netabuse

<center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/2992868286_f93fd26032.jpg"></center><p>
...when it blew the exhaust off the downpipe.


So I took my new (used) FWD 180T <i>automatic</i> (yes yes... you can mock the car later) into the garage for a going-over, and they replaced the timing belt/pump/tensioner and a tie-rod end, and valve cover gasket (leaky), and radiator (also leaky), and PCV (or whatever it is in VW-speak) and remarked that it had more power than it ought to and might be chipped.

So I took it out for an evening of driving around. Towards the end I found a nice empty on-ramp (nobody getting on, and low traffic at the merge, and in any event, I didn't intend to be going over 70 when I got to the end, so I pulled over a bit and stopped) and decided to see what the iPhone app "dynolicious" said my 0-60 was.

So I looked around, and flipped off ESP and put in "S" and floored it.

And after third gear or so it went from a good noise to a WHOOSH noise when it hit 3krpm, and I though "aw crap" because I was already on the highway and there was not enough median to pull over, and no choice except to just drive the thing home. Which I did (all four miles). Somewhere around mile 3 it went from just the whooshing to sounding like the engine was about to leap through the hood and blow up.

So I tried to take it real easy getting back and parking, but it still sounded like doom.

It was dark and I didn't see anything on fire or obviously broken when I checked, so I went to sleep and checked it out this morning.

First off, it looks like the valve cover is leaking again (it was actually grimy OVER the clearly new gasket).

And secondly, the damn exhaust had blown off the downpipe.

I don't know what a stock downpipe looks like, but this thing looks pretty half-assed to my untrained eye. Did they actually flange one end and try to build up weld to close the gap?

So now I'm taking the thing back to the shop and having them make sure there's not some damn eBay turbo on it and ricer-style 25PSI shooting through the manifold or something stupid.<ul><li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgebull/2992868286/">(link to flickr)</a></li></ul>

TTschwing

But it's not stock. How bout a wider view?

PS: you don't have a DSG gearbox...Just a conventional old automatic.

netabuse

I couldn't get the camera any further into the engine bay. That's looking down between the strut tower brace (top) and the back of the valve cover (bottom) with the heat shield shining at the top of the frame. The exhaust pipe is out of focus in the background, lying against the frame. The pipe out from the back of the turbo is the in-focus bit.

And, really? I do suppose they'd have put it more plainly in the specs if it were. Ah well, it's better than the 4-speed Ford one I used to have, for certain.

VorsprungTT

not a clutch system like DSG. AKA they are tiptronic right?

TTschwing

No DSG...(or Vtec either!)....

netabuse

I was being ironic with the VTEC... oy as in "TEH VTEC IS SO AWESOME IT BLEW OFF MY EXHAUST WHEN I HIT THE CRUB"

And, here, I'll edit it out with the DSG already.

Ah. I didn't know that tiptronic(r) was a separate beast. Thanks, wikipedia and forum people!

TTschwing

like Vtec...I's not...Just for emissions, not for performance like the Honda. Your car has apparently been hacked as evidenced by that sloppy DP weld...I'd get under there and look around as you've implied..

netabuse

Thankya sir.

And yep. Here's to hoping that it's not a "Halloween Surprise" lurking under there. I've already put enough into the thing to bring it out of the bargain bin up to the "expected retail price". What's another couple grand!

TTschwing

I can help...:-)<ul><li><a href="http://www.modshack.info">http://www.modshack.info</a</li></ul>

InTTruder

The OEM downpipe is a bish, but not ugly. Sounds like you got hosed (no pun intended).