heat exchanger question....

[midlifecrisis]

the heat exchangers on my 73 2.0L have bitten the dust.... but i have found a set of stainless ones for a reasonable price. however, they are from a 75 2.0L. will these fit or shall i continue my search?

thanks......

[cshogen]

Midlife, I think you have to keep searching. '75 and '73 exchangers are different I believe.

[DuckRyder]

Many 75-76 have been converted to early exchangers.

Factory 75-76 exchangers are a single outlet (vs dual) and stainless 75-76 style were pretty hard to get (impossible?)

If they are stainless it's highly likely the car was converted to early style and they will work if so.

Investigate further

[Loan Dog]

Midlife...
75'-76' cars had different heater boxes to accommodate the catalitic converter, that 74' and older cars did not require. I'm pretty sure DuckRyder is correct that it is very unlikely that anyone had a set of SS boxes for a 75' or 76'. Find out from the seller if that car had been converted to the older style exhaust. If so, they will work. Look at them to see whether or not there is a "kick-up" at the end that connects to the muffler. If they do "kick-up", they are 1.7-1.8 exchangers. Almost none, they are 2.0 boxes. either will fit your car, BUT, (and there's always a but) you have to have a muffler and muffler bracket that fit properly. As the German engineers say "Why use only one part when we can make do with 12." and that's why we love 'em! Hope that helps.
Don

[Loan Dog]

Midlife...
I have a set of each, 1.7-1.8 SS, and 2.0 SS that I use on my 73'. This pic shows the difference in the outlet ends.
Don

[Joe Bob]

They did not MAKE a stainless HE for the 75-76 style 914 system....so they are either a 1.7 or 73-74 2.0 style.

The only diff is the turn up at the end or lack of, like the previous poster shows.....

Ya just need the right muff and hanger.

[midlifecrisis]

ok, so i find the 2.0 exchangers (make sure they are straight, not up) and then buy 12 new parts to make sure they fit? the stock hanger from my 2.0 won't work? what if the 12 new parts were called beer, would that help or simply delay the purchase of the proper parts?

Many thanks all,

Scott

[Loan Dog]

If you have a stock 2.0 muffler bracket and 2.0 muffler, the STRAIGT end heater boxes will bolt right up. If the boxes have the "kick-up" you need a 1.7-1.8 muffler bracket and muffler and the beer. Good luck!
Don

[ruddyboys]

What was the purpose of the kick-up vs the straight thru.

[VARam1500]

Originally posted by Loan Dog
75'-76' cars had different heater boxes to accommodate the catalitic converter, that 74' and older cars did not require.

This is a little off of the thread, but did all '75s and '76s come with cats?

--Case...

[maf 914]

"This is a little off of the thread, but did all '75s and '76s come with cats?"

No. My '76 which was delivered to a North Carolina dealer had a straight pipe between the two mufflers where the cat would go. The rest of the exhaust system was the same as all 75-76 models, as shown in the Haynes manual. I think only the California model had the cat.

Mike

[DuckRyder]

My 75 did not have a cat either.

[Loan Dog]

From what I've read, only Calif. bound cars were required to have cats as part of the smog equipment.

I believe the the kick-up had something to do with the re-designed muffler that came with the intro of the 2.0 4cyl. Rather than change what they had from day one with the original 1.7's, I think they just continued to use the available parts supplies until the 1.8 was dropped completely for the 1976 model run. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this.
Don

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The MD-bound cars may have had cats as well.

The "kick-up" was so that they could use the 411 mufflers that they already had lots of. The 2.0 was a re-design in many aspects, and they eliminated a couple bends from the pipes for that.

Some people call the late exchangers "stainless", I've seen it before. If the ones you are thinking of buying go forward when they come out of the head, then take a quick 180 degree bend, and come back to a triangle-shaped flange, they are the 75-76 exchangers. Not that good.

If they come down from the head and go back to a trapezoid-shaped flange that has two pipes in it, then they are 70-74 style. The "kick up" of the 1.7 and 1.8 exchangers is shown in Loan Dog's photos.

73 hardware won't fit a 75 exchanger correctly. Most of the parts (muffler, hanger, heater stuff) is different. If they have 73-74 style exchangers on the 75, then you can bolt it up using your 73 hardware no problem.

--DD

[VARam1500]

Our car was born a resident of Michigan. No cat! Bow wow!

--Case...

[DuckRyder]

as you can see this 75 HE is obviously not the same.

[ronh]

What is a descent set of late model heat exchangers (with the triangular end) and muffler worth.
I have a set I might part with.

[Bleyseng]

I gave mine away....and that was the best I could do.
Geoff