Uninstalling Stock CBE...

[AutoXRacer]

I'll be upgrading my CBE soon and I wanted to get an idea of the uninstall process of the stock CBE...

How did you uninstall yours? Will you be able to reinstall it if you had to?

According to the service manual, you have to lower the rear sub-frame slightly (I forgot how many inches). This is probably the way I would do it to keep my stock part intact instead of cutting it up.

Has anyone lowered the rear sub-frame to remove their stock exhaust?
Do you have to disconnect any brake lines, etc... How involved was it?
Would you have cut the factory muffler pipe instead...?

(huh)

Thanks for the info guys!!! (2thumbs)

 

[Haltech]

I said screw it to lowering the subframe and went right to the torch and cut it in 2 places. I have no intentions of keeping the stock exhaust on the car, so it was a no brainer.

 

[Rotus8]

Dropping the subframe is not a big deal. Jack up and put stands under the sills. Remove wheels. Remove lower shock bolts. Put jack under sub-frame. Remove three big bolts. Lower sub-frame about 3 inches. Exhaust out. Reverse proceedure.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Dropping the subframe is not a big deal. Jack up and put stands under the sills. Remove wheels. Remove lower shock bolts. Put jack under sub-frame. Remove three big bolts. Lower sub-frame about 3 inches. Exhaust out. Reverse proceedure.

Are there any alignment issues or brake line damage, etc...?

 

[Sierra117]

Just cut it. Only needs to be cut in one place, then you can finagle it out with a bit of work. Just did my cat back this weekend. If it weren't for the whole ordeal involving my spring bolts to connect the cat to the stock mid pipe, it would have been maybe two hours at most. Also, it oculd just be mine, but the hanger at the front most part, where it connects to the mid pipe, didn't seem to want to fit right.

 

[AutoXRacer]

The reason I don't want to cut it, is because I want to be able to reinstall it when I trade in the car in the future...

With all my cars, I have always kept my stock parts...then when its time to trade it in, I reinstall all the factory parts and then sell all the upgraded parts...

 

[Rotus8]

Are there any alignment issues or brake line damage, etc...?

Nope. There are pins so it goes back in the same place.

 

[jaydubz]

What CBE did you go with AutoX?

 

[Conso]

Cut It!

 

[AutoXRacer]

What CBE did you go with AutoX?

I'm going with the Cork Sport. I like the Mazdaspeed setup with only one muffler, but its not polished stainless... It actually looks unfinished...

Mazdaspeed:

Cork Sport:

My CP-E DP is polished to a mirror finish, I just thought I might as well finish my exhaust in the same finish...

I wish I could afford the CP-E CBE, but not for almost $700...

My only issue with the Cork Sport is the two mufflers or resonators... Do these restrict flow at all...? I see the other vendors only have one muffler/resonators...

Anyway, Cork Sport it is...

 

[jaydubz]

Cool, I am anxious to see what it sounds like once you have it on. Let me know once it is all done, I was planning on going that route as well.

 

[PLM_Man]

Dropping the subframe is not a big deal. Jack up and put stands under the sills. Remove wheels. Remove lower shock bolts. Put jack under sub-frame. Remove three big bolts. Lower sub-frame about 3 inches. Exhaust out. Reverse proceedure.

Is there anyone with the service manual handy that can find the torque specs for the subframe and lower shock bolts?

 

[dparm1984]

Yikes, the Cork system has an awfully tiny muffler & resonator. That's probably why it's louder than the MS system. Mazda doesn't have a resonator on their Speed CBE, but the muffler itself is much bigger and hence quieter. What are the inner diameters (ID) of those 3 systems?



Resonators do not significantly hamper flow unless the ID is smaller than the tubing in the rest of the exhaust system. We're talking *maybe* 1hp or something insignificant for a BIG drop in sound (droning especially). A chambered muffler will hamper flow, but at the benefit of being quieter. The fartcan/"N1" mufflers flow great, but offer very little sound deadening.

There's a few of the twin-pass/twin-loop mufflers that sorta fall inbetween, but they're either terribly expensive or cheap and poorly made.



I'd really like to see someone build a big 3" system with a large resonator and a large muffler to see what happens. I bet it'll stay nice and quiet but still perform similarly to the other 3" systems. I honestly could care less about the finish on the tubing and muffler(s), as the tip is all you can even see. Form < function.

 

[Andrade08]

Dropping the subframe is not a big deal. Jack up and put stands under the sills. Remove wheels. Remove lower shock bolts. Put jack under sub-frame. Remove three big bolts. Lower sub-frame about 3 inches. Exhaust out. Reverse proceedure.

I will also be doing it this way. I do *NOT* want to cut up a perfectly good and brand new exhuast just so I can get it off quickly. I want to be able to just bolt it back on in say 3-4 years when I ditch this car.

 

[yashart_mp3]

why do you care if the exhaust is polished? From what i can tell, your car isn't a show car.

The exhaust is under you car (so you won't get to see it all polished up) and after a few months of the driving, its not going to look as pretty....

Not trying to insult you, just wondering why, thats all

 

[AutoXRacer]

why do you care if the exhaust is polished? From what i can tell, your car isn't a show car.

The exhaust is under you car (so you won't get to see it all polished up) and after a few months of the driving, its not going to look as pretty....

Not trying to insult you, just wondering why, thats all

My reasoning is that I am detailed oriented... My DP is polished (see picture above) and I prefer to continue the polish finish for the rest of the exhaust.

When I change my oil, its eye candy to me. Plus when you take your car to get aligned, everybody comes over and drools at your stainless setup...

Its just visually pleasing... A lot better looking than rusty tacky pipes.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Is there anyone with the service manual handy that can find the torque specs for the subframe and lower shock bolts?

I have the service manual, but I won't have access to it till the end of the month when I get back home...

 

[PLM_Man]

I have the service manual, but I won't have access to it till the end of the month when I get back home...

(Patiently awaiting your return home....)

 

[dparm1984]

Unpolished doesn't rust. All stainless steel will brown from the heat, there's nothing you can do about that short of an expensive JetHot coating or whatever.

 

[PLM_Man]

(cricket)