Technical Mk2 '03 Exhaust and other advice

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Technical Mk2 '03 Exhaust and other advice

CrArC

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Sep 18, 2006
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Hi there,

Got a few questions about my car although I reckon the answers for a few are fairly obvious :-D the biggest one(s) regards my exhaust, so here goes:

Long story short, a friend of mine drove my car into a curb head-on trying to park (he drives a Ka, I think he misjudged where the brake was or something) this ended with an enormous crunch/bang and a motionless Punto. We got out and had a look underneath, couldn't see anything wrong, car drove fine afterwards too. Two weeks later I discovered the 'crunch' came from the exhaust right at the front of the car, where the pipe comes down from the catalytic converter. Caved in like a coke can right by what is probably the lambda sensor? I looked because my MPG has been shoddy lately and the engine felt like it was losing poke.

Questions!
1) How expensive to replace this part?? I've been crap at finding prices online. It looks like the pipe and cat are a single unit so I guess the whole lot from the engine block has to come out.

2) When I collapse because of the price, would someone kindly suggest it would be possible, since there's no holes in the pipe, for me to rip it out and try and bang out the mahoosive dent? :D this is cheaper for me! I suppose a new sensor isn't too dear either.

3) The force of the blow also shoved the whole exhaust assembly backwards and snapped the backbox off its mount at the rear of the car. I tried, somewhat lamely and unsuccessfully to 'weld' it back on with a blowtorch and thick pipe solder with predictable results. Since I am too poor to afford a full exhaust system but would like to not have my car clunk ominously round corners, how easy might it be for me to get the pipe sawn off halfway down the car or something, and then replaced with custom kit from people like Powerflow? Found a picture of a Mk2 with my trim and colour online where a guy had the little bits of grill at the back of the Active trim popped out and replaced with two 'flat' exhaust tips which were part of a customised exhaust system made by these guys, which looked absolutely awesome. But I can't afford the whole lot done, and since the back is the only bit hanging off.. :D no, I'm not too bothered about the lack of performance gains from not doing the whole lot just yet.

I am a cheap skate, however I have a list of things I intend to do to my punto to treat it over the christmas period though, because I don't like neglecting my car! Oh yeah, to put in context, my mate was driving my car because I was stuffing my face with food and yes, he is insured on it. ;)

Ok for a few more Q's, sorry, I'm keeping it short:

4) How much current can the alternator in the 8v Mk2a engine produce? I drive a lot and like my music (not just drum and bass), I have stuffed an amp and sub in my boot among a few other things but I plan to stick several more little amps in various places in the car so that everything else isn't running off the head unit; I don't want to drain my battery as I drive but I suppose it's going to draw upwards of 100A sustained when I'm in the mood.

5) What is the service interval for Punto's? It's been serviced in the last 6 months but I do many miles, got 66,000+ on the clock now and I can't figure out when it will be due next.

6) Induction kits: any point for a little engine like that? Is it plausible to get one that you can fit a cold air pipe to instead of just plonking the filter as close to the front/side of the engine bay as possible? There's lots of interesting vents at the front of the punto that look promising as a source of cold air at speed, but I have no idea what I'm about with this.

Any opinions? :D look forward to hearing from you!
 
Hi mate,

If its No1 on the pic

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Then you are looking at £320.47 inc VAT from fiat!!! :eek: I cant believe it either! You could give bashing it out a go, but to be honest i doubt you will be successful because they are tougher than they look (not when meeting a curb though). Sensor will be cheaper £72 from fiat, but can be bough much cheaper from motor factors.
You need to MIG weld the support bracket back on the back box rather than braze it on.
You can get lots of induction kits for your car. The one rated by most people on here is made by GSR (i dont work for them!). They do make a slight difference in powere for the better.

Hope that helps,
Alan
 
Awesome, I had a nearby breakers in mind but they don't have many Mk2s kicking about. Thanks for the advice people, keep it coming! :D I really, really can't afford 320 squid, that's nuts! Since it 'has' to be replaced, I suppose I may as well rip it off and try anyway, and then when I put a hole in it by accident, hunt a new one down :(

Why is it expenses automatically swell to just over-accomodate your income?? :-D
 
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