Flex pipe replacement
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AudiWorld Member
Joined: Oct 2007
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Flex pipe replacement
My flex pipe is broken. I ordered a Bosal replacement and it is scheduled to arrive today. What kind of job am I looking at here? I crawled under the car last week to verify it was the flex pipe and it looks like the three bolts that bolt the flex pipe to the cat could be a real PITA. Does anything have to be removed to get to them or should I be able to get in there with a long extension and universals? I didn't look from the top to see if I can get at the nuts from the engine bay yet so maybe that's the way to go. Anyone here that's replaced their pipe and can give me an idea of the time I should set aside for this?
2000 1.8T quattro manual
Thanks,
Ryan
2000 1.8T quattro manual
Thanks,
Ryan
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 73
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Start soaking the bolts now, they're a bitch to get off. You'll need to use a combo of universals and extension or remove the fender liner to come in from the side. If you look at the tech articles for test pipe/HFC installs there's some pictures in there. I've removed mine twice and was able to get them off without taking the fender liner out, but if they're rusty enough you may have to remove it. Then you'll have the joy of trying to get the slip-joint apart.
Thread Starter
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Miserable
I replaced the downpipe last night. Broke both the bolts on the clamp, which I expected and had already bought a new clamp. Also broke one of the 3 bolts that goes into the cat. ECS sells the cat bolts and they also sell nuts for those bolts, but on my car the bolts are welded to the cat so they do not get replaced. Since I had bought the nuts, I ended up drilling out the broken bolt remains and using one of the nuts. The other 2 bolts I threaded back into the existing welded on nuts on the cat.
Total time - about 3 hours, but they were 3 miserable hours of contorting and cursing while using long extensions and universals in cramped places. I also had to use my 90 degree drill to drill out the broken bolt. I tried for about 5 minutes to get a regular cordless drill in there but there was no way that was happening wihtout removing a bunch of stuff I didn't feel like removing.
Total cost - about $150 mostly from ECS - Bosal downpipe, cat to downpipe gasket, 3 bolts, 3 nuts all from ECS. Bought the $28 clamp from the dealer since ECS couldn't tell me which size clamp I needed and I didn't feel like jacking the car up to check and then waiting another week for the part.
Total time - about 3 hours, but they were 3 miserable hours of contorting and cursing while using long extensions and universals in cramped places. I also had to use my 90 degree drill to drill out the broken bolt. I tried for about 5 minutes to get a regular cordless drill in there but there was no way that was happening wihtout removing a bunch of stuff I didn't feel like removing.
Total cost - about $150 mostly from ECS - Bosal downpipe, cat to downpipe gasket, 3 bolts, 3 nuts all from ECS. Bought the $28 clamp from the dealer since ECS couldn't tell me which size clamp I needed and I didn't feel like jacking the car up to check and then waiting another week for the part.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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Cheers, its was such a PITA for the mechanic that he charged me an extra hour in labor. He went through the same pains you did. Except the first time he didnt replace the clamp. When the clamp rusted through I took it back, that was a freebie.
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From: sunny , snowy central New York State
I had both of my flex pipe rust out and get holes in them, I was able to fix one with my fluxcore welder and I took it to a local muffler shop to get a new flex pipe put in. They fixed it for me for $116 including the flex pipe with a comment "it won't last forever" yeah I know just till my kids can kill the car , that's all I ask for. when the other falls apart from my handi work I'll have them do that one too. Just cut off the old one and welded a new one in its place. I just need a few more years out of the car till my kids are gone.
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