So, me and a buddy tried to install my TurboXs downpipe this weekend. It didn't go so well. The top bolt on the turbo side of my downpipe was completely stuck. I hit it with PB blaster and WD40 multiple times and between both of us pushing/pulling it wouldn't budge.

If anyone else had this problem, what was your solution? I think I may have stripped the head of the bolt so my next option is to take it to a shop to have installed.

 

My buddy and I wedged a wrench on mine and I kicked it and broke loose real fast. Did you try an impact wrench?

 

Take it to a mexican shop. Cost like 5 bucks

 

no, that was my next option. I don't have any air tools, wish I did. I thought about getting the electric one but I didn't feel like messing with it anymore on Saturday since it was down-poring.

 

And impact or 1/2" drive ratchet with an 8-10" extention and swivle head adaptor works really well. It's easily double the length of a 3/8" drive ratchet so you can get some good leverage on it. What size socket did you use btw?

 

15mm socket.

 

yep, im a strong guy and i still needed a 10" extention to get leverage...

 

Impact

 

Mine was a bitch also. Wobble and 2 x 8” extensions. Really hard to get leverage lying on your back, when the car is only 16” off the ground on jack stands.

Almost gave up, but after a 15 minute break and more WD40 it finally broke loose.

If you got it - heat is your friend. You can try letting the car run to get them hot and then try again. Be careful not to touch the exhaust! Trčs chaud.

Also, Anti-seize on installation.
.

 

This is kind of what I did, but they weren't mexican. It was a trashy hillbilly type place and the owner seem to love the car and tried selling me a custom exhaust like he did for my buddies GTI.

They go by the hour so they said it'll take an hour to do it. It took them about an hour too.

As for my buddies GTI, his exhaust is loud as hell and his muffler looks pretty good, it's a 4" tip. He has a magnaflow high flow cat I think and he went 3 inch when most GTI bought exhausts are 2.5". Apparently 3" is too much for the GTI, but he cared more about sound than performance gains. His car is obnoxious, I hate it, but he loves it.

I PM'd you all the details. If you wanna make the drive over to Jeffco, that's where I went. It's even far for me since I live in wheat ridge, but it's way longer for you.

 

Took one mexican 50 minutes to take off my whole exhaust,and downpipe. And put the new one on.

 

you have mexicans in tampa bay? haha

I am going to call around. It's leaking and giving me a headache although the turbo is much louder

 

What is it doing to make you think it's leaking?

 

I don't know about his, but mine is leaking for sure. You can smell it from the AC vents, because it comes up from the engine bay like a chimney, only to get sucked through the AC inlet.

Plus you can hear out the tailpipe, the unmistakeable noise of an exhaust leak, or listen underneath the car.

Mine is pretty minor, but a little exhaust gas goes a long ways. Smells like crap, and it's mighty bad for you too.

 

You can hear it under the dash. It sounds like almost a small popping sound. and the turbo spool is much louder. its hard to explain

 

I see so it's one of those things you just have to know. It probably can't get picked up in a video or sound clip.

I like to know these things thats why I'm asking. I still don't know what ping/knock sounds like or detonation.

 

I could probably take a video of it, but I don't know how audible it will be.

 

If none of the easier/free methods work, you could also remove and replace the stud itself.

 

Lol, had it done when I lived in Texas!

 

use a 6 point socket instead of a 12

 

ok good! lol

You said that you stripped the bolt so I was just making sure you didn't do so by being a knuckle head and using a 5/8" socket due to not having a metric set handy..

 

 

^^Who's the unfortunate soul who gets to precariously hold the breaker bar with a 10" extention and swivle head while your half in the bag buddy who you paid in beers swings a hail marry with a mallet?

 

If you take off the rear Trans mount, you will free up some space right at the downpipe/turbo flange so that you don't need an extension and all that. Get a wrench and man-up!

 

lmfao

OP- when i put mine on,the night before i did the swap,i NUKED the nuts with PB blaster and then i drove around for a little while to get the bolts hot and put the car in the air and hit the nuts again with PB blaster (i had 30k? maybe on my car when i took the stock DP off) i used hand tools to break the nuts loose.

it MIGHT work to let the car run and warm up thee exhaust. i did that with taking the O2 sensor out,i tried while the exhaust was cold and let the car run and with a little elbow grease,it popped right out.