How to remove actuator arm from exhaust flapper?
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For kicks today, I manually opened the flapper on the muffler while the car was idling....and man, what a difference it made in exhaust tone. Quite a bit deeper with exhaust coming out both tips vs one tip when the flapper is closed.
My question........I would like to pop the actuator arm free from the flapper, so I can test drive it and see how it sounds while driving with both ports open, but i don't see a way to pop the rivot off without making it permanent. With turbo wastegate actuators that i've messed with, there is a c clip that holds the rivot in place, which just slides out, then the rivot pulls out. Worst case is I grind out the rivot, and if i want to re-connect the actuator arm to the flapper I can hold it together with wire maybe.
My question........I would like to pop the actuator arm free from the flapper, so I can test drive it and see how it sounds while driving with both ports open, but i don't see a way to pop the rivot off without making it permanent. With turbo wastegate actuators that i've messed with, there is a c clip that holds the rivot in place, which just slides out, then the rivot pulls out. Worst case is I grind out the rivot, and if i want to re-connect the actuator arm to the flapper I can hold it together with wire maybe.
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Originally Posted by ktlocklear' post='824682' date='Mar 23 2009, 03:42 PM
For kicks today, I manually opened the flapper on the muffler while the car was idling....and man, what a difference it made in exhaust tone. Quite a bit deeper with exhaust coming out both tips vs one tip when the flapper is closed.
My question........I would like to pop the acuator arm free from the flapper, so I can test drive it and see how it sounds while driving with both ports open, but i don't see a way to pop the rivot off without making it permanent. With turbo wastegate acuators that i've messed with, there is a c clip that holds the rivot in place, which just slides out, then the rivot pulls out. Worst case is I grind out the rivot, and if i want to re-connect the actuator arm to the flapper I can hold it together with wire maybe.
My question........I would like to pop the acuator arm free from the flapper, so I can test drive it and see how it sounds while driving with both ports open, but i don't see a way to pop the rivot off without making it permanent. With turbo wastegate acuators that i've messed with, there is a c clip that holds the rivot in place, which just slides out, then the rivot pulls out. Worst case is I grind out the rivot, and if i want to re-connect the actuator arm to the flapper I can hold it together with wire maybe.
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Originally Posted by 545felix' post='824686' date='Mar 23 2009, 02:47 PM
I used an s-hook with some mild success, but in the end I just had it welded open for $10.
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Originally Posted by ADD' post='824720' date='Mar 23 2009, 03:20 PM
It is vacuum operated. I noticed a thread around where a guy put a clamp on the vacuum line to hold it open.
Easy.
Easy.
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Originally Posted by ktlocklear' post='824692' date='Mar 23 2009, 03:51 PM
Hmm, interesting. Did they just leave the actuator arm intact, then weld the flapper open? How is the sound while driving?
of course, I replaced the whole thing with an eisenmann about 4 months after that.
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I got it.....
I just grinded down the rivot, until I could pop it loose, then held the flapper in the open position by connecting a zip tie from the hole in the flapper arm to the hole in the actuator bracket. Took like 8 minutes.
I know it will only make a difference in sound while idling, and cruising.....but it will do for the time being until I can replace the catback. I can snap some pics if anyone likes.....
Thanks for the help Felix
I just grinded down the rivot, until I could pop it loose, then held the flapper in the open position by connecting a zip tie from the hole in the flapper arm to the hole in the actuator bracket. Took like 8 minutes.
I know it will only make a difference in sound while idling, and cruising.....but it will do for the time being until I can replace the catback. I can snap some pics if anyone likes.....
Thanks for the help Felix
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