Exhaust snapped at manifold

[slewthy]

Well, there you have it really.

I have been thinking about replacing my system since the final tube to back box connection was getting corroded. It finally became detached on the trip to and back from Duxford so I set about repairing it this weekend. However, on moving the system, instead of the flexible part flexing, the manifold gave up the ghost!

I was surprised to find it had sheared in such a catastrophic way:-

The central divider looks like it cracked a long time ago so this was just waiting to happen. Lucky it happened in the garage I guess..

Aaanyway, thats that - now I need to sort it out much sooner than originally planned. It will be a stainless tubular system. The quicksilver one unfortunately doesnt include the header and they say they dont do it.

Having one made on the car was attractive but I would now have to transport it just to get a quote.

The SJ one is attractive given the price. Lotusbits one probably exceeds what I can hide from the wife...

 

I am coming around to the idea that I will have to pull the engine just to get the old manifold off but I'll probably give it a go for an hour or so before accepting that eventuality. 

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

[mdw]

Speak to Alunox.  They supplied me with this about 4-5 months ago for my 88 HC n/a.  They had only made 2 at the time and mine was the spare.  I seem to remember it was £1200 plus vat which was a good price as others wanted me to drag the car across the country to  have it fitted and this I did myself in an afternoon. ( the cast manifold had only been back on for 600 miles so easy).      You can really feel it breathe much  more freely.  Not the most inspired noise at low revs and a slight drone on the motorway but once you wind it up it sounds the business.  Its a straight through construction with single slip joints.  I cant compare it to a factory system as mine had a after market twin tail box fitted that was a bit loud for me.

[slewthy]

Have emailed them - just up the road from me it happens!

So, Malcolm, did you remove the cast manifold without pulling the engine? 

[mdw]

Yes for some bizzare reason I removed the old rusty cracked  one from under the car even though I was going to pull the  engine anyway for a rebuild. You will need to be inventive with chopping up the odd spanner  and even tapping the nuts round with a punch and hammer helped on the odd one.   Once rebuilt I fitted a 2nd hand cast manifold to get it running before I decided to go the whole hog and replace the lot block to bumper.

[Wilf]

The Sj one is not equal length headers so is not a performance option, but it fits quite easily and is less than a replacement cast manifold.

[mdw]

The Sj one is not equal length headers so is not a performance option, but it fits quite easily and is less than a replacement cast manifold.

Just in case anyone thinks of using the Sj  one on a stevens hc n/a it wont fit................guess how I found out.  However Steve took it back without any problems and maybe the site is updated now.

 

There are some new early cast manifolds that pop up on ebay sometimes from SW  Lotus but whilst they should fit the block the 3 stud mounting flange to the down pipe is back to front. Do able if you dont mind a bit of welding.

  If yours is an HC and you wanted to stay factory its the same manifold as  a SE Excel.   For me the thought of having to drag it off again made a full ss system  the only way to go.  However looking at it it may well have to come apart   at the end of the primarys to pull the engine if needed anyway.  Will cross that bridge when it comes to it.

[slewthy]

OK

Alonux coming in at £1500 plus VAT

Lotusbits is £1200 plus VAT

SJs getting back to me.

[mdw]

I also had a local guy quote about £1500 inc to build it on the car . 

[mdw]

I guess the £300 extra is the extra labour for Alunox to get the old one off and fit the new one which might be £300 very well spent!!!

[slewthy]

Old manifold now almost off.

 

just ...........2 ..............bolts ...........left..............

[mikec2126]

I'm sure there was a quality issue with S3 cast manifolds back then - my 1982 S3 N/A came with a load of gunk over a crack when I got it in 1985 with less than 22 k on the clock  -  I will be looking at an SJ replacement at £295 + VAT when I finish off mine -  the rest was already in SS

[PilotSteve]

any update guys ??

[slewthy]

I'm going to go for the SJ system. That comes in at £630 for everything needed from manifold to tail pipe inc VAT and delivery.

 

Just cant justify spending over twice that for the Lotusbits one. 

 

Still have 2 nuts stuck on and gradually getting rounded. They have soaked in WD40 for a few weeks now but its time to take a punch/modified screwdriver to them. I'm not taking the lump out!!

 

Was planning to order it today but wife returned from the shops with clothes so...

                                           

                             I'll just have to get rid I guess.

 

NO - I'm using the same logic she does - anything I buy, she then buys the equivalent in cost.

That actually means that anything I want to buy costs 4 times its face value. What with nearly 50% tax and all!

That means my exhaust will actually consume 2.5k of my earnings. Bah!

[jonwat]

Still have 2 nuts stuck on and gradually getting rounded. They have soaked in WD40 for a few weeks now but its time to take a punch/modified screwdriver to them. I'm not taking the lump out!!

Have you tried undoing the exhaust side engine mount, allowing you to place a jack under the sump and so jack the engine into a more vertical position giving you more access?

[slewthy]

Thanks John,

 

Thats a good suggestion. Would the drive shafts need to be disconnected to do this? Anything else stopping this movement?

[jonwat]

Thats a good suggestion. Would the drive shafts need to be disconnected to do this? Anything else stopping this movement?

 

There should be enough movement in the plunging CV joints but it may help to also slacken the transmission mountings. 

[slewthy]

And its off!

 

Didnt have to remove anything extra in the end. Certainly didnt have to pull the engine!

 

It came down to this, which I'm sure I have read somewhere. My error was removing the easy bolts first. That allowed the heavy manifold to put extra pressure on the remaining bolts, (the impossible to reach ones,) making them EVEN harder to undo. Also, some of the studs came out rather than the bolts coming off. They then fouled on the manifold, forcing it down even more.

I ended up

WD40ing

spannering.

rounding

spanner cutting

rounding some more

WD40 again

open end spanner cutting

rounding again

dremmeling

drilling

punching

plus gassing

dremmel breaking

dremmel binning

finally removing

cheering

nursing all my wounds

 

Now, I think that list is probably longer than the list required to remove the engine but at least I dont have to do it all in reverse!!

 

Just have to wait for the new one to arrive now.

[Andy Esprit SE]

Im starting to think the manifold saga is like worrying about wisdom teeth, theres a good chance most of us will feel the pain at some point!!!

[Sparky]

Done plenty, haven't had to move an engine yet.

 

Yet.

 

I know one is going to hurt me one day...

[PilotSteve]

looking forward to the sequel 

[molemot]

AS always, it's the first time that's the worst....when you put it back with proper stainless fasteners, the next time it comes off a treat. It takes years to get through all the rusted rivnuts and snapped fasteners...after that, the pain decreases....

[slewthy]

John, when you say proper stainless stuff, I have ordered new studs and locking nuts from SJs. Will that be proper enough or should I be looking for something extra? 

Also, copper grease at the manifold? Are the temps too high for it?

[slewthy]

Ok, finally got all the bits today. Here was the problem.

I ordered a full system from manifold to rear box. On the SJ website, it states full st st system BUT there is no image.

Of course, what I SHOULD have ordered was a full system from head to rear box.

Therefore, what I got was a like for like replacement for my old system, minus any manifold at all!!!

Soooo, sent back the down pipe and got the 4 into 1 tubes and connector pipe, although cost an extra £150

Arrived today and had them fitted in 3 hours flat. new studs, copper nuts etc etc.

 

Only had chance of a 20min run but all seems good.

What I noticed in that short time:-

Starts better.

Nicer sound, albeit not a performance kinda sound

Maybe, just maybe a little lean? Possible with this system? - I know the Lotusbits one required rejetting the carbs but the feeling I get is that I now need to retune - likely??