Rusty Exhaust Solution?

[VAN with a PLAN]

Hi

New to the forum, have just posted an introducton in the general chat section.

I have been reading with great interest the various posts about the exhaust options available. Our DG (early type) was blowing from at least two of the cylinder head flanges and also from both silencer flanges, we have been driving her like this since we bought her last summer but as you can imagine she was loud!

Externally the exhaust looked rusty but sound. I didn't like the idea of putting on a new mild steel system and running the risk of possibly having to cut it off again should I need to do any head work etc. in the future. A stainless system was a lovely idea but in no way affordable!

Not being one for being told I can't do something, I had a ruddy good go a splitting the slip joints between the front and rear pipes - no chance

After a bit of head scratching I came up with a solution, but did not know if it would work until I had the exaust off the van and in my hands. Out came the angle grinder fitted with a 1mm cutting disk and a few minutes later the exhast was in pieces at my feet. The gaskets were dust!

I had been lucky enough to be able to free off all the nuts. The beauty of having a project and not needing to get it ready for work on Monday morning is you can take your time, be patient and walk away if you start losing your rag with a stubborn fixing - the patience paid off this time

With the exaust out in daylight it looked good, the flanges cleaned up well and these exhausts are the beefiest I have ever come accross - perfect for what I had in mind!

A twist knot brush on a grinder had the inch or so from each cut end gleaming like new.

A very frustrating month of being constantly let down by my local exhasut centre left me with no option but to make the flanges I needed myself. I have the luxury of having access to a bandsaw and a nice big, slow pillar drill. A couple of lunch hours saw me with four flanges that looked so good no one would believe I had made them myself

Enough waffling, hopefully the following pictures will explain the process. I have ended up with my original exahust back on the car, leak free and easily removable. Stainless studs and nuts wherever possible pushed the total budget up to almost £20! Having already cut off the exhaust, removed as many studs as I could to replace with stainless ones, and made the flanges, the welding and refitting took about 6 hours.

Hand made flanges welded in place (tacked while bolted up to block and silencer, fully welded once back off):










Take care to cut and weld in locations that will allow spanner access once in place:








Bolted up, easily removable should the need arise:








I'm really pleased how this has turned out, and the transformation to the sound and feel of the van is amazing.

[Red Westie]

Hats off to you mate....a thing of beauty to be sure....

You can come around to mine if you like, replace my rusty pipe lol.

Martin

[CovKid]

If when the silencer box finally gives up, you might like to consider the Kawawagen mod which works great on early systems:

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Exhausts_Custom" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Although the pipework is steel, the box itself is stainless, outlives a stock box, and much easier to remove if needed.It works really well and I found I had a considerable power increase as a result.

[Hacksawbob]

Looking good, I would go for bolts onto the head myself, stainless should hold out. Tungsten if you can afford it is good, about £30 for the set (of 8 ) from memory. Also use Duralac or similar to prevent bi-metalic corrosion with the alloy head . With bolts onto head you can drop the system as a whole without splitting it.

[VAN with a PLAN]

CovKid - I have read your wiki on using the type 4 manifolds and a bike silencer - I like the idea a lot.
How much louder than standard is it when underway? - I am loving the quietness of the standard system at the mo, previously was very loud in the cabin!

Hacksawbob - I wanted to use bolts but didn't for two reasons. I didn't manage to remove all of the studs and I was worried that bolts might seize in the heads as my original studs had done and I would be screwed! I had not come accross Duralac before looks like useful stuff. I did however use plenty of copper grease.

Red Westie - If I ever reach the point where there's nothing left to do on the van, or the cars, or the house, or the garden....etc. you can consider yourself top of the list for charitable DIY!

[CovKid]

Very quiet. Not enough to make a pensioner frown or chav swoon with envy. Just a quiet rumble I guess. Can't hear it at idle and only marginally when accelerating. I ought to do a recent video of it really as this was seconds after I'd fitted it and it doesn't sound as loud as it does on video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8bvi6VuJS0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lot of people like the sound of it. Very understated and nothing remotely like one of those cherry-bomb affairs which frankly annoy me. Cheap too - often come up for about £25-£30. If I went to stainless pipes I'd still fit that box -suits it perfectly. Have an offer on a pair of almost brand new ones recently (200 miles on the bike max)- sorely tempted. You could run with or without baffles I guess

MOT guy thought it was really neat and inoffensive.

This, on the other hand, is taking the pee....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJcKyA5duiE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;