Vintage speed exhaust

[Trevor P]

Is anyone here running the full vintage speed exhaust on their WBX? I have one of their setups on my 2.1 and notice when it’s running and the lighting is a bit darker out that the stainless pipes coming off the heads glow orange. Normally I’d be concerned thinking it’s running super lean but have checked CO%, timing, and basically anything that could cause a lean burn. Even checking the temps with an infrared gun tells me they are running at normal exhaust temps. The only thing I can think of is that the quality of stainless tubing they are using is the cause. All 4 head pipes are doing the same thing.
Anyone else with one of these setups ever notice this?
_________________
53 Canadian standard oval
56 Wolfsburg PG/SG
57 Oval, 2332 & Berg 5
70 911T
91 Westy

[82westyrabbit]

I would think that might be normal the pipe right there runs from a low of about 800 degrees to a high of 1400 degrees the later at full power. John

[tencentlife]

We heard this a lot with the WBXaustSS, both owner and shop installs. I think there are two factors, one psychological and subjective, the other physical.

Subjective is the unacknowledged fact, but a fact nonetheless, that when a person buys something new and expensive, especially something that is bought to give some pleasure, it occupies their attention for a time. There's probably some term for this in psychology, Shiny Object Syndrome or something. So when you stick on that new exhaust system, with all the cost and work involved, it's what you're gonna look at, so you notice things it does and think they're new. I see this all the time selling automotive add-ons, they make people suddenly notice minor things that were there all along. Unfortunately these newly-noticed things are invariably seen as problems, and you wouldn't believe the amount of time vendors spend talking customers down off ledges that exist only in their minds.

So the question is, were you in the habit before of watching your old exhaust pipes in the dark? Because I can tell you, they glowed too, maybe not as brightly but at some degree of darkness they visibly glow as any piece of hot metal does.

Your old exhaust spewed steam and sputtered water out the tailpipe while warming up on a cold morning all its life, but people only notice that after the new exhaust installation, because it's what their looking at, and they think it's something new.

The possible physical factor is that mild steel will conduct heat about 4 times faster than stainless. So at the exhaust ports, where there are rapidly repetitive blasts of flaming gases exiting the cylinder head exhaust port, both types of metal are exposed to the same heat. My possible explanation, and this is theory, is that the mild steel conducts more of that heat down along the pipe runner and spreads it out, where the SS conducts less heat along the pipe so the spot temp builds higher where it's directly exposed to the fire, in the first few inches of runner length. So the SS pipe glows more brightly for a shorter length, and the mild pipe glows less brightly over a longer length.

This could be tested with an IR temp gun and an example of both type of pipes to look at.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[bugeye72]

Stainless is a terrible conductor of heat, as metals go. When welding it, it's amazing how cool the workpiece stays even a short distance from the actual weld area. Because of this, the pipe might well be quite a bit hotter right where it bolts to the head than on a stock steel exhaust, which would scavenge heat better.

[9.5isCanadian]

I do.
and it does.

I've seen tons of different headers glow at night.
Had a 350 chev with Hookers on, they sounded sweet and looked amazing at night.
but I'm old and others may disagree.

Peace
_________________
9 1/2 - missing a few pieces.

1987 Getaway Hightop
1980 Sunroof Vanagon
2018 BMW R Nine T
2012 Golf tdi

[rubbersidedown]

I'm looking into this Vintage Speed as well, I do have a GW 2.2 kit carefully installed on a 1.9l case in my '85 Westie, I'm not entertaining the GW sport exhaust kit because they seem to offer no appreciable performance gain.

I used tencentlife's many detailed posts and guidance for this build, and with the mods to the AMC heads etc. i want this to wake up just a bit more but I have some stumbling blocks, namely:

• It was born a 1.9l, so with the Vintage Speed I' think i'd have to convert to the 2.1 mounting system no? Not sure who supplies the best...

• I live in CA, thus I'd need a 50 state compliant performance cat for it to make sense, any suggestions appreciated, though I guess I'm not entirely opposed to swapping every two years. I do enjoy clean air though.

• I originally wanted to install the WBXaustSS because for this 2.2 (1.9 case) build only the best will do and after following the guidance on tencentlife for the build it makes the most sense but alas I'm making a feeble attempt to keep costs down post covid and it appears they're no longer in stock.

Any thoughts or wisdom fellow vanagonauts?

[dougass]

IMPORT FEES??

Has anyone received a UPS email about import fees for a delivery within the US?
_________________
'91 GL - 2.1 automatic named Klaus for weekend adventures.

#klausvan & @thisisklausvan

[the joker]

just installed vwspeed one from uk on my t25 joker awesome quality fit nice small adjustments where needed
price was right and fast shipping from the uk all and all happy with it looks great sounds great

[jlrftype7]

[the joker]

I'll check my paperwork it's worth it my was a ticking time bomb one and done

[happy2CU]

[dougass]

Hah, thanks for the anecdote.

So I ordered everything except for the headers because, silly me, I put on GoWesty headers a few years back and am currently reluctant to replace “new” equipment and save some $$. Has anyone done this?

Currently having fitment issues aligning the muffler to cat delete / j-pipe. Everything is loose except for the headers, so hopefully when I crack the headers loose I can pull it all together.
_________________
'91 GL - 2.1 automatic named Klaus for weekend adventures.

#klausvan & @thisisklausvan

[Trevor P]

An update on my system for anyone that cares. After running it for a couple years and about 10,000kms I developed an exhaust leak which initially thought was a blown joint gasket under the cyl 3/4 side collector flange. Upon closer inspection I found the pipe had actually cracked along the length of the pipe near the flange. Also found the flange cracked around the weld at the #2 pipe coming off the head. After getting ahold of Trent at VS, he sent me 2 new pipes to replace the broken ones. Upon install I noticed the new pipes had beefier flanges but when bolting it up snug I found a lot of vibration along the whole thing. In my opinion the heat cycling and this vibration caused the premature failures. To solve this from happening again I built a support bracket out of flat stock to attach between the moustache bar center mount area and flange between #2 pipe and the pipe/collector that snakes under the 3/4 side cylinder head. After running it I noted that the vibration on this pipe is almost nil now. Hopefully this helps anyone else that runs into this. Would like to see VS add this support bracket to their kit in the future.
Big shout out to Trent and VS for stepping up and providing great customer service.
_________________
53 Canadian standard oval
56 Wolfsburg PG/SG
57 Oval, 2332 & Berg 5
70 911T
91 Westy

[snowsyncro]

Thanks! I care.

I assume VS is Vintage Speed. Where did you call Trent? Is this in Canada? Where did you buy your system originally? Did it ship from overseas?

Thanks. RonC

[ALIKA T3]

[Trevor P]

It's solid but not attached to moustache bar itself but the aluminum mount that bolts over the oil pump. The one that has the 2 large clamps that mount the muffler to it if that makes sense. I'll see if I can get done pics at some point.
_________________
53 Canadian standard oval
56 Wolfsburg PG/SG
57 Oval, 2332 & Berg 5
70 911T
91 Westy

[Trevor P]

[MayorMcCheese]

I think #2 cracking was sometimes an issue on a different vendors stainless exhaust. They added this support.

[ALIKA T3]

[termuehlen]

I talked to Vintage Speed today. They said they are currently making some improvements to their Syncro exhaust system and the new version should be ready in about 8 weeks.
_________________
1988 Westfalia automatic Subaru OBD1
1986 syncro tintop wbx