up pipe removal.

[Redlined]

This project just might be the death of me.

Trying to swap out the fuel rails and a siezed philips head screw resulted in me removing the turbo. wich resulted in breaking an old, hard vacume line, now reinstalling the turbo ive broken off a damn Exhaust stud on the up pipe.

Ive PB blastered it and heated it with a propane torch and the damn thing wont budge. Next up im looking at removing the up pipe and puting it in a vise. Looking at it has me questioning weather I can just remove it or if Im gonna have to lift the engine for clearance.

Anyone able to tell me off hand if the up pipe can be removed without messing further with the engine/engine mounts?

[Legacy777]

It's a bugger to get out, even with lifting the engine a little. I had to lift the engine a little bit to get the clearance to get it out. You just need to take off the two nuts holding the engine mounts to the crossmember, and loosen the bolt a little on the pitch stop mount. It's not too hard.

This is assuming the up-pipe still has all the stock heat shield stuff on there. Without the heat shield stuff on it can come in and out without touching the motor.

As for the exhaust stud. You can give it a shot, but you may need something hotter than a propane torch. I've got two up-pipes, one good and one bad. Of course the bad one has good studs on it, while the good one has bad studs. I've tried MAP gas on it for a little bit and they still wouldn't come out so I just left it alone. One of these days I'll get some time and give it another go.

[Redlined]

Doing some research it seems that once the up pipe has a broken stud people dont mess with them so Im thinking getting a replacement would just be easier. coupla questions

I know that an STI or Aftermarket up pipe will work just as well "as long as they are not of larger diamater than the sock pipe". What is the official diameter of the stock pipe.

and... flex joint vs non flex joint.

[Legacy777]

Just get an STi pipe. I tried putting an APS aftermarket up pipe on and it did not fit. Plus it had a larger dia.

http://main.experiencetherave.com/subar ... apsuppipe/

[Redlined]

ended up using an invidia sti uppipe/Cat delete. Put it in this morning. fit was perfect!

[SiCkSTi04]

did you plug the hole or use it for a gauge.

[Redlined]

I plugged it with an allen head set screw. Thought it faces "out" away from the engine so is easy to get to should I decide to use it for something else.