Getting exhaust apart?

[fastbee]

How is the best way to get exhaust pipes apart? I've got another exhaust leak in/around the up pipes, I suspect the delete pipe section is the issue as it didn't fit well when installed. I'd like to get my downpipe out to make more room but don't want to cut it out. My exhaust uses band style clamps rather than u-bolt style but they are still stuck pretty tight.

 

[Gary]

If your up-pipes are leaking then the best way is to pull the turbo, remove the inner fender liners so you can get at the bolts that hold the up-pipes to the exhaust manifolds. You'll need to remove the heat shield, after that the up-pipes will come out the top.
Thee two most common leaks are the flex joints and the Y connector at the turbo. Make sure your leak is not the Y connector before you pull the up-pipes.

 

[fastbee]

I've had them out several times but I've thought that if the downpipe was not there it would be easier to get the y-pipe to delete pipe nuts and bolts tight and properly aligned. I'm not sure if my delete pipe is bent wrong or if the y-pipe just doesn't fit worth a $hit, but they are always hard to get them lined up and I was just looking to make as much room as possible this time.

 

[Gary]

Don't worry about the down pipe. Is there soot on the firewall? A lot of times you can see the black stains in the area of the leak. The bellows in the Y pipe are common and so is a misaligned Y pipe to turbo connection. The EGR delete up-pipe usually doesn't leak. You may be able to use a piece of heater hose to listen through, hold one end to your ear and move the other around the area you think is leaking, it works pretty good.

 

[fastbee]

The y-pipe has upgraded bellows from a vendor on here, so I don't think those are the issue this time. I can feel warm air coming from above the driver side manifold/y-pipe connection but it isn't straight down, it's more like from the passenger side. When I put the delete pipe in it was hard to get everything lined up, then when I installed the upgraded y-pipe it was harder. In looking at the bend on the RCD delete pipe I just got it seems like it will fit much better...the welds look better too. Might have learned a valuable lesson about "quality" eBay parts, good feedback doesn't necessarily mean good parts!