> -----Original Message-----
> From: spitfires-owner@autox.team.net [mailto:spitfires-
> owner@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Michael Hargreave Mawson
>
> I am getting sick and tired of replacing blown exhaust downpipe gaskets.
Hi Mike,
Lovely thing that 1500 manifold :-)
> Is there a solution?
I agonised over this one when my girlfriend (wife later) was running a
Dolomite 1500. I was changing the downpipe gasket every 3 months or 3000
miles, whichever came sooner....
I was obsessed with making the exhaust system more rigid by anchoring it at
the bellhousing bolts, when I found a letter in an old copy of the Courier
dating from the late 1980s. The author had the same problem with his 1500
Spitfire and took the opposite approach, by removing all intermediate
exhaust mountings so the system hung freely between the manifold and back
box. The thinking was that there wouldn't be a fulcrum point close to the
manifold, all movement would be spread along the system. I took out all of
the additional mounts and to my surprise the downpipe gasket lasted well. We
sold the car after about 6 months further use (5-6000 miles?) so I don't
know exactly how long the fix lasted, but it was at least 100% better than
before.
> And if not, does any supplier offer jumbo value packs of gaskets?
We give good discounts on quantity. :-))))
Most customers who buy downpipe gaskets buy two at a time - "one for the
glovebox". A tubular manifold is the only fully proven fix (I would love to
be told otherwise!) but isn't for those concerned with originality. In this
case I would gladly sacrifice originality, Triumph got it wrong on this one!
Cheers,
Bill.
http://www.rarebits4classics.co.uk
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