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I have been searching for the answer to this question but have found nothing.
I recently installed Empi J tubes and noticed that the right side is shorter by 3/4". I have another pair and one is also shorter. The right side barely makes it into the muffler (which is stock). Why is the right side shorter? This is the kind of stuff that keeps me awake at night!

Hi ProctorSilex,

The tubes are different lengths because the cylinders are staggered side to side and one head, cyls 3 and 4, is positioned more to the rear of the car than 1 & 2.

Since the stock muffler needed to set "straight" and not crooked, the left and right heater boxes and J-pipes are not the same length.

The only other explanation is EMPI used different grades of steel for 50% of their J-tubes and they all shrank.

FJC

Thanks, FJC, that certainly makes sense and I did not even think about that! However, Empi sure screwed up their measurement of the right side! It barely makes it into the muffler whereas the left side goes in far enough to feel secure. Maybe it's the cylinder offsets combined with some odd ball aftermarket muffler standard. I presumed that the J tubes were meant to fit with the stock muffler, but there's so much crazy crap out there. The stock muffler I am using is used though. Maybe it is warped.

What happens if you swap them, or can you?

Can not swap because they will be at a different angle (rotates about 45 degrees) because the exhaust studs are angled.

ProctorSilex wrote:Can not swap because they will be at a different angle (rotates about 45 degrees) because the exhaust studs are angled.

I thought of that as I was typing.

You could always extend the short one with a sleeve in the middle section.

ps2375 wrote:You could always extend the short one with a sleeve in the middle section.

Sounds like the way to go, but not for this particular nightmare piece of crap engine. Thanks.