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Removing a silencer

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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 07:54 PM
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Removing a silencer

Hey guys, I need help removing an exhaust silencer that's pretty much stuck in my exhaust tail pipe. Here's a pic:



I've tried using a wire hanger and slipping it inside, then pulling, but to no avail. There's not enough of the silencer sticking out for me to get a grip on it with a set of lineman's pliers.

Any ideas? I've tried spraying WD-40 through the tiny cracks on the side but it won't work. I was thinking of letting the car run for a bit to heat it up, but then all that would do is cause both the silencer and the tail pipe to expand, so it wouldn't come loose.
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 05:10 AM
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look around maybe there is a allen key hole on one side. but worst being for you is they came welded in form the factory
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 05:25 AM
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Just leave it in. You gonna end up ******* it up then regret ever deciding to try to remove it.
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 11:26 AM
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If it aint broke dont fix it, why possibly cause more problems on an already gremlin ridden Rx7 lol, from your little corner pic your car looks good so i imagine you take good care of it already, And your heating up idea might work if you have something like a little propane torch you could slowly heat the ouside while you pull on the silencer.
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 07:56 PM
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Well because it seems to me the silencer is taking away any real performance gain that I would be getting from the exhaust... since it causes a lot of back pressure and since it's as narrow as the stock exhausts (except stock comes with dual, and right now the silencer makes it into a tiny little 1.5 inch exhaust).
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 08:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Latin270
Just leave it in. You gonna end up ******* it up then regret ever deciding to try to remove it.
Not trying to be a dick here, but what kind of advice is that? He has a silencer robbing him of power (albeit not very much), and you tell him to just leave it? Why, because it might take a little bit of work to get off? It's pretty much damn near impossible to wreck an exhaust, especially doing what he's trying.

Most of the time there will be carbon buildup that gets between the exhaust and the silencer, and thats what's holding it there. And not to insult your intelligence, but there is usually a screw, most likely on the bottom that holds the silencer in, hopefully you've already taken it off . It looks like there is a little bit of the silencer extending out past the exhaust. What you could do is take a flat screwdriver and hammer, and hit the protruding silencer inwards, enough so that you can grab it with pliers or something. Thats what I had to do on mine when I got it. The silencer I had was thin enough that it bent fairly easily, hopefully yours is too.
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 09:03 PM
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Yeah I'm just a little afraid of using pliers and actually wrecking my silencer, because I'm not sure how much it muffles the noise (it came with the car when I bought it). The previous owner suggested that I only take it off when I'm going off to the mountains or somewhere far from the city. I'm quite positive there's no screw or anything holding it in place - I've checked it out from every angle. I will try making some sort of hook-like device and then trying to pull it out by hooking on the inside after I've let the car run for a bit.

Hopefully it works, if not I guess I'll leave it be.
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 10:25 PM
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I was under the impression that you didn't care for the silencer anymore. My car was mostly stock when I had mine. When I took it off it made somewhat of a difference but not that big. I just threw mine away. Another thing that also worked for me. I took one of my ratchets, put a socket on the end, and used that to reach inside the exhaust to pull it out. That's a lot stronger than a bent hanger.
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Old Feb 13, 2008 | 12:49 AM
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your heating idea may work but use a propane torch or a heat gun.cut it out if u have to !
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Old Feb 13, 2008 | 07:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Rotary Potato
Not trying to be a dick here, but what kind of advice is that? He has a silencer robbing him of power (albeit not very much), and you tell him to just leave it? Why, because it might take a little bit of work to get off? It's pretty much damn near impossible to wreck an exhaust, especially doing what he's trying.

Most of the time there will be carbon buildup that gets between the exhaust and the silencer, and thats what's holding it there. And not to insult your intelligence, but there is usually a screw, most likely on the bottom that holds the silencer in, hopefully you've already taken it off . It looks like there is a little bit of the silencer extending out past the exhaust. What you could do is take a flat screwdriver and hammer, and hit the protruding silencer inwards, enough so that you can grab it with pliers or something. Thats what I had to do on mine when I got it. The silencer I had was thin enough that it bent fairly easily, hopefully yours is too.
I've been around long enough to know that sometimes a "bright idea" can lead to unforeseen headaches. I seriously doubt the minimal amount of "robbed" HP is going to be worth the increase in noise level.
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Old Feb 13, 2008 | 04:36 PM
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Originally Posted by sevensix
use a propane torch!
I definitely said that already, looks like great ideas come in twos!
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Old Feb 13, 2008 | 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Latin270
I seriously doubt the minimal amount of "robbed" HP is going to be worth the increase in noise level.
If that were true, then why doesn't everyone have a silencer on their car?
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Old Feb 13, 2008 | 07:23 PM
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crow bar from the inside????
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 02:25 PM
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Seriously!? Not robbing HP? I put a 'silencer' In my exhaust and it was like driving w/ stock exhaust!? it is turbo tho... Have you tried doing a couple WOT pulls and see if it shoots out? Heard of that working for one of my freinds with a stuck silencer... just make sure no ones behind you...

you could drill a hole in it on the inside, where you woulndn't be drilling the muffler and/or use some sheet metal screws so you can pull it out...

Just don't get frustrated and f' some s' up.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 02:52 PM
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What exhaust is it? looks a bit like an HKS silent Hi Power? If it is, it's probably in integral part of the exhaust. I had one on my S14 and it was non removable. The tailpipe looks very similar to my old one.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Rotary Potato
If that were true, then why doesn't everyone have a silencer on their car?
Using your logic why doesnt everyone drive w/ a strait pipe? C'mon be for real. If more power is what you seek there are many ways to achieve it. Pulling a pre-silencer isnt one.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Latin270
Using your logic why doesnt everyone drive w/ a strait pipe?
Beats me because they should be I was more referring to the fact that what's the point of a high flow performance exhaust if you're just going to restrict the flow back to near stock levels?
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 07:59 PM
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I agree w/ potato man. Silencers are poor excuses for real mufflers...

And Hi-performance exhaust are designed to be free flowing... that little hole restricts the flow. It restricted my flow a lot...

Unless the muffler was designed w/ a silencer = form over function??

if you want to get serious on that sucker take a hole saw to it.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 05:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Nick_d_TII

if you want to get serious on that sucker take a hole saw to it.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 09:24 AM
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well is it a turbo ll or na
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 06:04 PM
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Whenever I tried to take my silencers out of my Apexi N1's it was always a real bitch, I finely made a hook with a handle out of 3/8" rod and bent it into shape. Now whenever I decide to put the silencers back in I wipe the inside lip of the exhaust tip clean and put a little anti-seize on the outside edge of the silencers. I hope that will help you.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by SiH
What exhaust is it? looks a bit like an HKS silent Hi Power? If it is, it's probably in integral part of the exhaust. I had one on my S14 and it was non removable. The tailpipe looks very similar to my old one.
I think it is the Apexi N1, and that is a removable silencer. It also looks like the hole where the bolt holds the silencer in has broke off it.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 09:40 PM
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Originally Posted by George84
I think it is the Apexi N1, and that is a removable silencer. It also looks like the hole where the bolt holds the silencer in has broke off it.

Looks like an N1 knock off, the cylinder is to short to be a real apexi n1
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by FCTIIMike
Looks like an N1 knock off, the cylinder is to short to be a real apexi n1
The reason I thought it was the N1 is because you can a little bit of the Apexi badge on the bottom of the muffler.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 10:51 PM
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well when mine got stuck i bought an exhaust expander for like 10 bucks, put it in with a screw driver through the end and tied the the screw driver to my friends truck. I held the brake while he pulled. Absolutely sounds like the worst idea ever, but it worked great, nothing broke, and my silencer was still in perfect shape.
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