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SSIs are on...


Northy

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OK, managed to sneak off for this afternoon and get stuck into the car.

 

So... The SSIs are on and fit a treat. You need nimble fingers to get some of the washers onto the studs before the nuts and the rear most barrel nuts are a b*****d once they nip up. I think the SSI tin is slightly skew and it's difficult getting the allen tool to line up straight on them now. I'm going to need to get a thinner long allen key and get those two nipped up a bit tighter yet.

 

Anyhow, the real problem is that the tail pipes are too high to clear the rear bumper. The rear boxes are a push fit into the SSIs (which have been modified), so you need a bit of space at the back to slide it in (oooh-er).

 

I think the options are try taking the bumper off and fit it up, then re-fit the bumper or get the tips modified to come out lower down. Or chop the tips off and have new ones welded on that will clear the exhaust.

 

Image092.jpg

 

The exhaust came from an early car, and they must have more room back there.

 

If I am going to chop them off, should I do it, get it fitted and then take it to a place to have it measured up and new tips welded on or just take it somewhere now and best guess it... I think they need to come down about 2 or 3 inches to clear the bumper.

 

I also seem to have lost the woodruff key out of the alternator - what a helmet. It's a long shot but has anyone got a spare?

Edited by Northy
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Thanks mate. Measurements might be enough - I'll see if I can order one from the OPC tomorrow (and if they're going to pull my pants down over it).

 

Hi Northy,

Dont want to be a harbinger of doom, and all that,,,,, the woodruff key! It has not been a complete b'tard has it and dived for cover within the alternator, you know 'come in here its warm, I am sometimes magnetic' stunt.

Please tell me to go away, but I would hate to hear of you cranking her over to hear the nice exhausts the first time to be welcomed by the much more 'expensive' sound of the alternator parting company?????

Oh' the exhausts on mine are now excellent by the way - thanks.

Good luck,

 

Jammo. :mad jg:

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I cant see a woodruff key available on its own on PET!

 

If your rear box is from a pre impact bumper car the tips wont be in the correct place on an IB car, its a question of cutting and rewelding I would think (standard steel small tips can be heated and bent with a scaffold pole to fit!)

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I think the woodruff key comes as part of alternator 'service' kit. Last time I looked there were a couple of the kits somewhere in the stash. I'll have a look see.

 

Edit: feck, for once in my life I laid my hands on it within two minutes of looking. The part number on the kit is 928.603.904.00 and contains the woodruff key, nut and special washers. Want me to post it out?

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I think the woodruff key comes as part of alternator 'service' kit. Last time I looked there were a couple of the kits somewhere in the stash. I'll have a look see.

 

Edit: feck, for once in my life I laid my hands on it within two minutes of looking. The part number on the kit is 928.603.904.00 and contains the woodruff key, nut and special washers. Want me to post it out?

 

Yes please mate. You are a star.

 

Checking the alternator for it is a good call, make sure to do that even if buying the new bits.

 

Yeah I did a visual check, but it was getting dark so I couldn't see into the depths of the alternator. It's spinning freely, but I'll whip it back off and give it a shake first.

 

I have decided to cut the tips off the rear boxes and get them welded back on later.

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Think my mig is still hooked up to the stainless wire and gas - welcome to use it when you come to collect the duck :)

 

Good man. My welding isn't up to much though - what's yours like? I'm going to chop the tips off tomorrow and get it fitted up. I can then tack on the new tips into the right position and bring it up to be seamed up.

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Where is that backbox from mate? Can you take a few more photos for me?

 

Glad you're getting sorted, going to make Donny?

 

It was made by Prepfab and I understand it's one of their rally systems - I'll take some snaps before and after I hack it around a bit.

 

Not sure about Donny - lots to do before then mate.

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Lewis,

 

This place in St Albans, http://www.topgear.co.uk/acatalog/Exhausts_Systems.php, makes up custom exhaust systems. I used to work near their workshop and the stuff they did looked pretty good, lots of stainless stuff done.

 

I know it's a bit of a trek for you but they could put new ends on easily for you.

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OK, I managed to cut off the tail pipes and get the exhaust fitted up. It went on quite easily and is a good fit. It will sit nicely behind the valance and doesn't hang particularly low. The bottom of the main muffler is quite dented from it's Rally car past, but that should all be hidden from view.

 

Whilst I've been doing this I have also given the car a 12K mile service, so I cranked it for a while without the coil lead in to get the oil circulating. Coil lead back in, and boom - first turn of the key :)

 

First thing to notice is it's LOUD! I can't get it out of the garage at the mo as the wheels are off, but I measured it using my iphone decibel meter and it read 105db at idle! I'm hoping a lot of that is because it's inside a confined space. It was really boomy in there too, but that could also be down to the lack of tail pipes. It sounds a totally different tone to the old standard setup and a quick blip of throttle and it did sound really nice (if too loud!).

 

I want to give the engine a once over before I start doing any thing else as my checking and rechecking of valve clearances hasn't put my mind at rest that I've done them correctly (PITA). Would a compression test help determine if they are setup OK? or just listen for rattles?

 

So the plan is to get it back on it's wheels this week, roll it out and fire it up again - hopefully it will be a bit quieter outside so I can have a listen for strange noises. I am then going to order some 90 degree elbows and tack them into place. I'll whip the silencer back off and take it to a local exhaust specialist to seam weld the elbows on.

 

If it's still too loud I think I'll either get a Dansk system and modify it to fit my SSIs or perhaps get Turbo Thomas or M&K to make one up.

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Nice work mate, but where's the video ;)

 

As for the valves, you'll soon know if you've got a loose one as it will tap like heck. If you've done one up too tight there's no way of knowing really until your valve melts :D

 

That's what worries me! Video to follow next week when it's out of the garage and on it's wheels again. My garage is such a hole I was too embarrassed to take pictures!

 

When I was doing my 3.6 Timmins blokee who made my happy crab was pretty insistent that the tips he welds on his exhausts knock the noise down a bit - not sure how true that is but might be worth looking into.

http://www.instant-g.com/Products/Exhausts...-Out/index.html

 

Yeah, I'll look into that. The actually pipe work required is only a couple of 90 degrees bends on each side and then put the tips on - so it shouldn't be too difficult.

Edited by Northy
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Well done Lewis.

 

I've planned a pretty similar project in for the New Year: cut old rotten exhaust off, tackle the exchanger nuts, do the oil line mod, replace lower valve cover gaskets with silicon items and do the valves themselves, check out flapper boxes, re-fit SSIs and M&K.

 

Am up for the challenge, and reading stuff like this makes me feel more confident it's doable (for me).

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I've planned a pretty similar project in for the New Year: cut old rotten exhaust off, tackle the exchanger nuts, do the oil line mod, replace lower valve cover gaskets with silicon items and do the valves themselves, check out flapper boxes, re-fit SSIs and M&K.

 

The worst parts on mine were the oil lines and getting the valve clearances right. I had to slot the oil line to thermostat nuts and then get in there with proper penetrating oil, not WD40. The valve clearances are difficult to get to and working out how tight they should be is tricky. I read somewhere that it should feel like pulling a magnetic tape (which I read as pulling the tape out of a cassette), but even then it's difficult to get it right. Going back over them I often found I couldn't get the feeler gauge back under there - hopefully I've got it right and they're not too tight.

 

Thankfully my heat exchanger nuts were newish and easy to do, but I imagine they're a b*****d if they are old and rusty.

 

Go for it though, it's quite rewarding when it's all back together.

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Thankfully my heat exchanger nuts were newish and easy to do, but I imagine they're a b*****d if they are old and rusty.

 

Yeah, I'm in for a fight with mine I reckon... Haven't got oxy in my lock up so am going the Dremel route. Ditto the oil line at thermostat.

 

Yoikes - am I really tying this..?!

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