle.
ZR-1/Z06 mufflers installed, cradle still in place.
The key is simply flipping the rear sway bar down. No need to waste time screwing with the cradle.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 7,033
Likes: 12
Got a lift. Can't see any way that passenger side can be installed or removed without lowering the transaxle. I remember when I installed the system I found the same thing. Tried everything I could to get the axle over pipe in but finally had to lower the transaxle. Do you have a m6 or a6?