?? for the peeps who installed their downpipes

[GoldenEye]

I’m getting my downpipe tomorrow and I don’t know if I should garage install it or have someone do it. So my question is: for the guys who’ve installed their own downpipes, Was it easy for you or do you wish you would’ve taken it to a shop?

cheers!!

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[32bitsofGil]

I’m about as amateur mechanic as it gets. The hardest installs I’ve ever done are nothing to some dudes on here.

that being said, installing my downpipe in the heat in my garage was a big mistake. Took me all day and was pretty cramped. Even if I had taken it down to the DIY shop to put it on a lift I would have had to wait for it to cool off. Wish I would have just paid someone a few dollars.

 

[TYMBOM]

I had never done one in my life. It is very simple to do and glad I did it.

 

[GoldenEye]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I’ve done some pretty heft projects but I’m no means a mechanic. If it’s just a unbolt/bolt back on I should be good…

 

[Souriall91]

It’s pretty simple as far as car projects go. Little cramped but not bad honestly. I swapped mine, didn’t like the downpipe, swapped it back stock, then swapped in a different one. Didn’t take more than an hour. Just wear some thick gloves or let it cool off. Or just accept the burn every so often lol

 

[kurumi]

It's a PITA with jackstands but doable. Once the bolts are loose, power drill to back the bolts out made it so much easier.

 

[GoldenEye]

I built a 67’ Mustang Fastback on jackstands, so I guess I should try it! Although I was 10 years younger, lol…I’ve built 7 Jeeps, done engine swaps etc…I just don’t want to run into issues and get stuck, but this seems pretty simple, just a pain and tight quarters…

 

[kurumi]

I built a 67’ Mustang Fastback on jackstands, so I guess I should try it! Although I was 10 years younger, lol…I’ve built 7 Jeeps, done engine swaps etc…I just don’t want to run into issues and get stuck, but this seems pretty simple, just a pain and tight quarters…

It's got more room than the downpipe swap on my Fiat 500 Abarth. It took me 1/2 the time to do it on the Supra vs the Abarth.

 

[GoldenEye]

Any surprises I need to know about? Special tools forged from Zeus himself or anything?

 

[DVMKV]

Simple ratchet and sockets. Mine took a little wiggling. Was way easier once I fully unbolted the top clamp.

 

[WisSupra1]

When you loosen the clamp at the turbo, don't push on the bolt as you unscrew it. The nut is squeezed in the clamp and if you push on the bolt while loosening, you can push the nut out of the clamp. Then you have to try to reach something around the turbo to hold the nut while you loosen the bolt the rest of the way.
I didn't have any problem loosening the oxygen sensors AFTER removing the pipe.
When you are putting the new pipe back on, keep the clamp at the turbo loose, so the pipe can rotate to get in the correct orientation as you tighten the exhaust pipe and bracket nuts.
I did it on jackstands in my garage without removing any underbody panels - pretty easy.

 

[Loco38SUP]

No sugar coating it….the install sucks on jack stands. No room and if you happen to drop that upper clamp nut…you might be screwed (pun intended).

I forgot who dropped that nut into their motor mount and had to suspend the motor and remove the mount just to retrieve the nut.

-RJM

 

[32bitsofGil]

No sugar coating it….the install sucks on jack stands. No room and if you happen to drop that upper clamp nut…you might be screwed (pun intended).

I forgot who dropped that nut into their motor mount and had to suspend the motor and remove the mount just to retrieve the nut.

-RJM

I forgot to mention I too dropped a bunch of shit, and luckily only lost one of the two mounting bolts for the downpipe. This is a big hazard, and doing this on jackstands was exhausting in the texas heat even inside a garage. Would have been 120% easier if I had a lift and maybe a friend.

 

[xkenx1995]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I’ve done some pretty heft projects but I’m no means a mechanic. If it’s just a unbolt/bolt back on I should be good…

Just a tip you’ll want to loosen some parts on the catback to pull the downpipe out. It’s a PITA to pull out of the catback because of the flex pipe. Other than that, pretty simple to line up the downpipe with the turbo.

 

[Deighvid]

I built a 67’ Mustang Fastback on jackstands, so I guess I should try it! Although I was 10 years younger, lol…I’ve built 7 Jeeps, done engine swaps etc…I just don’t want to run into issues and get stuck, but this seems pretty simple, just a pain and tight quarters…

You're gonna be fine dude. I did it on jackstands and was fine. A lot of common sense suggestions in here like "don't drop shit in impossible places" lmao, but it shouldn't take you much time at all. Power tools help for sure and definitely unplug the sensors and drop them down. Don't unscrew them while they're plugged in (I forget if it's even possible to unscrew in that tight space, but it's worth mentioning giving the twisting of sensitive wires)

Go get em!

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