Morning all,


Happy to say my Milltek Catless DP (thanks M7!) went on last night without a hitch! Took roughly 2 hours once up in the air with hand tools. Took the upper heat shield off day prior and sprayed the nuts and studs on turbo, DP mounts and exhaust clamp with PB to help loosen them up. Everything came off without an issue. I was also able to get the stock DP out without removing the entire lower heat shield. I removed the 2 lower most bolts, one from each side. That gave the shield enough flex for me to get the DP out with a few hearty shakes and twists, new one is much smaller and went through without any effort. If anyone is attempting this job, I can say an air ratchet will save you tons of time and frustration. The bolts on the heat shields aren't hard to get loose but they are decently long and there's no room for ratchets to work well. It probably took over an hour getting those bolts out and maybe 20 minutes actually removing/replacing the DP.


Impressions - I'm happy. Turbo spools sooooooo much faster, I find it unloading in 1st from a stop. Throttle response has increased greatly and the exhaust note is just a hair deeper with the stock piping DP back. You wouldn't even notice around town, only doing about 60mph on the highway did I even notice and its barely there. I can hear the pops trying to escape with no radio on but the stock 2nd cat and res keep it quiet. I got one pop with a spirited downshift. Its too early to tell but my MPGS are up a bit also. I drive same way to work every day and average in the high 28mpg, today I checked and was in the low 30's! I'll need at least another tank to confirm but I haven't seen 30's in this car yet and I've been romping on it a bit. I'm sure overall power hasn't changed since I am still limited to the boost that the JB+ tune allows but the car just feels healthier. Next stop, intercooler and then I can get my stage 2 tune!

 

Interesting. So it wasn't horrible to do on your back? Meaning I assume you did it on jack stands? Might be worth doing that when I do the rest of the exhaust.

 

Not at all. I had the front on 12" ramps so space was a plenty. I'm tall at 6'2" but was happy to be able to get over the front end to help coax the DP out. If lacking air tools, patience when removing the lower shield bolts is key as well as spraying everything in advance. Breaking any of those studs would make the job a lot more difficult. For passenger side lower bolt I ended up using a 6" extension with long 10mm socket and unscrewing by hand. Drivers side I believe I used the long 10mm with a short extension. I believe all the studs, dp nuts and exhaust clamp were 13mm. Turbo studs need a deep socket with a long extension towards cabin and short towards front of car. new DP was happy with just a long 13mm. Upper o2 needed an o2 socket to get loose, might be able to get with a 7/8" wrench. Lower o2 was easy with 7/8" wrench.

 

Thanks man. I do have air. It'll be awhile before I get to this, but thanks for all the information.

 

Any CEL's? Any issues at all? Might be my next buy!

 

I did get a code on my second drive, no biggy it doesn't change how the vehicle performs, just let's you know there is a cat inefficiency. Been great otherwise! The pops and burbles are becoming more noticeable but only with radio off. With a blip of the gas on downshifts you can get some loud ones.

 

What are you going to do about emissions? I know NJ is strict like NY. Will you get it tuned by then or uninstall and reinstall stock for emissions?

 

I plan on doing a tune with manic which will remove the code. I just got the car inspected so I have a 2 year window before anything to worry about. I am keeping stock cat if I change my mind.

 

Dang, the one with a CAT is 750. We don't test emissions where I live, but they won't pass you without a Cat on.

 

There is a second one underneath the car. Would this work for you?

 

you always have the option of having a hollowed out cat... ya know for looks

 

I haven't been under the car yet, sooo..
Yeah one cat would do, so what do you end up with...new dp, factory cat, aftermarket cat back? It'll hook up that way? Hopefully its all clamped.

 

Correct except I'm all stock except for the DP. Catless DP clamps to stock flex section which goes into the 2nd cat and then a resonator. Then more pipe til your rear section with muffler. For the first time I heard the car outside as my fiancée drove away yesterday. Although very little difference inside the car, it has a great exhaust note outside with this setup. I will be removing my second cat and resonator and replacing with one large resonator tomorrow. Will get some sounds clips before and after.