The driver's side downpipe on my 98 Amigo rusted through at the flange. It is one pipe with integrated cat. What is the easiest way to remove it after unbolting it? It looks like I might be able to pull the driveshaft and slide it rearward which might be the easiest. The more difficult options are removing the crossmember and/or drivers torision bar. Has anyone done this and know the easisest way to drop this pipe?

Yeah I was into this just a few days back. I didn't get mine completely down but I believe you can get it out after removing the drive shaft. I'd not think you'd want to go removing the torsion bars <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

Joe

What do you guys think of the 3" long flex joint in the drivers side downpipe? It is odd it is only in one downpipe but not the other. Mine is corroded and I'm contemplating omitting it. Not sure if that would cause stress and strain on the rest of the setup though. Maybe it was just there to absorb vibrations from the exhaust...

I can't find any 2 1/8" diameter flex joints online..

I think its awesome. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I would think its there to ease assembly should there be any deviations in the assemply of the Y pipe since its assembled in pieces. Vibrations will be taken up in the hangers.

If you build as you go, tacking it up and then burn it all in slowly without distorting it then it should all bolt back into place.

There is enough movement in the whole setup for the flex pipe to not have anything to do with putting it back together. Speaking of which, putting this pipe back up there in position over the fuel lines is beyond me. I should have took notes on how I took it out. I got the flange off and welded back on the end of the pipe.

I think I figured out why this is so difficult. I removed the pipe and just squeezed it out from under there over the fuel lines. Putting it back up there I figured out how to get it close to position but just can't get it that last 1' as it binds up on the transmission, fuel lines, driveshaft, gas tank, floor, t-bar etc.... I removed the slave cylinder and crossmmember. I think what happened is that I was able to do everything with the flange off and now that added flange is making it impossible to put into position.

I think I have to call it quits and bring it to the exhaust shop, that way they could put on a flex pipe at the same time.

Do you guys think I could drive this truck with just a manifold on the left side? My concern is the heat on the slave cylinder hose and the many rubber vac hoses for the 4x4. They are right near where the exhaust will dump out. I think it might melt em... Maybe I could get a tow...

Disconnecting the fuel lines would probably do it for me but I can only remove the rubber return hose, the supply hose is siezed on the pipe on both ends it seems...

Another shot is cutting the pipe in half and using a sleeve over a straight section and clamp it back together but the pipe is so twisty that this doesn't seem to have a straight section long enought to do this. There are two big bends, a cat and 2 02 bungs. I removed the 2 oxygen sensors from the pipe but the bends and the cat in it are making this next to impossible.

Can anyone check if the FSM shows a particular method to remove and replace this pipe?

Also anyone have a source for 2 1/8" ID flex pipes? Can't seem to find any online that small (if I can get it installed I can weld on some flex pipes another time...)

Got it all hooked up. The trick was removing the rubber fuel lines and what worked is using two pipe pliers at the same time to twist the hose off the pipes. I did not have to remove the driveshaft but had to remove the crossmember, slave cyl, harness guard near bellhousing, and unbolt slave hardline bracket. There is only one way the pipe will go back in and it took a few hours of trying different ways to get it back in.

Right now I have one of those aluminum sheet rolls joining the exhaust with hose clamps. I think I will get a shop to weld in a flex pipe in its place.

My patch fix wore out and fell apart so I need to find a real fix. Does anyone know where to get small pieces of flex pipe like 2 1/8" or 2 1/16" ID? It seems the popular sizes start at 2 1/4" and go up...

I would check with your local salvage yard for the exhaust pieces you need. There is an arcane law about selling used catalytic converters, but if you state you just need the sections with the oxygen sensor holes to replace tore up bungs, they will usually sell you the entire piece for about $50. A catalytic converter assembly off a newer model should work.

I stripped out one of my O2 bungs on my 01 Rodeo while replacing the sensor, I used a bung wrench, liquid wrench, took all the precautions, but it would not come out without galling. I had to pull the transmission cable to get the exhaust piece out and back in on the drivers side.