"Big Jims Extreme Automotive"... NOT good

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Finaly got around to getting the exhaust done on the SuperCoupe and Big Jims was the closest so that is where i took it. All I needed was the headers connected to teh stock rear section of the exhaust. We agreed on $150 for doing the work with 2.5" pipe and welding in O2 bungs. Dropped the car off at 1:30 and picked it up at 4:30, while driving it home I noticed something scraped/hit pretty decent when I hit bumps (big or small) didn't think too much of it at the time as I was excited to have it back on the road after doing all the modifications over the last month or so.

Anyways, I was working on it a little more (had a small hole in a coolant line causing a mess) and decided while it was in the garage I would look at the exhaust job they did. Man was I dissapointed at what I seen!!! First off, the majority of it wa done in 2", NOT 2.5" as we had agreed upon. Second the exhaust now comes downward to a point in the middle of the car (the scraping/hitting I was talking about) for some fukkin reason. In all honesty it is some of the shittiest exhaust work I have ever seen and I am VERY unhappy with it. I will be going back there tomorow and demanding it be done in 2.5" as we agreed and that it no longer drops down 5" to a point. Depending on how that goes they could have some legal issues...

bottom picture... you couldn't see any of the stock exhaust before...

[Xboosted23X]

i had some work done there. had a exhaust leak on my truck where the header and down pipe had a hole. got it back and still had an exhaust leak. not impressed. i went to Professional Muffler Inc and had alot better luck.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Professional Muffler wouldn't do it since I wasn't adding cats. Their exact quote was "That would be illegal for us to do. We woud get fined pretty good and you probably would too. You could take it to Big Jim's though, they do that kind of stuff". Which I guess would explain why I had to pay cash only and he didn't add tax and I didn't get a receipt or anything. Hopefuly he will be cool about it and just fix it but if not... well, lets just hope he does...

[Xboosted23X]

haha thats kind of funny."they do that kind of stuff"
well for any legal exhaust work i would go to professional.
not to mention big jims welds looked like bird shit.

they should fix it for you but i see him not going along with that at first

[sLoWnStEaDy]

haha thats kind of funny."they do that kind of stuff"
well for any legal exhaust work i would go to professional.
not to mention big jims welds looked like bird shit.

they should fix it for you but i see him not going along with that at first

:bigthumb: I am a fairly convincing person

[TbTalon94]

well in their defense $150 is pretty damn cheap for piping and time. The work is definantly sub-par quality but..you get what you pay for.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

the quality of the work didn't piss me off anywhere near as much as them using the wrong size tubing. an ugly exhaust doesn't hurt performance. choking the shit out of the motor with 2" OD exhaust IMO...

[Drifte]

I've used proffessional muffler for everything that I didnt want to do myself. I've honestly never had legal exhaust, no cats and never a problem. Pro muffler does great work, but I tpyically have them doing hangers, or changing out a muffler that needs nice ss welds etc. Maybe whole exhaust isnt ok with them. Big jims work is a joke, thats terrible, I could have (and have) done better for a car working under jackstands.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

yeah... Trevor mentioned the whole "you get what you pay for" thing but pro. Muffler was actualy $20 CHEAPER but would only do it if I added the cats (which where included in the price) ut I didn't want to do that so. And I think $150 to do that little amount of exhaust was more than enough. Not to mention THEY told me the price, so the whole "you get what you pay for" as a defense for them is complete B.S.

either way, I drove it back up there this morning at 9am and told Jim what was wrong with it (wrong size and the drop down thing) and he was like "well, I wasn't even here when they did that so you will have to talk to Sarge." So he came in and I explained ot him that Jim and I had agreed on 2.5" exhaust the day before with the O2 bungs welded in for the $150 and that is what I wanted. He claims "I thought we used 1-1/4" to be honest" to which I replied "OK, that still isn't the 2.5" that I paid for. Get it done RIGHT and with 2.5" piping like we agreed or give me my money back." Jim jumped in and said "Leave it here, we'll take a look at it". So they have the car back up there and from what I understand are doing it again and heopefuly doing it RIGHT this time. I'll keep you'all updated.

[SaNdMaNsSi]

I had my exhaust done with no cat by telling the "place" you are referring to that I was going to add the cat in later to save some money. They knew what I was doing, but it took the liability away from them. I believe I also had them make the exhaust but not install it- That way they didn't technically install it so why would they get in any trouble?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

just realized this too. They cut of all the flanges, so I have a completely solid exhaust...
Nothing is now removeable, headers are welded to the down pipes, down pipes are welded to the Y-pipe and Y-pipe is welded to the stock rear exhaust. so it is essentialy one big piece of exhaust. Also not a single flex-pipe or anything either....


guess I will have to get the entire exhuast redone this winter at a place that knows what the fuck they are doing!

[Drifte]

wow

[sLoWnStEaDy]

well... I just picked it up again... they fixed my two main issues so I guess now I feel like I "got what I paid for" atleast.... the fact there is no way to remove it sucks and I am worried about not having any type of flex pipe in there but I can have that added at professional cheap enough. I am impressed that they just jumped right on it and got it "taken care of" but I still don't plan to ever go there again....

If i still have the car this spring I will probably have a full mandrel bent true dual exhaust put on... I have a few kinks to work out still but DAMN this thing has some TORQUE! Seeing about 16-18 lbs of boost :bigthumb:. Punched it in 3rd gear and the ass end slid all over the place.

[TbTalon94]

Looks much better that they fixed it. I meant by you get what you pay for is you took it to a sub-par shop, using press bends and galvanized pipe. They obviously aren't great welders (which is pathetic for being an exhaust shop) and don't know how to route pipe..again pathetic.

When you want it done right, with true bends, good welds, flanges, and flexes just get ahold of me. I'll do it right for you.

-Trevor

[sLoWnStEaDy]

I have seen your work Trevor and words can not express how much it impresses me... As of right now I am trying to get some bugs worked out which was impossible with open headers LOL... Once I get it all done up and ready I will remember you for sure...

Going with dual 2.5" into single 3.5" back into dual 2.5" as sadly true duals isn't much of an option... http://www.walkerexhaust.com/catalog/Ex ... Screen.asp (http://www.walkerexhaust.com/catalog/ExhaustCouponScreen.asp)

[Deimos]

Next time go to professional muffler or Denny's

[FiFdYnUtZ]

ive had very good luck with dennys when i went and my dad always used them since i was a little kid...

[FiFdYnUtZ]

and they did work on my gtp (electric cutout) and it didnt have any cats...

[Domestic Disturbance]

H&W did a premo job on my setup :prayer: . Definitely get what you pay for.

...and why do you want flexpipe? ew

[Drifte]

flex sections, so when the engine does its twisty thing theirs no stress anywhere and the exhaust can stay put right where you want it.

[Domestic Disturbance]

flex sections, so when the engine does its twisty thing theirs no stress anywhere and the exhaust can stay put right where you want it.
I understand the concept, but flexpipe and jank go hand in hand IMO. If using it can be avoided why not avoid it?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

LOL... flex pipes are jank? just to be sure we are on teh same page, I am talking about this: http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/3981/flexsectionscovered.jpg (http://img40.imageshack.us/i/flexsectionscovered.jpg/)http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/flexsectionscovered.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img40/flexsectionscovered.jpg/1/)
not this: http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/203/flexbeauty.jpg (http://img40.imageshack.us/i/flexbeauty.jpg/)http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/flexbeauty.jpg/1/w290.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img40/flexbeauty.jpg/1/)

I would just like to have some sort of protection against stress caused by vibrations. Even more so without have any type of connections and seeing their welds... we're talking about a pretty decent length of pipe with some rather "iffy" welds and absolutely NO WHERE for the vibration to escape, I just see some welds failing sooner or later (probably sooner). Flex pipe may not be needed if you have a few flange connections as atleast that gives a little bit of vibration protection but having a completely solid exhaust...? just don't seem like a good idea to me.

[Deimos]

flex sections, so when the engine does its twisty thing theirs no stress anywhere and the exhaust can stay put right where you want it.
I understand the concept, but flexpipe and jank go hand in hand IMO. If using it can be avoided why not avoid it?

Trust me anytime the engine flex's or moves with the mounts the pipe needs to travel. My mazda doesn't have a flex pipe come to where I work with JOshy boy and I'll show what happens with no flex pipe. Shit breaks.

[TbTalon94]

Hangers break the most. Those welds will fail, it's just a matter of time. Specially if/when you put it threw the winter salt.

[85XR7Project]

That exhaust looks much much better than their first job. I always liked those MN12 cars but the exhaust always turned me off on em. Its a Supercoupe though so it makes up for itself. Had a buddy that had one, was a pretty fun car.

[Domestic Disturbance]

As I stated before, IMO its jank, and IF it can be avoided why wouldn't you. I realized some applications its the easiest way, especially on a turd dd then who cares what the exhaust looks like or how well it flows. But for a performance oriented setup, why not go with hangers with rubber mounts? Don't see many performance cars, be it drag racing road course street car w/e, using that stuff.

[FiFdYnUtZ]

i remember on my GTP a flex on the downpipe was absolutely necessary or it would make a lot of noise and stress the system greatly...

[Domestic Disturbance]

i remember on my GTP a flex on the downpipe was absolutely necessary or it would make a lot of noise and stress the system greatly...

I think transverse mounted engines are the ones that would require flexpipe more often than others with a different direction the engine is twisting. That'd be an example of where it can't be avoided.

[Deimos]

you are correct sir engine torque is a motha

[TbTalon94]

As I stated before, IMO its jank, and IF it can be avoided why wouldn't you. I realized some applications its the easiest way, especially on a turd dd then who cares what the exhaust looks like or how well it flows. But for a performance oriented setup, why not go with hangers with rubber mounts? Don't see many performance cars, be it drag racing road course street car w/e, using that stuff.

You are wrong. There plenty of drag and road course cars that use flex sections. It's what keeps exhausts, manifolds, downpipes, etc. in working order. You bolt everything together in one piece and it's going to break the weakest link...which is usually a weld.

[Drifte]

I think everyone uses rubber hangers with their flex sections, I never realized people ran without flex sections. Not running them is the cheap way out IMO. Listen to Deimos hes spent A LOT of time under cars.

[Deimos]

Only difference between all of us. I hate working on cars you all love them.

[DragonUSMC]

Im not a fan of flex pipe either... Guess the only real difference is that i'm willing to spend the $$ on a downpipe that deletes the cat, and motor mounts that are damn near solid to the car.

I dont see the need for flex pipe unless you are trying to be cheap in your set up. I understand your standpoints but it still hasnt proven to me that getting the good stuff is less efficient then eh stuff with flex pipe.

oh and if any retard ever welded my downpipe to my turbo manifold i'd probably beat them to death with a big black dildo.

[TbTalon94]

Lol I think you guys aren't grasping that the REAL flex sections are very high quality. They only HELP the exhaust be more reliable. It has no ill effects, none. Solid motor mounts or not, your exhaust is moving. It needs room for expansion/contraction also. There will not be a REAL performance shop that knows what they are doing NOT put a flex section in an exhaust. Hell some of them put them in wastegate dump-tubes. It adds reliability and ease of installation. There really is no downside.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Lol I think you guys aren't grasping that the REAL flex sections are very high quality. They only HELP the exhaust be more reliable. It has no ill effects, none. Solid motor mounts or not, your exhaust is moving. It needs room for expansion/contraction also. There will not be a REAL performance shop that knows what they are doing NOT put a flex section in an exhaust. Hell some of them put them in wastegate dump-tubes. It adds reliability and ease of installation. There really is no downside.


Ed Zachery!

[Deimos]

To answer the question u don't need it but it will break especially in transverse mounted engines. In an old rear wheel drive car u don't need it. My mazda doesn't have one and it broke in three spots so I would put one on.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

To answer the question u don't need it but it will break especially in transverse mounted engines. In an old rear wheel drive car u don't need it. My mazda doesn't have one and it broke in three spots so I would put one on.

LOL.... uhm, I think that really shows that you DO need it....

That is like saying "you don't NEED oxygen, you will just die without it". I mean, you just said you don't need something but it will fail without it...

[Deimos]

Do you understand what I am saying? I WOULD use a flexpipe on a tranverse engine. Is it required to do so? NO. Just like anything else in life mine apparently lasted for the old owner 7 years without a flexpipe. It is not required however quite beneficial. Oxygen is a way bad analogy for it is not critical for your car to drive down the road.

[AutoMods]

+1 for flex sections. They are costly, people wouldn't run them if they didn't have a benefit. Usually cheaper downpipes don't have them while the nice ones do. Your exhaust won't necessarily break without one but it could. They also can help exhaust gaskets from blowing

[black88gt]

There will not be a REAL performance shop that knows what they are doing NOT put a flex section in an exhaust.

Find me a mustang exhaust that has a flex section that isnt on the crossover for a big single. There are some shops that have built some preeetttttyyy quick domestics w/o flex pipes, they must not be real performance shops.

[Drifte]

"A flex pipe is used to dampen the vibrations in the exhaust system. This prevents rattling noises and also reduces added stress on the exhaust manfold to help prevent warping and cracking."

My Apex-i N1 has a flex section, every car from the factory has a flex section, even cheap Megan Racing exhaust has flex sections. Transversely mounted engines need them more so, but all ought have them. Unless Solid no bushing motor mounts are used.

What happens when you back into a curb with exhaust and no flex section?

[Scott]

yeah I have seen them go both ways.. Alot of factory cars dont even use them at all, and turbo diesels included which see alot of miles and heat. It all depends on alot of things.. There are opinions on alot of things and this is one of them, if factory turbo diesel trucks can run a V-8 to a single turbo without flex sections and be just fine for hundreds of thousands of miles then Im sure it can be perfectly reliable.

[FiFdYnUtZ]

mine doesnt have them but my entire exhaust is all clamped together, and my driver side of my Y pipe hits my floor board sometimes, but thats extremely common and im not even sure where i would put a flex on my car haha..

[TbTalon94]

There will not be a REAL performance shop that knows what they are doing NOT put a flex section in an exhaust.

Find me a mustang exhaust that has a flex section that isnt on the crossover for a big single. There are some shops that have built some preeetttttyyy quick domestics w/o flex pipes, they must not be real performance shops.

Correct, but they usually have a ball joint connection somewhere, which flexes....

Unless they dump right behind the firewall, or out the fender.

Guys all that is being said here, flex sections are only a positive. There is no negative to them. Period. That is the point.

[Drifte]

Should add, a joint at the header collector is very common and is a different option instead of the flex section. Although my ball joint type joints have always leaked/

[Domestic Disturbance]

Obviously we come from different backgrounds of engines. Obviously those with transversely mounted engines are more familiar. 4/4 of the v8 vehicles I've owned (99 silverado, 00 camaro, 82 k10, 83 cadillac) have 0 flex sections from the factory. With turbo setups and a different direction the engine twists, I'm sure they are very necessary. My car, no. I've never seen an aftermarket exhaust for a v8 domestic with flex sections. I doubt they are using solid hangers, which was my point to begin with.

Now idk how AMS or any of them do it in foreign car land, but go down to H&W and look under some cars for some flexpipe. My buddies 13.5:1 506 with solid mounts didn't need them. Its all about necessity and application.

I don't think theres a right or wrong here. I just think per keiths application with a standard facing engine there's easier routes.

[Domestic Disturbance]

I dont think you understood what deimos was saying earlier. I think he was referring to the fact his mazda is a transv. mounted engine.

[Deimos]

I thought I stated that twice. I sure as hell don't have flex pipe or a transverse engine in my camaro.

[black88gt]

I thought I stated that twice. I sure as hell don't have flex pipe or a transverse engine in my camaro.

swap time


My buddies 13.5:1 506 with solid mounts didn't need them.

506cid= 0.013 ft lbs

[sLoWnStEaDy]

for the record.... My arguement wasn't so much that you NEED a flex pipe in every application. It was against them being "jank"...

[Drifte]

for the record.... My arguement wasn't so much that you NEED a flex pipe in every application. It was against them being "jank"...
word, that was my intentions.

[Domestic Disturbance]

I still think they are and don't like them. That is why I said IMO. To each his own

[Deimos]

I thought I stated that twice. I sure as hell don't have flex pipe or a transverse engine in my camaro.

swap time


My buddies 13.5:1 506 with solid mounts didn't need them.

506cid= 0.013 ft lbs

damn skippy it might run faster