MSA exhaust fit

[2ManyZs]

Kinda what I was afraid of, once the old style clamps are tightened down they crimp the pipes so much you can't do anything with them. That's one reason I won't use them anymore now that they have the band clamps available in sizes for cars. They have had them on tractor trailer exhausts for years, don't know why they took so long to get them on cars. I think if the muffler is a offset inlet/center outlet that that is where they ran into alignment troubles. All the MSA turbo exhuasts I have used and seen all had the mufller mounted vertical so the outlet was low enough to exit. This brought the pipe down the tunnel away for the differential to keep it from banging against that.

[Dave Sommers]

I see what they did from the muffler pic. I have the same set up on my car right now. It appears that the muffler is in backwards...

The offset end is the final exhaust side and the centered one is the inlet. That will allow the pipes to line up and the muffler to fit up into the fender more fully. Swap muffler ends and things will fit. Too bad about the gorilla tight clamps bending up the pipes. I guess you don't have to be to smart to hang mufflers in a pipe shop as I thought mine was label in and out, might be mistaken but I'd take a look at yours if I were you...

Good Luck.

[BadDog]

Looks like I took it to the wrong place... trouble is, most shops around me won't touch a "custom exhaust". This place only agreed to do it once they verified they couldn't source their own.

Now they're giving me crap about trying to make it fit the right way, with the manager saying "I tried it *myself* and it didn't fit. The pipe must be bent wrong" whatever...

I looked at the picture in the MSA catalog, and it shows center inlet, offset outlet, so the muffler is correct... I'll try to knock it off with a rubber mallet. If that doesn't work, I've got to find another shop to look at it, or maybe one of the local Nissan dealers. If another shop can't get it to work, I'll have to try a different type of muffler, maybe a cylinder-shaped one. Or a totally different exhaust, which means I'm out $200 +

[Doehring]

Hi BadDog

I think 2manyZs is right. The muffler should be vertikally with te rear end at the bottom and the inlet at the middle. The MSA people are very friendly, so give them a ring. Have in mind they are preparing the West Coast meeting at the moment and they are very busy. If you are happy with the exhaust (I am !) and you don't need to change anything because of technical reasons or too much heat to the tank just paint the muffler's rear black with a heat resistent paint, exept the chrome tip, and you won't see it without knowing .

[2ManyZs]

There is a way to remove the muffler without ruining it, but it's kind of a pain to do unless you can find a shop that can do it for you. You'll need a cut off tool and an abrasive wheel, take the clamp off, and put three slits in the muffler inlet pipe from the clamp crimp to the outside edge. This will allow the pipe to expand and hopefully slip off even though it is crimped.Try not to get into the inner pipe, when you have three slits somewhat evenly spaced you should be able to work the muffler loose and turn it around. The slits shouldn't cause a leak unless they had to be cut too long.

Best thing to do is to get a couple of the stainless steel band clamps to put it back together with, they will seal over the slits to prevent any leaks. I get mine from www.summitracing.com. They are $8.50 each, but IMO they are worth it, no leaks, no crimps, no rust.

[BadDog]

Well I could live with the muffler being backwards, except it rattles against the bodywork surrounding the outlet.

2ManyZs, I'd try that, but they put 2 clamps on it: 1 in the middle and 1 towards the rear of the inlet. I'd basically have to cut it almost all the way to the muffler body

I guess I'll just wait and see what another shop can do, and what MSA has to say about the possibility of a mis-bent pipe (I have a call into them)... thanks everyone