Down Pipe Installation

[JaredPink]

Remove the Y-pipe from the down pipes and cat back. Set aside.

Remove the down pipe stay
http://www.speedforsale.com/staff/files/watermarked/DSC05712.JPG
Loosen the front drive shaft carrier bearing. This will allow the drive shaft to hang slightly, giving you working clearance. Do NOT pull on the drive shaft as you will force the u-joints pass there normal working range.
Disconnect the four wide band o2 sensor plugs. Two from the bottom, two from the top.
Saturate the turbo side of the down pipes with PB blaster. You cant spray too much. Go get a beverage of choice and let it soak for a little while.
This is the fun part, using the high quality swivels and a high quality 14mm mid socket, begin removing the 5 nuts holding the downpipes. There is no real "trick" here, other then patience. The lowest nut on either side is blocked from access with a socket, what I did here was place a off set wrench onto the nut, and the was able to get a pry bar onto the wrench to give me more pushing force.
http://www.speedforsale.com/staff/files/watermarked/DSC05718.JPG
Once you remove all 5 nuts on each side, gently walk the down pipes out. The drivers side comes out very easily. The passenger side will take a small bit of effort.
http://www.speedforsale.com/staff/files/watermarked/DSC05722.JPG
Swap the upper o2 sensors out into the new down pipe. Do not swap the lower sensors yet. Depending on your down pipe, you may need to bend and remove the stay bolt from the stock down pipe. Do that at this time.
http://www.speedforsale.com/staff/files/watermarkedDSC05763.JPG
http://www.speedforsale.com/staff/files/watermarkedDSC05764.JPG
Make sure the gaskets are in place on the turbo, and reinstall the down pipes. Tighten the 5 nuts on both down pipes. It is MUCH easier now, as there is more clearance without the cats.
Install the lower 02 sensors and plug all connections in.
http://www.speedforsale.com/staff/files/watermarkedDSC05768.JPG
Install lower converter stay, and y-pipe.
Clean up all residue from the PB plaster, lower vehicle and enjoy!

[JeremyBlackwell]

We also made a YouTube video of a sound clip of these downpipes along with a 5Zigen Front pipe (aka Mid-pipe or Y-pipe) along with 5Zigen's Spec Tune catback exhaust that you can watch here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TyyIkPZdYw

[Guru]

I am doing the install now. Drivers side took us a while but no problems. Passenger side upper right nut is near impossible to get off. Socket hits the body wrench fits but no way to get any leverage to break it loose. Socket with snap on wobble extensions can get on the nut but it slides off when applying that much torque even with someone else hosing the extensions in place with pry bar. After 3 hours spent on various ways to try to loosen that one nut I am taking a break and a shower tonite and trying again in the morning. Sucks as I wanted to take it out tonite. Anyone doing this install make sure to do it on a Sunday and have a spare car ready for monday just in case

[ATLsupra]

also make sure to let bolts/nuts soak really well with PB Blaster/WD40.

[Guru]

I did spray PB Blaster when I could but some of the nuts you can't really get to.

[280Z]

I am not sure as to the location of the nut but if a wrench fits try this with a ratchet wrench on one side and a regular on the open side. May just give you enough leverage. Ratchet may just be an option after you break her loose. Use a regular box initially.

[Guru]

Tried that but not enough room. I actually had to take it to a buddy's shop and impact it off. Even with impact gun and taking driveshaft off to gain access took us a good 10-15 minutes to get it off (no way was it coming out by hand). Broke the swivel in half as well as the socket AND an extension!

[280Z]

Glad you managed to get her off. I had a similar problem with the balancer on my Shelby. Had to crank the PSI on the compressor to 190 before it would budge. Impact sockets, extensions and universals are a must at those levels or failure for sure.

[Guru]

Looking at it I can now see why taking off turbos is easier with engine out. I could unbolt them but I doubt I could remove them from the car with the engine in there.