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Hey guys, I will be installing my full exhaust including down pipes within the next few days and of course I am very excited. In preparation for this project I lifted the car today to get a look at what I will be coming across. It all looks very simple and self-explanatory except when I was looking at the 3 bolt flange that bolts the downpipe to the header. There are two bolts on the bottom facing downward but the third bolt is directly on top of the exhaust pipe in a very tight area and I am having trouble imagining how to get at it with tools for removal. Has anybody on here installed downpipes themselves? …and if so what technique, tool, or angle did you attack it from for success. I’m thinking maybe a combination of extensions and swivel adapters might work but just wondering what has worked for others. Thanks in advance!

Sounds like you need someone with small hands. What exhaust are you fitting?

I am fitting a full Magnaflow kit. Their "off-road" downpipes into their cat back system. Basically full dual 2.5" exhaust with 1 high flow cat per side, true x pipe, and 5" x 8" x14" straight through mufflers. Plus I got something special worked up for the tips.

Remap will be needed afterwards for high flow cats

Sounds awesome

I attempted to fit some Milly sport cats/downpipes yesterday and came across the exact same problem ..... that BLOODY third bolt! I used all manner of extensions, universal joints, ratchets and spanners and there is NO way i can see of undoing to it. I did get the 13mm socket to its location but as its angled towards the precat i couldn't get it to 'bite'.

For some bizzare reason i woke up thinking about that third bolt! .... now .... on the sport cats the collar that clamps the cat to the mainfold rotates freely around the flange ...so, IF the collar on the manifold also rotates freely it should, in theory be possible to loosen the two easily accessible bolts and then spin the collars round (whilst still clamped together by the third bolt) to allow access to the third one. As there is a gasket between the cat and maniflod this should provide the flexibility to allow this. .... if anyone has that component (Elswain??) CD would you have a look please? ..... i really dont fancy another sub zero trip under the car!

Failing that i can only suggest that either a special tool is required OR access can be gained once the cat back section of the exhaust is removed so the cat can be tilted downwards (facilitated by that gasket) to allow access. Oh, and one more thing .... the location of the bolts on either of the car side was not uniform .... IF the manifold collar was fixed then id expect that they would be .... hopefully evidence to support the 'spinning' idea .... but possibly just clutching at straws

Also, see here for the details and some info on the requirment of a remap.

http://forum.rs246.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=94187

Would the likes of MRC / Unit20 be able to offer any tips over the phone?
Would have to be a bit mean not to.

Well, no joy from the Milltek website ... just some pretty useless generic instructions .... I'll give them a call later today. If that draws a blank then hopefully some christmas goodwill from an Indy will come along!

Great thought RS4pete, does anyone have a clue if the flange on the end of the header rotates or is fixed? Im thinking about going underneath tonight to apply some penetrating lubricant to the bolts to help with removal so I will do my best to see if the flanges are fixed or not. My other thought was since I will be cutting the cats from the stock down pipes and scrapping them in anyways...I could cut the stock cat pipe between the primary cat and the flange it would make getting to those nuts much much easier....but that doesn't help me putting the new pipes on. So many sets of downpipes have been installed...there has to be somone who has the answers on the best/easiest way to install them.

TimsterRS4 wrote:Would the likes of MRC / Unit20 be able to offer any tips over the phone?
Would have to be a bit mean not to.

I was leaning towards decat downpipes, and asked Doug whether it was a quick job to swap on & off at MOT time. I remember him saying that the OEM bolts have a habit of shearing, so the first time is a real pain in the arse - normally involving drilling out. He replaces them with a different type which then last better.

Not eaxctly the answer to the third bolt question - just saying don't be too disappointed or surprised if it all goes a bit belly-up!

The third one is a bit awkward,if i remember correctly i used 1/4 drive extensions and the ones that got on it,im pretty sure it was the halfords ones that if the socket is pulled back slightly it allows 15-20 degrees wobble,several lengths of these allowed enough flex to get on it but a solid enough set up to get good drive to get it cracked off.I would get hold of some new studs and nuts ready for re assy.If you can get a set onto the nut give it a good crack with a hammer before trying to undu it,it helps crack em off,if the nut is corroded it might be wise to implement a 1/2 inch socket instead of 13mm as that one in particular would be a pig if rounded off,good luck fellas

Ah thanks ... so it definatly doesn't spin round then?

Also ... where did you source the nuts, bolts and gaskets ... through Audi?