Question:

When installing my new L-Tuned exhaust can I reuse the existing O ring or gasket. My exhaust did not come with new ones to install. Would just hitting it with some WD40 do the trick to get it like new again? Do you think these are stocked at a dealer?

TIA

 

According to Lexus this gasket is of the metal variety. Friends say I could probably use the old ones, Lexus says they change them during an L-Tuned install because the old ones might get a little damaged when changing...

Opinions....

Please...

 

Forget it, Steve was nice enough to PM me on this... Pictures of install to come tonight....

 

good luck on the install show some installed pics

 

ok and what did he say

 

what ??

 

Steve said to just use the existing gasket (which is metal by the way)...

 

oohh ok

 

Here is how the DIY went...

Started out on the lift @ 4:45 right after work. Bolts were rusted on pretty good. Hit them with chemicals to help disolve the rust and loosen the bolts...

Bottom bolts broke... GREAT! No problem since the welded half is on the factory muffler side which is not being used and new bolts are provided with the L-Tuned exhaust.

Top bolts... Not so lucky. One of the shop guys decided to just walk up and give me a hand with these since it is a little tight to get these off. Grabs the Pneumatic socket and proceeds to strip both upper bolts...



Needless to say I ended up having to torch them off...

Now it is 6:10 and I have 20 minutes to finish cleaning up my area, check in tools, and pay for the lift... and the L-Tuned peices are still laying on the floor...



So $8.25 later I am on my way home with both the old mufflers and the L-Tuned in the car,

FYI - Driving home without the mufflers did not cause the "Check Engine" light to come on. Very poor low end performance on the way home and exhaust was pretty loud... actually did not sound too bad though but not very Lexus-esque...

7:30... I slide underneath the rear end (glad my L-Tuned bits for the suspension have not arrived yet) and hang the new L-Tuned, use my dremmel to buff away a little rough edge inside the flange bolt holes, bolt up the new exhaust and tighten... but not too much because...

it looks like I am not getting an even seal over the old gasket due to how the 2 segments naturally line up... so I have a little leak for the time being and I plan on heading back to the lift tomorrow morning where I plan on getting up underneath there and getting it to line up by using a little more leveraged force.

Toughts on how the L-Tuned sounds will be coming tomorrow... HOPEFULLY!

 

damn man, is that a black cloud over your head? Nickname Schleprock?

whew! what a rough deal. I really hope that the sound is all you want it to be at the end!!


btw, on gaskets, not that I know more than Steve, but if it was a copper gasket, you're ok to re-use, or else, others have used Permatek brand "Copper RTV" with excellent results. Extremely heat resistant, excellent sealer, stays pliable. $5 at any auto store.

 

Cool... Thanks for the FYI on the gasket... Looks like leaving in the originals is going to work... headed back to the lift now.