S4 Downpipe fitting, how hard is it?

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OllyS4

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I've just got me a set of downpipes and high flow cats and was wondering how hard they are to fit or should i just give it to a gauage to do?
I've got axses to a pit and most tools but how hards is it?
Do you have to take much other stuff out to get to them?
 
Oh god, yeah they were. Why?
I got a cat back from the same guy and i'm very happy with it, it fits well and sounds/look good so thought i'd give these ago.
 
you say there are high flow cats... are you sure there arent any cats!
 
The XS-Power ones are supposed to be an awkward fit. I know someone who had the full system and he was made up with it. Sounded good and got about 10-15bhp increase.
 
:redrs4:i got full miltek front to back on my s4 with NO cats. the bolts at the torbo end take a lot of abuse over the yearsdue to heat so can be a pain. you wont regret fitting a good system as the car breathes so much easier. Oh and the noise will blow your nuts off....................
 
a4turbos said:
you say there are high flow cats... are you sure there arent any cats!
Click to expand...
I did email him and thats what he said so fingers crossed.
I understand the bolts will be hard to undo I've done DP and turbo swaps on other cars in the past.
But do you need any special tools i.e like bent spanners?
Apart from the heat Shields do you have to take anything else off to fit them?
 
I'll let you know in a couple of weeks when I've attempted fitting my Labree downpipes.

Have a look on audizine and audiworld tech articles, quite a few good diy articles on there. The only major pain issue seems to be whether the turbo bolts will come undone or not.
 
OllyS4 said:
I did email him and thats what he said so fingers crossed.
I understand the bolts will be hard to undo I've done DP and turbo swaps on other cars in the past.
But do you need any special tools i.e like bent spanners?
Apart from the heat Shields do you have to take anything else off to fit them?
Click to expand...

those xs power dp's do not have any cats afaik
 
You any sound clips or vids /pics etc of that system , im running fully decated piggies and no centre box but may go for the same downpipes if the rest sounds ok.
 
The XS power dps don't come with cats, even though they're mistakenly advertised that thye do, they are just resonator boxes, hence they're so cheap. According to lots of people on audizine the fitment is odwn to look, apparently made in 2 batches, maybe from 2 different jigs, one lot fit a treat, one lot is a real PITA and don't line up for toffee. Good luck!
 
How do you know the ones i'vejust won on ebay are XS power ones?
If this is the case then i can always get my money back through ebay/paypal or just get matey with my MOT guy lol
 
If they're the 200ish quid ones off ebay then they'll be XS Power or SSAC, if not very similar copies, been floating about for ages on there. The ones there are loads of for sale? You'll soon tell if they are cats by looking down the end of them, if they're filled with fine honeycomb then they're cats, if they're straight through open pipes they're resonators.

Have a look on audizine in the S4 section, there's loads of info/details/discussions on there aboout them with mixed reviews.

Some people in the US used them and had some cats welded into the straight through/test pipes that come with the downpipes. Still cheaper than most of the downpipes out there, I'd considered biting the bullet and getting some after plenty of reading, but luckily picked up some $1600 Labree split mouth downpipes with hi-flow cats from the US for a measly $400! The cats are on seperate bolt in flanges so I'm making up some de-cats to swap in for "track" use...
 
I was thinking of the down pipe with no precats route, for i understood, that as long as the main cat is there, you'll still pass an mot. that is for the precats are there to assist in the cold warm up period.
If its right that i need my pre cats for MOT emmsiions test then i'll forget the idea.
 
You'll be perfectly fine gutting or removing your pre-cats and leaving the main cats, they're 400cell and you'll pass MOT with no worries.
 
andybnwc said:
You any sound clips or vids /pics etc of that system , im running fully decated piggies and no centre box but may go for the same downpipes if the rest sounds ok.
Click to expand...

check out the xs power web site it has a youtube vid - there are other from the states with piggies pipes and this cat back

quite tempting at the price - the gamble is fitment and having to access a friendly MOT station if running catless

http://www.xs-power.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=195
 
I've found the nuts from downpipe-to-turbo come undone really easily, if the car's been left running for a while, and the nust are nice and hot.

Just need to make sure you don't loose any skin whilst working in close proximity, and in the confined space...
 
Hows about the downpipe to turbo nuts?
 
^^^ My mistake, Stapo.

I meant downpipe-to-turbo nuts.
 
Thats cool, it does look a bit tight in there I must admit, but should be well worth it, a bit of heat never hurt anyone......
 
You guys were rite.
They have just arrived and as suspected they are just silencers not CAT's.
I have E-mailed they guy to see what he says about the fact he lied to me before i bid.
I might keep them anyway and see about cutting and welding in some high flow cats.

What is the best cell CATs to go for so as not to mess up the lambda probes or MOT but still have max flow. 100 or do i have to have 200?
Does anyone know of some were i can get some cheep Cats from?
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Universal-200-cpi-Sports-Cat-Catalytic-Converter_W0QQitemZ270326302009QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item270326302009&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

There are a few others on there too
 
The guy has the cheek to say thats what high flow cats are like !
I can see staight trough with no honeycomb.
So do i need 2 X 200cell cats for max flow with out up setting th lambda probes?
At less than £100 each thats not to bad it would come to £300 in total + welding.
 
yep 200cell ones should be fine, you might get away with 100cell items too, but i'm not sure.

Do you have the ebay link for the downpipes? I wonder if you'd get away with a paypal claim for "item not as described" ?
 
I think the RS4 main cats are 200 cell, although I may be wrong, but plenty run them and are fine. Have heard of tuned RS4s running 100 cell with no issues either.
 
stapo69 said:
I think the RS4 main cats are 200 cell, although I may be wrong, but plenty run them and are fine. Have heard of tuned RS4s running 100 cell with no issues either.
Click to expand...

Yes, the RS4 systems are 200 cell.

RS4's running with 100 cell may get away with more come MOT time though, as they have secondary air injection.
 
sai is only used on coldstart though so it shouldnt make any difference.

100cell will likely be fine, as long as the fuelling is ok, the limit is 0.3% CO, our 1.8T with no cat was only at 0.6% CO so while the 100cell might not get the reading down to 0% like the standard one does, it should still be enough to pass.
 
I had a 100cell cat on my 257bhp tuned 1.8t ibiza and that always pasted fine but didnt know what these cars are like.
 
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