BD Apex guys: Exhaust questions

[hobbes]

What are you guys finding out with the flex joint on the header? Anybody have the new style coupler that is just the pipes sliding together instead of the flex joint? I've got mine in there with the pipe cut and banded together on the header side of the flex joint so it's a little easier to change the flex joint if it blows. Anybody find a better solution for this?

Also, are any of you running bigger/divorced downpipes and what/how did you do it?

 

[WesG]

BD setup

I am running the original flex joint still 2400 miles (knock on wood). I put a 3" side exit exhaust off my 28rs. Had to add a small amount of clutch weight, but the biggest thing is it gets rid of the header heat way, way better. It will plug if you fall over on that side into deep snow and stop, but if you are moving it doesn't seem to plug at all. It's not much louder than the tunnel dump in hard snow. In soft snow it sounds like the tunnel dump in hard snow. I riveted a plate over the original hole in the tunnel and cut out the side panel to run the pipe out. My downpipe is like 5-6"s long max. Had to massage the 3" to get it to fit the turbo flange, but it fits ok with some work. Helped boost spike dramatically. I used to spike up alot like 2-3psi, now it is minimal.

Wes

 

[hobbes]

Thanks Wes, you don't happen to have some pics of it?

 

[Pastor]

I have the coupler and have had no problems at all.

 

[WesG]

Pictures

I will try and get some pictures for you. Have to warn you though, I ride my stuff hard so it may not be pretty

Wes

 

[hobbes]

Jeez Wes, I hope your wife/gf doesn't read this forum!

 

[WesG]

Long time coming, but here are those pics.

Well if you're still interested. Sorry about the delay .

 

[hobbes]

Holy... I thought you went out the belly pan not the side plastic. And now that I see that, I think I'll to go that route too. Thanks for the pics Wes. Did you port your wastegate too?

On another note, the previous owner of my sled put in a coupler between the header and the flex joint so that if it ever goes you can quickly change it out without pulling the header, just a thought.

 

[WesG]

Coupler?

What did he use for a coupler? That sounds like it might be a good idea for future repairs. I have not ported the wastegate yet. Wonder how much gain you get from the porting? Like the idea of the fans also, there are alot of slow, hard working pulls(Not much air moving...) that a fan or two could really help keep temps down on.

 

[hobbes]

Well that's another thing I'm working on actually, he just butted the 2 two inch pipes up against eachother and clamped it with a 2 inch exhaust band. I'm going to weld a 2 inch OD to 2 inch ID onto the flex joint end and slide it over the header side and then clamp it so that it seals a little better. His way worked ok but it was still leaking a little exhaust when everything was hot. I'll get some pics when I'm all done with it.

I'm going to do some measuring tomorrow to see if 2 fans will fit and clear the oil tank on the bottom side of the I/C, if it looks like it will I'll order up that second fan and let you know how it works.

 

[hobbes]

I've got everything together now, just waiting on a 2" preformed exhaust band clamp. I'll take some photo's of it when it's finished. I also got ahold of the people that make that self sealing slip fitting and have that ready to do this summer in order to get rid of that flex bellows problem (if it really is one). I'll have to take my header off to get that welded up right, but I think it will be worth it in the long run. I'll post some pics of the slip fitting also so you can see what I'm talking about. Apparantly BD is using this on all the new kits instead of the bellows.

BTW, that 3" out the side sounds GNARLY!