Where to get exhaust installed?

lparker · 03-10-2004, 09:05 AM

Soon i'll be ordering the Dansk pre-muffler, Dansk 1in 1out sport exhaust (84mm) and the requisite gaskets. I was wondering if i should take these to a chain installer (Meineke, Midas, etc) and watch them like a hawk. Or, take it to a qualified wrench to have this work done. Anyone have any horror stories or reasons why i shouldn't have it done at one of the chain places? It sure would be cheaper and more convenient.

emcon5 · emcon5's Garage

You are talking about 9 bolts and 2 hose-clamp/muffler hangers.

You can do it in your driveway in an hour easily.

Tom

lparker · 03-10-2004, 09:28 AM

Hmmm....i like that idea better. Any pitfalls i should be aware of?

bigrubberjeep · 03-10-2004, 09:33 AM

Only pitfall you might find is that you might need to bust out the BFG (big fu%&en hammer) since sometimes mail order parts dont line up perfectly - I would do it my self too.

I do most of my upgrades on my cars,only things I have done at the mechanic is the oil change (so cheap and keeps me clean) and any trany or internal engine work.

Rot 911 · 03-10-2004, 09:42 AM

Lee in the snowbelt, be prepared for the bolts and nuts connecting the cross over pipe to the cat and the cat to the muffler to be just rusted blobs. I just used my oxy/acy torch to just burn them out, but if you don't have one, you might need to get the muffler shop to do it for you.

emcon5 · emcon5's Garage

The only other thing to worry about is rust on the old bolts. They may be a bastard to get loose.

Start with the penetrating oil a few days before. Replace all the hardware.

Tom

Superman · 03-10-2004, 09:53 AM

Use a Dremel on those bolts. That way you don't even have to set your beer down. In fact, if you placed a case of good German beer in your garage and alerted your local-area Pelicanites of its presence, you're likely to have more technical and practical assistance than you can use. Don't even tell the No Va guys, unless you have a very LARGE garage.

Rot 911 · 03-10-2004, 09:54 AM

Super getting a dremel tool into some of those bolts is a *****! That is why I resorted to the trusty oxy/acy

lparker · 03-10-2004, 10:02 AM

mmm....beer.....

4+ car garage should be enough space for beer, Pelicanites, beer and, oh yeah, the car.

Damn....i need a scissor lift. It just sucks doing the ramp/jackstand thing.

v9ff · v9ff's Garage

It's a piece of cake... I've even done it without jacking up the car. It is easier with the car jacked up though.

Remember to move the left rear wheel for easy access to the cat.

Make sure you use anti-seize on the bolts when you're reinstalling.

Spray the bolts with WD-40 the night before you tackle it... it will make your life easier. I would just replace the bolts with new ones "while you're in there."

New gaskets are helpful too.

Good luck!

Danskman · 03-10-2004, 10:23 AM

lparker...

Do it yourself. It's easy and you'll enjoy it.

As mentioned previously, soak all the existing hardware with PB Blaster or equivalent the night before.

Unbolt the muffler from the cat and loosen the muffler straps.

Danskman · 03-10-2004, 10:25 AM

Old / New

I used new stainless steel hardware, purchased at Lowe's. New gaskets are available from the host.

I don't think your's will have your name on the tailpipe, though!

lparker · 03-10-2004, 10:32 AM

Thanks Mike...

Any chance you could give me a shopping list on which size nuts & bolts you purchased? I just hate getting knee deep into a project and find that i've missed something.

On a related note, are the muffler straps from our host stainless?

Danskman · 03-10-2004, 10:37 AM

I don't recall the sizes off hand, but I'm going home at lunchtime and I believe I bought some extras. I'll check and post in about an hour.

I also used some slightly longer muffler strap bolts - makes the reinstall much easier.

The muffler straps Dansk makes are stainless steel. You might want to double check with our host as to which ones they have. I'd be surprised if the ones they sell are not stainless. I reused my old ones.

Danskman · 03-10-2004, 11:53 AM

I used 5/16" x 1.5" stainless steel bolts. I also used stainless nuts and lockwashers. Some have used silicone bronze nuts/washers with success. Quantity is 9. Used anti-sieze too.

For the longer muffler strap bolts, you have to have the correct metric size, as the nuts are welded to the straps. My local ACE hardware stocks stainless steel bolts too, and I just took my old bolts with me and matched the size/pitch and bought some that were an inch or so longer.

After driving the car a day or so, go back and retorque the bolts/nuts to make sure there are no exhaust leaks.

lparker · 03-10-2004, 11:57 AM

I think i'm set. Thanks for all the help

Hugh R · 03-10-2004, 12:59 PM

Quote:

[i]
After driving the car a day or so, go back and retorque the bolts/nuts to make sure there are no exhaust leaks. [/B]

Thanks for reminding me!! I took my cat/muffler off last weekend to install new oil tubes and oil hoses/pipes. I need to retorque them tonight. BTW, if you can't get the cat. bolts off, I found that the Sear "Bolt Out" sockets pitched by Bob Veila on TV really work well. They're sockets with biting teeth inside, you'll need new nuts as they kind of chew them up. Second on the anti-seize compound. People who don't use it are nuts, and mechanics who don't use it should be disbarred from working on cars.

scottb · 03-10-2004, 02:42 PM

Larry: I did the job about a year ago. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's about a 2. It would help to have another pair of hands to hold the muffler while you tighten things down. I didn't have help, so I used a floor jack to support the muffler while I was working on it. VERY easy job.

KatoKato · 01-31-2005, 01:20 PM

Danskman,

Just reviewing you install here and had a couple of questions.

1) When you say re-torque the bolts a couple of days after install .... how many ft-lbs?

2) I noticed in the pic of all the bolts, gaskets, abd washers that there are two black bolts beside the top gasket. What size are those? Did you replace them as well?

Thanks,

Danskman · 01-31-2005, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KatoKato
Danskman,

Just reviewing you install here and had a couple of questions.

1) When you say re-torque the bolts a couple of days after install .... how many ft-lbs?

*** I don't know the "spec" torque for these bolts/nuts, you just need to retighten them after driving and going through a few heat cycles.

2) I noticed in the pic of all the bolts, gaskets, abd washers that there are two black bolts beside the top gasket. What size are those? Did you replace them as well?

*** Those are the muffler strap bolts. You don't need to replace them, but using some bolts just an inch or so longer than the original ones makes the job just a bit easier.

Thanks,