42 Draft Downpipe broken again. :(
09-14-2008, 11:24 AM
#1
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42 Draft Downpipe broken again. :(
I'm just having the worst luck with this thing.
Over the last year, the first flange joint just after the bend from the turbo has come loose three times. The whole thing has been out of the car three times as my shop and an exhaust specialist tried to figure out a hardware solution that would work. We finally got the hardware solid, and now the welds have come loose on this flange!
The last thing I am going to try is to take the whole thing out and have the exhaust specialist completely redo the whole flange joint from scratch with new plates and new heavy duty welds.
The biggest flaw he sees in the downpipe is that the flex joint is too low. There is too much hanging on that flange joint. Even with the stiffer dogbone bushings I have installed, there is too much movement for that long of a stiff pipe coming off the turbo, especially when I track my car.
Aside from completely recreating that flange joint from scratch with much beefier parts, I am at a loss of what to do. Does anybody else have any suggestions or thoughts on this? Has anybody else been having problems with this flange joint? Should I go to a different exhaust specialist? Should I put the stock downpipe back in? Should I sell the TT and buy a car that can handle the track?
naw, I wouldn't sell the TT. 
Help!
<img src="http://www.42draftdesigns.com/images/exhausts/tt225dp/tt225dp07.jpg">
Over the last year, the first flange joint just after the bend from the turbo has come loose three times. The whole thing has been out of the car three times as my shop and an exhaust specialist tried to figure out a hardware solution that would work. We finally got the hardware solid, and now the welds have come loose on this flange!
The last thing I am going to try is to take the whole thing out and have the exhaust specialist completely redo the whole flange joint from scratch with new plates and new heavy duty welds.
The biggest flaw he sees in the downpipe is that the flex joint is too low. There is too much hanging on that flange joint. Even with the stiffer dogbone bushings I have installed, there is too much movement for that long of a stiff pipe coming off the turbo, especially when I track my car.
Aside from completely recreating that flange joint from scratch with much beefier parts, I am at a loss of what to do. Does anybody else have any suggestions or thoughts on this? Has anybody else been having problems with this flange joint? Should I go to a different exhaust specialist? Should I put the stock downpipe back in? Should I sell the TT and buy a car that can handle the track?
naw, I wouldn't sell the TT. Help!
<img src="http://www.42draftdesigns.com/images/exhausts/tt225dp/tt225dp07.jpg">
09-14-2008, 11:31 AM
#3
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I'll take some photos when they take it out.
I am waiting to figure out my plan of attack before they take everything out. Unfortunately this is my daily driver so I need to minimize down time.
09-14-2008, 12:31 PM
#4
personally, i would secure the tranny/engine mount with a stronger one...like the one
that VF engineering sells. this will isolate some of the movement that you are experiencing...thus, weakening the welds on the downpipe.
i have had no problems whatsoever, but again, i'm using all VF engineering mounts on all engine points.
i have had no problems whatsoever, but again, i'm using all VF engineering mounts on all engine points.
09-14-2008, 12:31 PM
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My exhaust specialist looked at the setup and ........
decided to weld a steel rod between the downpipe, just south of the flex joint, and the car body (the rod is welded to the DP but bolted to the body for easy removal). He did it without even asking me. When I noticed the extra support he told me that if he hadn't done that that most probably "the flange joint just after the bend from the turbo would come loose or the welds would break". The rod supports the weight of most of the DP/catalyst/etc instead of the flange having to handle that job. He was surprised that the DP did not include this support. It has worked wonderfully since the install. See what your specialist thinks of this solution.
BC
BC
