Thanks so much for all help/advice. I have 1 question though. I was able to get 4 bolts put in, but 1 is still halfass, and it's the one I can't see, so I don't know how well it is clamping. It gets tight, but it would do that anyway, since the threads are messed up and it can only go but so far in. So, my question is this, my exhaust is noticably louder, which is normal for a DP right? So how do I know if I have an exhaust leak? I don't know if what I am hearing is normal DP sound or exhaust leak sound.

 

Yes, your exhaust should be louder pretty much with a DP.
What you should do to get to that hard to se bolt is take out the secondary turbo intake hard pipe completely (best from under the car to remove the 2 10mm nuts from the turbo) and once that is out of the way you'll be able to see it clearly.
You will have litle ehaust leak othewise.
Do it right the first time!

 

No way am I taking this thing apart AGAIN. Thanks for the advice, but I just want to know how I can tell if I have a leak currently.

 

You'll hear a noise similar to when you were a little kid and stuck a playing card in the spokes of your bicycle wheel. Kind of "snapping" noise that raises cadence with the rpm of your engine. It may go away a bit as your engine warms up; you'll notice it the most when you first start the car.

 

Also, when you first start the car (and the accelerated warm up is dumping fuel into the engine to light up the now missing pre-cat), take a whif around the ABS system. Smell like gas/exhaust?

 

Sorry, I have to disagree on this. My exhaust was unchanged after installing the DP. The stock cat, and catback were on the car at the time, and the noise was unchanged.

What you will hear now is the turbos spinning when you step on the throttle. This doesn't sound anything like an exhaust leak. Open the hood, and put your head near the downpipe. If you have a leak, you should be able to hear it (and maybe smell it) at idle.

 

My exhaust is a touch louder with the dp vs. the pre-cat.
The BEST thing is the wonderful turbine whine you'll hear when the boost is on. I just LOVE driving with the windows down, along a road that has a concrete wall....the sound is SO sweet!

 

So if the exhaust is noticibly louder, then I have a leak?

 

I'd have to say yes. The rotary exhaust is a unique and obnoxious sound, un-muffled. Well....except for that beautiful 4 rotor....sigh. Anyway, and exhaust leak is an exhaust leak is....there is just a unique sound to a leak.

 

I'd have to say NO!! The exhaust out the back of the car has NOTHING to do with an exhaust leak. Listen and smell under the hood, near the downpipe for a leak. If you don't hear, or especially smell, anything unusual, you are probably OK.

 

Well, I took it to Carlos' house to see what he thinks. By the time I got there, it was very quiet, and he didn't seem to think it was leaking. But that just makes me think even more that there is a small leak, because it is much loader before it gets really warm, then it is quiet. So I assume once everything gets warm and expands, it closes the leak.

 

he was making a joke, he was saying if it was just the dp alone. not with the full exhaust.

 

Here's the ultimate test: Open the hood. Go to the passenger side. Bend down. Breathe in REALLY deep - a couple of dozen times.

If you're dead, you have an exhaust leak at the dp!

(this test has been approved by AdamC)

 

Uh....I believe I said the same thing.....
An exhaust leak is definitely noticeable. I agree that the sound out the back is not affected. There IS a little bit more noticeable sound standing by the left front when you have a dp, you can hear more of 'purr' of the exhaust, in my opinion.

 

good one

 

$$$$TEST APPROVED$$$$

 

Realy?
When I installed my DP actual I had I high flow CB and after the installation it got much louder, I'd say 20-25% louder than before.