Islixat

iTrader: (1)

hey, i have the stupid rubber things off and all the bolts, the front end is down but i can't rotate the back end out (the tailpipes are caught on the bumper part) and i can't go forward any more with it. How do yall remove it, did you raise the car up higher or did you leave the back end lower? Just looking for suggestions before i spend too much time on it

Mazurfer

Take the exhaust shrouds off. Just be careful as the tabs are easily broken.
You did take it loose halfway up.............the two bolts right....which would disconnect at the midpie(for lack of a better term)?

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

You can raise the car up higher to simply lower the front-end of the exhaust down, but you'll need to lift it up pretty high.
You can push one side of the exhaust as far back as possible and move the other side forward while maneuvering it around, tricky to do be I've done it a few time.
Or just remove the exhaust shrouds (where the tips go through) and drop it straight down, just be careful not to break the tabs.

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

Damn-it Mazurfer... beat me to it

Mazurfer

"You can push one side of the exhaust as far back as possible and move the other side forward while maneuvering it around, tricky to do be I've done it a few times."

Might have to do this as well! Think I remember having to do this a little bit but much easier with shrouds off.

Islixat

iTrader: (1)

any advice on how to take the little tabs off without breaking them?
if i break them would a nearby autozone/oreily's have replacement ones?

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

The tabs are a part of the shroud, so breaking the tabs would require the purchase of a new shroud.

Mazurfer

Think they are molded on the shroud if I remember, just get under there and see how they come off before just yanking on them. I can't remember, but there maybe as many as six. I'll see if I can locate a picture for ya.


Damn it........you got me that time J!!!!

Mazurfer

And..............if/when you break the tabs............ http://www.finishlineperformance.com...cat=302&page=1

Islixat

iTrader: (1)

im thinking at this piont it might be worth $300 do put it back together and have someone do it. I don't really have the money but if i break this then ive spent nearly half the price of having it done without someone doing it for me.... do you actually ahve to remove the exhaust to drop the transmission or can i just move the front part to the side and leave it hanging there?

Islixat

iTrader: (1)

im replacing the clutch and flywheel...and the exhaust is a pain in the ***.

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

I started to think that too

I've dropped the transmission before with only the front of the PPF unbolted because the rear was fused to the differential (still can't believe I couldn't separate the two).
But even that may not work because the exhaust pipe will still be in the way.
If you can't remove the exhaust, then the clutch may be too much for you... just being honest.

I8U

iTrader: (1)

^+1

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Put it back together, go to an exhaust shop and have then install a bolted flange just before the muffler, then start over again another day. The new flange will let you drop the muffler easily, or leave it in place depending on whether it really needs to come off. If those shrouds have been untouched for a long time they're almost impossible to get off without breaking at least a few tabs. Warming them upwith a heat gun helps some.


.

@!!narotordo

Me and AJ poped the shrouds off at 2am in the cold well cold for Vegas anyway 65 at night. I have a 04 and no tabs broke. Just pull each one out with your hands on each side then top. Kinda like tuning a drum.

bhop

^+1, We used a heat gun. Those shrouds are a bitch!

When I had DANOMITE( FORUM MEMBER) replace my midpipe at his shop, he put it on the lift which was tons of help lol. Basically, remove the midpipe from the exhaust and slide the exhaust towards the front I guess. It is not that hard to come out. Get the car on some stands if you can't get to a lift. You can also just jack the car up.

Are you replacing the exhaust or are you just leaving it off.

04RX8man

I accidently removed my shoud why trying to meneuver one side of the exhaust out at once haha...but didn't break the shoud....definately makes it easy to just remove that.....

Spoolin8

iTrader: (2)

ive broken most the tabs off my shrouds and the remaining clips hold them in place just fine

Islixat

iTrader: (1)

i ended up just pushing the pipe off to to the side and it made it where we didn't have as much room to move around but definately had enough to still continue, but we had to call it quits early because the guy im working with had to go to work. As for taking off the shrouds i just don't want to risk breaking them and having to buy new ones. Just have to take off teh slave cylinder then lower the transmission. Speaking of which, we took the bolt out of the slave cylinder, but it doesn't just lift off, is there more than 2 bolts we can't feel or does it stick and just need a good hard tug with a little bit of grease? Also is there a better set of instructions than these: http://isomerica.net/~fluffy/Ren/RX8...nsmissions.pdf ? might get to play with it for about 45 min tonight so we have small goals for the day, take off the slave cylinder and lower the transmission on teh jack.

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

The slave cylinder piston is inserted through the release fork, so you need to slide that out.
But those two bolts are the only thing securing the slave cylinder.
There is a bracket holding the hard line for the clutch just below the slave cylinder that is held on by one bolt, you'll need to remove that too.
Also, if you didn't disconnect the front O2 sensor (harness is by the oil filter) you'll need to watch it as you lower the transmission because it can get snagged on the bell-housing.
And there is a bundle of wire that runs on top of the transmission and is held on by "zip-tie" style straps which need to be removed.
Last thing I can think of at the moment is you'll need to disconnect two black and two white wire harnesses close to the rear of the transmission.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Islixat

iTrader: (1)

ended up with only about 45 minutes since we stood around and talked too much before starting. took off the slave cylinder no problem, not sure what the problem was before but when i got under there and tried to pull it off it just slid right out. Also took down the transmission but the car wasn't jacked up high enough to take it out from under the car to give us room to work with so we decided to call it quits and watch the football game. Ill post in another thread about the clutch if i have issues, otherwise ill post in one about lessons learned when i finish prob thrus or fri(like buy sockets for stripped bolt nuts before starting!)