Exhaust-decision time

[kentishvanman]

Hi,
Are the later type of exhausts more efficient or have any advantages over the early type.
I have a 1.9 DG of 1988 vintage, running on lpg, that has an early type exhaust system fitted. It has been on there for the last 10 years and has never caused any problems that I know of.
Now the silencer has a hole in it and has to be replaced.
So replace with early or late system, maybe stainless?
Grateful for your thoughts.
Don

[jamesandtheopenroad]

Hey. I too have a 1.9 DG running on lpg. When I bought her, she had a late exhaust but I've recently replaced with an early stainless steel from VW Speedshop (actually a non-used second hand from a member on here) and so far so good. Think they are about £430 new.

[kevtherev]

Hi,
Are the later type of exhausts more efficient or have any advantages over the early type.

I went from early type to late, with mixed results.
You can choose which is an improvement.

The later type was very quiet and muted the engine noise a lot
The later type required silencer saddles and some modification to the heat shield on the silencer to fit.
The earlier type was a lot cheaper.
They early type makes a proper VW sound
Early type is very simple and easy to remove
The later type has interchangeable parts (stainless-steel)
Neither affected the engine performance (noticeably)

[Mickyfin]

Thanks for the advice there Kev mate, as I plan on replacing my exhaust at some point too, same 1.9DG, mine has the late type fitted I think, is quiet, and ok thus far, but showing its age, I believe its the original exhaust, so been on there for 19 years now apart from the end pipe which was replaced this year.

[Ian Hulley]

There are 2 ways to go : either save up and replace the lot in one ... being prepared for untold unpleasantness in the snapped stud department OR swap out the parts that are worse as they start to go for the stainless sytem from Brickwerks which is interchangeable with a standard late system. Either way given the HORRENDOUS price the crap mild steel systems from GSF/Just Krappers are stainless is definately the way forward.

Ian

[Mickyfin]

Thats what I indent on doing Ian, saving up for a complete stainless system seeing as our Syncro is a keeper.

[CovKid]

In case you missed it, if you do have the early system, you can buy more time fairly cheaply going this route: https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Exhausts_Custom

[shepster]

In case you missed it, if you do have the early system, you can buy more time fairly cheaply going this route: https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Exhausts_Custom

If you don't mind hacking half your rear valance away!

[AngeloEvs]

I am in the same situation. My van will need the entire exhaust system replacing, the local garage has done a temporary weld repair to satisfy the MOT. It wont last and the mechanic advised me that the engine may have to be dropped due to the condition of the nuts and studs (there is nothing left of the nuts to grab hold of where the flanges meet the heads).

Mulling over which system to go for and, if the engine does have to come out, what else to replace while its out. Its done 106,000 miles and runs fine but knowing my luck (and Murphys law!) three months down the line a head gasket will probably blow! I had better start saving but this will be my first major outlay on the van since owning it other than for the LPG conversion, various eyecandy accessories and consumables like tyres, starter motor, oil change, etc.

[waltraud]

I have an 83 Joker with late system in stainless from Brickwrks.
I replaced it myself and thought carefully about it all.
If i were to do it again I might be tempted by Turbo Thoma's early sytem simply because it is a bit cheaper and definately a simpler design with efectively two J tubes and a big silencer.

To do the job like many others I suggest you pepae a week in advance by soaking the old studs every night in plus gas and giving them a careful wire brush to get the crap off them. Some of the nuts will also be rusted if not have lost their shape by now, vry importan to get a good fitting spanner on them and turn them a bit by bit, possibly tightening a bit first if needed. I'd also suggest that if you hav a dremel ir similar to have it on standby to cut through a couple of stubbourn nuts if necessary but being careful not to cut into studs. If the studs come out as well all the better as you can replace but if like mine they ae ok then i would thanks your lucky stars and carefully fit the new system and some decent self locking stud nuts like the ones which look almost ovel shaped inside.

I used the Brickwerks manifolds and kept my old mild steel muffler to keep costs down. The great thing about the Brickwerks kit is that you can fit whatever bits of it that you can aford as it is just the same as the original pipes and mine has provd the test of time well. The early system does look less overengineered though and I like its old school appearance a bit lik a Type1/2 .Tim

[ianirp]

Thanks for your thread, i know this obviously isnt a useful reply, but just a confirmation that you are not alone!! I was going to write a query, and to be honest if i had written a thread, i would have written it identical to 'Kentishvanman'. My scenario is identical, but with probably a bit more naivity involved. My initial confusion arose because i have an 89 1.9 petrol with LPG and a DG engine, but on sourcing a new exhaust suddenly realised that mine was fitted with the older pre 85 type exhaust. This then led me to think the engine might have been changed at some point, because i didnt know whether the pre 86 and post 86 type oof exhaust system were interchangeable, but looking back through the vehicle history there is thankfully no sign an engine change.

Naively, can you just confirm that there are no problems in chosing and fitting a type different to the one that was originally on the vehicle. I too was looking at the stainless steel 86 onwards exhaust, mainly because prior to looking under the vehicle properly, on googling the age of the vehicle etc, this was the style of exhaust it came up with. but then after poking underneath was unsure why the vehicle would have the older style exhaust on it now?. Would there be any reason, apart from a change choice in the past, why an 89 T25 would have the old type of exhaust system on?. Also, how much extra adapting/ work/ setting up is required if changing to the newer type?

I am also a bit weary about the state of some of the bolts, but hopefully it wont mean an engine out job, otherwise i think i might be spending the rest of the year in a 'kangaroo court' explaining why we should not sell our camper, seeing as we have just had to replace the gearbox too!!

I apologise that i am maybe re addressing some already mentioned aspects of the thread, but maybe someone would be kind enough to pamper to my naivity on this issue and help me with my queries.


Thanks in anticipation

Ian

[Cruz]

Just to throw in for the future that Brickwerks have had early tubes made in stainless that they are going to be testing. No updates since it was announced

http://brickwerks.wordpress.com/2011/07 ... e-exhaust/

[kentishvanman]

Hi,
Update since I first raised the issue.
From info gleaned, here and elsewhere, there does not seem to be any advantage between early and late systems.
The early system is less complex and importantly for many-cheaper.
As far as I know my 1988 wagon has had one change of exhaust, by the previous owner, about 12 years ago when I bought it. I don't know if it left the factory with the later type of exhaust or the early one but it has had the early type on it since I have owned it and has not caused any problems until now. So my conclusion was that the early system has worked fine so I will keep it. If it had the later type system I might even have replaced it with the early one. Who knows?
At present it is only the box that is duff. I hacksawed the nuts off, four from below, two from above, took about an hour, Plusgas didn't work. I have a new stainless from Bluebird to fit. I opted for the twin outlet one. Ordered one day and arrived the next complete with gaskets and bolts--lifetime warranty- £325 incl p&p. I will use copper based grease on bolts cos I'm sure the rest of the system will need to be replaced sometime.
Thats my my findings/update. Perhaps I've got it wrong. We shall see.
Hope this helps someone.
Don

[waltraud]

Good choice, that bluebird box looks top and their gear is well made, even when u need j pipes they can't be that dear, hope she sounds nice, these things tend to be subjective and quite personal I think. Tim

[kevtherev]

I don't know if it left the factory with the later type of exhaust or the early one If it had the later type system I might even have replaced it with the early one. Who knows?

easy to tell...
you would have a different cast engine mount above the mounting bar, which would have had silencer saddle mounting holes.. and the silencer shroud would have cutaways for these saddles.
I would torque the exhaust bolt on too then you can be sure of the right and even pressure on the gasket