For the umpteenth time, don't buy the SLP Y pipe!

**whitetrashbird** · 12-13-2011, 01:57 PM

If only I followed my own advice

Due to lack of finances, can't do LT headers so I settled for doing the cat back. Went with the SLP LM2 (sounds good by the way) and decided to swap the Y pipe SLP31035 while I was at it. Now I knew from reading posts here and elsewhere there weren't going to be power gains but I thought the exhaust note would be better. Well, like I said the exhaust sounds great but now I'm dealing with the damned banging on the drivers side floorboard issue

It's only when I power brake it hard or really hammer on it while making a hard right turn but it sucks! I'm going to get under there and get it straightened out later this week. The thing is now I'm dealing with an issue that most folks only have to deal with when they've put in LT's and ORY but for zero power gains. I should have just left the stock pancake Y under there until I could do headers. Anyway, I wanted to post this up in case in the future anyone else is doing a search and thinking along the same lines as I was, hopefully I might save them some trouble.

Dan

**silverz28camaro** · 12-13-2011, 06:05 PM

Thats not SLP's fault, no need to bad mouth them about your motor mounts being bad or poor installation habbits.

I had the same issue when I first installed my 3in round y-pipe....with the oem exhaust I did not notice my motor mounts being bad, and I still didn't notice when I installed my headers/y-pipe, but like you when I got on it,.. it would twist the motor/raise it and cause the pipes to hit the floorboard.....I got under the car the next day and found out how bad those old motor mounts actually were, I bought poly mounts from the parts store the next day and installed them(PITA) but all problems were fixed afterwards.

My exhaust I have fabbed up now is withing 1/3in from my floor pan and it does not hit under any loads( 1.42 60ft). the poly mounts are awesome....go get some!!!!

Exhaust work is never fun, and I am a firm believer that ANYTHING aftermarket can and most likely will give you fitment issues...its all about making things work together and learning how to make small tweeks when needed..

**silverz28camaro** · 12-13-2011, 06:06 PM

also check your trans mount and tq arm bushing, these go bad often and there are also poly versions availiable

**whitetrashbird** · 12-14-2011, 07:22 AM

For sure, as pointed out multiple times on here, by all means if you're installing LT headers CHANGE THE MOTOR MOUNTS. My point here is that it's not worth getting into all that when you're still running manifolds and cats for a y pipe that gives you zero power gain. Just tryin' to save someone else a headache: if you're only doing cat back save your money and leave the stock pipe in there. If you're doing headers, you're out of your mind not to change motor mounts.

Dan

**kenro23** · 12-14-2011, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by silverz28camaro

Thats not SLP's fault, no need to bad mouth them about your motor mounts being bad or poor installation habbits.

I had the same issue when I first installed my 3in round y-pipe....with the oem exhaust I did not notice my motor mounts being bad, and I still didn't notice when I installed my headers/y-pipe, but like you when I got on it,.. it would twist the motor/raise it and cause the pipes to hit the floorboard.....I got under the car the next day and found out how bad those old motor mounts actually were, I bought poly mounts from the parts store the next day and installed them(PITA) but all problems were fixed afterwards.

My exhaust I have fabbed up now is withing 1/3in from my floor pan and it does not hit under any loads( 1.42 60ft). the poly mounts are awesome....go get some!!!!

Exhaust work is never fun, and I am a firm believer that ANYTHING aftermarket can and most likely will give you fitment issues...its all about making things work together and learning how to make small tweeks when needed..

Im the same with my car. Changed motor/trans mounts and put another hanger in the spot it was rubbing the floorboard and no more problems at all

**kenro23** · 12-14-2011, 08:35 AM

OP, I get you arent asking for opinions and are just saying the issues with your setup. Just putting my experience in here

Also, I have no clue what brand headers I have. They were on there when I bought the car. Dont see any markings anywhere to tell me what they are. Suggestions on where to look?

**whitetrashbird** · 12-14-2011, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by kenro23

....Also, I have no clue what brand headers I have. They were on there when I bought the car. Dont see any markings anywhere to tell me what they are. Suggestions on where to look?

I haven't dealt with the specific headers for our cars (as I haven't done 'em on mine yet) but all the headers I've run on my old hot rods usually have a plate welded on them somewhere with the brand/model stamped on them.

Dan

**kenro23** · 12-14-2011, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by whitetrashbird

I haven't dealt with the specific headers for our cars (as I haven't done 'em on mine yet) but all the headers I've run on my old hot rods usually have a plate welded on them somewhere with the brand/model stamped on them.

Dan

I cant find it in plain sight

**INMY01TA** · 12-14-2011, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by silverz28camaro

Thats not SLP's fault, no need to bad mouth them about your motor mounts being bad or poor installation habbits

I have an aftermarket Y pipe with stock motor mounts. By your logic it should be banging on the floor but it does not. Poly motor mounts are not some unwritten prerequisite for doing exhuast mods. Some parts just fit poorly.

**TA98** · 12-14-2011, 06:44 PM

Mine hit under accel or when i had people in the car with Pacesetters and tsp y with poly mounts. after doing my BMR boxed sfc's its never touched once the body once since.

**silverz28camaro** · 12-15-2011, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by INMY01TA

I have an aftermarket Y pipe with stock motor mounts. By your logic it should be banging on the floor but it does not. Poly motor mounts are not some unwritten prerequisite for doing exhuast mods. Some parts just fit poorly.

Why did you only quote half of my message? I also stated above, before you deleted half of my post, that most aftermarket parts fit poorly, I agree. But its 100% up to the installer to MAKE it fit better or properly...Its also good to hear that maybe you did this or your motor mounts are not bad...thumbs up!

If you took your car into an exhaust shop who did custom work and you got the car back with the exhaust hitting the floor pan, go to ask why....shop says.."well some pipe fit poorly" Would you really take that as an answer?

**INMY01TA** · 12-15-2011, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by silverz28camaro

Why did you only quote half of my message? I also stated above, before you deleted half of my post, that most aftermarket parts fit poorly, I agree. But its 100% up to the installer to MAKE it fit better or properly...Its also good to hear that maybe you did this or your motor mounts are not bad...thumbs up!

If you took your car into an exhaust shop who did custom work and you got the car back with the exhaust hitting the floor pan, go to ask why....shop says.."well some pipe fit poorly" Would you really take that as an answer?

I agree with the making parts fit part of your post, sometimes parts need tweeking. Most guys by themselves in their garage cannot do the cutting/welding/bending to perform this however. I've bought parts that fit like poop and this is what my shop has to do to make them fit. So why attack this guy? The rest of your post you were assuming that his motor mounts are shot and he needs new ones, which is bs.

**whitetrashbird** · 12-16-2011, 06:22 AM

As an update, I crawled under the car the other night. I've only had the car a year so I have limited knowledge of it's history, aside from it being all stock, down to the wheels and stereo. Anyway, it looks as though the motor mounts have been replaced before, though with oe rubbers, not polys but they're in good shape. The trans mount on the other hand, is SHOT. I'm going to go ahead and get that changed out this weekend. Regardless of if it helps the bang, it's bad and has to be changed.

Dan