Changing cats / y-pipe (P38)

I have a P38 V8 2002 and want to change the exhaust system. I was hoping to avoid changing the y-pipe but there is a bad leak from the join with the silencer.

I read on google that some people had managed to do this without removing the cross member supporting the transmission. Looking at it I can't see how it can be done .... has anyone managed this ?

If not could anyone advise exactly where and how to support the transmission when the cross member is removed. Is everything the cross member supports held to the chassis or is the cross member the only support? I really want to avoid any disasters with anything crashing out to the ground!!

Cheers for any advice

Depends on what CAT you buy. Some have a joint in the middle so left & right can be separated, but crossmember is easy to remove as long as you support the gearbox & transfer box. Some CATs have a separate y-joint. They also vary in length & O2 sensor hole size, so make sure you get the right one !!

Thanks @pwood999. I will be careful which one I buy ! When it comes to supporting the gearbox and transfer box how would I do that with a normal jack? Specifically where exactly would I place it , e.g. in front of or behind the crossmember? I assume I need to place wood between the jack and gearbox but does it need to be a certain length to support ? Do I need to do it prior to removing the crossmember or straight away afterwards ? Apologies if these are numpty queries but not done this before!

Thanks again

It's all in RAVE workshop manual (I presume you have already downloaded it, but if not you need to do it ??). If doing the job on axle stands, then just use the jack on the gearbox to take the weight. . . . i.e. no need for two jacks.

Thanks again that’s fantastic. Do you have a link to where I can download Rave as have tried what feels like like a thousand links which are either extinct or don’t work? Really appreciate the help.

AndyF07 said:

Thanks again that’s fantastic. Do you have a link to where I can download Rave as have tried what feels like like a thousand links which are either extinct or don’t work? Really appreciate the help.

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