Rookie's Teg DC2 VTI-R

[rookie]

Got a couple things this month in prep for tampered, should all be going on sometime on Monday.

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[plAythiNG]

U ordered new pads super quick

[M@lew]

Interesting choice on the brakes, what made you decide to go for QFM?

[rookie]

U ordered new pads super quick

Haha yeah man, I don't mess around :P

Interesting choice on the brakes, what made you decide to go for QFM?

It ended up being either the QFM's or HC+'s. Originally i wanted DS2500 but unfortunately i couldn't get them from anywhere within the time frame that i needed. I've heard some mixed reviews about the A1RM's; some being great and some being acceptable but nothing really bad. So i thought i would give them a shot. And for $120 for the fronts i was happy.

[rookie]

TEASER/UPDATE


*Ignore the hella messy room

[M@lew]

No more b-pipe only?

[rookie]

Haha too loud. Can't afford to get defected :P

[dnapol]

Plm <3

[tyung87]

Very nice piece of kit

[rookie]

Plm <3

Ah yes

Very nice piece of kit

Thanks dude, hopefully should get it all welded up at my place and installed in about 2 weeks time.

Still have a couple things to get in such as the CAT and a couple flanges/gaskets etc.

Having to make one of the flanges due to the one i got from the PLM headers being a strange size.

flangeCAD.JPG

[rookie]

UPDATE:


My father (and his amazing milling/lathing skills) made this flange last night, completing the list of things i need to start assembling my exhaust.
Starting, and hopefully finishing, everything on Monday if all goes to plan.

[rookie]

BIG UPDATE

DAY 1:

I came home from work on Sunday to find my car up on stands and the exhaust manifold already removed by my father. Unfortunately he also delivered me the news that the set of PLM headers i purchased did not fit with with the radiator fans in and they also didn't clear my sump. Awesome!
I had to make the hard decision of either sending back the pair that i had purchased and getting something else, or just modifying the set that i had. After some consideration we decided modifying the headers would be our best bet.

After a lot of cutting and grinding we had numerous pieces that we had to put back together.

Trying to get the runner placement correct.

Heaps of positioning later, we managed to get all the runners in place on the faceplate.

Got the alignment all set, now for the rest of the headers.


DAY 2:

First thing in the morning, we continued finishing off the headers by welding the second set of 'Y's onto the end of the runners.

Slowly making progress.

We then obviously continued welding the final 'Y' join onto the headers but unfortunately i didn't get a photo of the finished product. Now that was all lined up and set, we could secure the runners to the flange plate.

My brother TIG welding the headers to the flange.

Later during the day there was a lot of back and forward to the car and back to the shed to make sure everything was fitting properly. We also milled the flange back a couple of mil' to make sure it was all flat for a good seal. Finally, in the wee hours of the night, we got the headers bolted to the block.

Finally on the engine.


DAY 3:

Day 3 was hindered by rain so we had to work in a pretty restricted space outside with the car as we continued making the rest of the system.

The workshop for the time being.

Since the headers were now on we could continue with the rest of the new stuff, so off came the old system.

Stock headerback

First things first, the X-Force hi flow 100CEL cat was welded in place.

Mmmm, nice and shiny

After the CAT came the hotdog resonator and a few twist & turns before it reached the muffler and then out the back of the car. The twists, turns and offsets of the exhaust system took the most time as it took a lot of measuring and cutting to get the correct angles and lengths of pipes.

Quick flick of dad welding some pipe.

Again, late into the night we continued welding the rest of the system. Unfortunately due to the lack of light and the shite' weather, we only managed to get to the axle before we called it quits for the day and headed inside.

A couple of the bends before the axle.

DAY 4:

Luckily the weather this morning was a bit more pleasant and allowed us to get a lot more work done.

Another shot of the workshop.

Today was spent finalizing and completely welding the entire system so that it was all sealed and solid.

The upgraded headerback next to the stock one.

The entire new system weighed a LOT less than the stock setup. Especially the headers. They are significantly lighter than the old cast exhaust manifold. Here is a comparison of the old muffler to the new one.

Big bertha

Some more welding commenced after we cut and measured the axle back portion of the system.

Oh so much welding.

Until we finally had a completely welded axle back portion.

Although the MIG welds don't look amazing, they are much quicker to do than TIG welding and are more than strong enough.

After that was welded, it was just a matter of getting all the pieces together and doing the final weld over the axle of the car. Here's a couple shots of the system from underneath.



Clearance is pretty good, the lowest point of the system is the hotdog.

All that was left from the original materials were these two cutoffs of material. We cut things pretty fine with the amount of piping we purchased.

Later on both of these pieces were used in making my tip, so there was literally no material left over.

All in all, epic project. Considering we thought it would take us a solid day and it ended up taking us closer to 4 full days, it was a lot of effort.
After taking it for a drive, the car seems a lot torqier at low end RPM compared to the stock system High end delivery seems a little better but its hard to tell as i couldn't really push it on the street. The sound is also good IMO, not a 'fart can' but still nice and low.

[AL92]

Nicee looks like a good exhaust system would be able to ask what muffler that is also can u provide a sound clip? :-)

[M@lew]

Holy crap epic DIY is epic! Congrats to the lot of you.

[felixR]

So impressed. Epic DIY.