 |
PM |  | |
Quote | | |
Reply | | |
Full Topic | |
| Joined: | 03-12-2005 |
| Location: | Kingman, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 532 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
Originally posted August 2003
======================
I finally got around to installing Delta's new high performance exhaust system on my JH. This is the system with the tubular forward muffler rather than the oval one used previously. This design, which first appeared in their January 2003 flyer, uses heavy-wall 2" OD aluminized tubing throughout, and all three elements appear to be very well made. The forward ends of the rear muffler and intermediate pipe are expanded so that the pipes will fit together, and the end of the front muffler's forward (straight) pipe is slightly expanded to fit the rear of the stock JH Y-pipe. The system comes with three clamps using 5/16" U-bolts -- reasonably heavy duty parts for the task at hand, though stronger ones (using 3/8" U-bolts) are available.
Although I can't be entirely certain, the system appears to line up with the original mounting points. The ambiguity is due to the fact that my car had a custom exhaust, similar in concept to Delta's offering, and whoever installed it elected to remove most of the original mounting points while creating new ones matching the components they installed. I ended up having to create a couple of fairly involved custom brackets to hold things up. Anyone whose exhaust mounts have been molested will doubtless have a similar need. Handy tip: corrugated cardboard is ideal for making bracket templates and can be cut while under the car with a cheap pair of scissors.
Anyone with a non-factory exhaust system will want to check their Y-pipe and acquire any necessary adapters before installing the Delta system. In my case, the PO removed the rear of the stock Y-pipe and welded a 2" pipe between it and the old forward muffler. The expanded end of the Delta front muffler's forward pipe wouldn't quite fit this, so I had to cut off the expanded section and attach the muffler to the stub of the tube on the Y-pipe using a coupler and an additional clamp. As the front of the entire exhaust system is attached to the car only by this joint, I decided to use two heavy (3/8" U-bolt) clamps here.
I understand that a lot of people who have purchased the Delta exhaust have ended up cutting off the expanded end of the front muffler's forward pipe, so it may be that the amount of expansion currently provided there is not sufficient.
If I'd had a suitable power saw such as a Sawz-all(tm), I could have removed the old system in two minutes or less, but I had to do things the hard way, with a hacksaw. Due to the cramped conditions under the car, and the fact that I had to cut both behind the Y-pipe and just forward of the rear axle, this took about an hour. Advice for anyone in a similar situation: use a NEW hacksaw blade.
I advise anyone installing Delta's system to do a trial fit of all the bits before trying to install things on the car. In my case, the joint between the forward muffler and the intermediate pipe was so tight that it would not have been possible to adjust relative angles while under the car. A professional installer will have a tool that solves the problem in a couple of seconds, but I had to spend about 20 minutes with files and emery cloth.
Installation can be done by a single person provided that s/he is able to lift the various pieces while flat on their back under the car. One starts by attaching the forward muffler to the Y-pipe, then works toward the rear. If the joints are just loose enough to allow part rotation, and if all the mounting brackets line up, then everything fits together well, and this can be done in less than half an hour. One then installs the clamps between pieces, and tightens first the mounting bracket hardware, then the clamps. After a check for leaks, and for clearance between rear axle and intermediate pipe during extremes of suspension movement, one is done.
The sound of the Delta exhaust is quite impressive. It's very noticeable while driving, but not _quite_ loud enough to be an annoyance. It has a deep and fairly mellow rumble that's pitched about an octave lower than the worn-out system my car had. Likely my memory is faulty, but I'd compare the sound to that from a 4-cylinder Offenhouser engine from a 1950s Indianapolis car.
On a more prosaic note, every engine misfire -- which seems to happen perhaps once a minute in my case -- is now distinctly audible. About a dozen strange rattles and buzzes that I hadn't realized were exhaust-related have also vanished. I also found that slight changes in the car's mixture and synchronization settings were necessary, but it's not certain that this was caused by the new exhaust system.
In conclusion, then, I think that Delta's new system is definitely worth its price. Installation is simple enough to be done at home if all the stock exhaust mounting points are still in place, but if there are any problems in that area, it's definitely worth paying a muffler shop to do the job.