Fitting my new exhaust

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:30 pm

My new larini arrives tomorrow (I hope!) and if you can't tell I'm quite excited. Obviously I will want to fit it straight away, but is there anything I should watch out for?

I have reasonable tools and I am moderatly spanner competent, but I don't want to balls it up and end up stranded! The cat has bolts in place of the studs already but they are pretty manky.

My plan was:
Drop undertray
WD40 anything in sight.
Have a cup of tea.
Undo the bolts at the far end of the cat (Leave the other end?)
Undo tail pipe clamps & remove tails?
Wiggle out old zorst & replace.

Anyone spot any flaws in the plan? (Plan, oh dear...)

I have see all sorts of methods including removing the cat and all the exhaust mounts, is this really nessecary?

Cheers
Rich

jj · Post by jj » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:36 pm

I did my exhaust a few weeks ago now. I didnt read any how tos or guides, as I am a know-it-all impatient person.

It was pretty easy, I did it without jacking the car up. The standard exhaust is *huge* in comparison to the janspeed. Getting it out isnt easy if its not jacked up, but it is do-able. I also took the cat pipe off completely as it made getting the hangers into the rubber slots easier I think.

Another thing, as I mentioned before mine had new exhaust tails. I tried to get them off with the exhaust in place, but they were solid.I just got my little bro to push the pipes through gently whilst watching they didnt catch the clam.

I skinned two knuckles and got grit in my eye. When you have the rear tray dropped, look in the wee hole at the back of the clam. I had about 3 handfuls of gravel living in the rear wheelarches.

Post by **Shug** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:44 pm

Sometimes better to WD40 all the bolts the night before. Plus, be prepared to hacksaw off the cat bolts and replace (you got shiny new stainless ones anyway, didn't cha?)

Have a look at the rubber hangers too - it might be worth whacking in the newer blue silicone ones if they're not on already - MMC should have some knocking about and they are only a few quid (got mine gratis last time...) The old black ones will probably be very tired by now...

Oh, and have you got new cat flange gaskets - pennies from a Rover parts place (they are from an MGF) and it's better just to change them every time the cat's off, as they are a crush part.

Stephen · Post by **Stephen** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:08 pm

In addition to Shug's advice I tenfd to put on a wee coating of exhaust assembly paste just to make sure things seal. Taking off the ct can sometimes make things easier 3 bolts v lots of jiggery pokery. Do you have a later or earler S1 David M had a later one and the hanger blots were rusty so you might as well replace them with ss too.
If you do remove the cat be carefull with the flexy as old ones tend not to be too flexy.

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:52 pm

Cheers gents,

I have an early S1 (97R).

I have spoken to the Rover dealer in dundee and he has a gasket set for me to pick up.

Was going to WD40 today, but I'll need to drive about tomorrow to fetch all the stuff I need so I figured it'd all have evaporated by then.

I'm prepared for some hacksaw action.....

I also have a huge ratchet set I can borrow if required (Might not have to hacksaw if I can shear them instead!)

I'm going to try and not disturb the cat as I keep finding things I wish I hadn't, but new rubbers is a good point.

I'll keep you all posted on progress!

Cheers

Rich

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 2:56 pm

So, it's done.

Took 3 hours all in and a medium amount of swearing....

Had to take the cat off in the end, the lowest bolt was siezed tight and I had to cut the fcuker off, and the tails wouldn't budge, but all the rest just came apart ok.

What a faff getting the damn thing out of the clam tho... Couldn't cut the bolt in situ I had to remove the backbox and cat in one.... think camel and eye of needle.... good job fiberglass is flexible!

fitting the new un was a breeze, got some new rubbers and gaskets and a free exhust clamp from Motorway in St Andrews

3 of the rubbers looked brand new tho I had to destroy one.

Now the results: Sounds wonderful, like a proper sprts car should, people now turn round and stare!

(As they should

) Not very intrusive at low revs (I have picked up a couple of resonances tho) but when required it just gives a satisfying deep throaty roar with no raspyness at all. Nice one Larini! Well chuffed

It does seem to have opened up the power somewhat, but I might just be me dreaming again, or it could be that I'm staying in lower gears just to hear the ROAR!

Hurricane next!

Post by **Shug** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:00 pm

Good stuff! You'll find over the next wee while it should become a bit deeper, and more mellow, with the internals sooting up properly.

Hurricane deffo the next route for noise - although you gotta go some to beat mine

If you're at Loch Fyne tonight, you should hear me arriving fine, during your sweets

jj · Post by jj » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:00 pm

Nice one. I agree with the flexible fibreglass bit, mine was bent about a lot getting the old box out!

And how good / satisfying is the first startup!

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:10 pm

Got a bit of condensation on first start up, is this bad or just the packing drying out? Hopefully my little jaunt around fife just now should have dried it nicely, but I'll check later.... Also the end nearest the cat is going a rather attractive shade of blue...

Sadly can't make loch fyne I'm working nights... (Boo, hiss!) but I would have loved too, I'm still a SE run virgin..... I was thinking about putting in a days leave, but can't spare any I'm afraid! the girlfriend has laid claim to the precious few I have left! (Also I'm 95 miles away but thats not the point!)

gordon · Post by **gordon** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:23 pm

I think my baffles are shagged. I've got a decat, and Stainless Janspeed. It was always just nice soundin, pops and bang when cold

, and deepens up when hot. But now it pops and bangs when hot or cold and if i give it a bit of stick it gets REALLY boomy and loud. (AT 70mph it actually hurts my ears after 5 mins!!!!)

It's not leaking anywhere and there's no residue on the tailpipes to signify the baffles are breaking up and gettin thrown out the back. Has anyone heard of any problems with the S/S Janspeeds doing this??

Post by **Shug** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:30 pm

Not specifically heard about it, but it wouldn't surprise me... From what you describe, sounds like they have

gordon · Post by **gordon** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:42 pm

Bugger. Need to get somethin done before Cadwell or my ears will be bleeding when we get there. Might even fail the noise test

Who makes a good nice sounding cheapish silencer??

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:48 pm

I've got a nice standard one going spare.....!

Free to a good home (It's going in the skip tonight!)

Post by **Shug** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:50 pm

The Eliseparts one, or the Larini are the top choices... however for cheap - scour ebay. There always seem to be a few a month - usually Janspeeds.

I'm going to give Lawrence a shout and try to get use of his noise tester, as I'm twitchy about the noise limit myself...

gordon · Post by **gordon** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:58 pm

Give me a wee shout if you get one then. may be worth me while meeting up for a test too. Heading to mexico on the 24th for a fortnight and it's cleared me out. (it's the Gf's birthday too) So E bay might be the answer.