Removing precat - failed!

[zed4]

Tried to remove the precat today, undid the nuts holding the downpipe to the turbo manifold, but couldn't remove the clamp securing the downpipe to the backboxes.

The bolts securing the clamps had completely rusted to a ball and I couldn't get a socket on it at all. The only way I could get it off would be to cut the clamp off, but I don't have a replacement clamp and its a Sunday, so no chance of getting one!

So put it back together again. I still want to remove it before I take it to R-Tech on Wednesday, so I'll need to find a clamp and do it on Monday night.

[Dave(tm)]

Oops! So annoying doing jobs when the shops are shut!

I want rid of my pre-cat too. Let us know how you find it?

Dave

[zed4]

Well I had a mission trying to remove the exhaust again last night. I couldn’t separate the downpipe from the backbox pipe, so I tried removing the entire exhaust, by myself. That was a nightmare!! After several cuts and bruises and many hours of lying underneath the car in the dark, I admitted defeat and bolted it back on again!! How frustrating. I thought it was going to be an easy job, but it really wasn’t. I can see that if you can separate the pipes then it would be much easier, but there’s no way to get the flexi and turbo flanged part of the downpipe out of the engine bay area without a bit of twisting, and you can’t do that with the rest of the exhaust still attached! Oh well, it will have to stay in place.

I did leave R-Tech a message to ask if they could do it whilst it’s being remapped, but they didn’t get back to me, so I assume they can’t.

[GrayMK5GTI]

Well I had a mission trying to remove the exhaust again last night. I couldn’t separate the downpipe from the backbox pipe, so I tried removing the entire exhaust, by myself. That was a nightmare!! After several cuts and bruises and many hours of lying underneath the car in the dark, I admitted defeat and bolted it back on again!! How frustrating. I thought it was going to be an easy job, but it really wasn’t. I can see that if you can separate the pipes then it would be much easier, but there’s no way to get the flexi and turbo flanged part of the downpipe out of the engine bay area without a bit of twisting, and you can’t do that with the rest of the exhaust still attached! Oh well, it will have to stay in place.

I did leave R-Tech a message to ask if they could do it whilst it’s being remapped, but they didn’t get back to me, so I assume they can’t.

Take it to your local trusted garage, it should be no more than an hours labour 

Print off page one of this thread for guidance: http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=41083.0

[zed4]

Well I had a mission trying to remove the exhaust again last night. I couldn’t separate the downpipe from the backbox pipe, so I tried removing the entire exhaust, by myself. That was a nightmare!! After several cuts and bruises and many hours of lying underneath the car in the dark, I admitted defeat and bolted it back on again!! How frustrating. I thought it was going to be an easy job, but it really wasn’t. I can see that if you can separate the pipes then it would be much easier, but there’s no way to get the flexi and turbo flanged part of the downpipe out of the engine bay area without a bit of twisting, and you can’t do that with the rest of the exhaust still attached! Oh well, it will have to stay in place.

I did leave R-Tech a message to ask if they could do it whilst it’s being remapped, but they didn’t get back to me, so I assume they can’t.

Take it to your local trusted garage, it should be no more than an hours labour 

Print off page one of this thread for guidance: http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=41083.0

Yeah, it would be a lot easier with a proper lift and to be able to stand underneath the car. It would also be easier if the pipes would separate. I might do that, just a shame that I’m off for a custom remap and I won’t be able to remove the precat in time. I don’t suppose it makes much difference if I map it before or after, but it would have been nice to have had the precat removed in advance.

I might well get a garage to do it some time next week.

[GrayMK5GTI]

Your right mate, it won't make much difference (maybe 2bhp) whether mapped for it or not. If there is time, Marcus @ R-Tech may be able to do it.