After 50K miles, my MRT up-pipe decided it had enough. I have been getting this loud clacking sound for about 2 months now. First I thought it was the Borla header. Then, after taking it to Mastro, Kelly walks into the waiting room holding my up-pipe. If you hold the one end and shake, it rattles back and forth. You can see the carbon on the outside of the flex unit. The excessive heat from the exhaust gases just wore through the flex unit.



I really thought MRT made good up-pipes,(I've even recommended them) but 2 years and 50k miles proved me wrong.

 

Ive heard people complain of this but I have never seen it until now.

Strange.

 

Helix has a flex. So if i was to look for one should i get an HKS or somthing?

 

The stock up-pipe has a flex segment in it.

It's a matter of what type of flexible segment is used, from what I have seen. The braided ones seem to go sooner than the accordian style.

I don't consider 50,000 miles out of an aftermarket pre-turbo exhaust piece to be a bad life, but can understand expecting better.

 

The problem with most aftermarket braided flexpipes is that the braided section has no inner tubing section. All the heat, sometimes in excess of 1500 degress, is being forced past the flex section causing it the expand and contract after cooling. The new APS i just installed has a flex joint, but has an inner SS tube, so no exhaust gases will touch the the braided section. In theory it should last alot longer than 50k miles.

 

sorry to here that,I have an mrt upipe on my car now.It is still relatively new so I hope it doesn't happen for a while still

 

Yes, I have an EGT and there was no change in temp. I can tell you this, spool up is much quicker now, since I'm not loosing any exhaust gases through the flex.

Chevyeater: Good luck with the up-pipe. I wish there was a way to prolong life with the flex, but I don't know of any.

 

mantra1 hey do you live around sickles H.S.?