JoshK-Allroad

Well, my APR downpipes arrived today. They are truly awesome looking and I can't wait to get them installed. The only problem is the guy at APR forgot to fax me some literature today as he was supposed to. He said he was going to send some various pages from the CD-ROM manual with some tips on them to help out JoshD, Leslie and myself with the install.

So, maybe I'm an idiot and just asking for trouble, but I am still going to give the install a shot. I figure I have to simply replace pipe A with pipe B, and getting in there will be the hard part. :-)

Can anybody (I'm begging here :-) offer advice, tips, some scans from the manual, etc. that will help with this process?? Jim, I know you did your downpipe install, but your car was torn apart at the time. Still, any pointers you can offer? Any information will help here so we don't have to start totally blind. I guess I'm looking for tips on what all I'll have to remove from both the top of the car (engine bay) and bottom of the car to gain the nescessary access to the place where the downpipes conntect to the manifolds/turbos/whatever...

thanks,
-josh

John CC

As far as I know these guys have the APR downpipe:
SlamdVW@aol.com = APR rep in PA
evol216@yahoo.com = might have the MTM downpipe
slvrbullets4@aol.com = has the awe downpipes

Hope this helps... Let us know how much louder the APR downpipe kit sounds and the performance gains. I might be ordering next week...

Jim De Arras

From top, remove covers, big "Y" air duct (for clearance) and then remove the one bolt you can reach on each downpipe. Also, remove the two bolts on each side holding the metal shields on the turbos. Locate and unplug the upper oxy sensor plugs and free them to fall out with the pipes.

From the bottom, drop the rest of the exhaust. Remove the other two oxygen sensors, you can twist the wires enough to get them out. Remove the heat covers over the CVs on each side of the transmission. If you have the tool, remove the cvs on both sides and tie the shaft out of the way. I did not do this, it can be done with the shafts in, but it's harder. Now, the fun part! You have to reach in and remove the other three bolts on each side, using an assortment of short or differently shaped wrenchs. This would be easier with the wheel drive shafts out of the way, but I did it the hard way, still possible.

Remove the lower support from the side of the transmission mount arm, and you're done!

Dave Schotz

Jim summed it up pretty well... another side note may be start from the rear, and take off the muffler first, then work towards the turbos (or front of the car) it will make the job a little easier, and remove little annoyances that could get in your way during the install.
Good Luck!
Dave Schotz

JoshK-Allroad

I'm collecting everybody's tips and hopefully once we get the car up and opened up we'll have enough to go off!

Additionally, are there any special tools we should consider having? I'm assuming regular ol' sockets, box wrenches, etc. Any deep dish sockets or anything we normally wouldn't have needed?

thanks again,
-josh

leslie

Would you mind bringing the tools you think we'll need? Strangely my dad, doesn't have as much of a problem w/ you using our lift as his tools. I think it's a guy thing, maybe you understand... Don't stress if you forget some, I'm sur we'll have them...

JoshK-Allroad

Hmm...does sound like a guy thing :-) So is your dad going to be cool with this or are JoshD and I going to be chased off your property with a shotgun by your dad? :-)

I'm going to start pulling crap out of the engine bay tomorrow to get an idea of what all I'll be up against. Hopefully that will get rid of anything unexpected so we don't waste time on Monday. I'm not that worried about the underside work, though Jim's note about working around the driveshafts could be interesting. It's the access from the top side that concerns me more.

-josh

P.S. So how is it that you are in reading the AW forum on a Friday night too?

Jim De Arras

Only special tool is the triple-square for removing the CV's and the job can be done w/o removing em

Jim De Arras

You should replace the gasket at the turbo, they do not reuse well.

Jim De Arras

Top side work is the easy part, don't worry!