Okay, how tough is a midpipe install?

[Twista]

I wouldn't do it myself (just me talking) lol. The person who did mine only had problems getting the chicago winter rusted nuts off. He had to torch the nuts flamming orange and even still they wouldn't turn lol, but he got them off after multiple trys of heating the nuts to the color orange! After he got the nuts off it was a snap for him to trade the midpipes. Not to mention he did all this alone laying under a jacked/rhino ramped car on the ground.

Thanks gene!

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

when i changed out my mid-pipe to stock for smog in August my bro and I used my GF's Dad's car lift and took us 40 mins to do that and change my oil

 

[Saleen311]

save yourself some time and a lot of trouble and go ahead and buy another flange gasket before you do the install. they are less than $10 but more than likely you will need one. I installed mine but didnt notice that my gasket broke. It sounded like open headers and my car smelled like **** for months and that was only from one day of a broken gasket. I bought a new gasket and did the instal all over again.

 

[joshheat25]

Yea the only problems are the header bolts and the O2 sensors! other than that Just get your car up on jack stands and your good to go!

 

[Mike97gt]

it's very easy if you live in the south or the west where cars do not rust, but can be a pain if you live in the north andyou do not have access to a torch to heat the manifold- midpipe nuts

A 10 year old southern/california car usually has less rust than a 3 year old massachusetts car.. I LOVE working on cars from the south nothing is rusted on..

 

[Skidzz]

It was a total PITA for me, but that's because I did it with only my spare tire jack. It took me HOURS. First, I paid a shop $60 to do it. Well, they didn't do it well at all. Not one, but BOTH sides were leaking at the manifold. Using a spare tire jack and the curb on my street, I unbolted it from both manifold flanges and re-bolted it. Again, it took hours and I lost a lot of blood lol. If you can find someone to do it for less than $100, let them do it. Although, if you have the proper equipment, UNLIKE I did, it will probably be a lot easier than my install was.

 

[sgarlic]

I did mine originally on a lift, and it was a pain getting that bottom passenger side nut off, even with a huge arsenal of air tools and extensions. Probably because I had read so much about it that I psyched myself out.

Once we got that off, the rest was a breeze.

I took that pipe off and swapped my stock one back on a year or so ago, and did it myself, on jackstands, in my garage, without using air tools, and it took me maybe an hour all together, with no help. It's really just pretty intimidating at first, but once you get that bottom passenger side nut off, it's smooth sailing.

+1 for disconnecting the battery before you do anything. That starter crap is RIGHT next to those passenger side nuts,so you gotta be very careul. I promise you you'll spark it if you don't disconnect the battery first.

I also left the stock manifold->midpipe gasket in there, because I only had 5k on the car, and live in AZ. Mine was in perfect condition, but I definately would have a spare on hand just in case. (You'll end up doing this Sunday morning where no dealerships are open, then have to sit all day long looking at it wondering how it's going to sound. The excitement is too much.)

Anyway, I loved the sound mine made, but hated the torque shift. I had the Mac O/R H. I sort of felt like I lost streetability at low speeds. I also hated the fumes.

 

[forum155pl]

it was cake for me... i completed it within my hour lunch break from work

 

[soctty7676]

Anyway, I loved the sound mine made, but hated the torque shift. I had the Mac O/R H. I sort of felt like I lost streetability at low speeds. I also hated the fumes.

Same here, I had a MAC O/R H and put the stock back on because of these reasons.

 

[mustangkid05]

i got the mac and it sounds awesome.....the installation is a breeze on some parts other parts it sucks, like the oxy sensors

 

[bonestock87]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm in the middle of installing a Mac o/r H-pipe and am having a time with the lower pass. side header bolt. The problem is that the standard short-well isn't long enough to bite the nut (that sounded kinky), and the deep well is too long to get the swivle at a decent angle. Any tips? I was surprised how easy the rest of it has gone, but this one last nut is kicking my a$$!

 

[BurningRubber]

If I remember correctly I had to use a deep socket on mine, but I used a universal joint (similar to a swivel) and a combo of extensions to get it.

If that doesnt work, you can try putting the shallow socket on by itself, and then connect it to the ratchet. It wont fully "click" in, but if its deep enough the ratchet will somewhat seat, and you may be able to break it loose like that.

 

[bonestock87]

Yeah, I actually did try to use the regular socket and not fully seat the swivel, but not sucessfully. I did do a search on this topic and finally came across someone who brought up the very problem I'm having. His suggestion was to grind down a deep well. I don't know about that, but a mid-length one would be the ticket. I wonder if some other combination of socket, swivel, extensions, that I haven't yet tried, would be the trick?

Thanks for the input BurningRubber!

 

[BurningRubber]

No problem, I know its frustraiting starting on something and not being able to finish it due to one little hitch.


I used a combo of extensions. Small, medium, and really long pretty much. I just played with them untill I found the working one.

Also mess around with where you put the swivel. Try it at the end of an extension, or before the extension... and so on. I had to mess with it for a minute or two before it would fit up there and seat.

Now I also remember that I know for a fact I used a deep well socket on all of those bolts.

 

[twogts4us]

Yeah, sometimes it's a combo of extensions and swivels. I have a 3/8" impact and a 1/2" impact, with 2 sets of extensions and swivels for each...plus many, many, many impact sockets.
I also used masking tape to give the exension and swivels some rigidity. You need it to be able to flex and bend, but as you work upside down, it tends to flop loose like a, well a, limp d1ck.
I used 4 ramps when I did mine - very secure and out of the way. I drove it up onto the front ramps, then jacked the back and slid the ramps into place.
If I can do this, anyone can. The right tools are essential. But, in all honesty, I'm a technical manager who sits at a desk behind a computer all day. I don't do much physical work...and I'm not a spring chicken anymore (41 years young). I did it myself, including a catback as well and really had no issues. (But that pass side is a challenge!)

 

[bonestock87]

It's official, the slowest h-pipe install in history is complete. Just under 3 hours. I'm not being too hard on myself, it was 35 degrees out and I'm doing everything on my back in my non-heated garage. Could have been worse though. I do have one final question: Anybody have trouble with the lenght of the O2 sensor's wires on the driver side? I've read where the '04's need an extension somewhere, but mine is an '03. I finally had to reach up there and unplug it so I could thread the sensor in the H-pipe. It remains unplugged, should I be worried? My MIL didn't come on after a short test drive.

Thanks everybody!