I have all the tubing cat, muffler, resignator. I have a Pacesetter header installed also. My question is what is the proper way to connect all the items. My last exhaust system i had was all welded together which was a pain in the neck when the cat went out.
I also didnt have a flexpipe. So should i somehow buy flanges and bolt everything together or should i clamp them or everything welded again. Any oppinions are welcome!
Thanks in advanced
there is no wrong way, clamps, welding, whatever, it either holdsor it doesn't.
Personal preference.... flanges with SS hardwear
mine is done in 3 pieces. from the turbo downn to the crossmember (my downpipe) and then from the crossmember to the rear axle beam (midpipe) and then the rear axle beam to the tip (axle back) Mine is all welded and where the breaks are i have flanges and bolts. way better than any 2 piece and its easy to replace something if it were to go bad. mine was done in chicago by a friend of mine who did an amazing job...
weld major components together, things you want removable, weld on v-band clamps
call it a day.
Welding will give less chances of exhaust leaks, but clamps work just fine. The whole exhaust on my cousin's Trans Am is clamped together and he hasnt had any problems with leaks.
weld on v-band clamps? wouldnt that just defeat the purpose of a clamp, because it wouldn't be able to be removed? or am i just missing something?
V-band clamps:
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Sunday, October 19, 2008 3:21 PM
Those clamps dont leak? i hate how my header (pacesetter) collector to downpipe ALWAYS LEAKS no matter how tight i have it. So i am thinking of geting a flex pipe to put after the downpipe. Then that to the CAT, then to the resignator. Then the back piping to the muffler. So i use those clamps for every major componanant?
Does anyone have pictures of the Vband clamps installled?
I'll take some tomorrow when I get to work but a v-band works by welding a band on both sections of pipe (included with the clamp kit)
the clamp then affixes to those sections and pulls them together for a leak-proof seal (supposedly although I'm sure there's a tad bit of leakage)
I took my OBX header, cut off the ball socket (which the collector O.D. happens to be 3") and welded one side of the v-band clamp to it.
then, I welded the other half of the v-band clamp to my downpipe about 1/4" in from the end. This allowed the downpipe to "interlock" into the collector, making for not only a positive but a serious leak-proof seal.
This isn't how you're supposed to use v-bands, but I figure it would help for leakage, and also keep the pipe planted where it needs to be.
v-band is advantageous because you can remove and reinstall exhaust components relatively easily, its just one bolt that holds it together. For the most part they're reusable forever, but once you weld the bands to the pipe/components you're using, they're forever installed there. So if you ever want to change stuff around you gotta buy another v-band clamp and start over.
I'll never use any other clamps ever again, and my new exhaust system is going to have nothing but v-bands. My old system had only one on the header, and it was my favorite out of all of them (I had 2 other "zero-leak" clamps)
Yea v-band setups are very nice to have!! It makes things alot easier and I don't have to worry about blowing out gaskets or worry about replacing them if I have to tear apart my exhaust..
PJ i would appreciate the pictures on how they work. I might end up doing that to my Pacesetter since that damn ball join leaks no matter how tight i have the bolts..... Maybe its because i dont have a flex pipe?
You got them pics yet pj?
V bands are nice but alittle overkill considering there price. And for those asking, yes they are absolutely air tight, in fact Volkswagen's new clean Diesel uses V bands off the turbo to the exhaust.
They call it a V band because the inside of the the strap looks like a V and the 2 flanges are machined with angles to fit the V. As you tighten the strap it uses the V to wedge the flanges together. Another advantage is the flexibility of mounting. for example, if you weld flanges to the cat you have to make sure it all lines up perfect or one flange may be alittle offset, plus the cat would have to be exactly in the position you want it... with V bands thats completely eliminated because there's no one right way to bolt it up, you can lossen the V band clamps and sit there spinning the cat all day long if you really want, rotate it to the position you want it in and tighten.
9 times out of 10 when you see V bands it will be from a turbo outlet to the downpipe/dump tube.
I just welded flanges on the converter ,flex pipe and muffler. That way i can drop it out a put a straight pipe on it if i wanted to or when i go to the dyno.
ZOMG PHIL IS ALIVE!!!! id say for cheap and easy go with flanges. since your local i can get you the number of the guy who did mine for CHEAP but its AMAZING.
Yeah im alive. Im here and there. Not to active as i once was,but, im here
