Side Pipes

[scootter]

It might be tough getting them off when you need to remove them. I lost one of the bolts and put a regular grade 5 in. When it came time to take it off, it was seized. It was a bi#ch to break it off. The stainless when seized, snap off fairly easy. Since I replaced all mine with new stainless, I have tightened them a couple off times. It is part of my regular check list just like the header bolts, and every other nut and bolt when I put the car up on stands.
Scott

[McD00]

Originally Posted by RonNichols

I've had my side pipes off quite a few times over the past year. I used to use stainless fasteners until recently. It seems that I have run into shoddy fasteners that once torqued, would seize, and then I simply just unscrewed them into two broken pieces. The box had an origin sticker that said "made in China" so I just figured I would change. I have since replaced the fasteners with grade 8 bolts with a serated flanged nut seated onto washers on both sides of the flange. After several months of heat cycling, its still tight.

R

Ron,
As you have found out sometimes those high end bolts are not right for certain applications....just to brittle.
I find it interesting that your big bore pipes made less power than your smaller ones. So you are saying smaller is better?

Long live the Cobra!!

[decooney]

Originally Posted by Blas

Now why would you store your baseballs in your sidepipes? Must be a California thing...

Dean invented a radical sounding pitching machine. Ball speed is regulated with the right foot.

[RedBarchetta]

Originally Posted by decooney

Dean invented a radical sounding pitching machine. Ball speed is regulated with the right foot.

[Nantucket427]

The Mufflers were $208 X 2=$416.00 from Stainless Specialists Fla
The welding was $240.00 By MICKMATE http://www.actoncustom.com
The Coating was $275.00 by direct Coating Concord NH
16 Grade 8 5/16x1" bolts nuts and lockwashers $14.88 Aubuchon Hardware
Pematex Red Hi-Temp $3.68 Sanels Auto Parts
Ear Plugs 3m pack of 200 $15.80 amazon.com
Total $965.36

Yes a baseball will roll thru no problem.

[RonNichols]

WOW! Why stainless if your getting it coated and the rest is mild steel anyways? Seems like an added expense.

McD00 gave me the source for 3" aluminized steel mufflers and told me to do a transition to funnel the exhaust in smoothly. I gained alot of power out of it. Plus I don't get that sputter when letting off the throttle like McD00 said I would with the SS perforated bore.

R

[RedBarchetta]

Originally Posted by RonNichols

McD00 gave me the source for 3" aluminized steel mufflers and told me to do a transition to funnel the exhaust in smoothly. I gained alot of power out of it. Plus I don't get that sputter when letting off the throttle like McD00 said I would with the SS perforated bore.

R

Ron, do you have pics of the transition? Or did you just simply have someone fabricate a "cone" that connected the entry/exit (dumbed down from the 4" O.D. to the 3.5" that matches the 4-into-1 collector) to the 3" inner perforated core?

If it's that simple then I can just have the current SS mufflers sawed off, retrofitted, and then re-welded and go through the whole Jet-Hot process (locally), again. The sputter is getting old....

-Dean

[RonNichols]

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Ron, do you have pics of the transition? Or did you just simply have someone fabricate a "cone" that connected the entry/exit (dumbed down from the 4" O.D. to the 3.5" that matches the 4-into-1 collector) to the 3" inner perforated core?

If it's that simple then I can just have the current SS mufflers sawed off, retrofitted, and then re-welded and go through the whole Jet-Hot process (locally), again. The sputter is getting old....

-Dean

Dean,

Order the 3.5" to 3" transition cones from SPD Exhaust. Your internals are different from mine on the muffler, but I trimmed the 3.5" portion of the cone back to just fit inside the 3.5" collector tightly. The 3" portion I trimmed back to the taper to reduce length and then welded it to the front of the 3" muffler. When its put together by sliding the transition/muffler into the collector it looks just like a factory side pipe would look. This way all exhaust is funneled down gradually into the muffler.


R

[McD00]

Originally Posted by RonNichols

WOW! Why stainless if your getting it coated and the rest is mild steel anyways? Seems like an added expense.

McD00 gave me the source for 3" aluminized steel mufflers and told me to do a transition to funnel the exhaust in smoothly. I gained alot of power out of it. Plus I don't get that sputter when letting off the throttle like McD00 said I would with the SS perforated bore.

R

Your welcome. I think reducing the sputter was more from that idle enrichment and making sure the exhaust is sealed with no leaks. Any exhaust
leaks can cause popping, sputtering and worse case sound like a firecracker out the pipes when you lift throttle after accelerating.

Long live the Cobra!!

[RonNichols]

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Ron, do you have pics of the transition? Or did you just simply have someone fabricate a "cone" that connected the entry/exit (dumbed down from the 4" O.D. to the 3.5" that matches the 4-into-1 collector) to the 3" inner perforated core?

If it's that simple then I can just have the current SS mufflers sawed off, retrofitted, and then re-welded and go through the whole Jet-Hot process (locally), again. The sputter is getting old....

-Dean

Sorry Dean, here's the transition that I used. The pic appears like the ends are angled but the four that I bought were square.

http://www.spdexhaust.com/7degreeB.html

R

[RedBarchetta]

Originally Posted by RonNichols

Sorry Dean, here's the transition that I used. The pic appears like the ends are angled but the four that I bought were square.

http://www.spdexhaust.com/7degreeB.html

R

Ron, I think I get it. The cone is essentially welded to the inside of the collector, just barely on the inside lip. Then the muffler is welded flush to the collector, while the 3" portion of the cone slides into the muffler, thus never seeing it's own weld but sort of press fit inside where it meets up with the 3" inner perforated core. Correct?

-Dean

[SantaFe66]

I had the same problem as you. My collector bolts to the muffler? with 8 bolts. I tried SS bolts and the lock nuts with a ding in them. I also put on a custom gasket that I carved out of flat stock. When I finally got it apart this past winter, the gaskets were just pieces, and all the bolts were seized so tight I had to cut some of them off.

I got replacements from McMaster-Carr, go to:

www.mcmaster.com

Enter the page number, 3138 into the search box. The high-temp bolts and nuts are on that page. Some are pretty spendy but they work.

I then had Remflex make me a custom gasket out of their cool material. Cost me $75 for the custom gasket but it should work. I also bought their header gaskets since I had to replace mine anyway. Go to www.remflex.com

I also ground the welds flat on the collectors at both ends because the gloppy welds were preventing a good seal with the gaskets.

We'll see how it works when I get my new motor installed shortly.

Paul

[RonNichols]

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Ron, I think I get it. The cone is essentially welded to the inside of the collector, just barely on the inside lip. Then the muffler is welded flush to the collector, while the 3" portion of the cone slides into the muffler, thus never seeing it's own weld but sort of press fit inside where it meets up with the 3" inner perforated core. Correct?

-Dean

Dean,
The cone is welded to the front of the muffler. The cone slides into the collector and you don't even see it when assembled(od of cone fits into id of collector). I guess you could do it your way but I can't fit my torch in there and hold it to line up with the muffler opening. You may have to do it your way depending on how your mufflers are manufactured.

R

[greg schroeder]

Hey Ron,

Did you have air fuel info and jet size change for Superformance internal to the 3" internals.

Greg

[decooney]

Dean,

Just a thought, before you smooth out the transition, you might want to call John at SS if you have not already done so and mention what you are doing. Part of the reason our SS exhaust mufflers behave and sounds like they do at idle, at midrange, and at wide open throttle (and cutting the high pitch tone) is specifically due to the design itself. Also, I do have different headers on my ERA.
__________________________________________________ ________________________
Wouldn't change a Thing!

Seems the results were a bit different for me than others... I noticed better takeoffs, more midrange grunt, and had to go up a few jet sizes on my carb. Way more air coming out, and due to the chambered effect in/out, it actually makes the car more tolerable (less crackle) to the ears when driving at cruising speed, or at least until i open it up. Compliments all the time on how it sounds with this deep growl, raspy sputter and all. Friends call it the "super deep testosterone sound" whenever they hear it coming.

A friend put the same setup on his BossJBL and his sounds amazing too. I can't imagine any other exhaust on my car now

[RonNichols]

Originally Posted by greg schroeder

Hey Ron,

Did you have air fuel info and jet size change for Superformance internal to the 3" internals.

Greg

Greg,

I took my car into the War Room for dyno tuning several years ago when I had Superformance pipes on. At that time, the dyno guys rejetted my carb for air/fuel. When I changed to 3" and to 3.5" mufflers/merge collector this year, my air/fuel was still spot on and needed no adjustment. Apparently, this is common since pulling more air out the exhaust also pulls more air at the carb too. Once your air/fuel is set, your good.

Then again, other engines may very.

R

[Nantucket427]

I had a chance to get the new pipes on and try them out this weekend.
Wow
This was the best modification that I have done so far!
The sound is not bad, nice thump at 750 and after 3000 rpm the FE comes a live. No crack or popping. No cone used but I did have the ends of the mufflers domed down for a smoother transition. Thanks to John, Zack and Nick for your help.

[RonNichols]

Originally Posted by Nantucket427

No cone used but I did have the ends of the mufflers domed down for a smoother transition. Thanks to John, Zack and Nick for your help.

Same concept. Welcome to the club. Before you do anything up top, you should have your pipes worked over. I bet its a totally different car now.

R

[mickmate]

I'm looking forward to seeing how that beast kicks me in the arse now! It was awesome before. Glad it's together and running, could've been some splainin at Jeffs.........

[greg schroeder]

Originally Posted by RonNichols

Greg,

I took my car into the War Room for dyno tuning several years ago when I had Superformance pipes on. At that time, the dyno guys rejetted my carb for air/fuel. When I changed to 3" and to 3.5" mufflers/merge collector this year, my air/fuel was still spot on and needed no adjustment. Apparently, this is common since pulling more air out the exhaust also pulls more air at the carb too. Once your air/fuel is set, your good.

Then again, other engines may very.

R

I guess there are many variables.

I ended up 3 jet sizes higher with side pipe change.