Good muffler shop in Northern Virginia?

[SlimKlim]

Long winded story short, my long tube headers come down to the midpipe at a slightly off angle, and I haven't been able to get them to not rattle using the crappy ass eBay clamps. If you want to know more than that, I wrote the whole thing out here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthr...p?t=605479, but it's neither exciting or particularly interesting.

What I need is a shop in NOVA, preferably near Fairfax or Ashburn, that is willing to do a little backyard engineering to make my midpipe fit the headers. Either by bending whats there to the right angle, or cutting and redoing the top part of the mid-pipe and clamping it up. Dropping the mid-pipe is (relatively) easy, and I've had resonators cut out and replaced with pipes for about $100 before. I can't see any reason this should take more than 2-2.5 shop hours so I'm not going to pay someone $400 for it.

Any suggestions or places you've had good experiences up here? Fanks.

[D_Eclipse9916]

So summit sent you the wrong clamps? Have them redo it!

[Kaan]

most people recommend a place in woodbridge. i cant remember the shops name though.

you really should look into getting some pipe that you can either weld on one side and slip in, or double slip. you'll need to measure and cut better if you go this route though.

[JustinG]

Do you have a NAPA near you? They should sell those band clamps for like 10 bucks.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191">http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191</a><!-- m -->

Used one on the GSX, and using one on the Hatchpile to connect the testpipe to the catback. No issues with leaking, the metal should conform to the tubing even if the pipes aren't perfectly straight, tighten those bitches down, and when you think its tight enough, turn it a couple more times.

[Kaan]

i think the issue is that the pipes arent really lined up. he had to use a lot of exhaust puddy to get it to seal.

[SlimKlim]

Do you have a NAPA near you? They should sell those band clamps for like 10 bucks.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191">http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191</a><!-- m -->

Used one on the GSX, and using one on the Hatchpile to connect the testpipe to the catback. No issues with leaking, the metal should conform to the tubing even if the pipes aren't perfectly straight, tighten those bitches down, and when you think its tight enough, turn it a couple more times.

That's sort of what I was hoping would happen so maybe I just need to try it one more time before I completely throw in the towel. The midpipe has enough play in it to move into the right position, but when its there it's just ever so slightly at the wrong angle. Maybe 2 or 3 degrees off. With that stupid ebay clamp that looks like an exhaust tip with a bolt on each side there is no way to adapt for that angle, with thinnner metal to conform it should stretch and get completely tight. Thanks for the NAPA tip, i'll give them a call if I don't get anywhere with Summit.

Like I said in my first post I think the other option is to have a muffler shop simply cut the pipes at the front of the mid pipe back some, replace them with ones at the perfect angle, and throw a connector on it.

[JustinG]

Do you have a NAPA near you? They should sell those band clamps for like 10 bucks.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191">http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191</a><!-- m -->

Used one on the GSX, and using one on the Hatchpile to connect the testpipe to the catback. No issues with leaking, the metal should conform to the tubing even if the pipes aren't perfectly straight, tighten those bitches down, and when you think its tight enough, turn it a couple more times.

That's sort of what I was hoping would happen so maybe I just need to try it one more time before I completely throw in the towel. The midpipe has enough play in it to move into the right position, but when its there it's just ever so slightly at the wrong angle. Maybe 2 or 3 degrees off. With that stupid ebay clamp that looks like an exhaust tip with a bolt on each side there is no way to adapt for that angle, with thinnner metal to conform it should stretch and get completely tight. Thanks for the NAPA tip, i'll give them a call if I don't get anywhere with Summit.

Like I said in my first post I think the other option is to have a muffler shop simply cut the pipes at the front of the mid pipe back some, replace them with ones at the perfect angle, and throw a connector on it.

Get the clamps like I showed in the pic, that come on the cardboard shrink wrapped. The ones in the actual boxes from NAPA seem to be thicker metal and wont conform as much. The shrink wrapped ones seem to be thinner metal but still SS. Use a screwdriver/pry bar to line exhaust up to the header and get Jake to tighten the clamp down......worked for me YMMV.

[SlimKlim]

Do you have a NAPA near you? They should sell those band clamps for like 10 bucks.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191">http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=TWDX004536_0090059191</a><!-- m -->

Used one on the GSX, and using one on the Hatchpile to connect the testpipe to the catback. No issues with leaking, the metal should conform to the tubing even if the pipes aren't perfectly straight, tighten those bitches down, and when you think its tight enough, turn it a couple more times.

That's sort of what I was hoping would happen so maybe I just need to try it one more time before I completely throw in the towel. The midpipe has enough play in it to move into the right position, but when its there it's just ever so slightly at the wrong angle. Maybe 2 or 3 degrees off. With that stupid ebay clamp that looks like an exhaust tip with a bolt on each side there is no way to adapt for that angle, with thinnner metal to conform it should stretch and get completely tight. Thanks for the NAPA tip, i'll give them a call if I don't get anywhere with Summit.

Like I said in my first post I think the other option is to have a muffler shop simply cut the pipes at the front of the mid pipe back some, replace them with ones at the perfect angle, and throw a connector on it.

Get the clamps like I showed in the pic, that come on the cardboard shrink wrapped. The ones in the actual boxes from NAPA seem to be thicker metal and wont conform as much. The shrink wrapped ones seem to be thinner metal but still SS. Use a screwdriver/pry bar to line exhaust up to the header and get Jake to tighten the clamp down......worked for me YMMV.

Thanks! I'll try this method one night this week, then if that doesn't work start making phone calls.

[xvxax]

Agreed with sticking a breaker bar or whatever in the header and prying. Worked on friend's m50 ebay headers, pretty sure they are the same ones you have. When you have to tighten 24 header bolts while accidentally cutting yourself on the a/c lines for 4 hours, you do some pretty desperate stuff.

[SlimKlim]

Ordered the new clamps from NAPA since I wont really have time to get over to the Fairfax store. Peter, did you bend the header when it was cold? use anything to leverage it against or did you just stick it in and push? If I tried that method and damaged the gasket at the top end I'd push it off a cliff and buy a Corolla.

If you were able to make minor tweaks on a cold header without damaging anything then I ought to be able to make a slight fine tune and get it to work with these clamps.

[JPolen01]

Agreed with sticking a breaker bar or whatever in the header and prying. Worked on friend's m50 ebay headers, pretty sure they are the same ones you have. When you have to tighten 24 header bolts while accidentally cutting yourself on the a/c lines for 4 hours, you do some pretty desperate stuff.

Just be careful doing this. I was helping a friend install a front mount intercooler on a gli and the pipes didn't match up exactly so he tried bending it like that and it snapped right on a weld. Luckily it fit better as separate pieces. :lol: now it might have been a different metal, but just a heads up.

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[SlimKlim]

If not a different metal then at least a very different spot to try and bend. At the far end of the tube I have no doubt the metal would bend without breaking, Im just afraid of stressing the gasket/header studs too much.

[xvxax]

I did it cold. I was not in my shop, so no torch available. Where the header comes down into the exhaust tunnel area, i stuck a 3 foot piece of pipe in the area and pried down. I mean, I didn't wail on it, but yeah, a little bit and it lined up. It won't take much, that is like 20 gauge tube there.

[JustinG]

I did it cold. I was not in my shop, so no torch available. Where the header comes down into the exhaust tunnel area, i stuck a 3 foot piece of pipe in the area and pried down. I mean, I didn't wail on it, but yeah, a little bit and it lined up. It won't take much, that is like 20 gauge tube there.

I would moreso pry the exaust side, not the header....the rubber hangers are going to give way more on the exhaust side then the header/engine/engine mounts are going to give.

[xvxax]

Ye, prying on header side = easy due to angle of pipe and mounting rigidity. Cheap china steel bend like butter, remember the header is the problem anyway. Hanz and Franz equipped the midpipe with what feels like14 gauge stainless, stuff is very thick and very strong. That is why I dropped 75lbs by going 3" single. Anyway... just my .02.

[SlimKlim]

Yeah. Know how I know the midpipe is made out of solid stuff? I accidentally pulled it off the header flanges when I was uninstalling the old ones and hit myself right in the face with it. It was heavy enough to make the back of my head hit the concrete harder than the front of my head hit the pipe. It was pretty awesome.

I'll just do my best to be gentle with the header. I'm hoping Jake will be around when I get around to doing this so he can use something to make a fulcrum and keep force off the top of the header. It only needs to move a few degrees after all.

[navin]

If you still need a shop rec: Whitey's Automotive in Chantilly might be able to take care of you, call ahead and ask!

[SlimKlim]

If you still need a shop rec: Whitey's Automotive in Chantilly might be able to take care of you, call ahead and ask!

Awesome! Thanks, it's good to have a phone number handy in case I just get too fed up. :roll: