Exhaust question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,770
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
Exhaust question
I've been having a hard time lately keeping exhaust leaks at bay. I've had to buy another set of Earl's header seals recently and am in the middle of replacing the Earl's collector seals with something thicker, namely dead soft aluminum gaskets. I was under the car last week and remembered the pipes being welded in the place. One of the POs decided to forego the clamps on the exhaust pipes and had the pipes welded to where they should clamp to the crossmember. I think this might be my problem, not allowing the header collectors and head flanges to bolt up like they should. My questions to the forum are: Is my theory valid and if so, how does one go about removing welds without holing the pipes?
Brett
Brett
Last edited by Brettmc; Nov 6, 2006 at 05:09 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
is the crossmember bracket attached to a flexible bushing or mounting pad if so thats ok....if the crossmember bracket is attached directly to the crossmember so there is no room for movement thats a bad thing...the engine moves from torque so the exhaust sytem has to be able to move some also....if its the bracket i'm thinking of on my 77 it was attached to a flexible mounting pad on the trans mounting pad.. so it would allow some movement . take a good look with a flashlight but even if its flexible it may not be flexible enough for the set up you have
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
good advice from Bob. You might be right about the way it was done,, could be in a bind all the time. I can't remember where I saw it but someone makes a wide 2 bolt SS clamp you can use to fix it with. Cut the pipe and use the wide clamp to reconnect after repositioning.
Here you gohttp://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=WLK%2D3 3278&N=700+115&autoview=sku
Here you gohttp://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=WLK%2D3 3278&N=700+115&autoview=sku
Last edited by SIXFOOTER; Nov 6, 2006 at 09:11 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,770
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
It's a solid mount. I tried the dremel through a weld but some of it is in between the pipe and mount and the dremel won't reach. I got a large screwdriver between the pipe and the mount and tried to lever the pipe. It's definitely a solid mount.
Can the spot welds be removed? Or do I have to get the pipe cut?
I've got some huge stainless hose clamps that PO used to keep the wrap on the headers. I am planning on using those to clamp the pipes.
Brett
Can the spot welds be removed? Or do I have to get the pipe cut?
I've got some huge stainless hose clamps that PO used to keep the wrap on the headers. I am planning on using those to clamp the pipes.
Brett
