Update on my GHL Catback Exhaust installation: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
05-19-2003, 02:41 PM
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,957
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Or he did not pay attention to it while it was installed as I did...
Maybe he did not look close enough, or GHL felt it was fine as it was. Who knows. I have no reason though to post false information. I tell it like it is. And mine was not perfect. I was there with my tech as he installed it. I saw everything and he brought anything out of the ordinary to my attention. Plus, if darin45's was perfect. Then mine should have been as well, since his was the prototype. So either it was not as good as darin45 said it was. Or they goofed on the production run.
05-19-2003, 05:39 PM
#25
Elder Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
.
1a) The hole in the tranny connection bracket was not big enough for the OEM bolt/holder piece.
b) The tranny bracket also did not fit correctly to the mounting point; it had to be bent to the side for the bolt. But it was still not perfectly lined up after that.
c) No downpipe gasket supplied. (Not sure if this is such an issue, but it was noted that when the new OEM gasket was fitted to the end of the downpipe; the inner edge of the downpipe connection (--> cat) had a slight radius to it and the gaskets inner edge was not flush with this. Could create turbulence).
My responses:
1a. Thats something they need to work on, that sucks.
1b. The placement of that is different from MY to MY, sometimes its hard to get that correct.
Audi sometimes changes stupid things around, like the floormat plugs in the B5, its hard to make pre-fitted A4 floormatts with the holes, because Audi kept changing them around.
1c. The downpipe gasket is a metal gasket, you can reuse the gasket that came with it, IF you really NEED a new one, they are 15 @ Audi.
b) The tranny bracket also did not fit correctly to the mounting point; it had to be bent to the side for the bolt. But it was still not perfectly lined up after that.
c) No downpipe gasket supplied. (Not sure if this is such an issue, but it was noted that when the new OEM gasket was fitted to the end of the downpipe; the inner edge of the downpipe connection (--> cat) had a slight radius to it and the gaskets inner edge was not flush with this. Could create turbulence).
My responses:
1a. Thats something they need to work on, that sucks.
1b. The placement of that is different from MY to MY, sometimes its hard to get that correct.
Audi sometimes changes stupid things around, like the floormat plugs in the B5, its hard to make pre-fitted A4 floormatts with the holes, because Audi kept changing them around.
1c. The downpipe gasket is a metal gasket, you can reuse the gasket that came with it, IF you really NEED a new one, they are 15 @ Audi.
05-19-2003, 07:54 PM
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,957
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The OEM gasket between the cat --> downpipe was actually in pretty bad shape, surprisingly.....
The tech felt it would be wise to replace with a new one and I agreed ($16). It is an aluminum+material sandwich.
05-19-2003, 07:56 PM
#28
AudiWorld Member
it will be interesting to see...
how this turns out when i get mine on. i talked to GHL and they said the used the exact same specs as they did on darin's car. we know you have no reason to post negative stuff about the exhaust unless it is true... we'll see how mine turns out on friday.
05-19-2003, 08:10 PM
#29
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,957
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, I could have very well received a "fluke". But the odds of that seem high.
If they have good quality control and tight tolerances, then I cannot see the others from this batch being much different. I could only hope that yours is perfect (although it would make me more irritated).
I could have been more happy with it did not have those problems. I could even keep it, to avoid the inconvenience and spending more money on labor and another exhaust. But the fact is, those details I mentioned add up. GHL needs to address them first and then they will have a more perfect exhaust system.
I could have been more happy with it did not have those problems. I could even keep it, to avoid the inconvenience and spending more money on labor and another exhaust. But the fact is, those details I mentioned add up. GHL needs to address them first and then they will have a more perfect exhaust system.
