83.5 Exhaust system info needed

[pomfritz]

We took Stefi out for its first trip after getting her a couple months ago. Put a bunch of work in her over this time and she was running,shifting and stopping nicely. Along the way on the freeway to SF, the engine became noticeably louder. I though maybe something int he exhaust had gotten loose. Well when we stopped the muffler had not only gotten loose but fell off and was long gone.

Completed our trip and camped out for three days among the redwoods. It was great and am really looking forward to more outings.

In the meantime I need to figure out what to do with the exhaust. I am getting a Vanistan engine delivered in September. I may or may not fix the exhaust prior to that. I was planning on replacing the exhaust at that time. I seem to have three options:

1. Van Cafe has a 1.9L system. About $670

2. GW has their SS system for $950, plus I need an 86 or newer motor mount bracket which I have to source somewhere.

3. Vanistan SS tuned exhaust $1,800

3 is desirable but not sure I want to spend that much money on an exhaust that will make it louder and give me a performance boost that I may not also really desire. I am okay with the performance now and am looking forward to a bt more uphill boost with the new engine.

GW says that the 2.1 system is superior to the 1.9. Which is why they switched. How so? Any opinions on this? I have 200K on this van so seems like it works fine. Also what is different about the motor mounts that I need to swap this out.

Anyone but in the VC system? Is it ahem, "easy"? Things line up as expected?

I should add that my cat and old exhaust were not stock, it looks like the pipes from the J were all welded in place. There are no mounting flanges.

As I explore options I am inclined to let it be loud until Sept, unless I can find a muffler that can be welded in easily in the meantime.

I like the idea of parts that will last, but realistically, the van is kept in the garage, and is only for occasional trips. if it gets 5K year on it I would be surprised. SS may not really be needed.

Thanks!
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83.5 233K. GW 2.3, SS exhaust, My German Frau named her Stefi

[Gauche1968]

How about just asking a local muffler shop to weld one on it? In some (most) states you are eventually going to get pulled over if you drive around sans muffler.
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1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy

[pomfritz]

I want to replace the entire exhaust when I do the engine. If I could find a cheap used muffler that would not be too expensive to put on for a five month period I would.
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83.5 233K. GW 2.3, SS exhaust, My German Frau named her Stefi

[borninabus]

[Terry Kay]

Weld, clamp a straight pipe on it.
Why spend a bunch of $$$$ for a couple of months?
Maybe at best, about 10 bucks with a clamp.
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T.K.

[hdenter]

Rumor has it that some of the shops that do subie and 1.8t swaps sometimes get used Vanistan/RMW exhausts when people decide that their souped up wbxr's just aren't getting it done. Give'em a call... I picked up a used vanistan here in the classifieds.

Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender

[atomatom]

better than a bear bell for camping!

exhaust is up to you. pay now or later. i don't know the exact life of an exhaust system, but it is like tires.

as much as i'd love a $2k exhaust system, just the stock is ok by me. van cafe have the muffler for $100 on special at the moment. you'll also need the strap and tailpipe. that strap is probably what rusted out, and led to your muffler loss.

i don't know if there is a specific thread, but the 1.9 exhaust system hangers kind of suck. there should be some kind of support on the driver side as well as the muffler strap, but there is not. some people add one. (i have one but have not installed it yet).
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[pomfritz]

So there is one strap as stock. You can add another one? or is there some other support you can add to it. I don't think I even had a strap on the one that fell off. it was a big round thing that looked nothing like stock. think the only thing keeping it on was some welding.
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83.5 233K. GW 2.3, SS exhaust, My German Frau named her Stefi

[atomatom]

yeah, on the earlier models, the strap on the right 39 is all you got. the 18A strap came later. i think you can put a pretty generic exhaust strap on the left side to do the job.

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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.

[B.O.B.Wanders]

I had a break right at the J-pipe flange (#4 in the diagram) on my trip home from picking B.O.B. up from the PO. Made it back home sounding like a Harley with a combination of J-B Weld, muffler tape and coat hanger wire. In spite of the engine being practically new (GoWesty rebuild), the whole exhaust system was rather old and rusty. No one had the 1.9L style J-pipe in stock at the time, so I decided it would be a good time to replace everything as my first Vanagon project. It is old enough to be exempt from smog inspection locally, but I went ahead and replaced the cat and muffler at the same time.

Ended up going with the SS GW 2.1 system. It fit OK, with a little effort, but I had to jerry-rig the GW strap kit to make it work with the existing brackets. I just fabricated a hanger strap for the driver's side as I was missing a couple of the stock bracket rods anyway (probably why it broke where it did). GW warns about some difficulty fitting with the 1.9 thermostat housing, but I had no real problems with that. The only differences that are obvious to me are the J-pipe design and location of the O2 sensor. I have no way to compare it to the old system since it broke the very first evening I owned it, but it works great for me!

Rick
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83.5 WBX 2WD Assuan Brown Westy, B.O.B.

"It feels good to be lost in the right direction” - unknown

[Wildthings]

The hanger design for the 1.9 exhaust is very poorly engineered. A bunch of rods all stressed so that something has to break and break often, with the result being that the pipes break and the muffler falls off. I redesigned the hangers on my 1.9 so that none of the rods had any bending moments on them, just either compression or tension depending on the rod, worked well for years and could have gone much further.

That said, when I swapped over to a 2.1 a couple of years ago, I scrounged up all the parts and went with a stock 2.1 exhaust.

[pomfritz]

Thanks for the info. I think I am missing some brackets from PO work. If I have replace a bunch of them I may just go with the 2.1 system
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83.5 233K. GW 2.3, SS exhaust, My German Frau named her Stefi

[borninabus]

if you are going with one of the stainless systems in the near future, acquiring and installing the 2.1 hangers now would be advantageous.
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88 Van WBX, A/T - 13 JSW TDI 6M/T - 2012 Touareg TDI Sport

[B.O.B.Wanders]

If you can find them, absolutely agree. I couldn't find any available when I did mine, and was too impatient to wait, but then I was still new to the game...
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83.5 WBX 2WD Assuan Brown Westy, B.O.B.

"It feels good to be lost in the right direction” - unknown

[pomfritz]

Stephans auto haus is nearby. I'm checking with them if they have some systems that would work. Thanks for that tip!
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83.5 233K. GW 2.3, SS exhaust, My German Frau named her Stefi

[Rocky Mountain Westy]

I have really nice complete used exhaust set ups. I would sell you what you need at a good price. Let me know.
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Rocky Mountain Westy Inc.
www.rockymountainwesty.com
970-310-3441
[email protected]

The Splitzgauer build (when I have time to work on it and update the thread)

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497133

[pomfritz]

Thanks for that. I will check the local place and may be back in touch with you this.
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83.5 233K. GW 2.3, SS exhaust, My German Frau named her Stefi