Exhaust blown!!!

[Richy B]

Quite loud, Spitfire plane-ish sound effects
Blown just behind the right hand side rear silencer box, blown as in totally broken, hanging only by the rubber ties. Looks like it might be best to buy a whole new system as the rest looks rusty too. Might go all the way back to the flex pipe.

Is it worth buying a stainless steel system (Lotus Bits quote £200+vat)

[don.hasi]

The price of 200 is for a used system AFAIR. For the looks and the time it will hopefully last, it is worth it IMO

[Richy B]

Update, I managed to fix the exhaust with a repair kit and Gun Gum and tape.

Unfortunately it has now broken again (but not totally, still works)

So been on the phone to Lotus Bits and they are going to supply me with a new Stainless Steel system for about £500

Will report back when arrives,

hasten to add I did not order the tubular manifold and sports system at £1200

[Richy B]

Update 2

Exhaust has arrived from Lotus Bits, looks very nice, shame to put in on the car.

Managed to order all the fixings as I want to renew all rubbers and rings from SJ should be delivered on Monday hopefully fit the zorst next weekend

[Richy B]

Well all done today very happy with result, exhaust was a little short so the garage had to weld an extra piece of stainless steel just past the center box.
Looks very classy and sounds good quite quiet, haven't really given it beans yet due to the icy and snowy roads,
nearly got her sideways coming out of the estate from the garage.
Some pictures....

Welded section

Tight up to body work but spot on!

SEXY!!

[chrisw2811]

Very shiny! Useful pics of underside of car too. Enjoy!

[Richy B]

Always nice to have a look underneath when things like exhausts are been fitted.
All looks ok, checked suspension, bushes, brake lines, electrics all ok

[MrCoolA]

Always nice to have a look underneath when things like exhausts are been fitted.
All looks ok, checked suspension, bushes, brake lines, electrics all ok

was there any heat shield above the rear silencer boxes??..........i managed to melt the underside of my bumper with the back pipes.......i plan to shape some aluminium and rivet that in place at some stage

[Richy B]

There is no shielding above the rear boxes, checked the parts list, only added in MY89
Will keep an eye on the bumper, thanks for the heads up!

[MrCoolA]

There is some shielding above the rear boxes,
Will keep an eye on the bumper, thanks for the heads up!

just had a look at the pics again, is that my mates garage.............near digger land??


and one quick thing why was the exhaust too short??

[Richy B]

Indeed it is BBS, Ian did a good job, very knowledgeable chap, cars running much better, wondered if he had fettled the tuning a little.
Not sure why the zorst was short, glad I took it to a garage or it would still be on the drive on ramps! Good quality exhaust too, wondered if it was the wrong y piece but who knows, advice will be just get it fitted by some one who knows what they are doing!

[MrCoolA]

Indeed it is BBS, Ian did a good job, very knowledgeable chap, cars running much better, wondered if he had fettled the tuning a little.
Not sure why the zorst was short, glad I took it to a garage or it would still be on the drive on ramps! Good quality exhaust too, wondered if it was the wrong y piece but who knows, advice will be just get it fitted by some one who knows what they are doing!

Glad to here Dave and Ian did good, they are getting another mechanic in soon called Mark, who did work at Mc Donald racing (and does some engine builds freelance for them) soon, he is also very knowledgeable as well, he is the guy who is building my EFI at the moment.............

[Richy B]

Ian had a young lad helping, take it Dave is younger than Ian, certainly use again, be interesting to see the EFI kit when it's done, any idea of cost yet?

[alanmoss]

I understood from MT that the exhausts available from various sources are made by the same outfit.
My new down pipe was short and pulled the rest of the system forward.
Robert Verhey pointed me in the direction of SJ whose Y-piece is sleaved and therefore length adjustable. With this installed all is ok.
(being later SE mine is the "Grundy" system).

link to topic http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... f=7&t=5506

[johnthebass]

This may be relevant and might have some bearing on differing lengths of the pipework with aftermarket systems and the potential for pipes cracking but the SS exhaust system on mine has braided SS flexible couplings on both the front and rear of the centre box!
John