Tucking the exhaust tip up higher

NarfBLAST

Member
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2006 Mazda5 and 2001 VW Golf TDI
Anyone else noticed that the exhaust tip on the Mazda 5 seem too low?

I would like to cut the pipe just behind the tip off and remove the downward bend so it tucks up a bit higher. Only problem is that it is my wife's car. She let me install a trailer hitch today so the modifying has begun! It is a 2006 Model, but I think all the Mazda5's exhaust tips I have seen are slung too far down below the bumper.... there is a cut out in the bumper that is kind of pointless because the tip is sooooo far away.

Is this just my perception?

edit: adding picture of original tip gap to bumper:
31905.jpg
 
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You are right, but that is because of the big recall on the 2006 Mazda5 in late 2005.

Exhaust systems overheated, caused cars to ignite on fire. Extra insulation, exhaust mods, diff hangers etc were installed as part of the recall.

Long story short, the main cause of the fires was found to be driver error. Drivers would have the A/T in the manual shift mode and forget to shift.

So, that is why the exhaust hangs so low; it is due to driver error! (drinks)
 
i originally had an aftermarket fart can that looked cool, but was unbearably loud. so i had that removed and replaced the oem muffler. But i had the original tip removed and placed a larger one and had them put it on straight. it looks much better and the tip is similar to the msp 3. I also painted the muffler grey. Now that I look at it more though, it would have been better to repaint the muffler glossy black instead. I will try to post pics
 
You are right, but that is because of the big recall on the 2006 Mazda5 in late 2005.

That would explain it! I found it very hard to believe that the engineers that crafted such a tight clean design would intentionally put the muffler that low. I knew it had to be a post production thing! Thanks for the info!

Will have to be modified asap, especially since the trailer hitch tucked up so nice to the bumper.
 
Long story short, the main cause of the fires was found to be driver error. Drivers would have the A/T in the manual shift mode and forget to shift.

That is a fail of Toyota-driver proportions!

Hmmm...ever notice that no Toyotas have manu-matics? Wise.
 
I pulled the bracket out of the rear hanger and pushed the muffler up as high as it would go, then stuffed the bracket back into the hanger a little higher up. Tailpipe is now about an inch closer to the bumper, but not as secure inside the hanger. I will moniter to make sure the muffler does not drop out of the hanger.
 
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a "CHEAP" fix would be to wrap some hose clamps around the hangers to pull the exhaust up higher. not sure if that will cause other problems, but it will lift the tip up closer tot he bumper.
 
Finally addressed this issue! I cut off the factory tip off and left three inches of 2.25" pipe sticking out. I attached a 4.5" tip which I found already adapted to a 2.25" tube. Funny story with this tip is that I found it in my brother-in-laws garage, it used to have a rolled end on it, which had curb damage. It used to be attached to his 90's Pontiac Sunfire. I cut the damage off which also had the bonus effect of updating the look by 15 years! So with the tip being a freebie, this modification cost $2.00 for the muffler clamp.

Here are some pictures:

31901.jpg


31899.jpg


31898.jpg


31897.jpg


31896.jpg
 
looks pretty cool, and stealthy for still being a stock exhaust. i might have to mod the wife's car when she isn't looking...
 
Finally addressed this issue! I cut off the factory tip off and left three inches of 2.25" pipe sticking out. I attached a 4.5" tip which I found already adapted to a 2.25" tube. Funny story with this tip is that I found it in my brother-in-laws garage, it used to have a rolled end on it, which had curb damage. It used to be attached to his 90's Pontiac Sunfire. I cut the damage off which also had the bonus effect of updating the look by 15 years! So with the tip being a freebie, this modification cost $2.00 for the muffler clamp.

Here are some pictures:

31901.jpg


31899.jpg


31898.jpg


31897.jpg


31896.jpg


looks great! I always love recycling.

but could you please put some orange paint or red reflector on that hitch before I whack my shin into it again.
 
To each his own. It looks 1,000,000X better than the droopy stick-on crap that came stock. I will have to go tip shopping on the interwebs this weekend, you have inspired me sir!
 
Very nice! This will encourage me to get a new tip too, but only attached to a 3" straight through exhaust. Hmm.
 
i like the way it looks very nice job you should paint the muffler clamp flat black to hide it a bit
 
looks great! I always love recycling.

but could you please put some orange paint or red reflector on that hitch before I whack my shin into it again.

No problem, I usually keep a coffee cup on the hitch so you can't miss it. Pictures to follow...
 
Couldnt find something smaller? I prefer the nice and quite OE exhaust on the Mz5 and a nice finishing tip is all thats needed but 4.5 and clamp-a-tip mount is a bit much :/

Nice job on cutting off the banged-up tip!

Thanks! Yes I agree 4.5" is a bit much but it was just what was lying around... since it is clamped on I can swap it out easily later.
 
Okay, after a nights sleep I wake up the next morning and look at the tip and the scary thing is that

instead of thinking, "Oh, what was I thinking that is way too big, good thing its only clamped on..."

I am thinking, "I could live with this, but it just needs something more..."

So I took it off and welded in an inner 2.25" pipe with a flared end that I had lying around (found on the clearance shelf at an auto parts store many years ago):
insert *bling* sound effect
31903.jpg


drilled some holes in the outter pipe to plug weld in the the inner one:
31906.jpg


Re-installed... this should also help keep the outter pipe cooler. I might just be paranoid but I thought I could smell "hot plastic" after getting back from the grocery store yesterday.
31904.jpg


Thanks for the tips on painting the clamp black, might just do that.

edit: yes I need to wash the car.
 
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Ah man... I don't know about that set up anymore. I liked it more without the 2.25" pipe much better. Sorry...
 
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