figit

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys I just finished installed my agency power exhaust, love it, and I'm noticing that it's slightly left aligned. I'd say a little less than an inch but it's noticeable. I did some searching around and the only thing I could find was a few mentioning this being the case with all aftermarkets exhausts while paired with the mazdaspeed rear diffuser specifically but I'm stock in the rear. So far, I've tried the below:

1. Thinking it was just the re-installing of the hangers slightly throwing things off, I slid under the other side and pulled outward on the opposite side muffler so try to re-align it... no dice.

2. I loosened up the muffler clamp and the spring loaded bolts on the cat and did the same, thinking maybe things were just too tight to provide enough wiggle room... no dice.

I'm tempted to re-install the exhaust all over again. I know it's not the actual AP exhaust because I've seen gobs of pics of it installed without this issue.

The ONLY other thing I can think of is I opted NOT to install the dual-resonated cat delete pipe which came with this exhaust. I intend on going high-flow cat instead. Everything bolted up just fine so I don't think that it's required for proper alignment, but I just wanted to throw that out there in case any of you know otherwise.

If I end up dropping and re-installing it again and it's not fixed, I might just fab up some kind of a restraint using a coat hanger. The crazy thing is with just a little pull from the opposite side, it's perfect but as soon as I let go, it's off again.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

-m

Race Roots

iTrader: (64)

Do any of the hangers look bent from the new exhaust?

figit

iTrader: (1)

They looked fine going laying in my living room, none of the welds were popped or appeared weak at all, no wiggling or anything. I wasn't very graceful getting the hangers back on but the hangers themselves seemed pretty robust, .5" around so I don't think I was rough enough to actually bend one of them.

I couldn't find an AP install guide specifically and the ones I did find, had a bolted flange on the muffler. This one being the slide-in and clamp style, I decided it would be best to install it in pieces because I didn't want to guess at the rotation of the mid-pipe. I installed the rear mufflers first. then I slid the mid-pipe into the slotted pipe and secured the hanger on the mid-pipe. Then I slid under the car from the side to install the spring loaded bolts.

Facing the rear of the car, the left spring loaded bolt went in fine. The right one however took me about 20 minutes alone because the holes were ever so slightly mis-aligned. The hole on the exhaust flange was just a tad lower than the hole on the cat flange. I mean just a little... like an 1/8 of an inch or so but it was off enough, and far enough to make getting that bolt in troublesome. Again, I chalked this up to things being loose still and no big deal but I mention this because while it was the right spring bolt that was being a PITA, once completed the exhaust is left-aligned. Not sure if this helps at all but figured I'd mention it.

One last clue to this ever perplexing case : o ) is the left exhaust tip seems to be sticking out about a half inch more than the right. Again, it's hard to notice, I had to hold a screwdriver up to the plastic and measure the tip's outer end and mark it with my finger to compare them but it is in fact sticking out a tad more.

I'm trying to re-trace my steps as I write this. I recently watched this movie called International with Clive Owen and he dumped his head into a sink full of ice water to retrace his memory of his partner being assassinated in an attempt to recall any slight detail that may help crack the case. I'm not at that point... BUT the mere fact that it comes to mind right now leads me to believe that my head will inevitably in a sink of ice-water by EOD if I haven't come up with either a clue that explains my situation or a plan of attack hahaha.

-m

two zero two

iTrader: (1)

there are a few flaws with the agency power catback.
are you talking about one exhaust tip not sticking out far enough or the exhaust tip hanging to low and touching the shrouds?

figit

iTrader: (1)

The right exhaust tip is not sticking out far enough and both are aligned to the left.

Thanks man,
-m

two zero two

iTrader: (1)

hmmm, i have the same issue with the exhaust tip not sticking out, thats just a design flaw, nothing wrong with anything you did. as for being aligned to the left, that might be where you slide the intermediate pipe (not midpipe) onto the muffler section. when i installed mine i remember that part not fitting quite right and the section of the intermediate pipe with the bend was touching the heat shielding on the car. i would double check that part again and make sure that part isn't touching the car and is just hanging there. if i remember right i don't think i fully slid on the intermediate pipe as well to have it fit right.