R piggies really worth all this????!!!!??

[WMi_S4]

So my buddy and I "attempted" to try and do Piggies on my car tonight on jack stands, all I can say is hahahahahahahahahaha, what a f-ing joke!!!!! Everythings good until, **applause** the drivers side front O2 sensor. Now I knew this was gonna be a bitch, but I didn't know it was gonna be a little whore!!!!

I guess the slot on the 22mm socket we rented from Autozone wasn't large enough and the cable going into the O2 sensor kept catching on the socket. On top of that, I can't even fit my gorilla like paws anywhere near the sensor!!!

So to sum up the night, it took us about 6 hours to get halfway through the write-up in the tech articles, and we still have to remove the DP, cut the pre-cat, re-install and repeat that process over again for the passengers side. Yea right, I'm almost 99% close to telling my buddy tomorrow morning "F*ck it, this isn't worth it, I'd rather pay someone $300 to do it!"

Someone help us out!!!!! or give me some tips for this f*cking drivers side front O2 sensor!!!!!!!

If I ever met the German that designed the engine bay in our car, I will bludgeon him to death with the closest blunt object in my reach!!!!!

[S4shpion]

you should see the TIPtronic's space to get to the DPs.

[SilverSurferS4]

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=195168

[mholme]

It's worth it. It took me every bit of 8 hours to get both out and another 6 or so to put back in..hang in there..Different techniques work for different people. I used a crows foot from the bottom on jack stands in my parking lot on the O2's if that helps..

[///M3 TO S4]

wait.....you spent 6 hours and don't even have either dp off.......wow......what the hell were you doing then?!?!?!?

[Brett0712]

ummm... It took me about 2hrs to take them out and about 1.5hrs to put them back in and had them gutted somewhere. Try a different o2 wrench!!! I bought both that autozone had!!!

[Bimmer2Audi]

I am said buddy, and we have probably 6-8 hours without either DP off...

Hey Ryan, we really need to get some different 02 sensors today.

[Brett0712]

I am said buddy, and we have probably 6-8 hours without either DP off...

Hey Ryan, we really need to get some different 02 sensors today.

You need these...

I used the socket (silver one) for the front O2 sensors... You can slip the wire into the slot right near the top of the O2 sensor and it will work fine... I have an old O2 sensor laying around that I can take a picture of what im talking about if you want...

I recently just replaced both front O2 Sensors with the short black wrench in that picture and it was pretty easy... Granted I am rather skinny so I can get my hands in there.

And you most deffinitely NEED these...

While you may not need all the sizes I bought two 17mm ratchet swivel wrenches (long and stubby) and they were the best $$ Ive spent. Everything else is just regular tools.

I have new turbos so the hardware was all new but soak the shit out of the DP flange bolts with PB Blaster the night before you attempt the remove the DPs

[MikeS]

I just helped out a friend recently do this. It took forever but we ran into other problems. I actually got the downpipe off the turbo FIRST then wiggled the DP down and took off the O2 sensor from the bottom. That is the easiest way IMHO. And the heat shields were still there, they were all loose, but we never took them out. Now saying all this, we had a lift, so it may be more difficult on jack stands.
And I did the same thing when I re installed them. I put the O2 sensor in from the bottom before I mounted the turbo.

[WMi_S4]

take two of the piggies today!!! I think we're gonna try using a different O2 sensor socket and see if that works, if not, I"m gonna buy some crows feet and some of those swivel 17mm ratchets.....goddamn germans and their cramped work spaces!!!!

[Brett0712]

Major props to anyone who has done this WITHOUT those 17mm swivel ratchet wrenches. As far as I am concerned, they are a MUST! You will be much happier with them. And when it comes time to pull the downpipes out, just push the heatsheilds back up into the engine bay... That way you dont have to deal with pulling them out..


OHHHHHHHH And on each of the trans mount brackets, there is a little heatshield held on be 3 10mm bolt, take those sheild off, it will make life easier getting the DPS in and out!

Ill keep checking this thread incase any questions arise.

[JDM EJ1 95]

use a standard crows foot that attaches to a ratchet... works perfectly.. got my 02 off in 5 min.

[WMi_S4]

I'm sorry, but anyone that says "oh yea man, I had my car on 1ft jackstands in my driveway and did everything in 4-6 hrs blah blah blah" is FULL OF SHIT. Both my buddy and I have wrenched cars before, everything in my sig was done by me. This is now Day 2 and the drivers side DP is hanging by the end flange just waiting to be pulled out....unfortunately, it can't be pulled out!!!! Fucking heat shields!!! I will be removing every one of them tomorrow and also begging anyone w/in a 2 hour radius of me, HELP ME PUT MY CAR BACK TOGETHER, FUCK PIGGIES, I DON'T NEED THEM THIS BAD!!!

Oh, and it took about another hour to get the O2 sensor out today, so about 6 hrs total for the front O2 sensor, then the top DP flange 17mm bolt took about 2 hrs, not counting the time it took to drive EVERYWHERE to find a swivel ratched, which we didn't, and almost ended up stripping the fucking bolt! They another hour+ to get that third bolt off from the bottomr, on the side of the turbine housing, and we eventually got it off from the top....I laugh at the write-ups for this DIY

But I digress......

[mholme]

I'm sorry, but anyone that says "oh yea man, I had my car on 1ft jackstands in my driveway and did everything in 4-6 hrs blah blah blah" is FULL OF SHIT.

I did mine, on SUV jackstands, in my driveway. It took me 8 hours to get the pair out and gutted. Day two, put them back in and it took me 6. Would've taken less time if I had known I could skip the heatshield reinstall.

[Rajan147]

it took me about 14hr on jacks ( 2 day, 7 hrs a day). The bolts take time especially if they are rusted. I was extremely liberal with the PB blaster.

The write up for this DIY were sufficent. You need extentions and you need some swivel ratchets for some of the bolts.

If your working on jacks its going to be a bitch regardless.

But regardless, my turbos breathe better, boost quicker and the sound of a spooling turbo is just a good sound after a hard day.

I wonder what life would be like with a cat back and k04's?

[mholme]

Both my buddy and I have wrenched cars before, everything in my sig was done by me.

Nothin really difficult on the mods in your sig. Piggies were by far the HARDEST thing I have ever done on ANY car, including putting in a turbo audi 5000 engine into a 4000, with a complete wiring/computer swap..Hang in there, you'll get it and it will be worth it.

[Brett0712]

I put my car up on jackstands (about 1 foot clearance) and it wasnt difficult at all. Like others have said... Sometimes its a lot harder if the hardware is rusted. I, like others, have had the chance to do the downpipes with fresh hardware which makes life a lot easier.

If I had done my piggie pipes in one shot it would have taken be about 6-7hrs max.

As far as getting them out, the drivers side is by far the most difficult to get out. Like I said, take the little heatshields off the trans mount brackets. The DP flanges get stuck on that all the time. It takes 1min to get that shield off and then the DP flange will clear it. You gotta twist and rotate the DP so the flange is at just the right angle. As far as the DP heatshields go... You gotta push them back up into the engine back over the turbos so they dont get in the way. Have your buddy pull on them from above while you wiggle the DP out. I pulled the drivers side out with that little shield on and it was a PITA... Lots of cursing but i got it out. I took the shield off when I did the passenger side and as soon as I unbolted the DP i just pulled and it came right out.

It is possible... Some cars are just harder than others.

Good luck!

[o3spec]

quiter....your a sissy

[WMi_S4]

Fuck my life.....and my car....and yes I'm a quiter....I have finals this week and the last thing I need to worry about is how the hell I'm going to get to work and school!!!!

I've decided to just have the fucking car towed to my indy shop and have them put it back together....anyone w/ a set of piggies they're looking to trade/sell for some stock DPs hit me up.....also, if anyone is in my area and wants to make some money finishing my Piggies, I will pay you!!!!!

[WMi_S4]

Nothin really difficult on the mods in your sig. Piggies were by far the HARDEST thing I have ever done on ANY car, including putting in a turbo audi 5000 engine into a 4000, with a complete wiring/computer swap..Hang in there, you'll get it and it will be worth it.

Yes, I agree, I was simply saying that so people wouldn't start saying I don't have any experience, haven't worked on my car before, ect ect ect....

[DefiantS4]

Do you really need that special socket for the O2s?
I've removed my downpipes twice now without it. All I used was an adjustable wrench to break each one loose, then my fingers did the rest.

[WMi_S4]

Do you really need that special socket for the O2s?
I've removed my downpipes twice now without it. All I used was an adjustable wrench to break each one loose, then my fingers did the rest.

U must be a contortionist

[Bimmer2Audi]

[Rajan147]

a few pics from under the car at piggie install time

[AB18]

I don't get why its so hard for you to get those primary 02s out. All you need is a 1/2 drive,couple long extensions,02 tool, and its a piece of cake. The driver side is definatly not fun, but its done alot of harder work.

[ThirdStrike]

halfway through trying to gut them i got discouraged and bought downpipes from asp

[RolledMySTi]

I just changed my front O2's and you guys must know some secret for the drivers side because it was an utter bitch.

[davenew]

Major props to anyone who has done this WITHOUT those 17mm swivel ratchet wrenches. As far as I am concerned, they are a MUST! You will be much happier with them. And when it comes time to pull the downpipes out, just push the heatsheilds back up into the engine bay... That way you dont have to deal with pulling them out..


OHHHHHHHH And on each of the trans mount brackets, there is a little heatshield held on be 3 10mm bolt, take those sheild off, it will make life easier getting the DPS in and out!

Ill keep checking this thread incase any questions arise.

I ended up removing the two large rear bolts and dropping the rear of the subframe a couple inches. That provided plenty of room for the downpipes.

[Bimmer2Audi]

It took us about a half an hour a bolt. I still say there is no way that it can be done in less than 1 day on jackstands.