Heat exchangers off. No foul.

tahoe_snow · 03-02-2007, 08:50 PM

After reading the horror stories of having to drop the engine to machine out broken exhaust studs, I felt apprehensive about removing my heat exchangers.

I read all the excellent advice on the project and mine came off with out a hitch tonight. On the few nuts that didn't immediately give way, I used Milt's recommendation of torching and then cooling with PB Blaster. After a couple cycles they all came out like butter.

The studs themselves seem to be in good condition with very little corrosion. I guess that's one of the benefits of a west coast car.

Now onto the oil line.

Danny_Ocean · 03-02-2007, 08:55 PM

My question is: How do you know when the nut is "ready" to come loose? I fear twisting it off. You won't know it's breaking until too late...?

tahoe_snow · 03-02-2007, 09:13 PM

I suspect that it is one of those things you learn through trial and error (and I don't have enough experience to know). Since most of us aren't professional mechanics you have to assess the downside risk of something going wrong.

After getting a closer look at the condition of the nuts after cleaning up the penetrating oil, I decided that it was worth the risk.

A couple came off with very little torque and no sound, and I thought, "oh ****, something gave way," but everything turned out to be fine.

Jays72T · 03-02-2007, 10:36 PM

Cool, anytime you can walk away w/ zero broken is cool. Well done.

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

Buy a lotto ticket, quick!

Congrats, I don't havethe stones to do that job.

tahoe_snow · 03-03-2007, 07:54 AM

I certainly was lucky, but again I was surprised by the condition of the nuts given some of the pictures posted here.

I think I won the lotto when I moved to NV. Seriously I wonder if this is as big of an issue on West Coast cars that haven't seen much snow or rain.

I grew up back east and I know what salt does to things there.

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Good work! Mine were rusty/frozen, but a fellow Pelican helped up and showed me a few tricks to remove the nuts without breaking them off. I was applying steady pressure and broke a few and he pulled quickly and "popped" the nut, then steadily removed it. His "quick pull" on the nut seems to have broken it loose, where my technique just broke them...

tahoe_snow · 03-03-2007, 02:23 PM

I got the oil line off today. Turned out to be a non-issue. I used a 10" Cresent wrench and short piece of pipe as a breaker. I removed the outer line from the thermostat first so I could access the inner line that I actually want to replace.

Both came free with a smooth action.

I read so many of the horror stories about this project that I was more apprehensive than needed in the end. Turned out the hardest part was removing the oil line hanger in the wheel well. Both lines were connected to one bolt, and I couldn't get a wrench on it and had to cut it off.

Now I just need to order up my new exhaust and bolt all back together.

Thanks for all the advice here.

Jay Auskin · 03-04-2007, 08:18 AM

Yeah, I got lucky too. I had mine off to do a top end. The nuts looked "permanently" attached to the studs. 30 minute Liquid Wrench soak and I was good to go. The scary part was removing the head nuts. Cripe! I was certain a stud was gonna snap. Those things twist quite a bit, and then the nut makes some bad noises as it's being removed. I wasn't planning on any P/C removal, or case work. I got lucky there too.

tahoe_snow · 03-05-2007, 03:22 PM

Put the order in for the SSIs and a 2/2 M&K. Should sound like an old school GT racer now. Woot!

tahoe_snow · 05:11 PM

I got the SSI & M&K 2/2 sport muffler installed over the weekend.

Here's a couple notes.

1) The SSI heat output toward the cabin are much larger than the stock 3.2 HEs. There is a shroud on the left side of the engine that the SSIs don't clear. After some consternation I decided to dremel into the shroud to fit the SSIs.

1.5) Because the heat output on the SSIs is larger than stock, shortening the hose between the HE and the cabin is required.

2) The Oxygen sensor port is in a different location than the stock cat and requires a longer wire. The wiring was very tight from the engine compartment, and I had to pull more wire through. I really don't like having that much wire loose and I need to go back and figure out a cleaner solution.

3) I thought the stock exhaust nuts were a difficult reach. I'm really dreading having to remove the SSIs with the tool they provide.

4) Holy crap. This setup is loud.

5) Still need to figure out a solution from the blower to the SSIs.

One note on the M&K. From the pictures I've looked at it, the muffler appears to be a simple cylinder with output holes cut and pipes welded into place. That's not totally true. There is what looks like a large dent on the back of the muffler.

When I first pulled it out of the packaging, I thought the muffler had fallen off of a fork lift. I called Ben, and he reassured me that this is as designed -- to clear the back of the engine. After closer inspection I could see where the muffler had been marked for this "dent." Now I understand the reasoning behind the banana shape of the stock Dansk muffler.

I will post what I think about the performance and sound after I have had more time with the setup, but again I will say that it is loud.

CharlesJones · 03-12-2007, 03:26 PM

Keep us updated - it sounds a great setup, and it will be interesting to see how you find it affects performance and drivability etc.

tahoe_snow · 03-15-2007, 11:41 AM

From this morning:

New M&K 2in 2out sport muffler.

So far I really like the setup. I was concerned about the low RPM resonance, but even that is growing on me.

More Porsche pr0n from this morning here

mb911 · mb911's Garage

you will notice that as you drive it a small amount of carbon will build up in the inside of the muffler which will deaden the sound a bit.. It won't spoil the experience though

tahoe_snow · 03-15-2007, 01:15 PM

Ben,

I noticed that. When I first fired it up, I thought I had an exhaust leak. I was like, holy *****, this is never going to work.

I ran it up Kingsbury Grade and it felt like the exhaust was echoing through the whole Tahoe Basin. After running pretty hard for a few hours it has mellowed out significantly.

BTW, thanks for talking me into the SSIs. When I look at the routing of the stock exhaust, I can almost hear an engineer in a German accent saying, "I know, I know, but we had to get this legal some how."

The engine revs more freely at the lower RPMs now.

tahoe_snow · 03-15-2007, 01:48 PM

...

kimlangley7 · 03-15-2007, 02:16 PM

I've received my SSIs and cleaned them up for the install on my 80 SC.. awaiting my M&K 2/1 ...

Thanks for the insight into removing the exhaust nuts.. I've been soaking them in Liquid wrench for 3 days now.. every night when I get home from work > I give them a shot.. crossing my fingers that the nut removal is smooth

kgl

tahoe_snow · 03-15-2007, 02:35 PM

I wouldn't take my advice. I probably just got lucky. I'm a hack when it comes to hardware. There are a lot of folks who say the job requires an oxyacetylene torch.

I decided to take my chances with mapp/oxygen without problem.

jpkelly3 · jpkelly3's Garage

Hey KGL,
How were you able to clean them?

kimlangley7 · 03-15-2007, 04:55 PM

I used easy off oven cleaner .. a brass brush .. fine steel wool and a 1300 psi water hose...

spray on a liberal amount of easy off > let it soak for 40 min.. maybe use the brush to hit the real dirty sections

a "before shot" of what the SSI looked like when I received them

2 cans of easy off were more than enough..

obviously > use good rubber gloves > and this is best done on the driveway...

the fine steel wool does not hurt the SSI > some say it polishes.. I was pleased with the results