Exhaust Removal/Fitting

Tools Required

• Good quality 10mm to 15mm Sockets, Wrench, Extension bar (small and large)
• 10mm to 15mm Combination spanners
• Crowbar (will explain this one later)
• WD40
• Allen Key Set (metric)
• Medium Phillips Screw driver
• Vaseline

Preparation

1. Remove the undertray, only remove the one piece nearest the rear of the car.
2. Spray all bolts on the catalyst and exhaust with WD40.
3. Remove the right-hand side of the boot bag.
4. Have a coffee.

Removal

1. Remove the catalyst (15mm nuts), if they feel really stiff soak them again in WD40 and leave for a while. Then remove the two brackets at either end of the catalyst, both of these brackets are held on by the 15mm nuts.
2. To remove the catalyst you will need to pull the down pipe out of the way. This is where the crowbar comes in, lever the pipe out of the way and the catalyst will come free.
3. On the right hand side of the exhaust you will see a bracket that is bolted to the exhaust box. Undo these bolts and remove the bracket.
4. Now look up on the left-hand side of the exhaust and you will see another bracket. This is welded onto the exhaust box (this one is the pain).
5. Note where the bracket is and go into the boot, you will see a three 10mm boltheads. Workout which are the bracket and undo them. Make sure that someone is below supporting the exhaust.
6. Now the exhaust is free.
7. Use a little force and some creative wiggling and the box will come off. It is an idea for someone else to guide the tail pipes through the body work.

Fitting

1. Loosely fit the right-hand bracket onto the exhaust box and put some vaseline on the bracket.
2. On the car refit the left-hand bracket but make sure that the nuts are only on a couple of threads so that the exhaust can move on the bracket.
3. Now offer the exhaust up (make sure that you have put vaseline on both brackets on the exhaust).
4. Put the exhaust firstly through the bracket on the right, then the left one. Again it is a good idea to get someone to guide the tailpipes through the bodywork.
5. Replace the catalyst and tighten the 15mm nuts on the catalyst (you will need the crowbar again to move the downpipe).
6. Now tighten the bracket on the right-hand side, you will need to do this via the boot again.
7. Tighten up the bracket on the left-hand side which bolts onto the exhaust box.
8. The exhaust should now be fitted correctly.
9. Go to the rear of the car and loosely fit the oval, make sure that it is level. Once you are happy tighten the brackets on the tailpipes (these brackets are near the exit from the exhaust box).
10. Remove the ovals again.
11. Using the sticky pads provided stick the retaining plate between the tailpipe ends. It goes between the pointy bits of the exit hole in the body work (I am sure you will understand that bit when you are doing it).
12. Fit the backing plate.
13. Fit the ovals again and tighten the allen bolts up.
14. Start it up and make sure there are no rattles.
15. Go around and check that all nuts and bolts and very tight.
16. Refit the under tray.
17. Refit the boot.

Credits