Stupid Exhaust Question???

[dman624]

So I am attempting to install my GHL Cat Back exhaust tomorrow, and today I was checking it out to see what kind of job it is and what problems I might run into. So far on my 2005 GTI 1.8t it looks like 2 bolts, and 2 hangers. Problem arises when I tried to figure out how to get the exhaust out from the rear axle. Now it looks like I need to cut my stick exhaust to make this happen. The cut seems like it need to be in the curved portion between the resonator and the rear axle, is this correct. On a 2005 GTI 1.8t I need to cut out the stock exhaust? I just wanted to make sure since this is really my first attempt to wrench on my car, shes bone stock as of now. Please please let me know since I have this cat back burning a hole in my pocket and would like to install tomorrow. Thanks for the help

David

[volcano]

do you plan to go back to stock?

if not just take ur frustration and anger out on the POS stock exhaust and enjoy the great sound of the GHL.

you need to cut it out so unless u plan on goin back to stock 1 day n plan to store it until then just hack it up.

[dman624]

Thanks for the info, I finally found a DIY for it. I am going to cut it off, its F'ing stupid. I will try to cut it in a nice spot so that IF I ever switch back, I will run a gasket around the cuts and seal it up. I dont want to ever run stock again, I love the look of the two big GHL tips, and the sound, well tomorrow I will let you know how much I like it... Thanks for the help man

[Laurencereich]

Yea you got to cut it, i also ran into problems when the bolts on the clamp near the cat were rusted so bad i couldent get them off. I had to sawzall them off with a friend haha. Good luck

[Roflsaurusrex]

Originally Posted by dman624

Thanks for the info, I finally found a DIY for it. I am going to cut it off, its F'ing stupid. I will try to cut it in a nice spot so that IF I ever switch back, I will run a gasket around the cuts and seal it up. I dont want to ever run stock again, I love the look of the two big GHL tips, and the sound, well tomorrow I will let you know how much I like it... Thanks for the help man

check the welds on the GHL stuff around the flanges. some of their sh!t is sub-par. and has been known to break apart

[dman624]

10 4 on the checking the items, when I first received them I checked them over and everything looks good. Turbo flange is not warped, bent, and all welds look great actually. I am going to attempt this by myself this morning, with me luck. I am going in thinking it will only be a cat back, but might have to be a turbo back

Thanks for the great info guys
David

[valenz]

i ran into the same problem and it pissed me off so much. cutting that POS felt awesome

[CMAK]

good luck!!

[dman624]

Turns out after setting everything up to cut off the POS stock exhaust, that my saber saw, which I didnt think would work in the first place, well the saber saw blade was too short and I couldnt use it. Then I looked at my only other alternative which was a hack saw, and decided NOPE. The exhaust was moving around, the blade was moving, I was upside down, and my arms were up in the air raised off the ground, I had the car on jack stands FYI.

So that was a no go, so I decided to see how much it would cost to get the stocker cut off by a muffler shop, and the first one quoted $125, and the idiot gave me no guarentee that he could even get everything put together. He explained further that if everything didnt fit, he was still going to charge me 125 and I was on my own to figure it out. I dont know how shops run this way, but I left. Only 20 to cut the muffler off and drive home straight pipe, well straight pipe and a resonator.

So I had other shops in mind, the first shop was just the closest. Second shop, great place. They had a tube bender for custom jobs, and the guy checked out my 3" Cat Back I had and said he could do it, it would take probably less than an hour, and only 80 for the whole install. The installer put my car up, cut what he needed, and the only problem he ran into was that fact that I had a 3" Cat Back, pairing up with the stock downpipe which I think is 2.25" correct me if I am wrong. He didnt care, he just custom made me a flange to mate the two pieces together, 5 minutes later after some welding he had me set up. Even with the minor issue with the mid pipe to downpipe, it took 55 minutes, 80 dollars, and the car sounds great.

The GHL system is lovely. Idle is quiet, 1k-2k rpms is nice and throaty, between 2k-3k it gets a little loud, and after 3k rpms its perfect. The exhaust seems to get quieter as rpms rise, with the exception of 2-3k. I love my car all over again, and my next step is installing GHL downpipe, and a GIAC chip which I hear is a hefty night and day difference. My friend that drove like a sissy, had an 05 GTI 1.8t with the GHL turbo back exhaust, an intake, and GIAC and the car was quick. I will post some pics if anyone wants to check them out tomorrow. I love my car, I love my Cat Back. Thanks for all the help