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Thinking about buying the invidia catback exhaust. I read on the forums some ppl getting a cel after install. Im gonna have a shop do it but has anyone had this issue? Or anything i should let the shop know about before install?
It is an installation issue or probably gasket issue. Mine has been on for 3 months and never any CEL. I picked a very well reputed exhaust shop to do the work. Just perfect driving every time.
It is an installation issue or probably gasket issue. Mine has been on for 3 months and never any CEL. I picked a very well reputed exhaust shop to do the work. Just perfect driving every time.
Good to know. Is it just a direct bolt on like any other exhaust? Anything i need to remove from the stock exhaust to put on the new exhaust?
Direct bolt on. Fairly easy install. I did mine myself. Make sure to put some anti-seize grease on the threads of your O2 sensors when you reinstall them.
I had an intermittent CEL issue (P0420/P0430) a few months after having my invidia exhaust installed. My advice is to not use the gaskets that invidia provides for the catalytic converter to midpipe joint, they are crap (2-bolt, 3" gaskets are what I got). Do yourself a favor and buy a new set of OEM gaskets, part number 90917-06070. The OEM gaskets are crush gaskets that sit in the groove on the catalytic converter flange side. The gaskets from invidia do not sit in this groove and just seal at the flange faces. I believe that's why they eventually leak. CEL never came back since changing to OEM gaskets. I would also recommend re-using the OEM fasteners, or buying a new set for this joint. The self locking nuts (serrated type) that I got from invidia weren't very self locking, they backed themselves off a few days after they were installed. I ended up buying a new OEM set, part numbers 90105-10590 (bolt) and 90177-10007 (self locking nut). No problems with the OEM self locking nuts. This was my experience anyway, hope this helps future invidia owners avoid the trouble I went through. Still love this exhaust, though, it looks and sounds great!
I believe, the exhaust shop put OEM gaskets for my install, which is why I have had ZERO issues with my Invidia. Also, the Invidia front and back gaskets are slightly different in size (despite looking almost the same). If you put the front one's in the back and the back one's in the front, it causes leak.
If you use the OEM gaskets with the Invidia exhaust, I would almost guarantee a CEL and exhaust leak. The OEM gaskets fit into a groove and the Invidia exhaust does not have a groove. The OEM gaskets are crush gaskets that sit in the groove on the catalytic converter flange side. I purchased new OEM gaskets based on a post I read, but did not use them. The gaskets that came with the Invidia are flat and there are different size gaskets for the header and midpipe. I installed the exhaust myself over a year ago and have had no issues with CEL. I love this exhaust. Not too loud, but you know it's a V8.
Invidia Gasket
OEM Gasket
Yes...continually with cel's for leaks at cat. Lexus has had car 2 times in thelast 3 weeks. The most recen fix lasted 1 day.
Dagored
Replied to you on the other thread. We need more details what gaskets did you use etc...
If you use the OEM gaskets or the invidia supplied gaskets that's your problem. Despite what anyone says or what you read you should not be using OEM crush gaskets for the invidia exhaust.
Look at the Grimm speed double thickness or 12 layer 3 in stainless steel gaskets. Also make sure your '02 wires aren't completely twisted mess.
Hello,
Thanks for the response. When I bought the car I had no idea, in this day and age, that a manufacturer (invidia) would not be sophisticated enough, to have a simple adapter flange going from 2.75 to their 3" ss pipe. . And if Invidia took a few minutes to make a flange that accomodated the stock OWEM gasket on 1 side and the flat 3 " Invidia surface on the reverse side, this would never be a problem on any of their retrofits. Now my assumption is this leak is happening between the cat and the connection of the Invidia header pipe.
The 1st time Lexus repaired the leak, it was on the R side. They used the conical crush type OEM gasket which solved the problem. Then the other (L) side started leaking 3 weeks later. For some reason Lexus decided to replace both sides with what they're calling, "High performance exhaust gaskets". This lasted 1 day before my CEL lit up.
There was a gentleman that posted a solution to the problem which I can't find. Based on his suggestion I bought all these gaskets (Vibrant 1458 - 3" id, which you use with Vibrant 1465 - 2.75"id). Then another suggestion was the Grimm Speed 022001 which is 3" used on a Subaru. Lastly there's the Walker 31384 ring gasket which fits into the 2.75 stock flange and mates with the other I listed. If I could get a picture of what the OEM flange looked like and assuming the Invidia side is just a flat flange with a 3" pipe, I'd have an adaptor flange C and C's to permanently solve the problem.
What a frickin mess. I'm getting close to giving the RC F the heave ho and get something else.
DR4
Hello,
Thanks for the response. When I bought the car I had no idea, in this day and age, that a manufacturer (invidia) would not be sophisticated enough, to have a simple adapter flange going from 2.75 to their 3" ss pipe. . And if Invidia took a few minutes to make a flange that accomodated the stock OWEM gasket on 1 side and the flat 3 " Invidia surface on the reverse side, this would never be a problem on any of their retrofits. Now my assumption is this leak is happening between the cat and the connection of the Invidia header pipe.
The 1st time Lexus repaired the leak, it was on the R side. They used the conical crush type OEM gasket which solved the problem. Then the other (L) side started leaking 3 weeks later. For some reason Lexus decided to replace both sides with what they're calling, "High performance exhaust gaskets". This lasted 1 day before my CEL lit up.
There was a gentleman that posted a solution to the problem which I can't find. Based on his suggestion I bought all these gaskets (Vibrant 1458 - 3" id, which you use with Vibrant 1465 - 2.75"id). Then another suggestion was the Grimm Speed 022001 which is 3" used on a Subaru. Lastly there's the Walker 31384 ring gasket which fits into the 2.75 stock flange and mates with the other I listed. If I could get a picture of what the OEM flange looked like and assuming the Invidia side is just a flat flange with a 3" pipe, I'd have an adaptor flange C and C's to permanently solve the problem.
What a frickin mess. I'm getting close to giving the RC F the heave ho and get something else.
DR4
Understandable. Honestly get the grimmspeed gaskets and you'll be fine with leaks or cels.
Everyone that used the used the grimmspeed gaskets including myself have not had any issues.
I'm the one that actually recommended them in the beginning because I kept reading people having issues with cels and leaking.
Being from the subie world it's a known issue to have a downpipe gasket leak. Their gasket completely fixed that and I figured why not try it in our application.
There are actually many manufacturers that use the same flange that does not have the recessed area for the OEM crush gasket. It's annoying they they don't spend the extra time then charge more to be able to bolt it on and go... Completely agree, it's annoying AF.
This is not a bad exhaust... It's just a little thing with the gaskets and flange.
Once you change them they'll be fine so long the place you have it installed doesn't do a half assed job... I don't like others touching anything I own.. So I do it myself knowing it's done right.
I helped a fellow member install his Invidia a year ago. We used the same Grimm speed gaskets. Zero issues to date. No leaks no check engine lights no problems. It's on how doing a proper install that matters.
Hi Nigel,
So just the 3" grimm speed gaskets at the location aft of the cats where the OEM 2.5" (or is it 2.75") is connected to the 3" Invidia system? And that's it unless you get really motivated and add in some copper sealant.
Looks to be a pretty simple fix and if thi sfails again I'm goign to try and ge tmy $$ back from Lexus and do this myself.
Thanks again for all the help.
DR4.
Hi Nigel,
So just the 3" grimm speed gaskets at the location aft of the cats where the OEM 2.5" (or is it 2.75") is connected to the 3" Invidia system? And that's it unless you get really motivated and add in some copper sealant.
Looks to be a pretty simple fix and if thi sfails again I'm goign to try and ge tmy $$ back from Lexus and do this myself.
Thanks again for all the help.
DR4.
Yeppers, it's right at the mid pipe section at the front of the engine right after the headers. You will be using the grimmspeed 3" s/s gasket there. Either the 7 layer (which is about the same thickness as the one supplied by invidia) or get the 12 layer gasket one (the ones I used). I went with the thicker gasket for two reasons. The exhaust moves and flexes, having something slightly thicker would help aid in that flex rather than something thinner that might eventually fail again. These are superior to the fiber gaskets so you can't go wrong with them... there is a reason they are almost $30 a piece (which is a lot for a gasket)., and two.. I've used these on my Subaru STi. They've been on the car for years, zero issues and zero leaks. My picture above where you see the copper sealant around the flange is where these gaskets will go. My advice... if you are removing the gaskets bolts to that section you might as well use some copper sealant for good measure. It's not going to hurt anything and will give you a little piece of mind. For a $8 tube of it, my thinking was why wouldn't I use it.
I would 100% do it yourself. This is not a hard job by any stretch of the imagination. If you have ramps/rack stands/a lift... it's not difficult. You don't even have to remove everything.. Just remove the front 4 bolts, (you might have to loose the rear midpipe bolt ) but take the old gaskets out which will probably be burned (which iis an inidcation you clearly had an exhaust leak) put the new gaskets in with some sealant (I coated both sides), then good measure I did around the flange which will probably get burned off after a while.. Don't fully tighten the mid pipe bolts to the headers just yet.. make it snug, then once the sealant has time to set up, torque the bolts accordingly. Drive and enjoy no more CELs...lol
07-09-19, 03:39 PM
Invidia exhaust throwing a CEL?
