SPD Performance Downpipe

[BigIron]

Pretty simple job until the one bolt that is hard to get to and requires maximum effort to break loose. That makes this job a 4 out of 5 wrenches for me. LOL.

Yep. Difficulty lies not in the complexity of the task but in breaking those darn bolts loose which in our case started to practically strip and cause a whole world of hurt. LOL

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[BigIron]

A coworker and I installed mine yesterday. I love it. You can tell an immediate difference.

Where we had issues, though.... yeah, that inside nut. It took us forever to break that one.

Worse than that, though... the nuts threaded back on just fine, but during tightening, somehow became cross threaded on two of the studs, causing it to not fully tighten down. This was the top inside nut and the bottom. Both need new studs. Adapting and overcoming was easy, though. We added spacers in front of the nut and were able to get it tightened. Studs are $2.41 each from Levittown. I'm going to order a set and have them on hand, in case there are any issues with the way we did it.

But so far, so good! I feel that the results are well worth the work.

Im liking mine too but I’m struggling with the noise. I can take some rumble but even with an added universal Borla resonator that some members mentioned, it’s starting to creep up on my nerves driving daily on the freeway. I’ll have to see how I feel about this thing. Lol

 

[Sariandan]

Im liking mine too but I’m struggling with the noise. I can take some rumble but even with an added universal Borla resonator that some members mentioned, it’s starting to creep up on my nerves driving daily on the freeway. I’ll have to see how I feel about this thing. Lol

Turn up the music. Problem solved.

 

[Ranger2020zoomzoom]

Lol - yeah why is a downpipe hot anyways??

Come to find out I had a crack in it.

 

[Sariandan]

Come to find out I had a crack in it.

Any idea if it came that way, or was it something that happened post install? Just wondering if there is anything I should be looking for.

So far, I haven't noticed any increase in transmission temp. IAT is staying right about 10° above ambient, unless I'm idling... then they go about 50° above ambient.

I did wrap the downpipe.

 

[BigIron]

Im liking mine too but I’m struggling with the noise. I can take some rumble but even with an added universal Borla resonator that some members mentioned, it’s starting to creep up on my nerves driving daily on the freeway. I’ll have to see how I feel about this thing. Lol

Well call me crazy but the noise is too much for me. Great overall sound but with towing occasionally and some long daily drives the dull drone that comes with this is a no from me

Downpipe and 3” midpipe for sale lol

 

[TORQUERULES]

Well, I am returning my CVF downpipe (or sell it for $300 plus shipping to anyone on here) as I could not get the leverage needed to break loose the nuts on the stock pipe without taking out the coolant lines in the way, the EGR system, etc. 3 days of spoaking in PB Blaster and only 25K miles on the truck and they are on there right. I could have taken a portable torch and heated them, but honestly if I was going to do that I would drain the coolant a little and remove the stuff in the way. Plenty of tools to do the job, so no issue there and plenty of strength, no issue there. Just could not get the leverage needed with my long arms. I was worried about stripping the studs honestly. For a little gain, it just became not worth it. Lol. I have done this job on three other turbo cars in my day, two Mazdaspeed 3s which are a bear to get to, and never seen them so damn stuck. I wish they had used the v-band clamp system like the Mustang. So easy. It's what I put on the built Merkur I had and you can remove exhaust components in seconds with that system.

 

[HTX1811]

Well, I am returning my CVF downpipe (or sell it for $400 shipped in the lower 48 to anyone on here) as I could not get the leverage needed to break loose the nuts on the stock pipe without taking out the coolant lines in the way, the EGR system, etc. 3 days of spoaking in PB Blaster and only 25K miles on the truck and they are on there right. I could have taken a portable torch and heated them, but honestly if I was going to do that I would drain the coolant a little and remove the stuff in the way. Plenty of tools to do the job, so no issue there and plenty of strength, no issue there. Just could not get the leverage needed with my long arms. I was worried about stripping the studs honestly. For a little gain, it just became not worth it. Lol. I have done this job on three other turbo cars in my day, two Mazdaspeed 3s which are a bear to get to, and never seen them so damn stuck. I wish they had used the v-band clamp system like the Mustang. So easy. It's what I put on the built Merkur I had and you can remove exhaust components in seconds with that system.

I was able to get a cheater bar on the wrench and use maximum effort and was able to get them all broken loose with out twisting the studs off. It was not easy by no means. My truck only had about 6,000 miles on the clock at the time.

 

[TORQUERULES]

I was able to get a cheater bar on the wrench and use maximum effort and was able to get them all broken loose with out twisting the studs off. It was not easy by no means. My truck only had about 6,000 miles on the clock at the time.

I went out and bought extra long ratchet wrenches (about the length of two normal 15mm wrenches) and nothing. Hood struts in the way, hoses in the way, body, etc. Short of removing a lot and some serious heat, those are on there.

Updated my sell offer to $300 plus shipping. My return has not been processed, and it may not be returnable due to an open box although the parts are still sealed in their plastic. I'll post in for sale if the return falls though or someone on here offers to buy.

 

[TORQUERULES]

Yay! I can return it, so that's good. Wish it would have worked, but honestly not worth it for what I would need to do to get it off.

 

[importfighter01]

Yay! I can return it, so that's good. Wish it would have worked, but honestly not worth it for what I would need to do to get it off.

For me I removed the nuts via the wheelwell. Removed passenger side tire and rubber splash shield and that provided the leverage needed. Trying from the top was a no go. Sorry it didn’t work out.

 

[TORQUERULES]

I was really only going to add it as it was the last engine bolt on to do, unless I went being turbo, more than any actual ho/tq gains. I think the stubborn fasteners just madee quickly realize that I am actually pretty happy with the performance coming from the little 2.3 and instead I should concentrate on other areas of the truck. Kind of did me a favor.

 

[Mustang2Ranger]

As much trouble as that bolt gave me

It was worth it. The stock cat is just as restrictive as the muffler was

 

[Ranger2020zoomzoom]

Any idea if it came that way, or was it something that happened post install? Just wondering if there is anything I should be looking for.

So far, I haven't noticed any increase in transmission temp. IAT is staying right about 10° above ambient, unless I'm idling... then they go about 50° above ambient.

I did wrap the downpipe.

I honestly don’t know. I bought it used from a guy who blew his motor on the Ranger. Its hard to tell but under the hood temps shot up like crazy. The radiant heat was insane from the downpipe. I put the OEM back on and lowered under the hood temps and I was able to stick my hand down there and not feel much so I just tossed it in the dumpster.

 

[Doc]

Junk for Lemmings …..

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