Cock-eyed tailpipes
Discussion
This is verging on the trivial, but my Chim 500's exhaust has been fitted with one tailpipe 2" below the recess in the bodywork, such that it grounds coming off speed bumps, and the other is so close that almost touches as it vibrates with the engine running. Apart from these practical issues, yer Tiv's gotta look fearsome to the a.n.other tin box that you've just snuck in front of hasn't it? 
Not quite the same if both barrels aren't pointing in the same direction.
Is there a clamp or joint further forward, where the tailpipes come together, that can be loosened to rotate the whole assembly slightly? If so how accessible is it? I've not had the car long and have not had time to venture far underneath yet. Can anyone offer some (constructive) advice?
Not quite the same if both barrels aren't pointing in the same direction. Is there a clamp or joint further forward, where the tailpipes come together, that can be loosened to rotate the whole assembly slightly? If so how accessible is it? I've not had the car long and have not had time to venture far underneath yet. Can anyone offer some (constructive) advice?
The exhaust is one complete unit. It is possible that the mounting plate has had an equal distrubution of washers and that this has skewed the mounting plate a little resulting in the movement of the exhaust pipe from the norm. Either that or its bent.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
My Chim exhausts were wonky too, one about an inch higher. I took the exhaust of to clean up the chassis, and when I'd put is all back together they are now level. Whoopee!
The exhaust is mounted via 3 rubber mounts to a flat rigid plate in the centre of the car. These are arranged with two mounts at the front of the plate and the third on the centreline at the rear. These rubber mountings are pretty squashy, and my guess is that if the two front ones are tightened down unevenly then your tailpipes will be uneven too.
Get the car over a pit and adjust these mounting bolts - you'll need a couple of 17mm spanners. You could probably do it by jacking the car up at the rear and putting axle stands in, but a pit is a damn site easier if you have access to one.
PS. You have about 18 inches between the front and rear of the mounting plate, and about 4 ft of tailpipe, so a difference of 1/4" in the compression of the rubber mounting will translate into almost 3/4" of difference in level at the back. Its possible you could have 2" of difference, but one of those rubber mounts must be squashed as flat as a pancake! They start out just over an inch thick.
>> Edited by philshort on Thursday 23 May 00:20
The exhaust is mounted via 3 rubber mounts to a flat rigid plate in the centre of the car. These are arranged with two mounts at the front of the plate and the third on the centreline at the rear. These rubber mountings are pretty squashy, and my guess is that if the two front ones are tightened down unevenly then your tailpipes will be uneven too.
Get the car over a pit and adjust these mounting bolts - you'll need a couple of 17mm spanners. You could probably do it by jacking the car up at the rear and putting axle stands in, but a pit is a damn site easier if you have access to one.
PS. You have about 18 inches between the front and rear of the mounting plate, and about 4 ft of tailpipe, so a difference of 1/4" in the compression of the rubber mounting will translate into almost 3/4" of difference in level at the back. Its possible you could have 2" of difference, but one of those rubber mounts must be squashed as flat as a pancake! They start out just over an inch thick.
>> Edited by philshort on Thursday 23 May 00:20
I had the same problem on my 500. Turned out to be cracked at the rear of the box. Local sealer welded and squared it up for me free of charge hours before a long trip to France! I have had problems with the hook bolt that it hangs off to the rear, but with a bit of care and attention they now remain straight!
On inspection there was no evidence of damage to the exhaust or distortion of the mounting plate. The two rubber pads at the front of the mounting plate were barely compressed at all. I jacked up and supported the LHS of the car, removed front wheel and loosened the U-clamp and released bracket from engine block. Then tightened nearside rubber mount (without it fully bottoming out) and slipped a 2mm thick washer between the front corner of the mounting plate and the chassis to pull the nearside mount down a bit further.
On checking from the back, the pipes were now perfectly level! Took me 3 hours including just one trip to Halfords for a 17mm ring spanner. And yes Phil it would have been a lot easier with a pit!
>> Edited by alan_d on Saturday 25th May 14:46
On checking from the back, the pipes were now perfectly level! Took me 3 hours including just one trip to Halfords for a 17mm ring spanner. And yes Phil it would have been a lot easier with a pit!
>> Edited by alan_d on Saturday 25th May 14:46
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