Front downpipe bracket/heat-shield

Looking at the photos below - is this the correct method of supporting the front downpipe from the engine block????  I can't see anything resembling this bracket arrangement on the parts list??

Secondly, should there be any heat-shields on the downpipe as shown in the parts list image below.








 

My configuration is the bottom one. Item 26, I do not have item 37, mine is not a GTI.

Looks like you might have a bracket now on a GTI. items 8 & 11. Might depend on the engine code / country?

If you have a Single Down pipe with the toilet bowel flange and spring clips, there wasn't a heat shield or lower brace on the thing at least not my 81 Golf Diesel LS.

There wasn't a lower brace on my 90's 92, 93 Cabriolets that had the single down with the bolted flange at the top.

IIRC I took a Dual Down off a Scirocco, but there was a bracket bung welded to it.



With that said, do you need it?  Probably not, if you have the flexure mount at the top flange as in the above picture of a Dual down off a mk2.

If you buy a TT Tuning SS dial down there isn't a brace needed or a bung for one on that either.

The Original Scirocco Dual Down was braced at the bottom, and the flexure was bolted from the end of the dual down to the CAT or REsonator.

Without this flexure point you will be cracking your pipes
or joints as the engine torque and bumps will weaken them.

I have even seen that headers bolted to the engine without a flexure will crack the pipes there as well.

Heat shields are required to keep the heat off of Power Steering Racks and CV joint Boots.  

You can either weld a wrap of steel, or use hose clamps and clamp them to the pipes which is what I did on my TT Tuning Pipe.

Or you can wrap the pipes in heat tape, (which isn't any better at shielding heat than a piece of tin, and well is more costly.).



Yes I have 2 Autos.

If you don't shield them they will heat distort the Flexure of the CV, and Grease will leak out.

They will melt the seals of the power steering rack causing it to leak as well….  

Thanks for the info Briano.

Not sure how I manager to get the same thread on twice (!) but there you go.

I am puzzled as I have a twin downpipe with bolted manifold joint as in the top diagram.