SS exhaust - suppliers, x pipes and mufflers

[turbo510]

So rather that pollute blstc's headers thread I figured I would start a new one.

I'll soon be starting on an exhaust for my L77 BMW Project and while I have made mild steel mandrel exhaust before this will be my first foray in to Stainless.

I'll be running HSV headers and cats as it needs to be engineered. Planning on backing that up with a twin 2.5inch system.

Is it worth making an Xpipe or just buying off the shelf?

Any recommendations on mufflers? I am thinking dual in dual out to save on some space but I need it to be reasonably quiet till it's engineered.

Tempted to use V bands for the joins too, the original exhaust was one piece from the headers back so I am hoping I can get away with a pair of V bands near the diff to make it a bit more manageable.

Also any recommendations on suppliers for the bits?

Cheers

[Gammaboy]

It's pretty easy to make an X-pipe - 2 90's with a big chunk sliced off the side. It is however a pain to mig the deepest part of the v putting them together though.

[Jack Nicholson]

I would have thought that by the time you bought some SS 90's, cut them, weld them and re-weld them because you fucked it the first time, an off-the-shelf stamped X-Pipe for $120 or so would be a cheaper option for the DIYer...?

[bang chong]

The only thing with v bands if the exhaust isn’t hung correctly it can twist on the v band. Also if you do buy them, make sure you get the ones that are male and female so they seat nicer and also have a recess for the tube to sit it to butt weld.

I built my stainless exhaust using 304 grade, used solid hangers but had to modify them and replace the mild steel rod with stainless and am using a flex joint. Much prefer it this way over using no flex joint and factory hangers as it doesn’t move at all.

I bought my stainless tube and bends from who my work uses for stainless, cost around $30 a metre for 3inch and $30 a 90 degree bend (tighter radius to exhaust bends). Bought my mufflers off eBay, because the same muffler in the exhaust shop was 50% dearer. Also from my experience in the past I’ve found some stainless bends I’ve bought from an exhaust shop didn’t weld as nice as the stuff I got from my supplier, some food for thought

[Gammaboy]

I would have thought that by the time you bought some SS 90's, cut them, weld them and re-weld them because you fucked it the first time, an off-the-shelf stamped X-Pipe for $120 or so would be a cheaper option for the DIYer...?

Building your own lets you set the on/out spacing to where you want it though. The off the shelf ones work for some installs, for others, they require a bunch more bends to put the pipe in the right spot.

[jasonp1977]

Stirling Stainless is good for stuff, although looking at their online prices it seems they've increased a little. In QLD I've also used Midway Metals where it was around $24 for a 3" 1.6mm wall 90deg mandrel bend in 304 grade. I like magnaflow mufflers myself but they're a bit more expensive than the usual gear. I wouldn't mind trying some of the mufflers from Adrenalin R in NZ also http://adrenalinr.com/products.php?pCategory=mufflers

I don't bother with the male/female v-bands, I just use normal v-bands and recess the tube ~4-5mm into one flange and have the other with the tube sitting proud by the same amount. Makes things a bit easier when installing too as they locate nicely

[Slides]

This site seemed to have the best range of the ones i found last time i did some googling.

https://www.ecsengines.com.au

[turbo510]

Current plan is HSV Cats -> Magnaflow #12568 (22inch long dual in dual out 2.5) -> V Bands -> Magnaflow #12468 (18inch long dual in dual out 2.5) -> tailpipe

From what I can tell on the Magnaflow website these mufflers have an internal xpipe so that should simplify things a bit. Just hoping it will be quiet enough.


Next step now that my shed is almost back together is to make up some cardboard mufflers and make sure they will fit under the car before ordering a bunch of stainless.
Then I'll have a play with my new tig to get it dialed in then start gluing pipes together.

[turbo510]

Also this place looks to be pretty competitively priced for small quantities of SS304

https://www.performanceexhaust.com.au/

[bang chong]

Go seek a stainless supplier, that place wants $56 a metre for 3 inch ss304. I paid $30 a metre from Atlas stainless steel here on the Gold Coast


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[turbo510]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll make some calls and post up my results

[bang chong]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll make some calls and post up my results

That pricing was a cash sale also, so I could’ve even got it much cheaper through work. Just save yourself a fair bit of money and cut the middle man out.

[DJ345]

Try http://www.geordi.com.au/ in Cheltenham, cheaper for cash too.

[Slides]

Try http://www.geordi.com.au/ in Cheltenham, cheaper for cash too.

POA makes baby jesus cry. Alright if you can rock up with cash i guess.

[krisr]

I ended up using chinee bends from Roadstar Autoparts on fleabay. Can't remember how much they were but they were spastic cheap and they did those stamped x-pipes for like $100 too. Provided you cleaned them out properly they weld just fine.