Exhaust Question

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THE MONSTER

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1997 A4 1.8t Sport..The Catalyst where it joins on the bend there is a metal mesh about 4 inches long mine as split and slightly hanging off..

What does this mesh do and can you get them I have looked on a parts site you can see it but it does not show a number for it or even relate it..
 
It's the flexi part. A decent exhaust place can weld a new one in for about 80 quid or you can replace the pipe. I opted for replacing just the flexi as the pattern pipe was of such low quality with nasty compression bends I thought it more sensible to leave it blowing a week.
 
50 pound mine cost , dont know about this nasty compression bends malarky but my car is same as it ever been.
 
aragorn said:
The whole pipe can be replaced for around 50quid:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EXHAUST-FRONT-DOWN-PIPE-AUDI-A4-8D-B5-1995-01-A6-4B-C5-1997-05-1-8-T-/381023285457?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model:A4|Cars Type:1.8 T&hash=item58b6c1f0d1

However the pipe is made with compression bends which cause a restriction. Probably fine for a stock engine right enough, not ideal if you've tuned it.
Click to expand...


So do you think this one on ebay is ok to buy from them...

I have a stock one on now so this one will be no difference then..

So when the mesh flexi part is braking away it's knackered it passed it's M.O.T Recently they never mentioned it been like it quite a while as well..
 
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The stock system is vastly better made than an off the shelf pattern item. Buy a cheap one and then when you remove the original put the 2 next to each other. I would almost put a bet on you deciding you don't want to fit the nice shiny cheap new one
 
Oranoco said:
The stock system is vastly better made than an off the shelf pattern item. Buy a cheap one and then when you remove the original put the 2 next to each other. I would almost put a bet on you deciding you don't want to fit the nice shiny cheap new one
Click to expand...
Cant say as i could see any difference other than one was dirty and broken and the other was clean and new. Not that I doubt that the stock system is better made but visually I couldnt see a difference.
 
I agree with the compression bends on the non OE stuff i wasnt fairly keen onbthem myself but it was coming off the car to be swapped with B5QUAT's non res milltek as he was selling the car so did a trade my stock system for his system anyway if it was me id buy genuine one from a broken one as it should be fairly cheap then have a flexi welded in then its a case of just swapping them over.

Or buy a jetex system or similar
 
should you be able to see the difference? because i had both sitting next to each other I couldn't see it , i suppose there is chance it had been changed before i got it using a cheap 1.
 
German Stainless?



Yeah the Link you sent me me the pipe was a German site and it say's they are were Stainless..

As I read it anyway..
 
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Well if you read the listing on ebay it say's Stainless in the advert for sure..

The original problem with the pipe was the meshed bit had come off slightly from the Flexi part..

Went today to exhaust centre so I could take a better look they just pulled the rest off and said it's only a cover not doing much..

When I asked about if I ever had to replace that pipe they said they would not do it too much involved taking everything off they said was not easy as they could not even see the manifold..
 
lol you need to find a better garage then! The downpipe attaches to the cat, and while its slightly obscured, if i can get one off lying on the floor under the car, you can be damn sure a garage with a ramp can do one without issue!

The stainless braid gives the flexi its strength. When its broken like you describe the inner corrugated tubing wont last long, it'll probably fail within 6 months.
 
aragorn said:
lol you need to find a better garage then! The downpipe attaches to the cat, and while its slightly obscured, if i can get one off lying on the floor under the car, you can be damn sure a garage with a ramp can do one without issue!

The stainless braid gives the flexi its strength. When its broken like you describe the inner corrugated tubing wont last long, it'll probably fail within 6 months.
Click to expand...



Is there anything that can be done to save the corrugated tubing then without replacing the pipe at this stage..
 
Can you buy just the Flexi part then and have that welded in how much are they and has anyone a part number..
 
THE MONSTER said:
Can you buy just the Flexi part then and have that welded in how much are they and has anyone a part number..
Click to expand...
Oranoco said:
It's the flexi part. A decent exhaust place can weld a new one in for about 80 quid or you can replace the pipe. I opted for replacing just the flexi as the pattern pipe was of such low quality with nasty compression bends I thought it more sensible to leave it blowing a week.
Click to expand...
 
Im going to get my old exhaust out of shed and have look at it against the new one this whole"compression bends" jazz is bothering me that I didn't see any difference at all.
 
Oranoco said:
It's the flexi part. A decent exhaust place can weld a new one in for about 80 quid or you can replace the pipe. I opted for replacing just the flexi as the pattern pipe was of such low quality with nasty compression bends I thought it more sensible to leave it blowing a week.
Click to expand...




Has far s I can see you cannot get the Flexi part on it's own you have to buy the pipe and it comes with that I think the part number is
8D0253301Q called an Intermediate pipe for a AEB Engine...
 
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Yeah or get one online. I think I bought one years ago for the standard system off ebay and got it welded onto the pipe once I had removed the old downpipe.
 
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Oranoco said:
Get the bore size right and you're away. Remove the old pipe and work with it off the car.
Click to expand...



Well think the bore size should be right surely with the spec it say's why remove from the car surely you can just cut it off and put the new Flexi on using the brackets provided..
 
From memory, the flexi sits too near a bend for the clamp on flexi to work.

FWD cards might be different right enough, but on the quattro the flexis literally right on the bend.
 
aragorn said:
From memory, the flexi sits too near a bend for the clamp on flexi to work.

FWD cards might be different right enough, but on the quattro the flexis literally right on the bend.
Click to expand...


I should have thought someone on here would have had this problem and maybe used one of these replacement Flex's off ebay I have shown and know if they were a straight fit...
 
Bradderz_1988 said:
As aragorn says there is a bend right at the flexi so i doubt the clamp unit will go.

What about something like this ??

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/131335394556?nav=SEARCH&varId=430648226303
Click to expand...


Yeah I supposed it could be fashioned somehow...I know the one I have shown in the link is for a Passat as well as for the A4 because as you know they also use the 1.8t AEB Engine surely they would have the same trouble as the Audi with the bend coming near the Flexi...

Can't see the place selling them if they don't fit them also this is a very common problem with the exhaust(Flexi) surely there are more folks on here had the same problem and not always just changed the whole pipe..
 
aragorn said:
Either buy a whole downpipe, or weld in a new flexi, it really is that simple.
Click to expand...

You mean buy that Flexi off ebay and chop the joints off it and then weld it in..

Buying a whole down pipe and putting say a pattern one on that would not be as good as the one your taking off does not really do it for me..
 
yeh you could do, or you could weld one side and clamp the other.

If your going to weld both sides, just buy a weld in flexi.
 
Just buy a new downpipe or a new weld in flexi as has been suggested. Less chance of leaks etc. if it's welded in.

I am not sure why you're so reluctant to try to solve the problem instead of potentially giving yourself another one with a part others have not tested. Also plenty of A4s will have had a pattern one fitted by a garage and will never know.
 
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