DIY - Solo High Flow Catalytic Converters Installation - Page 2 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

thahemp · 06-23-2012, 03:34 PM

As a side note...

The fact that he didn't mention this to me when i talked to him kinda bothers me. If you know it is a shady alignment, then you should tell people that it WILL work even though everything looks terribly misaligned. Either my car is different, or everyone needs to know that these parts aren't neccessarily custom designed to go together.

thahemp · 06-23-2012, 03:38 PM

And a second side note...

These midpipes KICK ASS! Everyone without long tubes needs these. I absolutely love almost

everything about them. They add power and sound amazing. Buy them and do it. You even have a pictorial step by step!

Jayhawk500 · 06-23-2012, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baup5f

Nice write up. I'm thinking their HFCs coupled with their Mach X cat-back might be a very soon mod for me.

I have this very combination for over a year and a half. You will not be disappointed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by thahemp

And a second side note...

These midpipes KICK ASS! Everyone without long tubes needs these. I absolutely love almost

everything about them. They add power and sound amazing. Buy them and do it. You even have a pictorial step by step!

This is the most amazing sound. Had the wifey drive away gettin' on it and I could hear her for a 1/4 mile.

thahemp · 06-23-2012, 11:35 PM

Yeah. I have more parts to install, but i think it sounds perfect now. I'm having a really hard time convincing myself i should do any more exhaust mods. I think the cam + lt's is a realistic next mod. It sounds that good.

thahemp · 06-26-2012, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thahemp

I ended up calling Jeff from Solo, and getting some gasket advise. I've blown every homemade gasket thus far.

For $15 he sent me two new gaskets for my application. They will be here early next week. I'll be sure to update this thread. The felpro 2499 material has been a disaster.

The new gaskets are the same as the ones i had to start with... only less used

Solo was kind enough to throw in all new hardware too. For that i'm grateful. I have snapped so many cross-threaded bolts. They cross-thread easy when you over-torque them with an unstable swivel joint!

nicave13@gmail.com · 12-13-2012, 01:11 AM

Really great write up, or DIY!!! I've done a couple, but never taken this kind of time and follow up. Very impressive! I plan on doing a similar install, JBA HF mid pipes on a L99, tomorrow and will take every lesson learned here. I have to buy both the hardware and gaskets. I plan on buying some nice grade 8 bolts, nuts and all the washers you recommend. I will look into the O2 wrench, but would a nice 7/8" closed end wrench work? Maybe a big one? Also, do you think them being hot really helps with loosening the O2's? I took off passenger side nuts today without a swivel pretty easy and wonder if O2's are about the same tightness? 40k and 3.5 years old car no rust in West Coast.

Gaskets I'm gonna get some that fit my mids and work on the placement like you recommend. Gonna take mids into parts store and find some that match. My store doesn't offer factory replacements yet. What about re-using factory gaskets??? Oh, do you know where to get O2 extenders???

Thanks again man, awesome DIY!!!

nicave13@gmail.com · 12-16-2012, 04:36 PM

I found this gasket, see pic for part#, at Autozone for $1.99. Bought 2, no leaks with factory manifolds and JBA mids. Fit perfect around pipe, but needed clearancing for bolts. In case you are still having leaks.

thahemp · 12-16-2012, 05:23 PM

Cool. I might try the jba pipes someday. I sold off the solos and bought the jba 3" catback. The only way i could be happier is to get the power back i lost by pulling the hf cats.

heymatt · 12-16-2012, 09:11 PM

I also installed the Solo's, but with DT shorties on mine. I wasn't comfortable with the way their gaskets lined up either. Just re used the factory gaskets, and got some grade 8 bolts for the exhaust collectors. Bought but didn't need the O2 wrench, just used a 7/8 open end wrench, carefully!
Love the sound and the increase in performance!

thahemp · 12-16-2012, 09:33 PM

Do you have an ls3 or l99? My factory gaskets absolutely would not fit. I never did figure that out. I know a bunch of people sucsessfully reused them.

nicave13@gmail.com · 12-17-2012, 01:31 AM

I have an L99, if u were asking me. I didn't really have factory gaskets... lol.

heymatt · 12-17-2012, 05:52 AM

LS3 for me!

Cb34suns · 01-20-2013, 04:05 AM

Thats a great DIY....Great job. Was thinking of buying one too.

ebaugh1990 · 03-02-2013, 10:39 PM

Thanks to your thread bro, I got my mid pipes installed. Had all the right tools. Thanks again man!

Ethan

06-23-2012, 03:34 PM	#15
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	As a side note... The fact that he didn't mention this to me when i talked to him kinda bothers me. If you know it is a shady alignment, then you should tell people that it WILL work even though everything looks terribly misaligned. Either my car is different, or everyone needs to know that these parts aren't neccessarily custom designed to go together. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

06-23-2012, 03:38 PM	#16
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	And a second side note... These midpipes KICK ASS! Everyone without long tubes needs these. I absolutely love almost everything about them. They add power and sound amazing. Buy them and do it. You even have a pictorial step by step! __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

06-23-2012, 11:35 PM	#18
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Yeah. I have more parts to install, but i think it sounds perfect now. I'm having a really hard time convincing myself i should do any more exhaust mods. I think the cam + lt's is a realistic next mod. It sounds that good. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

12-13-2012, 01:11 AM	#20
nicave13@gmail.com LED god Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 537	Really great write up, or DIY!!! I've done a couple, but never taken this kind of time and follow up. Very impressive! I plan on doing a similar install, JBA HF mid pipes on a L99, tomorrow and will take every lesson learned here. I have to buy both the hardware and gaskets. I plan on buying some nice grade 8 bolts, nuts and all the washers you recommend. I will look into the O2 wrench, but would a nice 7/8" closed end wrench work? Maybe a big one? Also, do you think them being hot really helps with loosening the O2's? I took off passenger side nuts today without a swivel pretty easy and wonder if O2's are about the same tightness? 40k and 3.5 years old car no rust in West Coast. Gaskets I'm gonna get some that fit my mids and work on the placement like you recommend. Gonna take mids into parts store and find some that match. My store doesn't offer factory replacements yet. What about re-using factory gaskets??? Oh, do you know where to get O2 extenders??? Thanks again man, awesome DIY!!! __________________ See my Build Thread http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...75#post4741775 Last edited by nicave13@gmail.com; 12-13-2012 at 01:13 AM. Reason: add question

12-16-2012, 04:36 PM	#21
nicave13@gmail.com LED god Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 537	Gasket I found this gasket, see pic for part#, at Autozone for $1.99. Bought 2, no leaks with factory manifolds and JBA mids. Fit perfect around pipe, but needed clearancing for bolts. In case you are still having leaks. Attached Images __________________ See my Build Thread http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...75#post4741775

12-16-2012, 05:23 PM	#22
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Cool. I might try the jba pipes someday. I sold off the solos and bought the jba 3" catback. The only way i could be happier is to get the power back i lost by pulling the hf cats. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

12-16-2012, 09:11 PM	#23
heymatt Drives: 2012 IBM 2SS Vert. Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tequesta, Fl. Posts: 784	I also installed the Solo's, but with DT shorties on mine. I wasn't comfortable with the way their gaskets lined up either. Just re used the factory gaskets, and got some grade 8 bolts for the exhaust collectors. Bought but didn't need the O2 wrench, just used a 7/8 open end wrench, carefully! Love the sound and the increase in performance! __________________ LS3/M6 K&N, VMAX throttle body, RX Catch Can, skip shift eliminator, DT shorties and Solo HFC, DRL harness and 5K LED DRL, ZL1 rear sway, 1LE front sway

12-16-2012, 09:33 PM	#24
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Do you have an ls3 or l99? My factory gaskets absolutely would not fit. I never did figure that out. I know a bunch of people sucsessfully reused them. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

12-17-2012, 01:31 AM	#25
nicave13@gmail.com LED god Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 537	I have an L99, if u were asking me. I didn't really have factory gaskets... lol. __________________ See my Build Thread http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...75#post4741775

12-17-2012, 05:52 AM	#26
heymatt Drives: 2012 IBM 2SS Vert. Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tequesta, Fl. Posts: 784	LS3 for me! __________________ LS3/M6 K&N, VMAX throttle body, RX Catch Can, skip shift eliminator, DT shorties and Solo HFC, DRL harness and 5K LED DRL, ZL1 rear sway, 1LE front sway

01-20-2013, 04:05 AM	#27
Cb34suns Drives: 2013 SIM Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Somewhere in the Pacific... Posts: 44	Thats a great DIY....Great job. Was thinking of buying one too.