Lurk's Mandral Pipes Projects

[silverbox]

Mike any updates on Cat Back?

 

[LurkerMike]

They will be ready by June 5th. I'm still working the details out with some small refinements. I plan to make the first run of everything in May.

My cat-back will be a few inches longer than the OEM cat-back. This is so I can add a 3* bend for my new 2.5" centerline forward of where the OEM cat-back centerline ends. This will make my cat-back compatible to most other brands of aftermarket DP's by simply cutting off the additional length including the 3* bend.

 

[silverbox]

Mike are you still on schedule for June 5th?
Have you run anymore Cat-backs yet?

 

[LurkerMike]

nope.

 

[silverbox]

Any schedule update?

 

[LurkerMike]

Am I cursed or what?

A myriad of personal issues has delayed me making what is hopefully the final round of prototyping refinements and getting a couple of finished patterns nailed down to make the production fixtures off of.

The current delay is I bruised my hands badly a couple of weeks ago and they are still too sore to attempt to wrench with.

If anyone else posted this crap I wouldn't believe them and I would agree they were just making lame excuses all the time. I would suspect the real cause was drug or alcohol. If someone worked for me with this many problems I would fire them.

In spite of all of this I am not giving up. The depressing part is the weather here is absolutely perfect this week. 76* F for the high... and I am missing it.

 

[Honeydew]

The current delay is I bruised my hands badly a couple of weeks ago

While typing a heated thread reply?

 

[TDikook]

OUCH!!! Slam

 

[LurkerMike]

OUCH!!! Slam

You're next!

 

[silverbox]

Mike would you sell me the catback from post 884?

 

[LurkerMike]

Mike would you sell me the catback from post 884?

You mean post 844?

I have split it in half so that it will overlap the 2.25" DP "master proof" I have. This was needed so that I can install the DP proof and then that cat-back over it to establish the elevation through the tunnel of the cat-back. Once established, I will weld on hanger brackets to the cat-back so that I can make the welding fixtures needed for actual production runs. And I know I will need to tweak the bend over the hump a little.

I believe I will set them up for the Aero 2525XL resonated diesel mufflers with very little turndown angle on the outlet. To do this, I will tilt the muffler down enough so that the exit pipe's exhaust stream will clear or almost clear the rear valence. This is in an effort to eliminate as much chance for drone in the cabin as possible. My goal is to deliver as close to OEM quietness as possible with the cat and muffler. This is a juggling act with ground clearance as some cars will be lowered. Scraping the exhaust while driving over a speed breaker or at the bottom of a steep hill is bad, but scraping the tip while backing up a hill is a disaster!

I could run another cat-back pipe now for you, but it would need some work fitting it under your car and someone would need to fabricate hanger brackets. Plug and play from me requires this next round of work which requires I take one of my cars off the road for a couple of days. Rushing it at this stage would not yield a quality result and trying to do it with aching hands would not let me finish before I need to drive the car again.

 

[Merlyn]

Just a thought.

Some people may have purchased the 1.8t/VR6 rear valence with cut-out in preperation for any serious exhaust replacement such as yours. Having the exit pipe turned down will not take advantage of this extra clearance they have available...

Maybe leave the muffler straight on the standard line and have two exit pipe options? One shaped like a boomerang that will clear the stock valence and one straight that will exit out of the upgraded valence cut-out?

Eagerly awaiting the final version to be finished. Take all the time you need to make a quality product in the end, I'm sure it will be worth it.

 

[silverbox]

Just a thought.

Some people may have purchased the 1.8t/VR6 rear valence with cut-out in preperation for any serious exhaust replacement such as yours. Having the exit pipe turned down will not take advantage of this extra clearance they have available...

Maybe leave the muffler straight on the standard line and have two exit pipe options? One shaped like a boomerang that will clear the stock valence and one straight that will exit out of the upgraded valence cut-out?

Eagerly awaiting the final version to be finished. Take all the time you need to make a quality product in the end, I'm sure it will be worth it.

Merlyn that sounds like a good idea, I just don't know if there is enough room to tuck the areo2525 up high in the Golf.
I'm sure Savage Diesel would know.

 

[cattlerepairman]

bug

Can I assume that, if Savage Diesel's model fits the MKIV Golf, it will also fit the Beetle?
I am eagerly awaiting the roll-out...my DP is rotting apart.

 

[LurkerMike]

I have an OEM Beetle muffler and it is the same as the Jetta muffler except the tips are shorter.

I do not have a Golf muffler and Peter has told me the hangers are different on the Golf's.

I like Merlyn's idea... does anyone have the part number for the VR6 valence?

And lastly... by late June, Vibrant should have some 2.25" sleeve clamps in. This means a plug and play 2.25" stainless downpipe that mates to the OEM cat-back for around $200-ish will be available then. OEM is 2.17" (55mm) so 2.25" is a nice size for an OEM replacement that flows better by design. 2" is only 50.8mm which is a smaller diameter than 55mm. 2.5" is 63.5mm which is on the large side to be coupling to the OEM cat-back. All 2.5" DP's really need a 2.5" cat-back. I will offer an adapter to make my 2.5" DP mate to the OEM cat-back, but this is intended as a temporary "modular" solution for those intending to upgrade the cat-back at a latter date and don't want to upgrade the DP twice.

 

[Merlyn]

MKIV Rear Valence with exhaust cut-out PNs:

Jetta - 1J5-807-521-D-B41 (http://www.worldimpex.com/parts/genuine-part-rear-spoiler-vr6_162682.html)
Golf - 1J6-807-521-E-B41 (http://www.worldimpex.com/parts/genuine-part-rear-valance_178234.html)
New Beetle - 1C0-071-611-A-9AX (http://www.worldimpex.com/parts/genuine-part-diffusor_228527.html) (Rear Diffuser with exhaust cutout... Only for Beetles with 1C0-071-610-UB-9AX rear body kit)

Vortex has a nice post about some of the other OEM exterior parts here http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2542110.

Edit: Added part number for New Beetle rear diffuser. Only applicable to New Beetles with the Sport Rear Body Kit 1C0-071-610-UB-9AX. This came stock on the Turbo S model.

 

[ishmael010]

ECS listing for mk IV rear valance w/cutout

A better price for the Jetta Mk IV at $223.90, but none are cheap with the exhaust cutout, GLI valance with cutout is $370.73, whereas the stock valance without cutout is $59.99, geez!
http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-Jetta_IV--TDI/Exterior/Body/ES4148/

MKIV Rear Valence with exhaust cut-out PNs:
Jetta - 1J5-807-521-D-B41 (http://www.worldimpex.com/parts/genuine-part-rear-spoiler-vr6_162682.html)
Golf - 1J6-807-521-E-B41 (http://www.worldimpex.com/parts/genuine-part-rear-valance_178234.html)
Vortex has a nice post about some of the other OEM exterior parts here http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2542110.

 

[LurkerMike]

Thanks... and Ouch!

That does not help the Bugs tho...

 

[Merlyn]

Edited my above post to include the rear diffuser for the New Beetle with exhaust cutouts. This is from the Turbo-S bugs with 'sport exhaust'.

Side note... Golf can pick up these parts for ~$100 or so, while us Jetta owners get stuck with a $225+ part if we want OEM exhaust cutouts! Still not as bad as the poor New Beetle owners... $600 for the body kit and another $100 for the diffuser...

Edit: Turns out my assumption that the diffuser might be compatible with the standard rear body kit was not correct. New Beetles lose at cheap OEM exhaust cut outs... there is always the DIY, but that too might not work on the bug either. *comfort*

 

[PHJ426]

Email sent when youre ready to ship I need a new exhaust for my alk MKIV jetta wagon.

 

[silverbox]

Updates?

 

[MethylEster]

Mike,

Any updates ? Were you able to do an unveiling at the Ashville NC GTG ?

 

[oldpoopie]

 

[oldpoopie]

Actually and seriously, has anyone heard from Lurk at all? He hasn't posted in a month..... Is he ok?

 

[Growler]

He hasn't even been in Chat for a while..

has anyone tried the phone number on his site?

 

[tdi4kev]

Yeah, Mike hope all is well. Desperately waiting for a complete system to upgrade my leaking stock downpipe. I think your pipe is worth the wait.

 

[airwolf]

According to some others he hopes to be back online here soon.

 

[tdi4kev]

Any new news? Don't mean to rush you Mike, and hope that all is well, know you've got alot on the plate.
My problem is my downpipe replacement has gone from a performance upgrade to a maintenance need as the stocker is leaking more and more.

I'd really like to get one of Mike's pipes, but...
I've looked at the others out there, and w/out starting a big fracas, any recommendations?

Mike best wishes for a successful launch of your business, seems to me that you'll do quite well, you seem to have the best product/price out there.

 

[TDICADDGUY]

I'd really like to get one of Mike's pipes, but...
I've looked at the others out there, and w/out starting a big fracas, any recommendations?

whitbread has some very nice looking downpipes in the vendor section, cheaper than the TDIparts DP and just as nice IMO. I'm sure Mike's product will be awesome as well, hope he gets things up and rolling.

 

[silverbox]

whitbread has some very nice looking downpipes in the vendor section, cheaper than the TDIparts DP and just as nice IMO. I'm sure Mike's product will be awesome as well, hope he gets things up and rolling.

They look alot like mikes prototype.