TC exhaust systems

[CorseChris]

One for the more technical perhaps...

While reading my copy of the Guy Croft TC bible, I spotted a mention of Phil Jordans car and a comment that it's original exhaust caused problems due to very short (10") primaries. These problems were apparently cured by a redesign with longer (16") primaries.

To the point - I ran up my TC this Sunday and found it doesn't run that well. I then noticed that I have what I believe to be a very early Hawk exhaust which has these very short primaries. The engine problem may well be something else, but has anyone had any experiences of using this early system with a TC????

TIA


Chris

[Stratos]

Chris,

Can't comment on the exhaust, but congratulations on getting the engine running - Progress is being made!! :p

[CorseChris]

David,

Thanks for that!.

Sadly, it wasn't quite the event I was hoping for to be honest. It didn't run that great (possibly due to this exhaust thing), the exhaust cambox is leaking oil (long story, but I am not using a gasket since the reprofiled cams take the tappet gap beyond normal shim range) and I discovered that the Marcos battery is duff as well (used it to try and start the Corse and found it was hopeless!).

All the above took the shine off a bit. Still, it's only cost me £30 for a new waterpump so far so if I end up spending a few quid to sort it out that still isn't too bad for a completely rebuilt TC. At least it didn't leak any fuel or water :)

[CorseChris]

Been contemplating the potential for problems I might have with my exhaust and just wondered if anyone has ever tried fitting a Monte Carlo system to a Corse S or a Hawk???

I was chatting with Ian Hassal last night and he said that Paul's car has the same system with the short primaries and they have never had a problem - maybe I am just looking for problems!

[roger001]

I used a hawk stainless system on both a normally aspirated TC and volumex, (both in standard form though apart from twin DCOE 40s on the TC) it caused no aparent problems apart from noise (it sounded like a noisy VW Beetle), It sounds much better when grafted on to a V6

Part of the reason I believe the system was a problem on the TC was that the two sets of pipe work were separate as it was a 4 into 2 system the "2" then never joined each other so acted separately which is not ideal if tuning a four cylinder, but works well on a six cylinder where (i'm told) it is ok for each bank to have its own system

[CorseChris]

Roger,

Thanks for that. Mine sounded like a noisy beetle as well - not ideal! Might be worth contemplating a balance pipe to couple the 2 secondaries together perhaps. I'll give it a bash if I do experience any problems.

I had intended on grafting the V6 onto it when the time comes so it's good to know it works OK.

Chris

[roger001]

that was tried by various people but never really worked well, which was why graham bates and others made replacement systems which were 4 in to 1 systems, I had one but it rotted through quite quickly

[CorseChris]

Thanks Roger - I'll not bother trying that one then!

I'll wait and see how it behaves first before I get too carried away but if it is a problem it might pay me to take off the Hawk system and save it for conversion to the V6, then use maybe a Monte system with the TC or a home-brew of some kind.

I think your old 4-1 system was amongst the stuff I got from Gareth. It was pretty rotten wasn't it!!


Chris

[roger001]

quite possible - Gareth did a garage clearence on me for many TC bits and pices including my first engine, which you may or may not have, a standard TC with a gold block - which used to run OK onece upon a time.

[CorseChris]

I robbed that gold coloured engine for some bits, but it was in a bad way by the time it reached me (water inside it and badly corroded). The engine I used was a Monte Carlo block that had already had crank grind, rebore etc done to it. I made up a head out of the best bits and it ended up being a Monte one as well. Actually quite useful as the Monte alternator bracket/engine mount is ideal for hanging an A/C compressor on as well. All I had to do was drill and tap the block to accept the Beta driveshaft carrier/engine mount.

I am just a bit miffed that I am having a problem with the oil leak on the exhaust cambox since the inlet cam is fine. Still, extra sticky glue is on the way so hopefully that'll cure it.


Chris

[Chris Jarvis]

I think Phil Dolby put a balance pipe on his four into two exhaust to get rid of the erm..Beetle-ish noise.

Chris J :)

[CorseChris]

Chris,

Thanks for that. How effective was it??

Chris

[Chris Jarvis]

Chris

If I remember right, I think Phil was quite happy with the sound of the balance pipe. I never heard it myself. It didn't seem long before he fitted the Alfa engine, but it probably was. I'm guessing that someone else has the exhaust now. The engine ended up in a Monte.

That's as much as I know.

[CorseChris]

Thanks Chris, that's good enough for me.

I haven't fired it up again yet but I can see me having to fiddle with it to get it going right, so that would be the ideal time to make it a 4-2-1-2 system :)

Chris