I gave the L its usual WOT workout and heard an extra rumble. Gave it a little gas once more and heard a loud pop. Next thing I know I have a very LOUD truck, straight pipes! I nursed it home, took a look, and sure enough the exhaust was completely off. I know I am not the first. I crawled under the truck more than a little agravated with my 30 k truck. With a little wrench work and a 3 1/2 lb. pursuader I slipped the exhaust back in place and re-tightened the u bolts. After finishing I fired up the truck and noticed a slight leak around one slip joint. This is one mickey mouse set-up. Does anyone have a nice upgrade without getting too carried away? I tightened up the U-bolts pretty good but I wonder if they will hold or blow out on me in the middle of no-where. Open to some tips on this one. Thanks.

 

It is a common problem, my '99 did exactly the same thing. In my case it was OK since I was just getting ready to install a Borla cat-back, and usually the hardest part is getting the old muffler loose.

Look closely at the factory muffler clamps. They are held onto the muffler by small welded on alignment tabs. Well on my '99 eventhough the clamps were pulled down so tight they actually crimped the pipe they were so far back on the muffler that they were not over the overlap in the pipes. They only squeezed the muffler nipple, and not both the nipple and the head pipe. In fact they were almost a full inch too far back. It seems the muffler was not slide on far enough before the clamps were tightened.

The only way I saw to fix mine, was to either have a muffler shop remove the crimp from the nipples so that the muffler could slide further onto the head pipes and then tighten the clamps, or fish the clamps out of the alignment tabs and move them forward about an inch and a half (1 1/2") so that when they were then torqued down they would squeeze the muffler nipple onto the head pipe.

I did neither since I was pulling the system anyway. But I think the easiest would be to move the clamps.

Hope this helps,
Craig

 

This happened to me a few times. The first time was perfect. There was this integra that was trying to play games with me. He just had to get the the next sto plight first. This was just over a year ago.
Apparently he had no idea what a Lightning was. The first light, I let him edge me out. Actually, I had no idea he was trying. One of my buddy's pointed his presence and effort to stay ahead of me. I had a fellow gear head and my roomate with me.

At the next light he had a smirk on his face. His window was also down. I let him edge me out again. My friends at this time lose the self control and are egging me on to take care of this guy.

At the third light, he had a real big smirk on his face. His window was still all the way down, and it was around 8 pm or so in Las Vegas. Not many people on the road. I take a quick look around, and I dont see anything out of the ordinary (cops are out of the ordinary to me). I throw him a rev, and he looks over like I have know idea what I am getting my self into (like I was trying to keep up with that fast car) I see the looks on my friends' faces, and they have ear to ear grins. Well the light finally goes green and he takes off. I wait about .5 seconds and then I nail it. He is about 1/3 of the way through the intersection at this time. I catch up to him right towards the end of the intersection, and its neck and neck. BOOM ROOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRR my truck went, right next to this guy. I just kept it floored.

At the fourth light, his window was up, and he didn't look over when I revved my loud *** fast truck.

Thats when I had to have 'em, straight pipes.

Its such a lovely sound. If you drive around town like that, all the other trucks will quit bothering you.

 

Tundra, Thats a great story..The guy probably put his windows up so you did'nt have to smell the load he dropped on his seat
when you blasted him..

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Ted O, Black 00 "L"
Superchip, PSP filter kit.
Roll & Lock bed cover
#4944 of 4966

 

Hawkeye, Tundra thanks for the tip and kill story. I am not ready to ditch the exhaust so I think I will get dealer to relocate the u-bolts so they do a proper clamp job on the two sections of exhaust pipe. Thanks again.

 

I think your L is telling you to give it some long-tube headers; x-pipe and a couple of magnaflows.

I'm waiting on mine (along with pully, chip, filter and a BA TB). I plan on dynoing everything to see what is worth what.

Tundra - I liked your story. Just sent my wife and stepdaughter to Vegas for Spring Break. I'm out there 1-2 time per year. Do you have to go through emission certification? I see those places and thank God I live in Kansas.

 

I didn't have to worry about emmissions, my truck was registered up here in Alaska. Cops just wanted to know what I was doing in Las Vegas. "Gambling" They wouldn't beleive the truth, 'school.'

Forgot the sig. the first time around. I have to keep the muffler on if I want to play in the King of the Street competition up here.

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99 Black Lightning! Kills! More kills!
factory tonneau cover, 100k mile warrantee, Line-Xed

2.145 60' 8.789@82.71 (1/8) 13.603@101.05 1/4 track straight pipes, 'Major' rear lights, no chip


[This message has been edited by Tundra (edited 03-22-2001).]

 

REDHOTL, you're very welcome.

Your dealer should have no trouble fixing the problem. You might even get them to order a new muffler for you and then do the install correctly this time. Otherwise just moving the clamps should do it.