I need y'alls opinion. I bought this ZZP pipe used about 20k ago. Two days ago my car got an exhaust leak so I put a new manifold gasket on. Then later I went over a rough patch in the road, like 1/4" higher than the rest of the road and this happened:





So my question is, how do you guys think this happened? I didn't over-tighten the header-downpipe flange bolts... I'm confused. The flex section is trashed I guess from the fall. I was going to use a stock lsj downpipe but mine's an automatic. I'll just buy another one from zzp but I want to avoid this happening again!

 

I had two stock ones do that. It happens, flex pipes are a weak point I guess.

 

Another reason why engine/tranny mounts help... They help prevent this.

 

did the flex tear or welds break?

 

i'm noticing a lot of heat wrap. and idk about the zzp header and/or downpipe. but when i was running hahn on my old lsj i was told not to run any type of heat wrap specifically because things could break.

 

That does look like the welds broke....

 

ok.... thats a massive stretch...

 

dont hate its 100+ a month for vendors here.

 

1 of two things:

Heat wrap will rot tubes, and could cause this.

Movement in stock mounts allow the flex to work much harder, than if the engine does not rock/flop around... ZZP for a long time, which they still may state on their site, stated that they highly recommend mounts with their downpipes to prevent this issue from happening...

Before you call out a massive stretch, do a search to find this out on many other car platforms they use mounts for this same reason.

 

idk about that. granted it was stock. but my accordion style stock flex pipe broke on my lsj from too many trips to the track on stock mounts. no other mounts will allow the engine to rock back and forth flexing it like that. broke right along the seam that travels the length of it.

 

Heat wrap was used only to tie up the exhaust so it wouldn't fall out. There was no heat wrap installed until maybe 25 miles or so. It looks like the welds broke but I am not sure. Do they make solid mounts for auto cars???

 

Ding ding!!! We know you have been around a very long time and know this happens.

www.TurboTechRacing.com

We are the only company to offer such a solution for auto's.

 

get that thing off the car. lets see some good pictures lol

 

It is welded in lol. I will have good pics when I cut the old one off to put the new one in

 

what welded in? you have the downpipe welded to the catback?

 

Yes the exhaust shop welded the dp to the catback against my will. It was a custom bent system anyway

 

hmm. well thats a first. did they say why? did it not have a flange or something?

 

They were two rednecks that tried to tell me my car was a Dodge Neon. But they've done great work so I trusted them. I had no regrets. Yes my downpipe had a flange on it but they wanted something more permanent I suppose. But for $300 out the door you can't beat that. At least in this town.

 

$300 to install a downpipe!? i need to go open up a shop in texas if that's an unbeatable price lol

 

$300 for the catback installed goof :p

 

still. thats a crazy amount.

 

Nah it included everything but the muffler. Well maybe it was a tad high. Same with everything in this town though

 

oh okay i didn't know you had a whole thing made. just sounded like you had one installed and they welded the downpipe to the catback lol

 

I'll have to take it to them to cut off the old pipe and re-weld the new one on. I wonder what they'll charge me. Maybe I can trade a pizza for the work lol

 

300 for a catback install?!

GM charged me 90 to install my GMPP exhaust.!