I was under the car today replacing my primary o2 sensors, and noticed that the flex portion of my stock downpipe was completely separated. Can I replace just this part (there are clamps on each end), or do I need to replace the whole assembly?

Thanks

 

most exhaust shops can replace it for you.

 

Clamps?? The OEM exhaust I don't think has clamps there. My Gen. 5 doesn't. The actual flexible bellows I assume is not cracked/broken, or you'd have a leak and hear it? The wire mesh is more of a reinforcement/cover than anything. Sounds like it may have already somehow been "repaired".

 

Hrm... I was wondering about that. I don't hear a leak... but the mesh looking part was completely loose. There is another flexible section inside that the exhaust actually goes through?

 

make you sure you get a lined flex section with 1 inch end caps on each side. Muffler shops will cheap out and give you the most basic flex section. A lined flex is a must

 

Any info on the lined flex? I've been through 5 of the damn things

 

lined flex sections are used by warpspeed (and others i assume) to eliminate the "bees in a can" sound. how come you've been through 5?

 

I use to get bad wheel hop and ripped them right out of there base. Starts with a wistle like a turbo sound and then gets outragous. Last one replaced about 8 months ago and is holding up fine but I havn't been driving that hard.

My best bet would probly be to just break down and get some ES engine mounts.

 

Wow! 5 of them! I didn't realize that wheel hop can damage flex sections. It does shake the exhaust to death, but I didn't think it could cause holes to appear in the flex section. Do you live in a very snowy area? Could your problem be rust related?

But definitely get some decent motor mounts. The difference is AMAZING! If you don't feel like getting new ES mounts, then you can always fill your existing mounts or remove all the old material and fill them from scratch. $25 worth of polyurethane resin can easily fill 4 or 5 stock mounts.

 

Yep, 5. No rust issue. One time I did a hard 1-2 shift and ripped it completely out. The car was so loud I had to climb under there drill some holes and run screws through it to keep it partly together unth=ill I got to the exhaust shop.

I really do want to get the es mounts it's just a bad time of year so it will have to wait. I'm not racing it untill spring so it should be fine for a while.

I just wish somebody made this for our car.

http://www.stillen.com/product.asp?i...PE&r=&b=&m=all

Here are some video's showing how mutch it keeps engine movement down.
with dampener http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC4Dr_Mr2gY
without dampener http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxa8o0Kq83c

 

Yes, that is something we are currently working on. I have two different prototypes I'm testing on my vehicle right now. The concept will also work on the VQ35DE. The design will be different though.

 

I had a muffler shop replace the flex section on the DC Sport header I had on my Accord. I think it was $150 installed. Front dog bone motor mount when south and even with 145 hp (give or take), I was having wheel hop problems, few weeks later, my engine was getting progressively louder. Flex section had bit the dust.

If it is leaking, definitely replace it. You don't want carbon monoxide leaking into the passenger compartment, especially in the winter when you have the windows up all the time.

 

thats great! I posted here http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=406888 and was flamed. Very pleased to see somebody/you working on this. I almost started trying to design one myself using my strut bar brace to my random engine places but gave up.

 

It will definitely help! Anything that helps keep the motor secure will help reduce wheel hop. Why do you think PU motor mounts help? This just goes one step further.

This product is still in the testing phases. But it will produce noticeable results or it's not worth making. I have a few other designs that I will have to test also before I make a decision.

 

So I should probly just ignore this guy's post. Thanks Aaron

 

Soonerfan is a very knowledgable guy. Maybe he was referring to the fact that it's just a strut that only reduces engine movement by a small amount. That strut will not completely eliminate engine movement, but it should still reduce wheel hop some as long as the strut is stiff enough.

But the less the engine moves, the less wheel hop you should experience. The best and most extreme thing to do to reduce wheel hop is to weld solid mounts to the block. You want to prevent pretty much all engine and suspension components from moving while racing. That's why FWD traction bars have been proven to help wheel hop also.

This part you are referring to is a very stiff strut I believe which will still allow the engine to move. It will just slow down engine movement by a small amount. So vibration shouldn't get much worse with this mod, but the engine will still move. The goal here is to eliminate all engine movement and just put up with the extra vibration. I actually like the extra vibration. It makes your car feel faster.