Chuck S

All the gaskets came with mine. Cat back system.

The Tanabe Medalion Touring will smoke for the first few (hundred?) miles after installation. Park nose first in the garage for a while so the smoke goes outdoors.

-- Chck

Stoatmaster

Ah, great stuff, thank you guys.

I've ordered a new impact wrench so hopefully that's all that's needed now.

My local garage is currently closed, so I'll be doing this on the driveway with axle stands. Hopefully the weather holds out.

WVCR-V

Here's a clip of myself and a friend both with Tanabes in a tunnel last week. Filmed with an iPhone in my hand so not the best audio but of you crank up the volume its decent.

Chuck S

The 4-part aftermarket exhausts like the Medalion Touring all go on the car the same way as the Mighty Car Mods lads installed their Q300 in their Mom's driveway a few years ago and made a video about it.

Tip 1: Soak the bolts holding the OE exhaust with penetrating oil. US brand that works is PB-Blaster. I'm sure you can find similar. I did my bolts several times over a several day period and all my bolts came off. The top bolt on the cat is particularly hard to get off. Buddy's '02 or '03 bolts at the cat would not come off but we were installing a high flow cat anyway so we took it off header-back.

Tip 2: Put the car on jackstands/lift and remove the rear wheels (for access).

Tip 3: After loosening but not completely removing the exhaust bolts and removing the rear suspension cross brace, start removing the exhaust hangers from the back bumper. If you start at the front the exhaust will tip up at the rear and trap the exhaust tips under back bumper. Remember, it's all one piece.

Tip 4. Assemble the new exhaust leaving the bolts slack until you get the tips centered in the rear bumper cutouts to your satisfaction.


-- Chuck

Stoatmaster

That is a fine tunnel, good acoustics!

Stoatmaster

Thanks Chuck. I'll get the car in the air tomorrow and soak the bolts. (Wurth Rost Off Ice is my penetrating fluid of choice). Hopefully that and a 400nm Impact Wrench will do the job.

Not sure what to do with the OEM exhaust. Will probably chop it before the silencers split so it's easier to store, and it can be welded up if needed in the future.

Hoping it turns up by Friday so I can get it fitted this weekend. (Waiting for the detailer to re-open next week so I can get the paint ceramic coated)

Stoatmaster

The nuts did not play ball, and are now rounded off. Looking at the studs the thread looks ruined so that has probably not helped matters.

Ordered new cat studs and nuts, looks like these are going to have to be chopped off. Just to rub it in the Tanabe has just turned up.

(Fair play to FunkyPower, sourced from the States and delivered to me in a week)

Chuck S

Yeah the OE cat has studs so you're gonna have to pull the whole exhaust from the spring bolts on the header back and then massage the bolts off the cat somehow. Got a way to press the studs out of the cat I hope if you have to cut the bolts off.

I stored my OE exhaust in my shed for 4 years until I made a 500 mile residential change and it ended up on the curb for rubbish pickup. I couldn't give it away other than the tips which went to a good home.

-- Chuck

Stoatmaster

Going to run it down to garage and get it up up on the ramps.

Should be easy enough to rectify then, will most likely cut the studs off.

martin j

Cut the studs off and bore out the remaining section and then fit nuts and bolts?