Kia Forte: Intake And Exhaust System / Muffler

Disconnect the battery negative terminal.

Disconnect the rear oxygen sensor connector (A).

Remove the front muffler hanger (A).

Remove the front muffler (B).

Detach the rubber hanger (A) from the catalytic converter & center muffler.

Remove the catalytic converter & center muffler (B).

Install in the reverse order of removal.

Detach the rubber hanger (A) from rear muffler.

Remove the rear muffler (B).

Install in the reverse order of removal.

Check that the clamping part of the center muffler assembly is damaged or deformed. If the muffler is too corroded to clamp, replace the center muffler assembly.

Record the gap (A, B) between the tail pipe (or tail trim) and the rear bumper.

Detach the rubber hanger (A) from the catalytic converter & center muffler.

Remove the catalytic converter & center muffler (B).

Remove the heat protector (A).

Cut the center muffler as the instruction below.

[Replacement muffler]

• To prevent a leak, remove the rust on the clamping part or the burr on the cutting part. • Cut the pipe vertically.

• Pipe cutter available to cut the pipe vertically. • Use a hacksaw as the procedure below, if a pipe cutter is unavailable. 1) Mark the cutting position to cut the pipe vertically. 2) Cut the pipe along the marking line by using hacksaw.

Install the center muffler.

(1)	Install the catalytic converter (A) and the center muffler (B) for replacement by tightening the nuts lightly, not completely. When installing the muffler, replace the gasket with new one.

(4)

Compare the gap between the tail pipe (or tail trim) and the rear bumper with the record measured before removing the center muffler assembly. If the tail pipe is installed differently compared to the initial position, the bumper might be damaged by the pipe heat or interfere between the tail pipe and the rear bumper.

(5)	Do not tighten the clamp at a time. Tighten the clamp nuts to the specified torque, by turns. Tightening torque : 17.6 - 23.5 N·m (1.8 - 2.4 kgf·m, 13.0 - 17.4lb·ft) Do not reuse the clamp that was tightened completely. It may cause leak to reuse the clamp that was tightened completely.