Exhaust Fitments

[chocolate_o_brian 0]

I'm struggling a little bit here chaps.

 

Basically at the moment, I have what is best described as a custom exhaust system. This is because when I bought my car, the weld on the mild steel near the downpipe/centre snapped and I had a straight through stainless centre put in. This was welded at both ends, but with little sections cut out. In a nutshell this means, from the downpipe onwards, if I want to replace anything, it's a whol replacement thing.

 

I want to replace something

 

Well really my issue is a squeeky exhaust. I think it's coming from around the downpipe/manifold joint. Any back pressure when warm and its a very audiable squeeky noise. I simply can't find the exact location of it. Also due to having no silencers etc in the system from the downpipe to the backbox, gives it some serious pressure, which vibrates the lond straight centre section quite badly, especially on idle.

 

So I'm starting to give up on my custom exhaust, and am thinking of trying to piece together second hand bits. A member on here is selling a backbox/centre section for a good price, which mate together fine... but I would like to remove the downpipe and cast iron manifold and replace with a 4 branch. THIS is where my troubles start. I have no ides what 4 branch manifold fits what centre section. There are usually second hand ones floating about on ebay etc, but if i bought one of these and it doesn't fit the centre section, it means more custom work. This ends up expensive.

 

I have seen on a euro parts site a full Magnex system for sale (4 branch, centre/back box) but new its going to cost me £450. Now the second hand 4 braches on ebay go around £100, and the guy on here wants £75, so its a huge saving... but if they don't fit directly... ARGH!!!

 

I'm soo used to Impreza exhausts which for the classics are all 3 sections... end of But for these old hot hatches, its proving more difficult in finding common ground - ie different fitments sizes etc.

 

My car is an 88 pre cat GTI... that all I know. Is there a way round this without spending serious 'dollah' for a new system? Current one due to squeek and back pressure is really doing my head in. Noise, I like, but vibration and squeeking is not for me, it's very loud.