HALP! Exhaust and stage 2 questions

So today I finally got around to installing my Invidia catless downpipe and GMS catback exhaust (kind of).

 

I have a few questions that I'm hoping you guys can answer for me.

 

1: I didn't have time to modify the heat shield to fit the DP. Any risk of driving without the heat shield installed?

 

2: Soooo, I didnt actually install the CBE. I began to attach the mid pipe to the DP and it looked like it had some fitment issues. Nor do I have the longer hangers needed to clear my rear bumper. So currently I'm just running a downpipe . Yes, it is obnoxiously loud. I flashed my access port to stage 2 91 map. Is there anything I need to worry about running my car this way until I have time to get the rest of the exhaust on?

 

3: Where can I find the correct hangers to clear my rear bumper!?! A link to the correct hanger would be of massive help!

 

I'm hoping to get this all done by the end of next weekend at the latest. I feel a little embarrassed driving the car the way it is now. Thanks for the help!

You can run stg2 OTS map with DP and stock exhaust. The heat shied will help a little with heat saturation in the engine bay, but once again, not a deal breaker. If you have a chance modify the stock one or purchase after market. Gives a clean finish to the engine bay. I have AVO exhaust and ceramic coated DP. Waiting a few more months for smog. Then its going on. Have heat shield too. Probably going back to stock exhaust + DP. Hangers... almost every vendor here who sells exhaust systems sell hangers too.

So right now I literally have no exhaust after the downpipe. I'll get it all put together this weekend. But until then, since this is my daily driver, is there anything detrimental that may happen from just having a downpipe? Aside from hearing loss.

High temperature exhaust exiting somewhere that it is not supposed to may cause an issue with any bushings or electrical wiring that is right there.

Update. Got my exhaust on. Feels Goodman. As closure for anyone who stumbles on this thread. There were no negative effects from having just a downpipe on for a week. Nothing melted or exploded. The car was just deafening loud. And the turbo sounded Sweet.

 

The gms catback was made for a legacy gt. It fit absolutely terrible. Not only were the hangers not long enough, but I had to have the flanges rewelded to line up the mufflers to the Y pipe. It looks like a high quality enough exhaust but the company that makes it is hell to deal with. (different story for later). Anyway if you purchase it save yourself the headache and take it to a shop to have it put on. That's all I got for ya. I'll post some pictures and sound clips in my build thread later this week. Thanks for the help.

Did you run without a heat shield for a little? I am afraid that it might melt the plastic endtanks of the TMIC. I snapped 2 bolts trying to remove the stock heat shield and don't have a new one coming for a couple of days.

Did you run without a heat shield for a little? I am afraid that it might melt the plastic endtanks of the TMIC. I snapped 2 bolts trying to remove the stock heat shield and don't have a new one coming for a couple of days.

 

I've actually continued to run without the heat shield or dp heat wrap. I haven't had any problems

not to be a negative nancy, but to enable as much longevity as possible for the passenger CV boot, you need some sort of heat wrap/shield down near that.

 

I used my car for 6 months on stock DP (and 50k miles by a previous owner before me). after 2-3 months of wrapless cobb dp, my passenger cv boot let go. not only was it a pain to replace (and cost money I coulda spent elsewhere), but it made a huge mess of grease and quite a few days of smoke. wrap also helps reduce lag and increase power, so why not?

not to be a negative nancy, but to enable as much longevity as possible for the passenger CV boot, you need some sort of heat wrap/shield down near that.

 

I used my car for 6 months on stock DP (and 50k miles by a previous owner before me). after 2-3 months of wrapless cobb dp, my passenger cv boot let go. not only was it a pain to replace (and cost money I coulda spent elsewhere), but it made a huge mess of grease and quite a few days of smoke. wrap also helps reduce lag and increase power, so why not?

 

That's good to know. I'll throw the heat shield on next week. My main problem is laziness. I've read mixed opinions on whether or not to wrap the downpipe. I was going to leave it unwrapped. Because of laziness again.

 

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just a note for everyone, running just the downpipe is akin to running open headers. no problems will make themselves known quickly but it will lower the life expectancy of your turbine. the heat cycling time is greatly reduced without an exhaust, just like if you run open headers on an na car, your valves don't have as much time to cool down making the metal more brittle in the process, the same thing will happen to the turbine blade on the exhaust side of your turbo.

I checked my TMIC after a couple hour drive today and there is no visible signs of any problems leaving the heat shield off. I'm going to put it on this week but I've had it off at stage 2 for months now without noticeable physical damage

 

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:/ I've been with no heat shield for over 2-3yrs catless up/down, open exhaust. Tuned by infamous stag 2 n I've wondered why I see some white smoke come out from my hood when I come to a dead stop once in a while... Is it really that important.

:/ I've been with no heat shield for over 2-3yrs catless up/down, open exhaust. Tuned by infamous stag 2 n I've wondered why I see some white smoke come out from my hood when I come to a dead stop once in a while... Is it really that important.

 

Unless you're seeing steam I would definitely be worried if there was smoke coming from my hood...

 

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