VR6 downpipe removal

[timmaaah 0]

Quick question. How easy are these to remove/replace? Mine decided to split at the manifold end earlier resulting in a rather noisy couple of miles drive home:rolleyes::o:bonk:

 

Any hints or tips or is it easy to do? Can't get ramp access due to the lift being too far away, so will only have jack and axle stands.

 

Cheers in advance :)

[southerner88 10]

Only recomendation I have is to ease up the bolts before you start, I snapped a couple of the bolts accidentally which made things interesting. spray them up with wd or some duck oil or something like that. some of the bolts are quite awkward too so make sure youve got a few options of socket extensions.

 

Best of luck

[Dox 23]

I put a piece of rag in an over size socket filled with engine oil and push it onto the manifold threads using extensions if they cant be sprayed easily with WD40 etc

 

As you unscrew the nuts rust will bind the threads, so work them anti clock, then clockwise to clear the rust as you go, otherwise the studs will snap making it a much bigger job

[Jim Bowen 1]

The nuts on mine to the cat were so rusted i couldn't even tell they were a hex bolt :lol: Irwins came to the rescue again.

 

Its quite tight getting access to the downpipe to manifolds nuts. You probably need to remove throttle body /air intake, and possibly the inlet manifold.

[tony_ack 0]

I did mine on axle stands in the middle of winter... It was not a pleasant experience. The manifold nuts came off really easily but the ones to the cat were seized solid, as was the clamp between the cat and middle silencer. I undid it between the rear section and mid section but there wasn't enough clearance to get it out, so I had to cut the middle clamp off under the car and then cut off the bolts between the downpipe and cat when it was on the bench. To make it worse I couldn't remove the lambda either so had to snip and resolder the wires.

[jamiehamy 0]

For the manifold - down pipes, I run the car until warm, then (carefully) spray Supercrack on them. and repeat a few times. For loosening, I think it's 6 17mm nuts - the easiest way for most of these is to get a few extension bars, and a bar with a UJ on it. Then slide the whole lot up from underneath the steering rack. You need the car fairly high at the front to allow your body right under, but it allows a good purchase on the nuts and proper leverage. For the downpipe-cat - I usually pray they shear and just replace the nuts and bolts. Any clamps I'll tend to hacksaw off and replace as well - not worth the grief to try loosen and then the thing shears on the 5th last turn :)

 

For the manifold nuts, same again with super crack and heat - just your donald duck if the nuts come off, or the stud with the nut. Either way - replace and copper ease. You'll not regret it!