At this point, you can get new vibrant flex joints but chances are they will not match the exact dimensions of what you have now.Originally Posted by redwoodkiwi
Good info @SteveKen. Having the MSD starter gives me comfort. I'll still wrap it though. Might also wrap the turbo oil feed line.
Not much progress made over last couple of days - waiting for parts and other projects interfered. But today I did get to gutting the pre-cats from the stock downpipes. I had previously thought to use aftermarket downpipes, but after reading about others struggling to work with the placement of the 02 sensor bung holes (getting in the way of shifter linkage) and at the suggestion from @nubcake, I decided to stick with stock and remove the pre-cats.
A job I do not care to do ever again. What a mess, and what a fight these cats put up. Took me the best part of five hours. Wish i had welding skills.
I tore out the braided shield from the flexipipe on one of the downpipes while wrestling with it. Didn't realize it was happening until it was over. Not sure what do about it. Annoyed.
I'd still recommend the XSpower ones. The left front O2 sensor bung can be bent out of the way of the shift rod when it's in 5-6 pretty easily. I just heat it up with a propane torch and insert a long 1/2" socket extension in the bung and then bend it out of the way.
If you have everything setup outside of the car before you put it in, it's not too bad and you can test it out.
The only pipes I've worked with that needed no modifications at all were Millteks. Otherwise, the stock ones you need to clearance the stock left side trans mount and add some abrasion resistance to the left rear O2 sensor. With the XSPower ones, you need to adjust the bung position on the left front and clearance the stock left side trans mount.
I dug up some pictures of the mods needed ot the left side trans mount and also the axle shield that hits the turbine housing.
After mod:
It's a repetitive process until you get it right:
Axle shield clearanced:
I put a piece of DEI heat tape on both sides to add some heat resistance:
Installed:
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