just got here for my 1.8, anyone have any helpful hints on how to make it go a lot smoother, i got the downpipe with it so i know of the tight spaces and tight rusted nuts. any tricks or anything would really be a help.

 

how to make your techtonics go alot smoother? what are you talking about?

 

full turboback exhaust, or just the downpipe?

just take your time and you should be fine, everything is pretty straight forward...

hit the nuts from the turbo to the cat with pb plaster....

and if it didn't come with the turbo to the cat gasket...pick one of those up prior to install...

if you want it to go smoother, you will want a second person helping you out with the process...

if everything goes alright should take you about 3 hours start to finish...

gl!

 

smoother meaning the install. my bad for not clearifying.

 

Somethin i found with working on cars in general, is to give yourself more time than you think its actually gonna take. Because as soon as you put yourself on a tight schedule, something always goes wrong, even with simple jobs. Good luck!

 

A garage, a wide range of tools, and some beer are key.

 

yeah, and DEFINATELY some nice tall jack stands or ramps. its imposible to take it out just sitting in the driveway

 

yeah. alright im probably going to give it a try sometime this week. all great tips, except im not old enough to drink hah. any special tools and what not though tricks of the trade wouild be helpful and also, would it be possible to just leave the cat and downpipe connected and remove them together from the engine bay?

 

For serious though... ~12" ratchet extention and bits for the cat/dp bolts. Hack saw/sawsall/cutting tool for mid pipe back sleeve if it doesn't come off and for where the muffler piping goes over the rear axle, I don't think there is a flange there and it doesn't slide out all in one piece. If you have a manual (tranny is skinnier than auto) then the cat and dp can get pulled out from the bottom as one piece. Probably a good idea, just make sure you get new gaskets.

 

if you are not keeping your stock exhaust, just cut it off, cut right after the flex pipe so you can pull it and the cat threw the engine bay,and remove the airbox before hand. its alot easier than struggling to get those retarded bolts that connect the dp and cat together.
If you have problems removing the o2 sensors, just unplug them from the harness and carefully remove the cat and dp. then remove the sensors. if your planning on getting a testpipe or highflow cat. nows the time to do it as tectonics uses crush piping and its a bitch to remove after you have connected the dp to exhaust. get the car as high as possible off the ground, the more clearance the better.
Good luck and have fun!