Modifying an ACT Y-piece
Discussion
I was down at an exhaust fabricators who produces custom made stainless steel exhausts and manifolds, mostly for the Fast & Furious type brigade out here, and he could not see why I put up with a part of my exhaust system that doesn't fit properly and needs to be squashed into place with a ratchet and lorry straps.
He suggested that we cut the pipes either side of the vertical section and weld in two stainless steel flexible pieces, about 100mm long each. He reckons we will end up with a nice tight fit at the clamps without needing the huge force of a great lorry strap and ratchet.
It won't look perfect, I know, but what do you think?
Is there a down side?
He suggested that we cut the pipes either side of the vertical section and weld in two stainless steel flexible pieces, about 100mm long each. He reckons we will end up with a nice tight fit at the clamps without needing the huge force of a great lorry strap and ratchet.
It won't look perfect, I know, but what do you think?
Is there a down side?
ray von said:
What am I missing here. The bloke says why should you put up with something that doesn't fit but then doesn't seem to be able to make one fit either without using flexi sections
I didn't go to him to make a new Y-piece for the car, but to weld another leak at the 4 into 1 junction on the exhaust manifolds. We had taken off the manifolds there a couple of years ago to both remove the pre cats and weld the 4 into 1 junctions again, and he remembered that the manifolds and the Y-piece had that gap that needed ratcheting with straps with a lot of force to close.
He feels that with the high heat and then cooling afterwards, that there is a lot of stress in the manifolds and they are only going to leak again in the future, even after fixing them again.
jazzdude said:
ray von said:
What am I missing here. The bloke says why should you put up with something that doesn't fit but then doesn't seem to be able to make one fit either without using flexi sections
I didn't go to him to make a new Y-piece for the car, but to weld another leak at the 4 into 1 junction on the exhaust manifolds. We had taken off the manifolds there a couple of years ago to both remove the pre cats and weld the 4 into 1 junctions again, and he remembered that the manifolds and the Y-piece had that gap that needed ratcheting with straps with a lot of force to close.
He feels that with the high heat and then cooling afterwards, that there is a lot of stress in the manifolds and they are only going to leak again in the future, even after fixing them again.
Anecdotal evidence suggest Clive's is a better fit and his doesn't have flexis it's your car though
My hope would be once manifolds are on and connected up to Y piece you won’t need to undo it all again in a hurry.
With this in mind and having done it at least 2 times myself there’s only really one way to do this correctly so as to not stress the manifolds
Lossen the manifold bolts on at least one head so as to get some wiggle room, connect Y piece to both manifolds and slowly tighten things in a systematic fashion.
Works a treat.
The manifolds are bound to distort over the years, this is the way a pro should do it. You wouldn’t ratchet strap a Ferrari now would ya
By doing it this way when I swapped out my Y piece for a nice Clive F one it almost fell into place, happy days.
Maybe some are just so badly distorted this idea is at least a way forward, I’d rather not personally but hey go for it if you have to keep welding things up.
With this in mind and having done it at least 2 times myself there’s only really one way to do this correctly so as to not stress the manifolds
Lossen the manifold bolts on at least one head so as to get some wiggle room, connect Y piece to both manifolds and slowly tighten things in a systematic fashion.
Works a treat.
The manifolds are bound to distort over the years, this is the way a pro should do it. You wouldn’t ratchet strap a Ferrari now would ya
By doing it this way when I swapped out my Y piece for a nice Clive F one it almost fell into place, happy days.
Maybe some are just so badly distorted this idea is at least a way forward, I’d rather not personally but hey go for it if you have to keep welding things up.
While I agree that the loosen everything on one side method is another way to do it, without the straps, I think in the end you still have a pair of bent manifolds pulling against the v clamps and this is what I am hoping to avoid.
Another solution I read that some have done is to get the manifold itself planed at a slight angle so they sit closer together but getting that right might be more trouble elsewhere.
Buying Clive's version is a better solution but with the cost of shipping it here and then binning the act one is an expensive solution.
I might ask him how he thinks about just cutting off the ends and splicing in a little more material to close up the gap a little, rather than putting in the flexible pieces.
Another solution I read that some have done is to get the manifold itself planed at a slight angle so they sit closer together but getting that right might be more trouble elsewhere.
Buying Clive's version is a better solution but with the cost of shipping it here and then binning the act one is an expensive solution.
I might ask him how he thinks about just cutting off the ends and splicing in a little more material to close up the gap a little, rather than putting in the flexible pieces.
On my old 4.6 car, the standard white piece was a perfect fit. I then fitted and a CT white piece and that it fitted perfectly as well.
When I bought my 5.5, I decided to fit the ACT Y piece. On loosening the clamps the manifolds sprung apart leaving a large gap. This was with the original Y piece.
When I fitted the ACT Y peace, that left a large gap as well exactly the same as the standard Y piece.
The point is, there is nothing wrong with the ACT item. The existing manifolds warp and therefore leave gaps depending on each individual car. You may be lucky and your manifolds may still be straight but more often than not they need a bit of tweaking .
I now have a full ACT big bore manifold system which fits perfectly!
When I bought my 5.5, I decided to fit the ACT Y piece. On loosening the clamps the manifolds sprung apart leaving a large gap. This was with the original Y piece.
When I fitted the ACT Y peace, that left a large gap as well exactly the same as the standard Y piece.
The point is, there is nothing wrong with the ACT item. The existing manifolds warp and therefore leave gaps depending on each individual car. You may be lucky and your manifolds may still be straight but more often than not they need a bit of tweaking .
I now have a full ACT big bore manifold system which fits perfectly!
I've been lucky with my exhaust fit too, I had the exhaust outfit ACT use repair my manifolds where they leaked in the middle and fitted cones to replace the precats. I have fitted a Clive F y-piece and it all fitted together fine. The only issue I've had is where Clive did not make my Y-piece properly, the last section that mates with the exhaust system was fabricated from a piece of steel that was rolled and seam welded and not particularly round instead of using the correct size tube. It also wasn't mitre cut, it was just shoved in at the angle required and welded in place which is a shame because the rest of it was great. I didn't realise this issue until I drilled a hole to accept a wide band oxygen sensor boss and ended up drilling through 2 tubes! The one you see and the one pushed inside.
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