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Topic: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues

in Forum: C3 Fuel, Emission Control, and Exhaust Systems


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1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (1/8)
 9/22/14 7:25am
EDeBella
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Edmonds, WA - USA

Vette(s):
1980. Black with T-Tops.


Joined: 9/21/2014
Posts: 46

I have a 1980 with 180k miles on the stock Y pipe/ cat back exhaust (as far as I know it is stock).

I developed a clanging rattle in the back right area and when looking beneath the car saw a rusted out spot in the elbown if theright side of the "Y" and a split in the pipe past the rusted spot

I ordered a new cat back Y Pipe set from Corvette Central which is due to arrive shortly.

I sprayed some magic juice "pb blaster or something like that) on the nuts n bolts yesterday.

I put her up on jack stands today and discovered a few things.

The clanging rattle was a heat shield that looks loose above the rusted spot.

I tried to remove the four bolt assmbley that attaches the Y Pipe to the rear of the catalytic converter with zero luck other than stripping a nut.....(who puts a set of 12 mm nuts and bolts on a 1980 chevy....figured it would be standard sizes)

I am not going to get it off at the rear of the Cat....however the access to the four bolt assembly in front of the Cat looks promising. If I can get the whole thing off with the Cat I should be able to heat up and free the bolts behind the Cat and replace the Y pipe.

Has anyone had these issues or has anyone delt with this sort of replacement before? Should I be aware of any looming issues with removing the catalytic converter?

I don't need an emission test on this thing....should I replace the catalytic converter while I am under there or is there a reason and a kit to just remove it altogether?

Also...there is a flat piece of heavy duty rubber, rectangular in shape, which looks like a hanger assembly, that attschesnlart of the Y pipe assembly to the undercarriage. The hole which had a bolt through it wore through and broke. It almost looks like a sound dampening part but I do not see where it is keeping metal from hitting metal.

That is a lot of info..I know....this is my first work i am doing to the car my dad handed down to me.....any tips or advice is gladly accepted as I am not a gear head...yet.

PIC 1

PIC 2


(2 large pics modified to links and added to single post-aapple)



|UPDATED|9/22/2014 4:25:47 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
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Re: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (2/8)
 9/22/14 7:32am
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

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#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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 From the looks of it, that cat has seen it's better days! You will most likely wind up having to cut the bolts off the cat to get the system out. The heat shield is prolly what is rattling, as the hanger(the rubber piece that is broken) is allowing the pipe to move. Whether or not to eliminate the cat, and go with true duals is your decision....most folks in your position would go with the non-cat exhaust, unless you plan on having the car Judged somewhere down the line.
Metric fasteners went "on line" across the board  in '77-'78. Thumbs Up

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Re: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (3/8)
 9/22/14 11:02am
dads2vetteLifetime Member
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Ash Fork, AZ - USA

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1981 Red Interior White exterior


Joined: 4/18/2007
Posts: 1052

Adams' Apple said: ....most folks in your position would go with the non-cat exhaust, unless you plan on having the car Judged somewhere down the line.
Metric fasteners went "on line" across the board  in '77-'78. Thumbs Up


I went with the dual exhaust and am very happy with that decision.  Corvette America has a couple of optins and I went with a complete kit with headers for a very good price...easy bolt on job as well.

As far as metric, it seems to me that Joel is half right.  Shocked  In my limited experience, metric fasteners went "on line" HALF across the board.  Not sure about anyone else but only half my nuts are metric...yes it is a medical condition that can be very painful!Censored


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Re: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (4/8)
 9/22/14 12:20pm
F4GaryGold Member
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Grapevine, TX - USA

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Joined: 8/26/2006
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Lose the cat or at least replace it with a modern free flow cat.

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Re: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (5/8)
 9/22/14 3:47pm
EDeBella
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Edmonds, WA - USA

Vette(s):
1980. Black with T-Tops.


Joined: 9/21/2014
Posts: 46

Thanks for the advice. Car is wonderful just has a lot of miles on some original parts.

What are the benefits of going to true duals and eliminating the cat?

And as a side note I had an extemely poor experience trying to order from corvette america and will most likely never use them again.

edited to add....thanks for changing the pix to links.  The goop under the car in the pix is the pb blaster I sprayed all over the bolts.

|UPDATED|9/22/2014 12:47:54 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
Re: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (6/8)
 9/22/14 4:08pm
dads2vetteLifetime Member
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Ash Fork, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
1981 Red Interior White exterior


Joined: 4/18/2007
Posts: 1052

Few reasons why I went with dual exhaust.  I needed to replace the exhaust manifolds anyway, cost of dual was cheaper than the quotes I was getting for "original" replacement, heat reduction in cabin, it adds some power and most importantly sounds cool!

***OOPS***  Corvette Central is where I bought the exhaust.  Sorry about that.  


|UPDATED|9/22/2014 1:08:06 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


______________
Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.
In the words of Zora Arkus-Duntov "Is your seat belt fastened? Alright, Let's go"


Yeah, I know, Shut up Dave.
Lifetime Member #192


Re: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (7/8)
 9/22/14 4:14pm
EDeBella
Former Member

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Edmonds, WA - USA

Vette(s):
1980. Black with T-Tops.


Joined: 9/21/2014
Posts: 46

Well...I have to make a decision since the y pipe kit is coming Wednesday.

I am leaning towards ditching the cat and going duals.  But my project keeps growing...I will have to get a floor jack that gets higher I guess so I can get this baby up on the jack stands hi enough.

 
The car is off the road until next spring anyway...(staring at the sunshine out the window right now).
Re: 1980 Y pipe exhaust removal and replacement issues (8/8)
 9/22/14 7:08pm
dads2vetteLifetime Member
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Ash Fork, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
1981 Red Interior White exterior


Joined: 4/18/2007
Posts: 1052

EDeBella said:  I am leaning towards ditching the cat and going duals.  But my project keeps growing...I will have to get a floor jack that gets higher I guess so I can get this baby up on the jack stands hi enough.


Oh, brother does THAT sound familiar! I fanally got mine back on the road after more than a decade of "well as long as I'm here".  Four thousand six hundred miles and counting as of this May.  Great to get it back on the road!  Good luck with your project(s).

______________
Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.
In the words of Zora Arkus-Duntov "Is your seat belt fastened? Alright, Let's go"


Yeah, I know, Shut up Dave.
Lifetime Member #192


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