Exhaust centres <sigh> pass me another chimp?

[Linegeist]

Took the Athena for a new front pipe today - it split the full length of the downpipe where rust had eaten the metal away. Bloody Brits and their road salt!

The exhaust centre was a joke - I actually saw the fitters fighting over who drew the short straw and had to work on "That Bleedin' Complicated Citroen Thing Outside!".

When they eventually decided they'd got the right exhaust part (2 attempts) which they had to order each time, and then remembered they needed a fitting kit (attempt #3) requiring yet another order I had to gently point out that the tailpipe was supposed to have a gap between it and the fibreglass rear skirt - which then triggered a return to the hoist and a spate of humping at the exhaust while applying the oxy-acetylene torch and a large greasy hammer.

When I finally rolled off their forecourt nearly 4 hours later and eighty quid lighter, I found the steering was making a funny noise when turning onto full right lock ............... when I get a mo' I need to find out what they've done. It was one of those workshops that hide behind the Health & Safety bollocks to stop you entering their work area and actually seeing what the hell they're doing with your car.

However, the reason for this post is to ask a question - on getting home and running the car up onto the ramps, I've discovered that the downpipe to manifold flange has been bolted up solidly with 4" long machine screws and no springs (but about 2lbs of bloody exhaust paste). Now I was under the impression that the exhaust on these cars was supposed to flex at this joint, and the asbestos ring was there as a mechanically flexible gas seal which was held in compression by the pre-tensioned springs.

Before I go back and disembowel the chimps at the exhaust centre, is this the new way to fit exhausts to BX's now - or will the pipe develop a stress fracture in due course? I know the car feels harsher then when I took it in this morning..........

[JayW]

Now I was under the impression that the exhaust on these cars was supposed to flex at this joint, and the asbestos ring was there as a mechanically flexible gas seal which was held in compression by the pre-tensioned springs.

That is ABSOLUTELY correct. It has been bodged without a shadow of a doubt, probably for 1 (or any combination) of 3 reasons:

1. They didn't get the fitting kit

2. Access to the top of one of the 2 bolts can be awkward (not that it's rocket-science).
3. They've gas-axed one of the manifold flange-lugs off (seen it done before)

If it's no. 1 above i'd check if you were invoiced for the kit. If you were, take the car back and demand they rectify it properly and refund you in full for the downpipe for bodging it and wasting your time or you will report it to their head office.

Oh, and get photo's... good ones. And the name of the fitter.

No matter the reason, they HAVE to rectify it.

[mat_fenwick]

All I can say is "Noooooooooooooooooooo!" Surely you know better than to entrust your car to one of these places?

I swore I would never take a car back to Kwik Fit after I saw their skill level and the amount of car they lavished on my pride and joy. Only to return after buying a car just fitted with a full system by them as it was leaking. Tried to use their 3 year guarantee, only to discover that it remained with the previous owner (I should point out that for £20 more than he'd spent on the system I could have bought a full stainless system, including 2 manifolds). They kindly offered to "Have a look" and when I returned there was no leak. Unfortunately there was 20 miles later, and it turned out their 'repair consisted of smothering the outside of the joint with exhaust paste. The real cause of the leak was them trying to assemble the system without an olive in-between the two flanges, and deeming paste as an acceptable substitute. The rest of the system lasted 7k miles before welded repairs were needed...

Anyway, rant over - I'm certain that is why the sprung joint is there also, and have never resorted to using paste on it, with no problems.

[ken newbold]

quote :-I had to gently point out that the tailpipe was supposed to have a gap between it and the fibreglass rear skirt, unquote.

That doesn't sound like you at all Bob

The jointing kit is a good idea but not absolutely necessary, the old one could most likely have been re-used.
Getting the two 10mm nuts off the joint is always the worst part of changing the exhaust, but I just look on it as one of the joys of BX ownership
By the time you've finished dealing with these monkeys, you'll wish you'd have tackled it yourself.
Lesson learned me thinks

[Linegeist]

quote :-I had to gently point out that the tailpipe was supposed to have a gap between it and the fibreglass rear skirt, unquote.

That doesn't sound like you at all Bob

What ............... me??? (':- Ken! How could you .... ????

Au seriousement - thanks for the confirmation gents. I've just had an interesting telephone call with the 'Centre Manager' (presumably a higher order of primate) who happily informed me "We always fit them like that!" (but in a Welsh accent, you understand...). This time I wasn't so gentle ...............

The result is I'm going back on Saturday morning at 1000hrs for them to do the job properly.

What time d'you wake up Mat?

[scarecrow]

Only been to KwikFit once - they smashed a brake drum off of one of my old cars with a lump hammer... Edit: I neglected to mention having not released the handbrake completely

There's an old backstreet exhaust centre in Maidstone that is dirt cheap and has always done me proud, but I wouldn't let them near my downpipe with their big, rough, greasy hands and their backstreet ways

[citronut]

also it must NOT have an asbestos ring, as these are the cheapo type, the crap exhaust centres fit as its cheaper than the correct wovan wire cone shaped sealing ring,


the fibre/asbestos type might last all of a week or two if your lucky, before it crubbles/disintergrates,


regards malcolm

[Tim Leech]

Why is these autocentres are always staffed by monkeys, I made the mistake once of taking my beloved Sd1 to a Kwik Fit for a complete exhaust, they snapped one of the manfiold to downpipe fixings studs (when they undid it with a airgun I expect), and then refused all knowlegde of it saying (it was already like that). My lovely V8 burble now sounded like a tractor and far worse thane before it went in.

I ended up purchasing a used manifold myself and fitted it.

I complained to Kwik Fit HQ who did fuck all in teh end even after promising the world. I would NEVER go anywhere near their likes again.

[rayfenwick]

If I win the lottery I shall open a proper Citroen garage, staffed by experienced Citroen trained mechanics. I am terrified of entrusting one of my cars to Kwik-Fit et al.

[Defender110]

Why is these autocentres are always staffed by monkeys,

pay peanuts get..........!

[MULLEY]

I didn't even think that they were that cheap tbh

[Defender110]

They are not cheap but the wages they are willing to pay are, they pay borderline minimum wage and will not pay for qualified mechanics, from unemployed to quick fit fitter in one days induction.

[citronut]

monkeys are very inteligent so these exhaust centrer's would be better off employing a few,


regards malcolm

[Linegeist]

They must be paying them something to charge eighty quid for (improperly) fitting a front pipe................ (minus fitting kit)!

I've found the same pipe on the internet retailing for around £30, and the job should take less than an hour.

[BX Meteor]

Never needed to replace a downpipe, but I've replaced the gasket kit between manifold and downpipe twice on two different BX's. It can be difficult to do without taking the downpipe off, but it can be done, and IMO is worth the trouble to do oneself. If the downpipe needs replacing, then the gasket kit should be easy at the same time. The only reason I can think why they have left it off is like JayW says, probably damaged one of the flanges, and then it's going to be diffiuclt to prove they damaged it.