Ok i have a 99 max so i had an issue with the cali/fed spec pipes. I deduced the spec of my car according to the .org method (looking at the destination letter on the firewall below the VIN) and according to that I have a cali spec. SO I ordered a cali spec pipe all excited...And I receive it pretty quickly and go to install it. I get under the car and the stock ypipe and budget look different like after the first flex my stock one extends longer down, but the budget looks kinda shorter. I am very sad that I might have ordered the wrong pipe...any suggestions? I looked under the car once.

 

Its not a issue of simple 'length' (not sure what you mean by 'after the first flex my stock one extends longer down..'). The Fed pipe will have two pipes that rise verticaly all the way up to the front and rear exhaust manifolds. The Cali pipe will only have the rear riser since you will be leaving the little pre-cat mounted on the front manifold. Your probably fine with what you ordered unless someone has removed the pre-cat on you (doubt that, since it has an O2 sensor).

 

Thanks Bob, I will have to try to install it again..I think I just got impatient when I saw that they looked pretty different

 

It fits perfectly with the stock B and cat.

 

BTY... if you didn't get them with your pipe, you should look around for instructions, such as these:

http://www.warpspeedperformance.com/install.htm

since you will need to be armed with a 3/8" swivel socket and must know enough to loosen the 5 bolts on the front pre-cat a little to get some slack. (I have Cali Spec myself).

At least you should not have rust issues like a lot of us due to road salt. Things should go easily if you take your time. Good luck.

 

If you look at pictures of the OEM pipe and aftermarket pipes the overall length is the same. The position of the flex section on the pipes are a little different, but since it is the same length it will fit.

 

ok guys i tried installing it tonite, i just didn't have the proper tools. I removedmost of the bolts/nuts except for 2/3 of the nuts from the 'rear flange' section (the one part of the pipe that curves up because I have a cali spec) cuz they were really hard to get to without an extension. What kind of extension or swivel would i need to get to those? i mean it seems impossible. Thanks in advance.

 

nothing is immposible , exhaust is a pain. make sure you spray all the nuts and bolts with wd-40 or silikroil an hour or so before taking off the nuts/bolts really spray it on good so it can penetrate. it helps. i used a 12' extension and a ratchet with a swivel head.

 

ur right ronin, wd-40 is a miracle, but the last bolt on the rear flange section that's like way the hell up there its hard to get to...im guessing i need to get that 12" extension. thanks for the help guys

 

Oh i was meaning to ask...when i got my ypipe one of the crush rings (the smaller one that is placed between the ypipe and front precat) is pinched on one part...what do you guys suggest I do? i really want to install it, but i dont think there's any way i can 'unpinch' it cuz its hollow aluminum...can i use the stock crush ring on my max? or can i install it with the pinch..although it might cause leakage. thx again

 

also is getting to the 5 bolts on the front precat hard? do i really need to loosen them?

 

I thought the y-pipes claim to fame was eliminating the pre cat (along with improved air flow) so on fed specs the precat is not carried over to the aftermarket ys'? and is there not a pre cat on the rear exhaust manifold? am i correct to assume the same gains from a cali and a fed with the y? asking because im getting a budget y when i got some extra cash and i have a cali.

 

the fed spec pipe completely replaces the precat and i dont think there is a precat on the exhause manifold (just ypipe -> exhaust manifold), pretty sure they will give similar gains...but my precat looks pretty crappy and rusted.

anyone got answers to my questions?

 

UPDATE: i got the old ypipe off, but damn budget! my fitment on the precat was damn near impossible, only two of the three bolts would line up
....had real difficuly with the whole install... and i turn on the car and it sounds really loud...but a bit of smoke starts comin from the spot where the precat and ypipe meet, course there is a leak thanks to Murphy's Law, and theres a gap tiny bit there...i was wondering if i coudl stil run the car to a muffler shop and have them fix the 3 bolts down...everythin else seems fine, any input would be greatly appreciated..so frustrated now

 

Sorry to hear, but you got this far, and you already know whats wrong and you now have the proper tools, so you should try just a little more to handle this yourself. But of course if you wanted to,there would be no harm to drive you car this way.

You should have left the 3 nuts on the down pipe very loose while you connected up to the front precat and tighted the those large 3 bolts completely.
I would now lossen up the down pipe completely, and the connection to precat. That should allow you to get a good tight connection where your seeing a leak. Only after that tighten up the 3 nuts to the down pipe.
Good Luck

 

For us with Cali Spec our aftermarket Y still leaves us with the precat on the front exhaust. I suppose its left on mostly because removing it on our cars would leave us with a hanging O2 sensor thus the Fed verses Cali issue when you order your pipe. Don't know what the performance gains are for Fed vs Cali Y pipe conversions, but expect with Cali we're slightly paying a price for the remaining precat. Actually the 'GAIN' might be similar, since you have the precat now, and you will have the precat later if you know what I mean.

I would love to remove it, I have an engine block heater that I can't install since its wires are too close to the heat of the precat.

 

i drove the car today..it feels like it lost power! Arg matey, Thanks for the replies bob, i might try again today or just give in and go to a muffler shop and pay em 20 bucks to fix that leak.