Picked one up last night...

[TrickyDik]

Picked up a Helix Catted Downpipe last night from a guy off NASIOC down in Haverhill.

Pretty much a flawless deal except for one thing. When he pulled the downpipe out I noticed an odd hole near the bellmouth that is probably about 1/4-1/8" size. He had a bolt sticking into it. Since he never mentioned that was there, even after I asked if there was anything wrong or different about it, I was able to talk him down to a good price. The hole appears to have been some sort of EGT probe perhaps (my only guess).

Here's what I'm talking about:

http://i28.tinypic.com/15nll5t.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/2mfawar.jpg

What can I do about the hole? Can I just screw that bolt all the way down and use something (similar to plumbers tape but for high heat metal) so that it won't cause a leak? Or am I stuck with having to pick up a EGT and stick a probe in there even though I think it's a silly place to have an EGT? Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. I got the pipe for a very low price figuring I can do something about the hole.

Also, I need to pick up new gaskets to mount this, any good deals out there?

[kgj996]

I would bring that bolt to home depot and find a shorter one with a 6 point head like the one on the side of the dp and get a crush washer to go under it. home depot might even have those, but I'm not sure. You can even use an oil drain plug crush washer from any autozone or what ever parts store you use.

[TrickyDik]

I would bring that bolt to home depot and find a shorter one with a 6 point head like the one on the side of the dp and get a crush washer to go under it. home depot might even have those, but I'm not sure. You can even use an oil drain plug crush washer from any autozone or what ever parts store you use.

Cool, that should do the trick as to not let it leak and cause any problems for the most part?

[scans007]

and some locktite, you don't want that thing back'n out on you. You could also have some weld it shut. A shop should only charge you 10 - 20 bucks to zap it closed.

If you get a tight seal, it will be fine - the shorter the bolt the better.

[TrickyDik]

and some locktite, you don't want that thing back'n out on you. You could also have some weld it shut. A shop should only charge you 10 - 20 bucks to zap it closed.

If you get a tight seal, it will be fine - the shorter the bolt the better.

Sweet, that's exactly what I was thinking and why I went with the sale since I figured it could be welded shut and the price was low.

[TrickyDik]

Now of course, anyone know a local shop that will weld it up for me? Something around Portsmouth that I can call up and check?

[TrickyDik]

Would autozone, vip or pep boys do a weld job for me like this? Or does anyone have a better option?

[Bu11dogg2]

Meinke or any other exhaust place is teh best bet.

[TrickyDik]

Meinke or any other exhaust place is teh best bet.

Duh, I should have known that. I have no excuse, this has been a hell of a morning for my first day back at work after being off for 4 days.

[scans007]

The best place would be a local exhaust type shop like mentioned....the Meinke's and such will charge more then a place like Lou's custom exhaust and stuff...

Bring it down, I'll have my neighbor do it for free.

[jonny-rockets]

yeah i've had something similar done w/ meineke in the past and they gave a pretty good price!

[TrickyDik]

I'll try to bring it by meineke on Friday or the begining of next week and see how much. If it's more than $20 or so then I'll look around elsewhere.

[banned4life]

welding is kinda overkill unless its cheap. clearly the way to go, but overkill if its more than 20$.

i would do locktite, crush washer, short bolt. then run a soap bubble test to test for leaking.

if there is no leaking. i would not worry about it. soap bubble testing is what plumbers use for copper tubing for hot water under a tremendous psi. I dont think your hot exhaust air is going to great more psi or potential leakage if it passes the bubble test.

[banned4life]

ive never heard of egt in the downpipe. i wonder if you are getting this 3rd hand which would put the number of miles grossly in question

[TrickyDik]

ive never heard of egt in the downpipe. i wonder if you are getting this 3rd hand which would put the number of miles grossly in question

Yes it is third hand. I knew that before. The person I bought it off of never used it. He was going to install it but decided to go with a catless on a build he is doing that will be stage 3.

Rough estimate is 10k, but really it could have 50k and still be okay for my needs. It's a downpipe, which includes no moving parts and the only questionable area would be the cat which isn't that big of a deal since I've seen catted downpipes work fine after 100k miles on them.

This will suit me fine for at least the next 50k-80k miles at which point I'll either have sold this one, or made it my second vehicle for sure.

EDIT: plus I got it for cheap money so I'm really not concerned at all if the thing only works for about 20k miles.

[TurboRush]

Simple... have it welded and then get it ceramic coated. It comes back nice and shiny, they sandblast it, helps reduce temperatures, most come with a life time warranty against rust etc...

http://www.airborncoatings.com/images/chromhd1.gif

[TrickyDik]

Simple... have it welded and then get it ceramic coated. It comes back nice and shiny, they sandblast it, helps reduce temperatures, most come with a life time warranty against rust etc...

http://www.airborncoatings.com/images/chromhd1.gif

More money then I want to spend. Think I'll just bolt and washer it with lock-tite. Check for a leak and if it checks out then heat wrap it and that's it. Then just wait until I have a series of 4 days off and someone can help me out installing it in the morning so I can flash to stage 2 and go from there.

[TurboRush]

You cheap bastard.

[TrickyDik]

You cheap bastard.

No, just more work then I need for a simple downpipe. Maybe if I had your money I wouldn't have to spend my own ;)

[TrickyDik]

No more hole. Had it welded up and now I just want to heat wrap it and get it installed.

[method]

I don't think its an EGT bung, I think its an O2 bung.

[TrickyDik]

I don't think its an EGT bung, I think its an O2 bung.

The O2 bung is already built in on the side of the pipe unless the bung is something else.

[banned4life]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW58_ivicoQ&feature=related

[Kevin]

if your short on money the wrap really isn't needed for what your doing with the car.

[TrickyDik]

if your short on money the wrap really isn't needed for what your doing with the car.

I'm still debating. If there's time I'll do it, not too worried either way.

I can't install it until someone who has a cable and a stage 2 map for my car can be there too so we can flash over and maybe tweak if needed.

[kgj996]

I'm still debating. If there's time I'll do it, not too worried either way.

I can't install it until someone who has a cable and a stage 2 map for my car can be there too so we can flash over and maybe tweak if needed.
you need to find some one with a drive by wire tactrix cable to flash your car. Mine is drive by cable and wont work on your car.

[TrickyDik]

you need to find some one with a drive by wire tactrix cable to flash your car. Mine is drive by cable and wont work on your car.

Got someone with the cable, but that's all I'm good for. Need someone with a laptop and the ability to flash and knows what they're doing.

[kgj996]

Got someone with the cable, but that's all I'm good for. Need someone with a laptop and the ability to flash and knows what they're doing.
If Sunday is good for you, I can do it then. I just came back from a week long war exercise so I need a day to recover.

[TrickyDik]

If Sunday is good for you, I can do it then. I just came back from a week long war exercise so I need a day to recover.

This weekend is bad for me. Scheduled to work Saturday and Sunday night. Weekends for the rest of this month kind of suck for me. I have days off during the week but I'm sure you're busy. July looks to be a pretty open schedule weekend wise and I have the entire first week off for the 4th.

[TrickyDik]

So anyone free this coming weekend to help me install the downpipe and has the items (laptop, maps, cable) to help flash to stage 2?

[Bu11dogg2]

Sorry man... I'm on vaca starting tomorrow at 3 :)

[TrickyDik]

Just wanted to say thanks to eb50 and Jon for spending time with me on Sunday afternoon to get the downpipe installed.

Also thanks to Jon for bringing your tactrix cable and laptop with a stage 2 map and for doing a quick datalog. We'll need to get out there again and do some more logging.

Need to pick up the SPT heat shield sometime in the next week or two.

[Murphy2012]

Modify yours! Costs much less and still works fine. Promise. I will mod an extra I have for you and swap if you wish!

[TrickyDik]

Modify yours! Costs much less and still works fine. Promise. I will mod an extra I have for you and swap if you wish!

Nice, sounds good to me. I still have mine.

[TurboRush]

Umm... yeah, how about a thanks Chris for supervising and drinking Eugenes 1 beer?

[Bu11dogg2]

Sorry I missed this :(

[unsakred]

me too, but I was in baltimore :\

[TrickyDik]

Umm... yeah, how about a thanks Chris for supervising and drinking Eugenes 1 beer?

:unamused:

[Murphy2012]

Nick, when you want that heat shield? You might have to come to me, or meet somewhere halfway as I wont have the subie after today till probably monday.

[TrickyDik]

Umm, not sure, working the next 4 days. I'm off next Monday-Thursday.