Technical Punto Active Mk2 exhaust centre pipe?

[9UN70Active]

Hi, I was trying to replace the exhaust centre pipe and back box becasue it was rusted with holes and when i tried to unscew the nuts on centre pipe next to the flexi mesh thing connection with cat the nuts got stripped and now none of the sockects work on it and just slipping off!?!

could anyone give advice on what other way I could unscrew or get them off???

Any help would be appreciated!!!

 

[DaveMcT]

6 point socket might work (never use 12 points) you could try a nut splitter if there is enough space. But it most probably needs the bolts burning off.

For what they cost extra, exhausts are better left with exhaust & tyre shops.

 

[9UN70Active]

Thanx for the reply whitesei,

I think the socket Ive used was a 12mm 6point and i thought about using the nut splitter but apparently there isn't any space for it!

You mean burning off with blow torch and melting or something?

I bought this exhaust off a friend, it's a performance exhaust and i took it to a local garage and they wouldnt agree to fit it unless its their own, and wouldn't take the risk of fitting after market parts!?!

Im thinking of using a drill for nut socket drive and i could buy one from argos but i am not sure if it might have the right torque? It has 12v 1300rpm and other thought is using a dremel 300 so i have a choice of two things, dont know which one to go for??:bang:

And plus I love working on cars, tools and fixing things, everytime I take up a task, it only adds to my knowlegde,:idea: (sort of like "millions of ways on how not to do one thing but one way of doing a million of things").

Regards,

 

[DaveMcT]

Good point they can be a pain like that.

The options are gas torch (like you have one of those handy)
Hack saw
Angle grinder
Rotary file in power drill
Dremmel

You might also shift it with a normal blow lamp and mole grips on the nut but be very careful to not burn the car floor.

The cheap power driver is probably not much help. the good ones are seriously not cheap. B&Q do one for about £50 but its intended for screwdriving rather than engineering sockets.

If you have 12 point sockets put them away and get some 6 points. Even better get wall drives. They drive on the flats rather than the corners so MUCH less likely to round off a nut.

 

[9UN70Active]

Thanks for all the info whitesei, much appreciated!!
I really am quite exhausted trying to get these stupid nuts off, shaving'em would've been much easier!! LOL!!
Now I am thinking of changing the whole system all together, I found few
Cats in eBay, they're way cheaper than the socket power drive!

I went to my local DIY stores today to have look around an find something that might come in handy and managed to find a gas torch, and vise grip pliers I quickly got home and started work on the busted nuts put a foil paper around the parts where oil was visible just as a hazard precaution Incase the blow torch slips and sparks fire under the car!
And then I fired up the torch to get the suckers hot, when they got hot enough I quickly grabbed the vise pliers, got a grip on the nuts and started twisting, but the plier slipped aswell, striping of thread from the burning hot nuts, tried it a few times but no luck, the basterds are stuck really tough, and after burning em they're probably hardened because stripping thread on the bolt! I'll try put up pics tomorrow? I am determined to get them off, I'll use a dremel tomorow and see if that works!!

And thanx for the advice on12point sockets I'll keep that in mind and won't use them to be extra sure of not stripping no nuts again!

Many thanks for the support!!

Best regards,

 

[DaveMcT]

You cant do better than that!

If you can get at it, use an angle grinder to take half the nuts off don't try to save the bolts - they were scrap before you started. If you are fitting a fast back end exhaust a tubular manifold and sports cat and remap will give the best results. Not cheap though (and tell the insurance).

 

[9UN70Active]

Yeh I know I've tried and done everything I possibly could, thing left is to try and cut off the nuts and I'll try the rotary bit on the drill and see if that does the trick, otherwise get a new or used Cat,

Can't really go for the remap as yet, will probably do it later, after when mot is cleared, don't know if remaping would be mot compatible!?! I just want slightly roaring sound and better acceleration with the airflow, until I properly get to modding!!

Wouldn't insurance increase with the upgrade?

Thanks!

 

[DaveMcT]

A tubular manifold will affect insurance but probably not by much and the sports system should be declared anyway.

A sports cat (part of the system) wont affect the insurance and it will pass the MOT

A remap is needed to get the best setup with the new system.

If you have an all-in-one manifold cat that will kill performance (and hurt fuel consumption) compared to a tube manifold and under-floor sports cat.

If the nuts threads have stripped grind a screwdriver into a thin wedge and use it to lever the nuts away from the flange face. It might be enough to slip them along. You will need new bolts/studs anyway.

 

[9UN70Active]

I got a standard punto centre pipe with a performance back box which is twin tip free flow! I was hoping to connect it with cat that's on at the mo but if you could me point at a direction I could get slightly cheaper tube manifold and cat I'd be very grateful, because I can't really splash out on expensive system,( budget is kinda tight!) And there are other things need to be done on the car, one of the fuel injectors is playing up, might even be the pump itself don't really know why exactly the car misfires when driving on heavy gears, I recently changed sparkplugs and did the oil change so I know for sure it's not the sparks plugs or contaminated oil, and mot is round the corner aswell so I'm focusing on haven't mot passed!

I tried grinding the nuts with a screw driver but they are hardened wouldn't chip, they're only chipping off the pliers! I haven't tried it with the rotary drill bit, I'll try that later today and let you know how it gets along!

Many thanks,

 

[DaveMcT]

Watch ebay for used tubular manifolds - new = not cheap.

You need an angle grinder us a small disc if space is tight

The missfires need another thread. Though you can prove the injectors by swapping them & see if the missfire moves. No move = not injectors.

 

[9UN70Active]

I have added just a few of the universal tube manifold and cats( not many about) on my eBay watching list but there's still time till the auction ends so just waiting to win! "Hopefully"!!

I didnt get a chance to work on the nuts today because my friend was suppose borrow me his power drill and he's left with girlfriend somewhere without telling me (his fone is off)where he put it and his dad said he'll be back in 1 or 2 days and wouldn't let me have look around the garage, says I should just wait till he comes back! I bought the small disc just need the drill now, I'll probably work on it tomorrow, if my mate is back or find someone else with a power drill!

And I'll check the injectors tomorow as well thought I should give my car some rest today been working on it the whole week and plus mum needed to get some shopping done, took her there!

Thank you for all the help and support, it really is much appreciated!

Kind regards,

 

[DaveMcT]

S*d your mate, get down B&Q for a cheap angle grinder. They are must have tools anyway but ALWAYS wear proper goggles or face shield and ear muffs / ear plugs.

 

[9UN70Active]

Yeh good idea bro, I'll go there tomorow and try and find a suitable one for the job, yes I'll definatly wear goggles and cover my face!!
Thanks!!

 

[9UN70Active]

I tried using the angle grinder but no luck apparently the joint on the pipe connecting to the cat is built really awkwardly even a dremel won't go next to the nut let alone the angle grinder, I might just have to change the cat altogether, Im trying to look for a used performance type or the standard one from ebay , If I don't get one then it's just gona have wait!

Anyway thanx for trying to help and for the support!

Regards,

 

[DaveMcT]

If you are planning on a tubular manifold system it hardly matters. Bandage it up & hope it lasts long enough.

 

[9UN70Active]

Hi whitesei, how u doin? Just thought I'd leave an update on the centre pipe, I managed to get them nuts off using a dremel, cut right through the middle of the bolts and I have fitted the pipe but there's one after the other, while I was so stress about getting them nuts off I didn't realise that the "universal back box" I've bought doesn't come with connection pipe to connect it with the centre pipe itself, and centre pipe just comes only half way only till the boot, Now Im really pissed about the whole situation, I done a temporary fix by cutting some pipe off the original pipe and connecting with some fire gum and metal hose, now Im thinking should I get the flexible exhaust pipe to connect with the box or have the solid steel pipe bended either ways it's gona cost but flexible pipe would be slightly cheaper than having a solid steel pipe bended and welded?

I only need approximately about 20" or less to get that box connected with the centre pipe!

Please let me know if flexible pipe would be sufficient enough temporarily or could it be a permanent fix or shouldl I have the solid pipe?

Regards,

 

[DaveMcT]

The flex will vibe and break so not good. You could get one of these and some straight pipe. Then expand the end to fit over the existing pipe. Or get some tube the next size up and make a slip over sleeve. On the Punto the exhaust goes over the rear axle frame.

For bends these will do a good job but you'll need to be good with a welder or better gas torch.

PS Well done for getting it apart. By the way, Lidl are selling a cheap arc welding set - ideal for these jobs. Aldi will have one soon if they follow the usual pattern.
I use 12G rods but on thin metal/pipe only do about 5mm at a time so it doesnt blow through.

 

[9UN70Active]

Hi mate, thanks for the info but it seems I won't need to built the extension pipe after all, while I was driving today heard a sudden metal dragging noise and pulled over to see what's going on and to my surprise and shock there was no back box, just this upper bit hanger bracket that i had bought from halffords to hang the freaking box, seemed like the hanger couldn't handle the weight and bumps and had snapped off from the carton bit that was screw on the bracket, never trusting halford stuff again I don't really care about the box, just worried that it doesnt cause danger to other road users because I have no idea where it feel off?

So now Ive bee searching through eBay for some back boxes and found a few of the sportex exhausts that have all the hangers and and pipes on the right spots that connect straight to existing punto mk2 centre pipe which I already have, just wanted to ask if those are any good?

Thank you for all the great knowledge you have shared, much appreciated!!

 

[DaveMcT]

Sorry to hear of all the trouble. Sportex should be ok but I cant advise which is best.
Style-wise, I like the tall thin one. Try another post to ask others.

 

[9UN70Active]

Hey buddy, after some thorough research Ive narrowed it down to Ashley or Sportex because some people say Ashley's are good some say sportex is the best so it's a tie. They both have different sounds and it depends on the sort of sound I wanted, Ashley brings out more of rally car sound and sportex is deep like a mustang (My favorite) since it's not a mustang but a 1.2 8v punto and a light vehicle, so heavy sound would make me look like I'm pretending to drive a mustang! Lol which I don't want! And that Ashley has been around longer than sportex!?!

So I think rally sound would be much more appropriate, but then some have argued that sportex has probably more power gains but that's with a complete manifold setup and Im not going for that at the mo and I'm sure if I get that set up on Ashley, it would do the same because they are brother and sister with different parents! Lol and one thing Ashley has on a sportex is that Ashley is available all over uk, where as I only found sportex from either the manfacturerS website or a few shops on ebay and has to be deliverd and I found Ashley down the road from my house!!

I'm in need of a box urgently because I need the car everyday, so I think Ashley's has to be the winner for a trial!?!

What are your thoughts on Ashley? Is she hot or not?

Thanx!!