A Little Flex Pipe Problem

[Curtis]

I'm changing over to a header. I'm tired of the cracked and welded and still leaking stock exhaust manifold and trying to wrestle it out. I have another but as is always the case at some point it will crack too unless you put a reinforcement piece on. The stock brace didn't help any.

The head pipe to the manifold had a flex pipe on it. After removing it I finally got around to looking down it. Below is what I found, the braid had collapsed inward. I had never bothered to see how these things are made. Inner braid, accordion flex pipe and the outer braid. It seems if things get too hot then this can happen. Flex pipe for turbo cars have an interlock liner in them. This is what will go on the next car. For now this car gets the regular one.

Some restrictions apply...

exhaustfrontpipe.jpg

[Gregs672000]

Nothing like running a 1/2" exhaust to really produce power eh? Wow, that's amazing. Just as an FYI, the shop I've been using for a bit now has moved the flex to between the x in the frame under the drivers seat and that's worked really well for me... no rattle, broken or failing mount, etc. Consider that the frame is opened up on my car for a larger pipe and I have no front exhaust mount. Its been a long time since being stock, so stock may be fine done correctly, but for others they may want to explore this option.

[notoptoy]

Wow, thanks for sharing! I will definitely take a look next time that part is separated!

[Curtis]

The new pipe is not quite lined up correctly. This what happens when you have to crawl under the car instead of having a proper lift. Off to the muffler shop to get it tweaked.