Down pipe removal s3 8p quattro.

[Gtigadge]

Alright guys. Looking to change from sports cat to decat and from a quick look today it looks tough to do on the driveway.

Need input off guys that have done this as sheer length of downpipe is my concern, how high in the air do you need to be to get the downpipe out in one piece?

Maybe easier than it looks so worth an ask.

Thanks

 

[Cambaines]

Have a look further down the forum mate another lad wanted to know this too I've give a quick step by step guide on this, you can do it on axle stands if needs be, i did this with mine

 

[Cambaines]

I did mine on the floor and it was great fun!

Right the way I did it is as follows

Oil 4 downpipe bolts up with WD the day before

Engine heated right up (easy to remove the lambda's if there a little tough)


Remove air filter to get access to bolts on cat

Remove both lambda sensors

Leave to cool if you heat

Oil up bolts again

You can access 3 of the bolts from the engine bay and this is by far the easiest way to access them, I'm assuming you have a decent enough tool setup, just need a ratchet and extension bar really

Next lift the car up and get the centre section off the downpipe

Remove the heat guard at the centre of the exhaust and remove the 2 bolts holding the prop up in the centre

Mark the front of the prop with tip ex so you know where to put it back! Remove the 3 bolts with a triple square 10mm socket (I think out of memory) and move the prop over to the right

You can now access the last bolt, I used a spanner for this moving the bolt out very slowly, but I was lay on the floor when I did this

When this is out then your cat will come out pretty easy mate!

 

[Cambaines]

There we go mate, it is tight on axle stands but as long as your not claustrophobic then you will be right mate, just be sure to get it on axle stands and wedge some wheels or something similar under the car just in case!

 

[Gtigadge]

Cheers,did a search and had a look a couple of pages back but just not far enough. All seems straight forward just the height needed to get the pipe out was my main concern as not great to get in the air, and best place for axle stands?

Blooming pipe is fairly long and one piece so my concern was if get it all loosened off and not be able to drop it clear.

 

[Cambaines]

With the prop out of the way you have enough room to get it out, I'm assuming your sports cat ends the same place the standard exhaust would? Have a look at some pics to compare, I put my axle stands on my sills, I personally jacked both sides up as much as the jack would go and put the axle stands underneath, I then got a log and put this on the jack and jacked the car up another 20cm and moved the stands to a higher setting, you may not have to do this depending what jack you have! Mines just a big standard hydraulic jack, you will need the extra height 100%

 

[Gtigadge]

Cheers mate, appreciate the advice. Just seems that for nearly every job so far you ideally need a ramp ha... car is killing me slowly. .. Sports cat is from turbo back to mid box pipe but have only read of people chopping them to get them out so far and obv would like to sell this on as not very old. Will take another look though, thanks

 

[Cambaines]

I fitted a full miltek turbo back on axle stands mate, I had no issues with height when I got it up high enough, did the same to my last car on axle stands too, got to deal with what you've got does your sports cat have a flexy pipe on it?

 

[smurfworth]

Will probably make it easier if you drop the whole exhaust system off.

 

[Cambaines]

To be honest mate I think it will be **** easy, the hardest part of getting a standard exhaust out is the precat which you won't have on yours

 

[Gtigadge]

Cheers guys. I realise it's all about the height. Done plenty of exhaust before flat on back on stands but some you just need the car that ****** high its ridiculous. New one is 3 piece so easy as owt to put on just this long *** one out. I'll give it a go. Cheers

 

[Cambaines]

Good luck mate, let us know how it goes