Just got the call from the shop and apparently the 2 bad motor mounts I had have resulted in the downpipe getting trashed. It's split lengthwise, so it looks like a weld isn't going to work. And the dealer wants an insane amount of money.

Are there any aftermarket downpipes available? I've searched and come up with people custom making pieces, but no aftermarket bolt-ins. I'm not looking for SS or 3" - I just need to get from the turbo outlet to the cat.

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06 Liberty CRD, Alive, Stant inline tstat
97 Passat TDI, also down
02 Golf TDI - gone, wife killed it

I'd strongly debate the assumption that a weld won't work on a split although a split with an extra bit of bending might make a weld not possible or difficult.

Assuming a weld repair to the split pipe is not possible the down pipe is nothing special except for the marmon clamp flange where it mounts to the turbo. If that flange is still intact any competent muffler shop can bend and weld ss pipe to replace the split portion. If the flange is not usable a replacement can probably be sourced from stock flanges or a junk yard.

In a real pinch I have an intact down pipe w. flange down to the bend in front of the flex section that's leftover from installing the GDE turbo. I'm not fond of parting with that piece in case I ever have to reinstall the stock turbo although geordi, probably correctly, thinks I'm nuts to have that opinion so I'd probably be willing to consider letting it go for a desparate forum member. Email me if interested.

I know many/some will consider this heresy but given that the turbo outlet is 2.25" I see no benefit to a 3" pipe. EDIT - just double checked my measurement on my OEM turbo and downpipe out of the vehicle. The turbo outlet and marmon flange inlet to the exhaust system are 2" inside diameter while the actual exhaust pipe inside diameter at the bend is 2.25"

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

The turbo outlet is what is worrying me, but I believe it should be ok. What I need to do is take it to a specialty exhaust shop and have them look at it. There might also me more wrong with the system then that; this was a PA car and they salt the roads pretty aggressively. I'm wondering if the piping was weakened due to rust and that's why it split; I searched high and low and if busted downpipes were a common side effect of busted motor mounts I'd think there would be more mention of it.



I'll definitely keep that in mind, pending getting it up on a lift at an exhaust shop.



I'm from the TDi world and the same debate periodically rages there. There's always some "Mo' bigguh, mo'bettah!" in ANY field of automotive endeavor. But there comes a point of diminishing returns. The only mods I'm considering are fuel economy oriented, and that is less back-pressure sensitive than power. If a shop is going to charge an extra $25 for 3" vs. 2.5", sure. $125? No way - I'd never earn it back.

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06 Liberty CRD, Alive, Stant inline tstat
97 Passat TDI, also down
02 Golf TDI - gone, wife killed it

The exhaust pipe is pretty heavy gauge SS so rust should not be an issue. I've never seen a post about bad motor mounts causing this problem but it's possible you got a section of pipe with a "seam" problem that only became visible under your circumstances; at least I assume pipe has some sort of seam during manufacture but I honestly do not know.

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

I'm betting you have it right. Seamless stainless tubing is substantially more expensive than welded. A bad seam would also explain why it's been getting progressively louder - the seam is working itself open. Which also means it might be easier to fix.

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06 Liberty CRD, Alive, Stant inline tstat
97 Passat TDI, also down
02 Golf TDI - gone, wife killed it

Try an exhaust shop. some place that does custom work. when I was young and poorer I had an Isuzu I-mark RS same thing happened to it's down pipe when the front motor mount broke. If it was an single cam motor any parts store or Chevy dealer would have been able to order it cheap since the plain I-mark was the twin to the Spectrum, but Chevy didn't get the twin cam and The Isuzu dealer couldn't order it a local muffle shop made one using the old flange and I was back on the road delivering those pizzas.

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2006 Liberty CRD Limited Deep Beryl Green Metallic Clear coat, Fumoto valve, MH ProVent (removed), GDE Eco tune,
OME 790/948 springs, OME struts, OME N132L shocks, Jeepin by Al A-arms, Hercules Terra Trac AT2 245/75R16
Weeks Stage 1 EGR delete, 5 volt steel glow plugs

mine was silver... and my 2.5" straight pipe from the turbo back with a fake "cat" (empty chamber) sounded wicked running thru tunnels at WOT.....


/hijack

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2006 Jeep Liberty Limited, CRD: Inferno Red. OME 2" lift, JBA 4.5 lift arms, Factory skids and tow hooks added. GDE ECOtune, Provent, Fumoto, AR TorqueThrust wheels
1999 Dodge Dakota Sport, 5.2L: Solar Yellow. SOLD

I have no objection to the cat; they are less restrictive than people think. And if I think it's getting clogged an Italian tune-up will take care of that.

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06 Liberty CRD, Alive, Stant inline tstat
97 Passat TDI, also down
02 Golf TDI - gone, wife killed it