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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9609 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject: Subaru Exhaust headers - Recommendations? |
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Moderator edit: Additional information to be found at:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=274753
I have welded up my stainless exhaust (2.5L Subaru) for the last time. Mine started cracking within 9 months, and currently it cracks whenever I drive fast over a mountain pass. Its now 25 months old and has been welded so many times it looks like bamboo.
Note the appearance of Stainless at 22 months. This does not bother me. The cracks bother me.
I suspect Stainless steel exhausts cannot handle the heat. Also the Stainless causes the exhaust nuts/studs to corrode/freeze.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a tested and reliable exhaust for Subaru-Vanagon?
Are there ceramic-coated steel exhausts available? _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:56 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Volksaholic Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2005 Posts: 1771 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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If you do a search over on the SubaruVanagon Yahoo group you'll find some discussion of different stainless steel alloys that supposedly make a difference in durability. There are also some different design that are supposed to relieve some of the stress in some designs. I'm curious who's system you have now. I've got a Small Car header that's holding up last I crawled under there (about 8 mos. and 10k mls.) but I'm worried that it won't last based on a large number of reports of cracked headers I've read.
Paul _________________ 1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251 |
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Vango Conversions Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2010 Posts: 1054 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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I'm building my own out of 14 gauge mild steel with flex joints, I'm considering selling them but only if I can get a hold of the mandrel bends for less. I spent $400 on materials alone!
Burly sells an exhaust for the EJ but I don't think it fits with the small car mount. |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 12006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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I am unaware of Burley selling any exhaust headers, his website doesn't show them either. RMW sells one but it works with their mount. |
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presslab Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2008 Posts: 1730 Location: Sonoma County
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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I have the KEP header and it broke over and over too. It's pretty thick steel by the look of it. I put a flex joint in the long pipe between the heads and it hasn't had a problem since. _________________ 1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
2010 Titus El Guapo --- 2011 On-One 456 Ti |
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Vango Conversions Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2010 Posts: 1054 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the correction, It was RMW that i was thinking of, not burly. |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 12006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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Too bad, I was hoping there was another player in the header market. There are too few,especially ones that fit the syncro and last. |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9609 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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from: SubaruVanagon.com http://www.subaruvanagon.com/tom/SS%20Exhaust/Exhaust.htm
(Edit....) But for me,,,this does NOT fit a Syncro.... (...Edit) The flex joint is interesting.
I tried adding a flex joint HERE but it didn't help at all, had another crop of cracks in 2 months.
After welding up all the cracks my headers were super-stressed (left to right) could barely get them off the studs. So I extended them 3/8" to slip-on perfectly over the studs. YES 3/8" Now after reading Presslab (above) and SubaruVanagon.com I'm wishing I had put a flex joint in the middle. _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:46 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 12006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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That exhaust wouldn't fit a syncro with the skid rail attached. That is why stock syncro vanagon headers are specific and a 2wd version won't fit. It has to go over the skidplate and then back down to clear the tranny on both sides. |
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ALIKA T3 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 6355 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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Wow!
I'm considering modifying my Smallcar with a flexjoint now before it goes bad ,it has 2500 miles,2 months,and already kinda rusted
Syncro doka:do you know if the Smallcar stainless headers fit the syncro?I plan to switch all of that engine on the syncro one of these days
Thank you!
Alika _________________ Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 12006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, they do fit a syncro. Mine has been in for welding once so far. |
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ALIKA T3 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 6355 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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Franklinstower Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2006 Posts: 1896 Location: PNW
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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I think the only ones I know of are: Small Car - huge reported problems of cracking, poor fit and rusting extremely fast (sounds like cheap chinese/Korean SS): Kennedy, he does a jet coating to his; Tom Shiels - I know nothing about them but they look nice!; and does RMW make them too? I would think so. All of those are mainly for 2WD.
What I would prefer is someone make a tuned, equal length header out of thicker steel for the conversions. There are a few after market subi tuned length headers that could be adapted and I have been waiting for someone to take that step for a mass production conversion header.
Also I know of a few that used the stock subi header, re-routed and have had zero problems.
Paul _________________ '89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Franklinstower wrote: |
What I would prefer is someone make a tuned, equal length header out of thicker steel for the conversions. |
X2
Why do we still get this crap?
I have the Small Car header. It looks like a work of art. I am still bolting things together.
So you all are telling me that the beautiful Small Car header is just going to turn out to be a rusted turd in short order?
WTF? _________________ "Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 12006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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I can't tell my SC stainless j tube and header from the OG ones on my 2WD. |
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fatboypaul Samba Member
Joined: August 24, 2004 Posts: 432 Location: Emeryville, Ca, SF Bay.
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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Six year old jet coated Kennedy header on my FrankenSyncro looks very nice, a little brown from desert dirt, zero welding repairs.
Hey Mike, any signs of the SVX headers/ exhaust system? |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 12006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think that KEP makes a syncro header any longer. |
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a914622 Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2004 Posts: 840 Location: Westend of HWY2 , Wash
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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If you can go a few days with out the vanagon, Take the header off and take it down to Stans headers in Kent. Have him remake it BUT Add the ball style cupler to all the conections. After its done run it down the block to Specalty coating for a header coating.
Stans headers used to make subaru turbo headers but cheap evilbay slowed the market.
http://www.stans-headers.com/
jcl _________________ 87 gl powerd buy 2.5subaru
75 914 getting 2.2t subaru scratch that SVX subaru |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9609 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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Interesting.. Here's what Stan says about Stainless headers
http://www.stans-headers.com/faq.htm
"Stainless steel headers take more heat and, although they discolor, they still look good. A lot of people want a stainless steel header even with their high cost. We make our Stainless steel headers with a "304" stainless flanges 3/8" thick and "409" stainless tubes. The "409" is an exhaust grade stainless and is more "malleable" which means that it will not crack as bad as the "304" tubes tend to do in time."
Here's the ball couplers and flex tubes from Stan's headers.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:39 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 12006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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and the SC header is made out of.....304 |
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