spider exhaust

["Wayne Abbott" <wabbott@domain.elided>]

The Spider exhaust project is complete, at last!  The stock 86 exhaust was
damaged from a slightly off road excursion due to an oblivious F-350 dooly
driver.  The number 4 manifold tube cracked almost all the way around. the
front converter downpipe was bent some and the rear exhaust was bent some.
Both rubber mounts were broken.  I bought a set of manifolds from a 74 spider
and got a set of front down pipes from a 74 GTV.  I cut the front muffler off
of the down pipes and had planned to just patch it to the 86 catalytic
converter.  The catalytic converter does not have a round pipe for an inlet.
It is a flat oval which is fitted to the dual front pipe assembly, and enters
at an angle.  It does exit by a round pipe which is offset from the inlet.  I
bought a universal catalytic converter with a 2" inlet and outlet.  I made a
flange to mate with the center muffler and cut a short piece of 2" heavy wall
stainless steel tubing from the scrap bin at work.  The welder at work set up
the TIG welder and instructed me in the finer points of TIG welding while he
welded the SS tube to the flange i had made.  After a lot of trips under and
out from under the car and lots of careful measuring and marking i tacked
everything into position.  Trial fitting again, grinding off the tack welds,
and repeating the whole process over, a few times.  At long last everything
was in place, all the holes lined up and nothing was touching anything it
wasn't supposed to.  I drilled and welded into place a sparkplug non fouling
adapter horizontally, inline with the front support bracket.  There is enough
room to get tools in there for the bracket and it will offer some protection.
the wires even reach to the connectors.

If I was a better welder it would have been an easier job but it seems worth
it.  Seat of the pants says that it is better than before.  It may be due to
the 74 manifolds and down pipes but i would guess that the new converter is at
least as much of an improvment as the pipes if not more.  It seems to rev a
little quicker, rev a little higher, and sound a little better.

If anyone wants a picture i can send one.

For now the Spider engine is leak free.  First it was the oil filler cap, but
then i found that the valve cover was leaking just below the oil filler cap
and blowing up over the engine.  Replaced the valve cover gasket and still had
spots on the driveway.  I found that the oil switch sending unit was leaking
out the end and following the wire down and over and dripping no where near
the sending unit.  I replaced the switch and found that the rubber tube at the
bottom of the oil dipstick tube was leaking.  I just replaced that while doing
the manifolds, cleaned up all the oil and today, no new spots.  yahoo!

Wayne Abbott

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