Really disappointed in my new empi exhaust.

[Dkwautounion]

Maybe im doing something wrong or I got the wrong part, but today I went to car craft in riverside and picked up a exhaust for my 71. They didn't have the muffler so I just came home with the header portion. The really nice guy behind the counter warned me that the clamps for the j tubes to the header would be really hard to get on but that they would go, ummmm....the clamp is touching the mustache bar, really? And the exhaust pipe is touching the bottom bolt head of the three on the mustache bar. Really disappoint that I need to half ass some stuff now to make it work . I saw the empi thread the other day and just thoought I would add my first experience with them.

[aeromech]

Are you sure that they don’t make two kinds, bug and bus? Seems to me I remember a difference.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Dkwautounion]

They do. I told them I needed one for a 71 bus. The shop is great and the guys are sharp. That's why I'm thinking it's me or the product. I just can't wrap my head around them making it so the j tub clamp is right at the mustache bar. I hate products I have to "tweak" to make work. So frustrating.

[aeromech]

Well, even the stock heat exchangers do that. Many times I’ve had to manipulate the clamps to fit. There is also a Bus clamp available but I’ve never used them, yet.

It’s the part where you say the extractor hits the center bolt on the mustache bar that tells me you received a bug part. When talking to parts guys they can easily misunderstand. Best to say “type 2”
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Wildthings]

[mikedjames]

My EMPI 4 into 1 did exactly what yours does.

Loosen the heater box or J tube to head bolts, Bend the header, dent it and then it fits...

It was too cheap.

After the second one went rusty on a 1000 mile trip, I bought a stainless steel exhaust, around 40000 miles ago.
_________________
Ancient vehicles and vessels

1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy

[Bulli Klinik]

Trimming off the upper flange at the exhaust clamp location is always a good idea when you have the motor out of the Bus. I trim the pinch welded section off then butt weld the two halves of the mount to ensure that it's strong.

I have a heater box/stock muffler and it touches. You have to fiddle with it a bit.
_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[Dkwautounion]

Thanks for the advice so far. Also yes the man behind the counter understood what I wanted because I printed the exhaust info from there website and bought it in and showed him. He also told me the mustache bar on the bus would be make the clamps tight, pretty sure bugs don't have a mustache bar. We also had a conversation on him being out of stock on the muffler and not being able to use a bug one causes exhaust gas will hit the fender well and leave soot. Like I said, the guy was really sharp and actually took the time to explain things to me . Really bummed I have to go dent my new exhaust .

[aeromech]

Maybe the parts guy is sharp enough to refund your money so you can go buy a Tri-Mil header
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Hoody]

Don’t let it bother you too much. What’s really going to bother you is how fast it rusts out. Nobody can make steel quite like the Chinese can!

[mikedjames]

[SGKent]

I always found this style easier to put on my 1971 than the double bolt ones. Use some red high Temp RTV on the gasket and let it set up a few hours or overnight before using it, and it will last longer.

_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Abscate]

You guys can flail away at EMPI but Ive read their Quality control is 100% pass here...
_________________
.ssS!

[sodbuster]

buying the exhaust header and muffler separately may prove to be an issue also. I have an empi system on my camper. When the muffler can wore out and split open, the empi replacement muffler I picked up hung way too low and did not fit correctly. (whoda thunk it.) I ended up taking it to my local muffler shop to be cut off and welded back in the right position to make it fit like it should.

That's EMPI quality for you. You want to hear something really scary? Try these three words in the same sentience. EMPI BRAKE PADS! Those in the know will crap themselves.

[SGKent]

the issue with exhaust systems is often bug systems fit quite differently than bus systems. Make sure that the system you have is designed to fit a 1971 bus - not a 1971 bug. Been there done that.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Dkwautounion]

The box is stapled from empi.. part number 00-3682-0. Says it fits 68--71 bus. The header is no longer touching the lower 8mm bolt in the mustache bar, had to take out the washers and used a bottle Jack to push up the header a little....also the stupid j-tube clamp is holding it up. It's the correct exhaust....I even saw it advertised as precision made, what a joke that is.

[aeromech]

I just built a new engine for my bus. My instructions to the shop were NO EMPI parts whatsoever
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Wildthings]

[aeromech]

When talking EMPI I always think of the shift coupler I bought. The sleeve was too large to fit in the end of the shift rod. Now just how do you screw that’s up?
That coupler is used on millions of VW’s around the world and there’s really not much to it. It’s not complex at all but yet I had to spend an extra hour to get it to fit.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[jtauxe]