Here are pictures of how I successfully fitted one of Owen’s super-duper “alternative” exhausts to my 'standard engined� Exige (see here under Exige / exhausts)…
I ran the car today at Oulton Park and it passed the noise test easily, and the car does feel more lively and sounds more throaty � perhaps that nice Mr Geddes will book me in for a rolling road session to prove the power hike ??
My car has an EBD manifold fitted, (ergo no flexible connector between the manifold and the exhaust), so I first took the precaution of fitting one of Geary’s adjustable lower engine mounts for �40 - (see here under ‘suspension’) This reduces engine rocking to alleviate the danger of the manifold breaking� Took me about 20 minutes actual working time - biggest problem was undoing the old bolts - solution was patience, a fair bit of WD40, and a big breaker bar…
Both the EBD and the original flexible connector mate to the exhaust via identically positioned and shaped flanges which point directly across the silencer compartment towards the left rear wheel. (Picture 591) [image]http://www.bookatrack.com/-PG?mikelane&1964&15868&640[/image] The picture shows the flange end of the EBD in the foreground, and the silencer running across the car towards the left wheel arch, where the tailpipe exits.
The silencer is held in place by a steel hoop which locates via two arms into the existing rubber mounts - the short arm fits into the mount near the rearmost bush of the left rear upper wishbone (picture 585), [image]http://www.bookatrack.com/-PG?mikelane&1964&15864&640[/image] and (picture 586) [image]http://www.bookatrack.com/-PG?mikelane&1964&15865&640[/image] seen from the other side � the long arm fits the mount bolted underneath the boot floor on the left, and can be seen in picture 591.
Here is your first learning point� I tried putting the hoop around the silencer and then attempted to push the hoop arms into the mounts � this is virtually impossible because you have to hold the silencer with at least one hand, and though it seems light at first, it soon gets very heavy, trust me !!) � The solution? - Fit the hoop first, and then slide the silencer into it, then do up the three bolts to seal the flange on the EBD to the corresponding flange on the silencer. There is space to do it this way�
Here is your second learning point � having got this far, and tightened everything up, I found that the silencer was hard up against the rear subframe (picture 584 � note protective sellotape)�. [image]http://www.bookatrack.com/-PG?mikelane&1964&15863&640[/image] and I could not get a seal between the flanges, even when I removed the heat shielding around the toe-link ball joint and the flexible brake hose��- So I had to take it all off again��(�bstrds!!�) I then adjusted the engine mount a few millimetres to create a touch more space, fitted it all back in, and tightened it all back up again� Still tight to the subframe�… (�bstrds, bstrds!!�) - So I took it all off again, and resorted to gentle surgery�. I decided to shave a few millimetres off the subframe using a simple rounded metal file, and the end result looks like this (picture 587 � before fitting silencer � compare to picture 585 to see the amount removed) and (picture 592 � with silencer in place � the bits of sellotape were later removed) [image]http://www.bookatrack.com/-PG?mikelane&1964&15869&640[/image]
Here is your third learning point � I mentioned that I took off the heat shield protecting the toe-link ball joint and the brake hose � that was there primarily, I think, due to the very high temperatures created by the CAT, which is now gone, but just to be safe I have a set of stainless steel braided hoses and better fluid on the way, and I chose to refit the part of the shield that protects the ball joint � it was really rusted to hell and back, so I sprayed it with some silver 400 degree exhaust paint, and with my nice new silencer now fitting perfectly, with no leaks, I tried to do up the bolts on the heat shield � no could do � completely blocked by the silencer (bstrds, bstrds, bstrds!!) � so I had to take it all off again � fit the heatshield, and then put it all back again�. (Look again at Picture 591 � heat shield is underneath the silencer next to the hoop tightening bolt)
Here is you fourth learning point (picture 588)� [image]http://www.bookatrack.com/-PG?mikelane&1964&15867&640[/image] due to its length and the proximity of the heat shield, the hoop bolt needs to be threaded through the hoop, and facing towards the rear of the car BEFORE the hoop is fitted (�bstrds, bstrds, bstrds, bstrds� - Did I take it all off again? � No !! - I cheated and put an old nut on the head side of the bolt to shorten it, (I will eventually take it off, do up the nut, cut the required amount off with my trusty hacksaw, and then undo the nut to clean the end of the thread before refitting)
Here is your fifth learning point � with everything in place you just need to refit the diffuser�
Unfortunately the hoop tightening bolt structure sticks out vertically below the silencer, and, you�ve guessed it, the diffuser doesn�t fit (�bstrds, bstrds, bstrds, bstrds, bstrds�)
There is about four cubic feet of empty space directly behind the silencer where the �python�s coils� of the old exhaust used to be, but the bolt goes downwards � nevermind !!
Solution? � I have a hole cutting tool that fits my drill and having drilled two pilot holes, I just cut out two 20 mm slightly overlapping holes and filed them out to create an oval hole just large enough for the bolt assembly to stick through�
Here is a step by step guide which should enable you to do everything �only once�
- Remove heatshield �cut and retain toelink protection - clean up and spray if necessary
- File / grind off a small radius from the subframe � see photos for how much
- Refit toe-link heatshield
- Fit silencer support hoop bolt � and nut � then fit the hoop into the rubber mounts � you may need to loosen them a bit
- Slide the silencer through the hoop � put tape temporarily on the inside of the hoop to protect silencer
- Put the old gasket between the flanges and fit and tighten the three bolts
- Gentlemen � start your engines, admire the throaty, throbbing sound, and check for leaks
- Assuming no leaks prepare diffuser for refitting � fix the rear diffuser to the mid diffuser using two bolts, one either side, where they join
- Put a drop of paint or similar on the bottom of each side of the hoop bolts structure and put the undertray in place as far as you can, so the paint marks the spots to drill the pilot holes
- Drill tiny pilot holes � cut the 20 mm holes � file / grind out the oval � refit diffuser
All you now need to do is order one and fit it !!