$$$ Test Pipe Install $$$
 

Hey everyone, I just got some CNT Resonated Test Pipes and was planning to install them this weekend. The only problem is that we are in the process of moving and so my garage is off limits as it is being packed up and shipped off. :shakes head: So I figured I might as well just have a shop do it for me. Although it may be a waste of money, I just don't have the time to do it now. So I was quoted $270 from Pann Auto in San Diego to do the install, I told them that that was pretty high for the amount of labor and time needed to do the install but at least I wouldn't have to deal with those damn demon bolts :tup: Do you guys know what price range I should be seeing for an install like this? I have a few buddies with connections in this industry but they don't own a "shop" they own a "garage shop" So I don't know if I trust them all that much :ugh2:

Any input would help because then I may be able to get the price down a bit.

Thanks

That's about the same price I've seen for this job. If you feel like it is worth it then go for it. The demon bolts aren't quite as bad it would seem.

I have a suspicion that a lot of the rounded demon bolts here are due to people not having a 6-point socket SQUARELY seated on the bolt when they go to town on the breaker bar. It's easy to let the socket slip just a bit when you are straining hard and not paying really close attention to the socket's orientation on the bolt. Even a slight angle can really increase the odds of rounding. It's hard to see if it is still flush with the bolt since it is so far down, so having a helper is a great idea.

Anywhoozle, you can save yourself $270 if you just wait until you are settled into your new place and have a couple hours to spare. Use Kroil or PB blaster on the bolts before and they will come right off with a fun screetch sound.

Alright thanks for the help, I'll weigh my options and post an update this weekend if I decide to do it or not :tup:

Test pipes are fairly straight forward for an install, not too sure what your prices are down in the states but I had mine done here at a reputable shop for $80 :S The guy estimated an hours worth of work, and it actually took a bit over an hour (15-20 minutes over?). ART pipes are harder due to the resonator positioning (so I've been told) and that only cost me about $100 to have it installed. $270 seems to really be pushing it

Yeah I hit up one of my buddies who seems to know everybody in the car scene, Hopefully he'll reply to me tomorrow with some good news and contact info for some places around here but I guess we'll see...

I paid $100... $260 is rediculous

Pity u were near me i could of done this for free , gona do my test pipes when i get them form F.I . I live at the end of the 605

I haven't done it yet, if I were to do it it would be this weekend. I was talking to my friend about doing the install at his house but then started thinking about those "Demon Bolts". If they were to break, I'd rather have a real shop deal with it.

The bolts arn't to bad , if u have the right tools and alittle stealership 2mins from the house if they break .
No big deal , have done all the work on Z and more on all the cars i have owned , just wanted to help a 370z brother out :driving:.
I just hate it when u have to get stuff done on my car by somebody else when i can do it my self .
Good luck brother :tiphat:

$270 is a bit high, but if you really wanna know, ask them how many Hours they project it to be?

$270/4 hours = $67.50/hr
$270/3 hours = $90/hr
$270/2.5 hrs = $108/hr
$270/2 hours = $135/hr

If they are saying it's going to take more than 2 hours, then they're taking too long. Most shops I've seen are between $70-90/hr so you're at the top end of the spectrum, but if they're quoting you for 3 hours labor, then it's not That ridiculous.

Okay thanks for that info, Ill just double check with them tomorrow to ask if they have rates by the hour and see what they say.

So I called again this morning to ask what their rates are since Chris broke it down for me and they told me that it would be $180 and would take about 2 hours. When I told her that I was quoted $270 a couple of days ago she said that was incorrect, even though I know it was her who told me...But anyways I made an appointment to have them installed tomorrow and the shop says if I get a cel there they could clear it for me so why not?

Thanks guys for the help :tup:

When things like this happen, it's good to get that in writing so you can go back and be like :wtf: Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, or really messed up, it probably is. :icon17:

Yeah I would have tried to get an estimate in writing but the shop is about 30-45 minutes away from me and I didn't want to drive there just for that. And then when I tried to get a quote through email and even set up an appointment, no response. But hopefully all will go smooth and I'll have a clean install.

Thanks again

hey, man. we can install them together. don't pay some crazy price!

All I know is if I had to do it again, I would gladly pay $270 to have my HFC's installed!

Yeah from all the write ups and stories of people that have ran into issues with this install, it's stuff like this that reassures me that I don't want to deal with this myself. So for $180, screw it

Good luck. Make sure they don't use air tools. If any goes wrong, you can always bring it by my place :P

Got my pipes installed earlier this morning and :tup: the sound is definitely noticeable. Especially around 3k. The smell isn't too bad, you can smell gas but it is tolerable. As for the "cow crap" smell when I first got my pipes, I cleaned them very well inside and out so I don't think I'm going to experience anything like that. Hopefully I can stay under the radar with them and not suffocate the people behind me but at the end of the day I'm glad I did it. :driving:

And I made the right decision by having a shop do it. I got to watch Netflix while my car was given some sound. Gonna be a good day :happydance:

Got my "Service Engine Soon" light tonight while driving back home from dinner with my girlfriend. I made it almost 750+ miles without any issues but my time has come :p I've been smelling the exhaust of my car the past few days a lot more and it seems to be a lot stronger, so I'm just hoping that it's from a leak or something and that tightening them back up might help it out. If not I'll just get it cleared, but if it continues let me know if anyone is interested in some resonated test pipes ;)

That install price sounds right. Glad you like them, I have the same pipes paired with the ARK Grip exhaust. My service light comes and goes, I love the smell. As for the sound I can handle the rasp, but man I hate the VQ hiss on deceleration. How bad is it with your exhaust? I had my test pipes installed about two weeks ago and I am pretty sure I am going back to the stock cats... that hiss just sounds terrible to me. But on start-up, idle and revving up to ~4,500rpm it is awesome!

I love the hiss and your absolutely right in regards to the sound with climbing rpms. And Since I have a stillen exhaust it's naturally pretty quite and has a low tone so with test pipes it doesn't sound like a pack of mosquitos flying towards me. I love the smell as well but I'd like to try and stay "under the radar" and the smell seems to be a lot stronger now and that's why I'm thinking that there is a leak right underneath me which is why the smell is getting into my window soo easily. I love the test pipes but I don't like the "Service Engine Soon" light so the only reason that I would go back to stock cats is because I don't like having dash lights in my face.

Just reset the ECU :) I threw 3 rights already but put a lot of miles on the test pipes.

I don't think a possible leak and the service engine light would be related.

I'm hoping that the O2 sensors or bungs are loose so that tightening them will make them read clear or something. But I can definitely smell a lot mor exhaust than I used to so either way I'm gonna check it out tomorrow. Did you use an OBD2 scanner?

UpRev tune and you can delete it like I did or check the steel wool fix to get the light off. Sometimes the extended bungs work too but the steel wool is the best fix.

I gotta say, I don't know why you go to the trouble of test pipes when you can get virtually the same tone/volume from a good set of HFC's?? I've used them on two Z06's and an 02 Viper GTS, and never looked back. Emissions tests were also a consideration, and all cars were tuned with HP Tuners software.

Not trying to sound like a hater, just wondering why you'd go through the issues associated with removing the cats unless you're building a full on track car.

Well the first thing was the price difference, around $200 for test pipes and can be up to $400 for HFC so I just went with the "cheaper" option. Plus here in Cali test pipes and HFC are both illegal and are both prone to throw CEL do yeah they are essentially the same except one was a lot cheaper. I know that the HFC reduce the exhaust smell but it all comes down to $$$

I believe the Random Tech HFC that I used on the Viper and my C& Z06 were both 50 state compliant and CARB legal. I hear what you're saying about $$, but I'd spend the extra $200 for the lack of headaches down the road.

Yeah I'm starting to wish I did that as well. Just scanned my ECU and got back P2A03 so something is going on with my O2 sensors. I checked my test pipes today and did se that they had some scuff marks on them (From speed bumps) but when I turned the car on there were no evident leaks.

My question is now what do I do about my O2 sensors? I cleared the code but I figure it's now only a matter of time. Could the sensor be fouled from running too rich?

If I'm going to take the cats off and deal with those bolts, I'm not going to just put fancy cats back on. Our cats are already high-flow relatively speaking, HFC's aren't worth the money in my opinion. For me, it was test pipes or long tube headers. Went with the test pipes because I wanted more sound than anything. I got what I wanted and then some... a bunch of weird sounds. The CEL thing, I couldn't care less. I bought my car brand new here in California in 2011. I am exempt from emissions testing until 2017. I can just reset the ECU when the light gets annoying. The environment is a lost cause.

Yeah you can pick up an OBD2 scanner at Autozone for about $50, you'll have to look up the codes somewhere else, but at least you can erase codes that pop up which is the only reason I bought it

Uprev tune and you'll never have to worry about those codes ever again.

Ha would you be able to get me a price for that?
The way I see it, is if I didn't have the money for HFC where would I get the money for an Uprev license?

Have no idea what your financial situation is,... buy yeah a tune is initially pretty expensive. Thats what happens though with going HFCs or TPs without a tune. Cels seem to become inevitable.

Cause I know that Uprev has an the Osiris base tune for $100 bucks so that's not bad at all but I'm not sure if that's what I need or if I even need something else

Oh, I forgot to mention, I got a CEL after I had TPs, can't remember the specific code but it was due to an exhaust leak. I used high temp copper sealant on all the exhaust flanges along with the gaskets and everything was good to go. But after my tune I'm good to go anyways.

HP Tuners software? Nissan is not supported per their website.