I am sure it exists but I am having trouble finding it. Can someone link me to or provide me with a "How-To" for a downpipe replacement? Can someone also shed some light on what the "service mode" is in reference to this job. I am looking to do a catless DP and exhaust manifold replacement and would just like to see how to do it. Thanks everyone.

 

I just installed my downpipe and the heatshield is a pain. One of these and a gearwrench will be your bestfriend.

 

The DP it self, is easy and straight forward, only the lower heat shield is a pain, because of the limited space, for your hands. 13mm and 10mm are the bulk of the tools needed. I would spay the 3 studs and nuts that bolt on to the turbo with some kind of lubricant. The turbo gets up to 1600F and can cause those studs to be hard to extract, letting them soak will help you mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer

 

Instructions from Akra. Just skip to the downpipe part. http://az79640.vo.msecnd.net/akrapov...987b0971c8.pdf

 

Thank you, this is helpful

 

Also, rule of thumb before any work on your car but especially on this job, disconnect your battery. Shorting/grounding out the alternator on the heat shielding is not good.

There are (I think) 10 bolts total holding in the upper and lower heat shields. Get the heat shielding out, disconnect both O2 sensors, undo the two mounting bolts near the bottom of the DP, undo V band at the bottom of the DP and the 3 nuts holding it onto the turbo. If the studs come out with the bolts it's not a huge deal. You can replace them or in my case I put the studs in a bench vice (not the best method, but there is an area in the middle of the stud with no thread that is a bit wider than the rest of the stud so I didn't ruin the threads) and removed the nuts from the studs. Install is reverse of removal.

 

How did you get the lower shield out? I didn't want to bend it all up so I managed to get the downpipe in without taking it out.

 

There are two bolts I could see being very easy to miss towards the top of the heat shielding. Then I took it out the bottom of the car. May have even come out with the downpipe.

 

I had all the bolts out and even with the downpipe out that shield wasn't coming out unless I wanted to bend it to ****.

 

Does anyone have any idea how to stop my Borla S-Type cat-back exhaust from hitting that center metal brace? It doesn't have that center mount that the Akra has, I have replace all engine mounts and exhaust hangers.

Thanks.

 

You can use washers to lower the center brace

mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer

 

I just took it out.

 

I just finished replacing my turbo oil feed line and the only heat shield I put back was the one right in front of the line. The other big curved one I left off. I ended up just wrapping my downpipe with exhaust heat wrap and called it a day. The heat wrap keeps the heat in the downpipe and virtually eliniminates the radiant heat emitted into the engine bay.

 

Is there a walk through to the removal of the lower heat shield anywhere? I understand it is challenging and would like to go over the process a few times before I start digging around underneath.

Also, BMC_Kid, I have heard of dangers of heat-wrapping exhaust components as they can increase the rate of deterioration and the piping can literally "fall apart" as a result being wrapped. I also heard this is only true when a lot of moisture is present. Do you know about this or experienced any problems?
Can anyone shed light on this rumor I have heard?

 

I only wrapped my downpipe and that was mainly to deal with any radiant heat produced since I had no intention of putting back the crappy OEM heatshielding.


https://www.heatshieldproducts.com/a...nd-header-wrap

 

Would swapping out the down pipe be easier without the front bumper on? I plan to swap the intercooler soon with the he boost tubes. Should I just wait and do them all at once while it's opened up? Maybe it would make getting to the heat shields easier? Someone should make a video tutorial. If not I will when I do mine. Or I'll show you how not to do it haha.

 

Not really, removing the bumber doesn't help installing the DP. I lift or getting the front end as high as possible, helps more.

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When you did this, what was your experience with the studs? Did they make contact with the threads of the dp, or pass right through?