ABR CAT-less Downpipe for 1.4tsi EA211 engine

Hi,

So, continuing my multiple mods (my wife and daughter are not here during a full month, so I keep myself busy ^^)

I installed yesterday a CAT-less downpipe on my 1.4tsi engine !

The design is basic, and the 90° spacer for the 2nd O2 sensor was given by the shop where I bought it ^^
(It is not welded like on the picture they use but it is a 90° angle that you need screw on the downpipe.

Here are the pics before/after (from internet and the shop I bought it)

So, to install, it is not very easy to do by yourself but still, it is possible like I manage to do after maybe 2 or 3hours...

You have all the fixtures-points of the stock downpipe to unscrew for a total of:
- 3 on the engine (better take off the brackets also!)
- 2 under the car (where to mount the rubber vibration-absorbers)
- 2 screws also on the linking tube with the middle silencer.

After, you have to unscrew the bracket that link the turbo and the downpipe (1 screw).
Also need to take off 2 screw and the heat protection of the turbo to "bent it" upwards so you can open a little more the linking-bracket between the turbo and the downpipe...

The hard part now if to unstuck the stock downpipe that feel like glued to the turbo...
...some stress and little/friendly hammering on the linking-bracket and the plate of the downpipe, it's finally free.

For the sensor, I manage to release the 1st one, just after the turbo, but I let the 2nd attached to the stock downpipe because it wasn't really accessible down there. (just unplug the connector next to the battery and you will take everything out in 1 time)

from under the car, you also have to take out 1 transversal bar to help releasing the stock downpipe.

After, you have to go gently, be very patient and try a lot of different angle to manage to take this damn stock downpipe out.
(and have to be careful to other components, wires and pipes on the way down...)

Take the 2nd sensor out, install on the CAT-less downpipe, screw very well right now. ( because it won't be that easy later if you don't right now that you didn't place the new downpipe yet)

Putting back was a peace of cake after all that previous effort.

Screw everything back in place and all well tighten.
Double check... triple check..

Start the car and let it warm.
play a little with the throttle to check if no suspicious noise/vibration or dash lights.
(I'm a smoker, so I patiently smoked 1 and had a coffee^^)

Then turn off and screw tighter every screw, especially the bracket that like the turbo and downpipe !

Now it's done ^^

Pictures:
-first 2 are the one showing the linking-bracket between the turbo and the downpipe. (1 screw on the top, after have to be patient to unstuck the downpipe!)
-the 2 others are the CAT-less downpipe right after install.
It already started changing color and is now like "smoked/brown" after a little 30kms (normal) drive yesterday evening, just 1 or 2 hard acceleration but nothing crazy yet.

Concerning this CAT-less downpipe;
- -3.855Kg compare to stock downpipe with all the backets and extra screws.
- Miss fixture-points on this new downpipe, but I'm guessing it is no big deal when you see how much weight you saved... so less stress on the turbo outlet I guess.
-Noise didn't increased a lot since the ARMA intake
-Turbo noise is more noticeable
-have like some back farts if you play with the throttle at stop.

PS: I am also currently doing some soundproofing around the car, so it could affect the way I feel about the increase of noise.. Could be horrible without soundproofing or even the same, couldn't tell now, sorry)

How much did it cost and what kind of power gain are you getting from it?

1200rmb including the O2-sensor spacer (90deg one) and with delivery within China. (approx. 170€/185$/135£...)
Quite cheap because it is a "basic" design and without CAT (which must be I guess the most expensive component of a stock downpipe).

I am still with stock ECU, so I don't think there is a lot of gain on Hp or Nm because the turbo pressure is still unchanged (have the same "peak" reading of 14~15psi with my APR Boost-gauge, which I heard is normal as stock EA211 150hp engine).
I didn't have time to do some hard testing and acceleration yet but I think the gain must be above 3~4000rpm.
But you definitely feel more response time from the engine and also maybe the rev. increase more "freely"/quickly. (...maybe a little in my mind but I'm pretty sure its actually true)

Now that I drove a little more, I have to check again that all the screws and sensors are well tighten because the engine noise is a little different sometimes and can't think what causes this (driving approx. the same way each times).
Could be temperature (outside, engine...), dirty air (quite common here on Chinese-road) , sensors not tight enough, the O2-sensor that give non-adequate reading because of it's 90° spacer (reading compare to timing/fuel-air ratio, etc...)
Concerning the 90°spacer, I have some questions about its influence on the sensor reading... As I said just above, I think it may give too much difference between the actual state of the engine and what the sensor think is true. Maybe it can give me a non-adequate fuel/air ratio...
If anyone knows how to check if the spacer is Ok, you're welcome to share ^^
Or I'll purchase another design of spacer (like the "42 Draft Designs" one that I read about on the forum)...
Time will tell I guess.

So, I've tightened the V-band / V-shape collar linking the downpipe to the turbo.
Added quite a lot but I think it' was the time the downpipe slowly takes its place on the turbo and the collar to take its form due to heat. (pretty sure I've tightened it hard enough last time)
Now, the 2 "ends" of the collar/band nearly touch .

For info., this is due to a different diameter of the downpipe flange, and from what I've read also on 2.0tsi downpipe, people used to have same problem with the downpipe's flange being a little bigger on its outer diameter.

Will have another trip around the city and the small free 100kmh portion I have nearby to see if this affect the different sounds I've heard yesterday...

So here a new pic of my CAT-less downpipe after nearly 200kms...
The color changed a lot and it looks fine.
The V-shaped collar sits well and no need to tight it more.
No sensor light thanx to the 90° spacer.

It does give a little fuel smell at red-light/stops, but not that much and it is limited with the Stop&Start system.
The turbo is more responsive and climb more quickly to its pressure.

I am happy with it^^.

Did u feel the temperature in engine bay hotter after decat?
I did have a decat downpipe too but feel the engine bay much hotter after i opened the bonnet compare to stock.

Haven't noticed a temperature increase in the engine bay... just the smell ^^ which came in the cabin which is why I've put back the stock one last month.

Have you got a link for the downpipe?

Mk7 TSI Downpipe

With the downpipe did you get the engine light on the dashboard? Were the burps loud?

Golftsirline said:

Have you got a link for the downpipe?

Click to expand...

Hi there!

I've bought it on Taobao, the chinese eBay, but they use to only deliver in China. (I'm living here)
So It won't be helpful, sorry.

Mc29 said:

With the downpipe did you get the engine light on the dashboard? Were the burps loud?

Click to expand...

As said on top, I had a 90degree spacer for the 2nd sensor.
Never had CEL when the downpipe was installed.

I really liked the noise on full-throttle and I had the DSG-farts which were awesome and funny.

I've (sadly) put the stock-downpipe back-on due to the smell that came to the cabin which weren't pleasant.

Thibault China said:

As said on top, I had a 90degree spacer for the 2nd sensor.
Never had CEL when the downpipe was installed.

I really liked the noise on full-throttle and I had the DSG-farts which were awesome and funny.

I've (sadly) put the stock-downpipe back-on due to the smell that came to the cabin which weren't pleasant.

Click to expand...

Hi, how many inch is your downpipe? There are few diamater choice from this link,

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.3.FCxF36&id=533274896939&ns=1&abbucket=7#detail

Hello, I'm really curious which size downpipe you got. There are a lot of variations here, please let us know