Without a primary O2, you will have no feedback. The car will run like poop, if at all, and in a limp mode. Without a secondary O2, you'll just have a check engine light and the obvious exhaust leaks.

You don't need a spcial wrench. Grab a 22mm wrench. You can't put a regular socket over the sensor unless you cut the wire.

 

Ugh. So everything was going smooth today. Contrairy to the write up the dp and cat can be removed as one if you just pull it straight up through the hood. Easy as pie. Then I snagged when the gasket Napa sold me was way to small. This was discovered at 5:25. A quick call to napa and I got this: "'We close at 5:30.' 'Well, can you hang for about 5 minutes to switch my gaskets out, I mean the mistake was your here.' 'Nope. I'm out the door at 5:30. If you're not here then you're not here.'" So I think I'll try AutoZone next time.
So I decide to run the old gasket, looks alright. At least for a bit. While installing the TP, I notice the driver's side turbo-test pipe nut doesn't wanna clear the test pipe. Its only when I bring the pipe really close to the nut and inch them both on does it clear. This was fine until the nut stopped hand turning. There was no room for a wrench. So now I'm using a cresent wrench sideways and holding a screwdriver through the open end as a way to turn it. I'll probably spend a half hour on this nut alone. ****!!!!!

 

Shoulda bought a Labree HFC...

 

no way! So much cash! $85 for this.

 

Okay, here's an update. So I've got the pipe in, everything is running except that nasty stud/nut combo I mentioned above. So there are a few things at work here, trying to make me off myself: The stud is about twice or more as long as the other studs on the turbo, the threads are different, the space is extremely tight, on one side is the exhaust manifold and the other is the pipe, and the pipe has a retarded bend that allows no room. I'll get pics up soon. Pretty much I cant get a wrench on it because of the lack of space, I cant get a socket on it because A.) the long stud and B.) the lack of room between the stud and pipe (we're talking .5mm ) and there's no room for a vice grip or anything. Last night I was using a wrench sideways on the nut like so: -wrench--[ [nut] but now (also due to the retarded long stud) I cant get the wrench over it. And if I can, its not like I can torque it very well. I was putting an allen wrench through the open end on the other side of the wrench and turning that. Its a two man job though.


So, can I get some advice? I'm considering taking it in to a shop, and we all know thats just not how B5'ers roll! Its personal now, I've spent in excess of 15 hours on this damn pipe and I want to dominate this nut! (keep your immaturity in check on that phrase lol)

So anyone (and EVERYONE) give me some ideas!

 

You're talking about the test pipe to the down pipe? Is it possible to unbolt the downpipe further down stream and pull the whole thing out, put test pipe to down pipe, then push the downpipe down through? I know that's how me and a buddy gutted my cat. Pulled the whole cat and downpipe out and went to town. Getting it back in was a little bit of a pain, but we got it through. I have a NeuSpeed cat back though, and there is a break right after the downpipe. Just a though, hope it helps...

 

No, talking about the stud from turbo to test pipe.

 

Oh, I see... good luck with that then...

 

Not really. Labree HFC is $250 and takes less than an hour to install.

You've spent $85 and 15 hours and it's still not right. Even if you worked a basic job at $8.00 an hour, you've spent the same amount of money (you wasted 15 hours, or $120 worth of time. Plus now, you might have to pay someone else to fix it.) Sorry, but it's true.

Honestly, not busting ***** here anymore, take it off, return it, and buy a Labree HFC or a better made testpipe that actually fits. You could struggle with this for hours, or stop the pain now and do it right.

But if you're insistent, try a crows foot. Usually, I use a deep thin-wall Matco or Snap-On socket with a wobble joint and extension to get the tough turbo studs, but you usually have to tighten them or loosen them to a point with an open-end or thin-walled angled box wrench (a Craftsman will never work, you'll need a Snap-On or Matco wrench). This requires loosening or tightening the bolt about a 1/4 turn at a time, but you do what you have to.

You didn't hear this from me... but don't worry about the torque on the turbo to cat/tp studs. Tighten them by hand with a medium ratchet or wrench (about 10") until it no longer leaks. Too tight will snap the studs, too loose just causes some exhaust leaks, which are easy to detect and tighten as necessary. For turbo to cat/tp studs, err on the side of looser; the gasket takes up more slack than you think.

Good luck, but honestly, save yourself the headaches and get rid of that thing. This has been tried and discovered before with other members buying cheapo test pipes.

 

Were you able to fix your test pipe issue?