Exhaust Fitting Issues

[murtaghp 3]

Hi all,

 

I'm having problems fitting a complete exhaust to my 1990 1.9

 

The front / centre goes on no problem but the back box is about 2" short when hung on the hangers.

 

It's a second hand Bosal system that has been modified to accept a lambda.

 

What I don't know is if the back box is the problem or the front section.

 

Is there more than one size of back box in olive fitiment?

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Are the two bits of the system the same make eg both Bosal?

There are different part numbers for replacement back boxes, I think the base model ones may be slightly shorter as the rear bumper isn't as deep as a gti one and curves under more. But don't buy another box just on the strength of me saying that, it's inly a hunch!

[Ozymandis 97]

My thoughts,two different makes.

Or possibly a N/A diesel back box.

The turbo diesels the same as GTI and the N/A looks v similar but doesnt fit well.

But thinking about it, isnt shorter just a different angled bell end...........

 

Probably a lesser petrol variant, they are shorter.

[murtaghp 3]

It looks like I may have issues with the front section and the back box (I'm wondering if I have a 309 system)

I managed to get a hold of a new front section over the weekend for reasonable money and even it does not fit with the back box. I compared it side by side to the one I already have and it's slightly longer.

 

Any ideas?

 

[steve@cornwall 100]

Are you tightening the manifold joint before fitting the back box? Try leaving that loose enough to pivot, hang the back box, fit back box to centre pipe before finally fitting the centre rubber support.

[murtaghp 3]

I have tried a couple of methods but none of them leave me with a good fitting exhaust.

 

When I use the new front section, I can get it fastened up but it takes a fair amount of effort and the front pipe is touching the floor pan.

 

I couldn't even get the first one to fasten up and fit the hangers as it's even shorter.

[jackherer 543]

It wont be for a 309, they are identical apart from the tailpipe which is much longer.

 

The 1.6 auto (XU5M or something) has a different system but I'm not sure in what way.

[Anthony 1,003]

It wont be for a 309, they are identical apart from the tailpipe which is much longer.

Are you sure about that? I had a Bosal 309 front section supplied in error and it was unquestionably longer than a 205 one, which gave the opposite symptom to what Paul's seeing in that the backbox was jammed hard into the rear valance and barely on the hangers.

 

I cut and shortened it by a couple of inches and it was perfect after that.

[jackherer 543]

I fitted a 309 system to a 205 and I just cut the tailpipe down, the tailpipe angle was a bit funny but the rest was fine. No idea what make it was.

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

309 centre pipes differ in length

 

Clear on servicebox.

 

I have ordered both pipes under different part numbers

[steve@cornwall 100]

I have a 205 auto system on my gti. Front seems identical and I've used a couple of back boxes on it.

[scbond 15 1 Cars]

In the pic of the two parts on the car, is the backbox hanging freely? If so, pull it forwards to mate them and clamp...looks like only an inch. Pretty sure mine had a similar gap.

[murtaghp 3]

The picture shows the maximum adjustment on the hangers.

 

I can get the two sections in the picture to mate but the front section is touching the floor and the tailpipe does not sit correctly in the balance.

[scbond 15 1 Cars]

Sorry bt why is the front section touching the floor when you pull them together to mate them?!

[murtaghp 3]

When I pull on the front section to get extra length, it moves upwards towards the floor as it pivots on the manifold connection.

[scbond 15 1 Cars]

And once clamped and let go it shall fall back into place nicely, pulling the backbox towards the front a bit.

 

It should be snug and have a fairly tight tension on the hangers. If it didn't it'd wobble all over the place.

[murtaghp 3]

It's way more than snug by the time I get the coupling to fasten.

 

The picture above does not show be putting a fair amount of tension on the rubbers to even get it to that gap.

 

I think I'm going to go with plan be which is to extend the centre section a bit. I was a bit reluctant to do this if the back box turned out to be wrong but it's £45 for a new back box but only £9 for the extension piece.

 

Thanks for all your suggestions.

[welshpug 1,662]

would be easier to get the hangers on the silencer moved by a local garage, or indeed do it yourself if you can weld.

[Anthony 1,003]

The one thing that's puzzling me with this is how on earth that exhaust system ever fitted on the original car it came off with that shorter front section? I know the tolerances on 205's are all over the shop, but they're not generally different by several inches!

 

(I'm assuming of course by "used" that it had been fitted and run - if not you probably now know why!)

[murtaghp 3]

It was one of these purchases that was cheap enough and I thought "that looks about right"