Tightening begi upper and lower downpipes - Leaking - Loosening
 

Alright i'm sure i'm not the one to say this, who the hell designed this damn thing? You cant fit a wrench to tighten it, if you dont tighten it enough it leaks a LOT, i tried to force a socket on there and this is how tight i was able to get it. I'm at a point where i'm about to weld the sucker up and put a big fukin roll of high temp tape on there. i've just about had it with it. I tried using a clamp, you cant fit it at all since the damn bolt is in the way, i tried tightening it a lot but you cant do that either since again there is no clearance for even a thin wall socket on there. I tried to force one but this is what happened... then i had to brake off the other end just to get the damn thing off...

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Solutions anyone?

weld it? use a spring?

if i weld them together do you think i can take the entire thing out of the car and then put it back in? I mean it makes no sense for begi to make it 2 piece if 1 piece can fit.

Wouldn't think you could. I'd either weld it up and have it cut somewhere that you can weld a 3-bolt flange on (check and double check clearance) or weld two more small little tubes like that on the other side and try either two bolts, or two springs.

I've had 0 problems with the bolt they provided for that. The downpipe to turbo connections come loose but not that midpipe connection.

mine was fine, but I'd much rather have a v-band clamp there for an additional $50 or whatever.

the Vband is a good options but sadly i bought the kit from another guy here :(

from the looks of it i'll get a 7-8" bolt with some big spacers this way it will stick out few inches and i can fit a socket on the end of the bolt and see if i can tighten it good and then have few welds done where they can weld since i dont know what to do. I have been laying under the car every day since i installed the kit messing with this same bolt over and over. I tighten it it loosens and my exhaust starts rattling. I tighten it it loosens and starts rattling and leaking.. I am afraid to drive the damn thing because the bolt will fall off and the lower pipe will fall and catch on something on the ground as there is nothing holding the lower pipe up to the rest of the car.

i had the exact same problem. The design of this thing is horrible. I spent days trying to figure out how to make it not leak. It came loose on me a few times when getting on a highway. What i did was to get a 2.5" exhaust clamp like this

http://www.pumabuild.co.uk/catalog/i...aust-Clamp.jpg

And tightened the crap out of it.

works pretty good.

Thank you sir, i was about to get a bolt and tighten the crap out of it so i can get it welded here and there (wherever the welder can reach through) tomorrow just so it prevents it from falling off and then i was going to use the same clamp. It sucks having to redesign the damn thing when its all on your DD.

It works pretty good now with my car and does not even leak.

Jeff just had the same problem. I welded it together just tonight. So far no leaks.

did you weld it out of the car and then put it in the car or what?

I have the older FM kit, which is a begi design. It had a flange and four welded in bolt "studs" around it. IT gave me no end of problems... Then I bought a $25 (coulda been 15, coulda been 30) chinese v-band set up - both flanges and the clamp. Put it on and it's been the ONLY trouble thing on the car PERIOD since I did it.

Must be cursed.

pic of old set up:
http://abefm.smugmug.com/Miata/Modif...42_z3n8Y-L.jpg

Today i bought a 12" 1/4-20 threaded rod, i cut it to 8.5". Also bought a 2" long pipe, 2 1/4-20 locknuts and a 1/4-24 nut with ears (dont know the name of it) just like the one in the first pic. I tightened the nut with ears outside of the car.. it will be very tight since its the wrong thread. Use vicegrips to hold the rod and then use pliers to hold the nut. Tighten it so its about 1/2" into the rod. Then you shuv that rod from the rear of the car forward. It will be tough and you may need to bend the rod and whack it with a hammer (i had to). Then once you force it through both of the loops and its all the way up. Put the pipe in there then put a washer after that and then put the nuts on there. Lock the nuts together when you get it tight.

Using the pipe as a spacer will give you the room so you can use a socket to tighten it much better.

i think i fixed it but i'll get it welded anyhow.

2.5" V-Band FLANGE Kit Stainless Steel Turbo Downpipe

This kit? I may have to pick up that kit and have a local exhaust shop add those in this winter.

Omg that fucking slip joint made my life hell for awhile. It came apart twice at autox. The first time It was my last run and only slipped a little bit, was ok to drive home. The second time happened during my second run of the day and I had to fix it during lunch because it slipped all the way off. I jacked up the car and had someone apply torque to the engine so I could get it around the subframe to slip it back on. I ran a piece of coat hanger through the holes and twisted it around itself pretty well. Has stayed on through many autox's and a track day (and daily driving) since then.

The damn threaded rod never ever stayed on more than 1.5 days before a nut fell off.

Wayne what did you end up doing?

I just welded mine up. The last time i worked on it there was no problem removing it all in 1 piece. I don't know how much clearance yours has between the fire wall behind it.

I don't use anything there...only thermal expansion.

And the Tac weld that the exhaust shop did.