I bought one of gotham racing's refurbished DP's. It looked really nice in the pictures, and the price was right. It arrived a few days after purchase and it looks really good. grant it, ive never seen any other rx7 DP, but this one definitly looks like it could be new.

So i started the install about a week ago. and it has been a REAL pain! i dont think ill ever touch anything exhaust related, EVER again! I kept stripping bolts, rounding nuts, getting things stuck, blooding my knuckles....it was just all around, not a fun experience. i guess i should add i was doing this in my driveway, and most of the time in the dark! i kept getting off work so late, it was the only choice i had.

so tonight i think....i PRAY...i finished. finally got everything back on, and tightened as much as possible. One side of the DP, toward the front of the car, seemed out more, not as flush, and i can see the gasket(which i re used, cause im too poor) more on this side. I couldnt get it any tighter anywhere though, so i decided to start it and see what happens.

it started fine as usual and i ran around to watch everything. This DP was already ceramic coated, and ive read that it will "cook" on the first time the car is started.....i really hope thats true, cause this sucker started smoking a lot. i was really scared that it was leaking at both ends, but it seemed to smoke everywhere on the pipe, not just at the ends, so i THINK i might be alright.. So i let it cook for a few minutes and it seemed to stop. But i laid underneath and watched the midpipe end and it really looked like there was some white smoke coming out right at the gasket, but the smoke didnt really smell like exhaust?

so i turned it off and let it cool for about 5 minutes. it crakced and popped for a while as it cooled. i inspected everything visually, and everything looks good. So i started it again, and this time there wasnt any large amount of smoke, but im pretty sure i saw a puff come out of the gasket at the midpipe again.

Im about to go start it again, and watch some more. Is there any tricks to finding exhaust leaks? i really hope it isnt!

 

Some downpipes take some work to fit right. The smoke you are seeing could be your greasy fingerprints burning off. You can usually hear exhaust leaks and feel for them. Be careful not to burn yourself.

 

Usually new exhaust or coated DP will smoke for a bit.. Let it heat up nicely and it will go away..

 

Always spray pb blaster on heat related bolts/ nuts and let sit overnight before trying to disassemble. apply antiseize when reapllying heat related parts. G

 

I was pretty uneasy with how long the smoking and smell went on when I installed my downpipe.

Maybe it's the blood charring off. Smell like barbecue?

 

^ ha. hmmm....thats actually kinda gross. lol.

well i went for a short drive...and the car "feels" slower ive not driven it in a week, and i drive a very slow AT&T van at work, so i wouldve thought the 7 would kick my butt. My wife also said it felt slower. I can hear the turbos more, but not like some of the threads ive read, saying people turned off their stereos for weeks, just to listen.

So i came home and looked at it from above, and made my wife rev it up some. Im pretty sure i saw another puff of white smoke, and i think i smell exhaust.....well, i smell something....but im not sure its exhaust. but nothing is obvisouly leaking.

would an exhaust leak make the car feel slower.....i mean 15-20 hp slower?

 

you should feel a real good kick in the pants after installing a dp.

Do you have a boost gauge? Are you turbos boosting properly?

It's getting cold(where I live, I don't know where you live), and that could be to blame for the white smoke.

 

well, its not cold here. im in FL. and its definitly not faster than before.....im almost positive its a little slower....enough my wife noticed before i said anything.maybe i can re tighten tomorrow during the day since im off.

oh, ive been having boost problems. but it seems to be a little better after the install, i run about a 10-5-8 pattern. but it was doing exactly that before, and it feels slower.

 

This maybe a little late but just to reassure you...YES..most all exhaust parts coated or not will smoke when you first install them. This is generally just the layer of finger prints, grease, oil or whatever else has built up on the part before and during install. There is no need to run the car to "cook" the coating onto the part. My coatings are all cured before they are delivered to the vendors, with no additional curing required. If you have questions about the coating on the part please feel free to ask me.

 

i bought and installed one of their same DPs to get rid of my old stocker, and i didn't have the same problems.. i had a little bit of smoke, but it shouldn't feel all too much different from before the install.. however, while installing i did notice a plethora of little things that needed to be replaced and corrected and fixed them, including a nice hole in my upper radiator hose...

 

should use some high temp gasket sealent or what ever its called.. thats what i did and i taken out my gaskets about 3 times

 

Of course you used some high temp nicklease anti-sieze on the studs, nuts and a coating on the gaskets for a smooth torqueing and east of dismantling later on, correct ?

later

 

^ yes, i used high temp anti seize.

about the initial smoke, im positive it was the pipe itself. Cause there was a large amount as soon as it heated, and it has not done that since.

but im really concerned about the occasional puff of smoke that seems to be coming from around the ends. and the car "feels" slower

so besides feeling around, theres no other good way to find leaks?