Gray_Panther
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- NY
- Car(s)
- GTi
I took 1.5 hours, from set up to clean up, to install the CSS muffler I picked up from fedex. I just wanted to post a little walkthrough hoping someone can learn something.
Tools used are:
Long but not thick flat head screwdriver
WD40
Dewalt saw
13mm hex and extension
Shoplight
Fluid film
Floorjack
Jack stands (ESCO brand)
i started by getting the rear wheels on jackstands. I did this by lifting the fronts high enough to get the stands under the rear pinch welds. After lowering the fronts I chocked the front tires with wood and pushed the car on the sides to make sure it was secure on the jack stand. For safety place a wheel underneath the car.
I then took the floorjack and put it under the center of the exhaust. Remove the two 13mm hex screws that hold the exhaust hangers to the car.
The exhaust will sit on the floorjack, lower floorjack to lower the exhaust to allow room to make the cut. Find the three dimples and cut as best you can a straight line on the center dimple. Use your finger or a rag to wipe away dirt until you find the dimples. Bless you VW for making this job much easier just by adding the dimples!!
Cut the stock exhaust off! With your leg and floorjack, hold the exhaust in place as you slide out from under the car. The exhaust it self is like 20lbs, so don’t be afraid that it is heavy, it isn’t.
Take your new CSS and place it on top of your old one and very it is dimensioned the same, as you don’t want your tips sticking out too far.
Take your WD40 and flathead screwdriver and lube up where the rubber exhaust hanger block is attached to the exhaust hanger. Pry openings, spray, pry deeper in and spray, keep prying and spraying until it’s easy for the flathead to pass through with minimal effort. Now take the flathead, fish it from the inside (muffler side) out. Have it pass all the way through, then just lift and pull and if you lubed all around enough it will easily slip out. Once this is done, rejoice for the hard work is over.
Take those rubber exhaust hanger blocks, wd40 the exhaust hangers on the new CSS muffler and with a rubber mallet, hammer them on. They should slip on. After a few whacks. Then just use the floorjack to hold the exhaust up while you line everything up. I took the pipe clamp, that I got from DAP to mate the new muffler pipe to the exhaust pipe from the GTI. I mated that end first and then moved on to the exhaust hangers. Don’t tighten immediately, check to see for any alignment and fitment issues first before tightening.
From there you can lower the rear end back on the ground or start the engine to hear the new exhaust sound! I personally loved it! I start the engine when I had the pipe cut to hear what sound It makes if I did a simple muffler delete. It sounded really really good, nice and deep and loud, but it would have been too loud for daily use and I would have been annoyed after awhile. But hey, that’s my taste. The CSS muffler is a step below that and after my first drive all I can say is that this is how the MK7 GTI should come from the factory!! It’s the best option for those who enjoy a good sound but don’t want it to be too loud. And finally, dem bigger tips!
Tools used are:
Long but not thick flat head screwdriver
WD40
Dewalt saw
13mm hex and extension
Shoplight
Fluid film
Floorjack
Jack stands (ESCO brand)
i started by getting the rear wheels on jackstands. I did this by lifting the fronts high enough to get the stands under the rear pinch welds. After lowering the fronts I chocked the front tires with wood and pushed the car on the sides to make sure it was secure on the jack stand. For safety place a wheel underneath the car.
I then took the floorjack and put it under the center of the exhaust. Remove the two 13mm hex screws that hold the exhaust hangers to the car.
The exhaust will sit on the floorjack, lower floorjack to lower the exhaust to allow room to make the cut. Find the three dimples and cut as best you can a straight line on the center dimple. Use your finger or a rag to wipe away dirt until you find the dimples. Bless you VW for making this job much easier just by adding the dimples!!
Cut the stock exhaust off! With your leg and floorjack, hold the exhaust in place as you slide out from under the car. The exhaust it self is like 20lbs, so don’t be afraid that it is heavy, it isn’t.
Take your new CSS and place it on top of your old one and very it is dimensioned the same, as you don’t want your tips sticking out too far.
Take your WD40 and flathead screwdriver and lube up where the rubber exhaust hanger block is attached to the exhaust hanger. Pry openings, spray, pry deeper in and spray, keep prying and spraying until it’s easy for the flathead to pass through with minimal effort. Now take the flathead, fish it from the inside (muffler side) out. Have it pass all the way through, then just lift and pull and if you lubed all around enough it will easily slip out. Once this is done, rejoice for the hard work is over.
Take those rubber exhaust hanger blocks, wd40 the exhaust hangers on the new CSS muffler and with a rubber mallet, hammer them on. They should slip on. After a few whacks. Then just use the floorjack to hold the exhaust up while you line everything up. I took the pipe clamp, that I got from DAP to mate the new muffler pipe to the exhaust pipe from the GTI. I mated that end first and then moved on to the exhaust hangers. Don’t tighten immediately, check to see for any alignment and fitment issues first before tightening.
From there you can lower the rear end back on the ground or start the engine to hear the new exhaust sound! I personally loved it! I start the engine when I had the pipe cut to hear what sound It makes if I did a simple muffler delete. It sounded really really good, nice and deep and loud, but it would have been too loud for daily use and I would have been annoyed after awhile. But hey, that’s my taste. The CSS muffler is a step below that and after my first drive all I can say is that this is how the MK7 GTI should come from the factory!! It’s the best option for those who enjoy a good sound but don’t want it to be too loud. And finally, dem bigger tips!
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