Taking a hacksaw to the stock exhaust pipe

[Helmut]

I just got my SLP yesterday (Thanks John!) and I'm going to be putting it on when I get off work today. The only problem I have is that I don't have a sawzall or a dremel or anything like that. Do you guys think a hacksaw would work, or is the pipe too thick?

[iceman]

hacksaw will take you forever. I went and got a sawzall.. takes longer to hacksaw than it does to drive to the store, shop, get a sawzall, stop for pizza, and get back home.

you can try those pipe cutter guys.. the ones that are made from chain.. can't remember exactly what they are called

[Kdawg207]

seth...i need jack stands right

no other way

[Molson]

ya, you will need jackstands.

Sawzall is great! Many, many MANY uses. I actually used an air exhaust cutter when I took mine off. Just a large dremel, with a cut off wheel on it. But a sawzall is a mans best friend, besides beer.

[Helmut]

Speaking of stands. . .do you need them all around the car or just under the rear?

[PontiacGT2K]

All around the car would def. be better.

[Molson]

You can do it just under the rear. But life is so much easier when the whole car is up at the same level. And safer too.. Stands are cheap enough, and only takes 5 mins to get car in the air.

[Kdawg207]

true

i just don't own a sawzall or stands...so the money i'd spend getting or renting that stuff would be the same as havin my mechanic do the install

lol

[PontiacGT2K]

But then you'd always have it on you. Jack stands, sawzall...sounds like good investments to me! Having 4 jack stands has helped me out with so much....and sawzall helped me do so many things around the house. Like the time we tore out thet double-door exiting my basement and moved it up for a sub flooring...good times. I'd just get both of them and do it yourself, it'll be fun.

[Knappy1]

You can do it with a hacksaw...yes a sawzall would be faster and easier, but it's only exhaust pipe. It shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes to cut through it.
Rob

[MidwestJosh]

Four jack stands would make it easier, but you can still get it down without much problem with two stands.

As for getting the stock exhaust off, another option if you don't want to buy a sawzall or use a hacksaw. You can take it to a muffler shop and get the stock one taken off for around $20.

[PontiacGT2K]

Originally posted by MidwestJosh
Four jack stands would make it easier, but you can still get it down without much problem with two stands.

As for getting the stock exhaust off, another option if you don't want to buy a sawzall or use a hacksaw. You can take it to a muffler shop and get the stock one taken off for around $20.

And drive home with just exhaust manifolds and cat? You run the risk of valve freeze doing that....and it's just loud as ****.

[Molson]

ya, no big deal, drive home on straight pipes... Vroom.

[PontiacGT2K]

Originally posted by Molson
ya, no big deal, drive home on straight pipes... Vroom. yeah....Vrooom pop bang blub blub (valve freeze=rebuild).

My friend rebuilt his LS1, put used shorty headers on until his long pipes came in, and ran just shorties. It was pretty cold out, we were rollin, and all of a sudden we hear a snap and car just turns off (valves "froze" from air passing into exhaust system between pulses). 3 months later, car's running, but he'll never run just headers again for sure!

[2002GT]

dude... u can run straight pipes... for 10 min and have no problem... I did that on my 93 GASE for almost 2 years

[Molson]

why do you think most race cars run open headers? Straight pipes? We run straight pipes out on our stock car, 7000 RPM, no valve freeze.

[PontiacGT2K]

Race cars put out a lot more CFM from the header....enuf where pulses push fast enough to make air never pulse back in. It's just a huge risk when it comes to a lower output motor, ask anyone in the car world. It's not safe to run just headers.... cat is fairly safe...but I wouldn't run either setup.

[MidwestJosh]

If you say so, too late to do anything about it now since I did it on Monday. I only had a 3 mile drive home and it was nearly 80 outside... and yes it's loud as hell.

[PontiacGT2K]

I actually am doing the same thing in two weekend...wow do I feel like a hipocrit now. I'm installing headers/flexpipe, as well as cat-back exhaust, having the muffler shop weld the two together. Muffler shop is 20 min. away.....we'll see how it goes. The flex pipe is fairly long, but I am looking for a good reason to rebuild (for low compression wink wink) anyways.

[tshboy]

from experience:

1. You have a 99. Good luck. Rent a sawzaw. We have a local Tru-Value hardware chain that rents everything. The hardest part will be removing the bolts on the cat-flange. It took me and a buddy almost an entire day. You will likely have to hack on them too and twist the bolts off.

2. Rented an impact wrench only to find the cat prevented me from getting it up in there. Don't bother.

3. Buy a set of ramps. I did mine with ramps and jackstands. They are cheap only like $20-$25 at meijer. jackstands also cheap only $20. cheaper than a mechanic's labor cost.

4. Cut the stock exhaust once over the rear suspension. this will help you get the rear out easily.

5. Gasket. The SLP does not come with a gasket. I used some of that red engine high-temp silicone sealant.

6. You probably want to have a shop tack some welds on it just for security sake. Let's just say I had a problem with a certain clamp near the rear suspension coming loose. Check your clamps and make sure you get em on far enough.

my $0.10