Got my SSIs installed, And I'm bummed -- UPDATED w/ pics Options

[Gint]

I must not have been clear. With the HE off of the car, they blocked off one end and put 15 lbs. of pressurized air to the other end and could hear it "leaking like crazy" underneath the heat shield. It has a leak, that much is certain at this point.

After further consideration though, I'm going to have them fix it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

Probably cheaper than buying a replacement.

[Bartlett 914]

Yep, bummer. They look fine, just one very small dent in one of the heat shields, but otherwise they look great. I'll see if I can get the guy who's working on them to snap a picture or two of the damage once he pulls it apart.

When this type of pipe is manufactured, it is rolled from flat material and seam welded. It would be interesting to see if the break was along this seam. Please post a picture when you can.

[MartyYeoman]

Inside the tins the pipes are not bent much.

I'd have to say they ARE bent much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)
There's at least half a dozen bends in there.

[Bartlett 914]

Inside the tins the pipes are not bent much.

I'd have to say they ARE bent much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)
There's at least half a dozen bends in there.

Much is a relative term. The bends are slight as compared to where they bend up toward the head. I would think that the bends up to the heads would be the first place they would fail. The outer pipes ar bent a little more than I expected. I am curious where and why they failed.

Are those your pipes in the picture? Why were they taken apart?

[Katmanken]

That's just odd.

I do remember in metallurgy class the professor talking about welding stainless fire extinguishers that tested out great when new, and years later, blowing apart at the weld. I just can't imagine a force great enough to bend the tubing at the crack.

Wait a minute, that piece of shit honda I used to own would misfire and send a big flaming explosion down the exhaust system. You could feel it traveling down the exhaust as it hit each bend and then into the muffler where it exploded the muffler off the car...

It happened 3 times and trashed 3 honda exhausts....

Needless to say, I will never own another honduh....

Ken

[MartyYeoman]

Are those your pipes in the picture? Why were they taken apart?

No, those aren't mine. I just liberated the photo from an add in the classifieds.
I don't know why the heater boxes were stripped off.

I just thought it would make for an educational moment.

[Lavanaut]

I don't think there's much of a market for broken SSIs.

I was thinking it might be of interest to someone who was able to perform the repairs themself.

Latest update for those of you interested ~ I stopped by the shop yesterday and the owner took me back to look at the HE. He hadn't opened it up yet (waiting on my replacement gaskets to arrive), but I was still amazed by what he showed me. There are several tiny stress fractures at the base of the "bolt arms" (where the bolts go through to attach the HE to the head). They've very very small and you'd never see them unless you looked very closely. Beyond that, the mating surface of the HE at the head end wasn't even close to flat. Not even close. Looking at it's profile it looked like someone had ground it down in an attempt to make it look like the surface of a pond on a windy day. It was crazy. So to everyone who suggested the file technique, you were spot on.

He did finally open it up today and found a "huge split" in one of the pipes. He cut out that section and replaced it, filled in the stress fractures and trued the mating surface. Looks like I get to pick up the car this evening. He saved the fractured part of the pipe at my request ~ I'll post a picture of it when I get it back.

Here's hoping the repairs were successful....

[GaroldShaffer]

I don't think there's much of a market for broken SSIs.

I was thinking it might be of interest to someone who was able to perform the repairs themself.

He did finally open it up today and found a "huge split" in one of the pipes. He cut out that section and replaced it, filled in the stress fractures and trued the mating surface. Looks like I get to pick up the car this evening. He saved the fractured part of the pipe at my request ~ I'll post a picture of it when I get it back.

Here's hoping the repairs were successful....

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

That is exactly what I seen at Brad Mayeurs shop. You need to check your SSI exchangers before you install them.

[orange914]

Did the shop even replace the copper gaskets? I always worry about shops that don't specialize on these cars or have some familiarity at least.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

also it seems its inportant to annul(spell?) the copper by getting it red hot first with a torch, then cool. this makes them more malible to seal better

[Lavanaut]

Went and picked up the car today. Check out the pics of the section of pipe removed/replaced that was inside the heat shield. Crazy! This was obviously not a split at the seam formed when the pipe was rolled. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around how this could happen. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) That crack goes 270 degrees around the circumference of the pipe.

Driving the car home from the shop today was an eye opener. First thing I noticed was, well, no exhaust pouring into the cabin. That's a nice feature. Next thing I noticed was the sound...wow. Even with the leak the car sounded great in my opinion (not including the popping on decel). But man now it sounds just that much better. A much nicer resonance, more of a growl and less throaty is how I'd describe it. My wife followed me home from the shop and when she got out of our truck when we got home she said, "damn the car sounds sweet!" (she's a keeper (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)). But the most rewarding part of this little 10 minute drive was just that...the drive itself. Very simply put, the throttle response was noticeably more precise. I don't fully understand the negative effects an exhaust leak can have on our little cars, but for those of you that do, does it make sense that it would drive better? I swear...and I don't think I'm imagining it...it seems a tad bit quicker as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

It's funny - I hadn't realized just how much the exahust leak issue had soured me on this car. Always having to drive with the windows down, popping every time I'd downshift or let off the accelerator at high RPM...kind of just sounds like no more than just a small annoyance. But now that it's fixed, well, I realize that it was more than an annoyance. It pretty much made me not want to drive the car at all. I can't believe how much I enjoyed the ride home from the shop today! I guess it was the first time I've ever actually driven my car with a properly functioning Triad/SSI combo...and it now comes HIGHLY recommended by me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

Enough rambling, on to the pics. Thanks all for your input, it helped.

[Lavanaut]

One more, just for kicks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[ericread]

OK, You've roped us all in...

Time to post either a video or a sound recording. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

You can't tell us all that without some exhaust porn... And it's not like there's anybody else in Bend, Oregon to back you up... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

It must sound really sweet driving to Prineville or La Pine. Or Sisters! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (Not really hotbeds of automotive excellence). Nothing like hitting the Grange hall in La Pine in the sweet ride. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

Sorry, too much past history in the area... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

In all seriousness, it's a great looking teener. Congratulations on getting the exhaust sorted out! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[Lavanaut]

You forgot a smiley at the end of your first sentence man. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif)

Yep, pretty much just me out here in central Oregon. There are actually an incredible number of P-cars in this town, but only one other 914 that i know of. There's a porsche dealership here, and it got one of the few (50? 100?) Carerra GTs in the US. It sold. I guess that's something. But I digress...

Actually, as part of this exhaust 'upgrade' I did take an audio clip of the stock setup before I pulled it off the car, with the intention of doing a before & after comparison. It's what I was hoping to find when I was trying to decide what exhaust parts to purchase, but couldn't. Maybe it will help someone else down the road. Anyway, once I get a clip of the new setup I'll post them both here.

And thanks for the compliment. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[ericread]

You forgot a smiley at the end of your first sentence man. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif)

Yep, pretty much just me out here in central Oregon. There are actually an incredible number of P-cars in this town, but only one other 914 that i know of. There's a porsche dealership here, and it got one of the few (50? 100?) Carerra GTs in the US. It sold. I guess that's something. But I digress...

Actually, as part of this exhaust 'upgrade' I did take an audio clip of the stock setup before I pulled it off the car, with the intention of doing a before & after comparison. It's what I was hoping to find when I was trying to decide what exhaust parts to purchase, but couldn't. Maybe it will help someone else down the road. Anyway, once I get a clip of the new setup I'll post them both here.

And thanks for the compliment. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Here's a couple you can have for later: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Thanks man - I can't wait to hear your clips! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[SirAndy]

This was obviously not a split at the seam formed when the pipe was rolled. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around how this could happen. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) That crack goes 270 degrees around the circumference of the pipe.

stress crack ... maybe the car was run without a muffler hanger for a extended period of time ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) Andy

[MartyYeoman]

Nice hole!!

I knew Shayne would take good care of you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

Can you point out where the replaced section was located?

[Lavanaut]

stress crack ... maybe the car was run without a muffler hanger for a extended period of time ...

In just one of the pipes though? It seems like if that were going to be the case it would crack at the point with the most amount of gravitational torque ~ at the bend where it turns upwards to meet the head.

[GaroldShaffer]

I wish I had the pictures from Brad's shop. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Looks close to what you show here. These were not stress cracks.

[6freak]

stress crack ... maybe the car was run without a muffler hanger for a extended period of time ...

In just one of the pipes though? It seems like if that were going to be the case it would crack at the point with the most amount of gravitational torque ~ at the bend where it turns upwards to meet the head.

wow...(.Gravitational torque) is that even a word if not it sure should be ...anywho its amazing you didnt hear that monster leak.I myself would be talk`n with the seller.but then again maybe he didnt know? Say hello too my little friend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) Just kid`n glad its right and very nice car

[TeenerTim]

That's a huge amount rust for a stainless pipe. I thought the SSIs didn't rust. Does that look unusual to anyone else?