Hi Gang..let me tell you all about my experience with a header and free-flow
exhaust system.
I have a 2-piece header from Moss UK. It's their "sport" version..not a full
race type. It's married to a Falcon stainless twin pipe exhaust system.
The header didn't fit well from the start, and apparently none do. I had to
have the machine shop re-position one of the bolt holes. That was about $50.
I also had it port matched ( a must) to my head..another $100. Are you
getting the picture? I had it ceramic coated..another $150 (all in C$)
Only after installing it on the car did I discover the flange plate was
bent....a couple of hours to re+re, a new gasket, and another $30 at the
machine shop to correct.
>From the start, the header caused HUGE underhood heat problems which led to
fuel boiling in stop and go traffic on warm days. Everybody I could find who
knew something about this problem, including the digest members, said I'd
need a heat shield. After many fabrication hours, including alterations to
the throttle linkage and $50 for the sheet stainless (I paid too much but it
came pre drilled for the carbs) I had a heat shield. Problem did not go
away...it just took longer in stop and go traffic for the problem to arrive.
The Triumph Competition Preparation Manual says to get rid of the mechanical
fuel pump which causes fuel pre-heating problems. $120 for an electric pump,
but it was a really nice one that mounts right onto the peddle box bolts..no
drilling. I re-routed the fuel lines. Problem's better but still there. I
then riveted strips of muffler wrapping cloth on the back of the heat
shield. No improvement.
At the end of all of this grief and financial discomfort, I'm left with a
car that I can't take out in slow traffic on a hot day. BUT...it goes like
hell as long as the car is at speed. Regular city traffic is fine, but if
you live in a big urban center, and drive to work in shitty rush hour
traffic, a header is not the way to go. I do do this, so I'm taking the
header off and going back to stock. I'm also going to a stock muffler which
will qualify me for "Collector" (read cheaper) insurance since the car will
now be stock.
Moral of the story...if you're a weekend driver of your car, it oughtta
work. If you're a summer in the city rush hour type..you're taking a chance.
UNLESS--you wrap the header with header wrapping tape...see
http://www.designengineering.com/ I think this would nail it. These guys say
their wrapping will reduce underhood heat by 50%.
Oh...The sound is great..a bit louder than a stock car, but more gnarly and
it looks good when it's installed.
If you're on a waiting list for a USD 300+ header that I can guarantee you
will cost you at least another 200 bucks to make right, you can buy mine and
the twin stainless mufflers which look pretty cool on the car. The whole
system has only 3000 miles on it and the header is already ceramic coated in
silver.Lemme know if you're interested or have more questions. I know of
what I speak.
Colin Thom colinthom@shaw.ca
Check out the new British Cars Forum:
http://www.team.net/the-local/tiki-view_forum.php?forumId=8
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