My new Manta exhaust doesnt fit... question.

[Chargin]

Took delivery finally today of my new Manta exhaust, pulled all the old exhaust off and went to fit the front pipes to the cats and realised something is not right.
the old system has flares on the front and the Manta has flanges, a flange cant seat to a flare, the supplied exhaust gaskets dont even fit over the male flare part.

I called Manta and they dont want to know, I cant get hold of the seller. Hes a forum regular and Im sure we will sort this out when he answers his phone. Im just posting because Im walking around the house fuming about not having my new exhaust!

So can anyone explain whats going on here? It says VE on the stickers, (mine is a VF SSV redline sedan) I think the VE is basically identical, exhaust wise, no?

(As I said I will sort this out with the seller, but Im keen to know what the deal is)

 

[Flukey]

I think Redline is different, but that's only from reading stuff here.

 

[Davison]

Some VF V8 models have the usual flanges, Redlines from what I've seen have the clamp style fitting (although it might be all manuals too, not sure). Either way the parts are wrong. When they sold you a VF system, they should have asked which fitting the car had because there's a 50/50 chance it would be wrong.

 

[Commo Baba]

Mate ...I have restrained myself from expressing my frustration fully on here in a similar situation that you describe.

Process was not smooth.

With help of local mech (I'm too crook to do stuff) the outcome is good.

 

[Chargin]

The seller says the cat flange has a "gasket" that needs removing. I dont think this is correct, heres what Im seeing at the back of the cat, theres no way I can see to get that protruding part off this flange.... Its not what I would call a gasket either.

 

[Dirbatua]

Yea it comes off, use a hammer and a chisel/screwdriver to get behind it and pop it off

 

[Smitty]

.. AFAIK all VF V8s has the 'ball clamp' style exhaust joint
but VE (cept HSV I think) was flanges.. well certainly the 4 VE SSv's I had
were the flat flange type (inc both SII one)

the sticker says VE.. and that says it all to me

 

[Jayd3n]

Its definitely a gasket that pops off. hHad the same problem with my sv6 when I changed the exhaust. Just use a screwdriver or something similar to pop the gasket off.

 

[Davison]

.. AFAIK all VF V8s has the 'ball clamp' style exhaust joint
but VE (cept HSV I think) was flanges.. well certainly the 4 VE SSv's I had
were the flat flange type (inc both SII one)

the sticker says VE.. and that says it all to me

There's a mix of flange and clamp in the VF V8 range, not sure why Holden run two different exhausts but they do. One of the theories going around was that the auto had slightly different mufflers due to AFM.

 

[duaned]

In the VF range, only the redline has the ball flange joints. All models below this have the flange type. Not really sure why though.