cat to muffler spring bolts

[Anonymous]

Right, before I finally give up and take it to a blasted garage (again).

How on earth do you get the 2 bolts (with springs) into the cat/muffler.  I spent 2 hours last night and all my strength, I can do one, but then it forces the other side too far apart.  

Whats the Procedure.

[GSB]

 s:?: :?: s:?:  

They just screw in... Put the pring on the bolt first. then pass it through the hole in the cat pipe, and screw it into the silencer.  Do it up until it goes tight (theres a shoulder in the thread so you cant tighten it to much.)

When its done up, you the springs are set to the correct amount of preload to keep the joint gas tight but still allow it to flex. You will see "gaps", thats part of the design, its not supposed to be a tight flange to flange seal...

[Anonymous]

Ah, theres definitly some problem here, there's no way i can just screw them in, i have to push so that the spring is more than half compressed before it'll even meant up into the hole.

I have tried wiggling the top plate about and making sure its as near to the bottom as possbile, but to no avail.

Could you please describe what the flange looks like, its approx height. or if you're feeling really helpful, show me a picture.

I think the dodgy mechanic has replaced my flange with a different one that doesn't fit.  I.e. is too large.

[Anonymous]

Heres a good picture:

http://www.spydermagazine.com/2001/April/DCP_0324.JPG

And i can clearly see that the gap should be that big, i'm pretty sure thats not what i've got anymore.

Happen to have my camera in the car, so will invitigate a little bit at
dinner time i think.

Oh wait, this doesn't have the flange on it does it, so its bound to be smaller.

[dimwit]

The first spring bolt you connect only give a few turns just to hold in place, then with the second spring bolt (placed in the extension socket for more leverage) give it a hard push upwards and try and turn a couple a threads to just hold it in place, then tighten up... Piece of cake  s:!: :!: s:!:  
As everyone who has had one of these pipes, all have had probs connecting to the cat, if you look at the connecting flange on the twin, it has a very shallow shamfer compared to stock this making the pinch bolts 1/4 inch to short..
It will be worth the effort when done mate..  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

Ah, thanks very much,

I guess because the bolts are too short the spring pressures will be wrong, but frankly, at this point, I don't care.

Half my trouble is i'm doing this with the car on the ground and me led underneath it, theres only so much you can do at those angles.

[Tem]

Half my trouble is i'm doing this with the car on the ground and me led underneath it, theres only so much you can do at those angles.

You should drive it on some 2x4" wooden blocks, it makes life a lot easier  s8) s8)

[dimwit]

Yes, as Tem said you should have the rear end of the car up in the air, does make it a bit easier, i used some old car ramps..You should be able to get a little more force to ram that pinch bolt in!...
It does surprise me that the rest of the duel pipe seems typically German quality build, simple thing like that flange lets it down though...  s:? :? s:?

[Anonymous]

Well, after I tackle this I've got to tackle the very wonky right pipe, I can only assume it was bent during postage, even though it was very well packed.  

I shall be taking it to a car restoration garage in old windsor, they restore Ferraris and Bentleys and such like.

I was in there yesterday having a new licence plate stuck on (don't ask).  The guy looks at my j-spec badge for a good 10 seconds then says he's beat and asks me what it is, I tell him then he has a 5 minutes conversation about how much fun it must be.  This is while I'm waiting for another mechanic to move a Ferrari 328 out of my way!

In any case, they turn rust buckets into works of art, so they can heat my pipe and put it into shape.

[dimwit]

The right hand tail-pipe is welded in position, the only movement from their would be front to back (not up and down) if you use the bracket they supply and fix to the anti-roll bar bolt (furthest away bolt)..
The left hand tail-pipe moves up and downwards (the only one i had to adjust on mine) to enline with the right hand..
The garage you had put the duel pipe on may have twisted the right hand tail-pipe, they sound a bunch of cowboys to me..   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  

If you want any pic's of mine let me know  s:?: :?: s:?:

[Anonymous]

Success!

Proper Toyota springs and bolts not installed into my car, although I wore the battery flat whilst doing it because I decided to put the radio on and plug one of my strip lights into the cigarette lighter. Ahem.

But anyway they in, with some gentle persuasion from 2 g clamps.

Doing so has brought the tips into line a bit more.  They are never going to be straight because the two tips aren't even straight to each other, so with have to bend it back, I blame the garage.  I shall have to use another garage to fix as my pipe heating skills are probably up there with my pinch bolt installing skills.  I shall wait for things to settle back into place, and then take it down; it only has to move 1" so shouldn't take too long.

Lessons I've learnt,

1)   Have the right tools, or indeed, some tools.
2)   Have enough lights – don't try this with a torch,
3)   Put the car onto ramps, even though I didn't in the end, due to lack of said ramps, I managed to pull every muscle in my left arm (and I work out, a lot).
4)   Don't run strip lights and radio from your car for an hour.

[Anonymous]

Have the right tools, or indeed, some tools.

Very true. We could express this in a modern-day adage thusly:

    Improvisation is the mother of emergency-ward visits.

[Anonymous]

4)   Don't run strip lights and radio from your car for an hour.

  s:lol: :lol: s:lol: