Almost everyone who's been here for more than 2 weeks knows about the Travesty of Nix's exhaust.

When we first saw the car it had dual exhaust and 2 cats. Well, in 1976 Jag didn't come with dual exhaust, and in 1986 the Chevy 350 didn't have a dual exhaust, but the PO had it done anyway and paid some guy under the table to look the other way (Even suggested we do the same!).

So they did this hack job to get it past SMOG legally and gave me the other cat in a plastic bag! Like what am I gonna do with that??!




Not only that, the cat hung so low I couldn't even go over the speed bumps at the COSTCO gas pumps without fear of dragging the cat loose. (I did that once in my misspent youth; knocked the muffler off at the front and wrapped the exhaust pipe around the rear axle. I do Not want to do that again!)

This has been an annoyance and irritation since I got the car!

Well today I got it fixed!

I know some would not consider this is a big deal, reusing so many old pipes and all, but Jay (my mechanic friend) says the pipes are sound so there's no point spending any more money. I rather like that attitude!

He painted them all BLACK so they don't look so obvious.

Nix is Very happy! She even feels more peppy and sounds a Lot more authoritative!

We're going back to Jay in a couple weeks to get Nix fitted with NEW Mufflers! She's Really excited about that!
(';')

 

Looks good and that 2 -> 1 -> 2 is a good exhaust system design. It balances the pulses and spreads them across both mufflers more evenly for better mutual flow and a more european sound. Good move.

 

Looks good @lnrb

My car came to me with dual exhaust with no cats. I suppose i will likely have to change that if i ever end up in california, but for now it is going to stay that way. Your 2 - 1 - 2 looks a lot cleaner now and I bet performs way better than the hackjob it was before.

 

Very tidy Elinor, much more what you would expect to see under a car like Nix :-)

You might enjoy this from Youtube on this type of exhaust change

 

Well done.

My S2 had twin exhausts from factory, NO cats, and a V12 up front.

The 6 cylinders still had twin from the trans back, muffler each side pre diff, and monster resonators each side in the rear bit.

NIX will be happy I know, and happier still soon with new mufflers.

 

Looking good Elinor.

 

That really looks great, nice tidy professional looking installation.

For reference, dual exhaust was available in 1986 on Corvette- so your engine could claim provenance in that respect.

 

Elinor:


1. Where did you get the idea that you were past misspent youth ? Misspent, yes. Youth, you gotta be kidding !!


2. You found a gem in Jay. A real craftsman. Twin pipes! An old term!
But, I'm an old guy! The cat serves well in two ways. Balance and cleansing. Admirable, no doubt.


3. Are the Jaguar mufflers bad ? Why replace them ? My car does well on mine.


4. I painted my down pipes with an aluminized paint. It is not burning off?? At one time, I regretted not doing the same on the new pipes and possibly the ones going through the cage. But, as they are "doing well"
I'll remove it from the pre list tasks.


Back story: On the way to errands, yesterday, I stopped to chat with my back neighbor. He has in "itch" for older suburbans ! A car guy, no question. And, in his front yard, amongst the "burbs", a Troy Bilt chipper, like mine!!


A. We discussed my GM lump ands it's kinship to his "burbs".
B. And the fact that I had a Troy Bilt chipper ! His, like mine have issues.
Bottom line. Now I have two. Free !!!


C. I should be on the 'lighten the load" mode, not add to it. What can I say?


Oh, he and his pal admired my LT1 installation, as it purred as we spoke !!


Carl

 

Thanks, Guys,
The resonators are still there and I'll probably leave them alone for the moment.

That single cat was 30 years old and had dumped its guts into the right muffler effectively plugging it. Jay has ordered a pair of offset turbo mufflers as replacements which he says will give Nix an even more authoritative voice.

Even with one plugged muffler Nix has better response than before! Enough better that it isn't coincidence or weather or temperature. Not surprising I suppose, when one considers the hard 90 degree turns gasses had to make to get out of the engine. That had to compromise performance to some degree.

I'm Very pleased!!

Great YouTube video, Steve, very enlightening; I'm not surprised at the results.

Husband and I have decided that Jay will become Nix's personal physician for things we aren't equipped to do ourselves, such as planing the exhaust manifold which did away with a leak that simply would Not stop.

He likes older cars (drives a '74 Dodge Charger), but most important, he Really likes Nix! She likes him too as he treats her with gentle respect.
(';')

 

Um, well, I wrapped the exhaust pipe around the axle when I was a kid still living at home; in a place I wasn't supposed to be, doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing. Nuff about that.

Yes, I will keep Jay "on retainer." He does Excellent work, works fast, and works "with us" when he can. He's also certified SAE.

Besides that, he's a nice guy. I would guess he's in his early 40s; not an age I would expect to groove on old cars, but then neither am I!

Yes. As I mentioned, the single cat shed its guts into the right muffler effectively plugging 50% of its flow. If one muffler is replaced, might as well replace both and not worry about it again for another 30 years.
(';')

 

Makes sense to me. A rare thing in today's world.


1. The back yard neighbor and his pals were working on oldish 4 X's. late 30's perhaps. But, clearly interested in all IC's. Including my Jaguar !!


His pop and I clashed on more than one occasion. But, *** rrha s s ur. ae 'a ' ae sarlyh splATE LAE r rre eea s ss hia twihgs s bzck w eh

 

El Gato Negra.
That's what Jay calls Nix even though they've been properly introduced. I don't mind though, because I understand how people find their own pet names for things they like, and Jay Likes Nix.

Today he put new mufflers on her and she Really likes them; they're Walker Turbo Off-sets.




He said the old mufflers rattled like they were full of rocks. Probably had something to do with being 40+ years old and having the guts of the single cat in them. He mentioned the cat was hollow when he took it off.

While he was at it he noticed a rattle in the right pipe. Further investigation revealed this chunk of *Melted* ceramic lodged on the curve just ahead of the muffler!








Notice how it's been *Melted*! That means it was At Least 4200F in there at some point for an extended period of time! It must have been Red Hot! It's a wonder the car didn't catch fire!

Does she sound different?
Oh Yeah! More throaty but still very lady-like, with just the slightest hint of snarl when taking off from a stop; growing to a wonderfully deep, full fledged Roar under hard acceleration.

Does she run any stronger?
I Hope To Shout!! Even husband (the hardest man alive to please) was impressed as I stuck my foot through the firewall and surprised him with minor whip-lash, pressing him back into his seat!

I can't wait till the next smart @** challenges me on the Passing Lanes. She did 138 mph with that potato in the pipe, I wonder what she'll do now that she can exhale as well as she can inhale.

(sigh)
(';')

 

Just got the traffic on hold for you Elinor, now follow the markers up the taxiway, turn right onto 22R and await clearance for take off...

 

Thank you, tony, I do like to fly low......
(';')

 

Elinor:


1. How in the "God's green earth" did NIX pass SMOG with that molten "whatever" in a muffler???


2. As you say, Ceramics are akin to glass. Lottsa F's to soften.


3. Beware of flying too low !!!


A. Willie Nelson sings of Angels flying too low to the ground!!


B. A Canadian pilot got mixed up and flew too low. Oh, confused a taxi way for a strip. Durn near landed atop other jets in line to go aloft.


Sidebar: My Chippers defy me. Engines on each run great. Drives either flunk or do not exist.


But, one thing seems going well. I'll post elsewhere, later or in the AM. I'm hungry....


Carl

 

It's all about Emissions, Carl, hydrocarbons and CO. I don't think ceramic sheds either of those so it would make No difference what was rattling around in there except maybe a charcoal briquette.

Willie notwithstanding, I don't qualify to be an angel nor does anyone I know, strictly speaking, but thanks for the comment anyway.

I do like to drive hard and I like to drive fast; but the thought of taking someone innocent with me if I die in a car crash (I wouldn't know anything after impact but the other person's family would) makes me much more cautious than I might be otherwise.

And that's Quite enough about that!!
(';')

 

How cool..El Gato Negra ( the black cat)....and after clearing all those blockages
I'll bet she flies.....she looks good top and bottom now.

 

Thank you, Jim,
Yes, she flew pretty well before. I'm astonished how Quick she is now, truly cat-like, and what she's actually capable of!! I could probably float valves now!

And, I can't wait to see what new heads, cam and lifters will do, all of which will be done over the winter.
(';')

WhooWee!!
(';')

 

Gotta chuckle.


1. *****'s idea of angels includes gals.


2. Jay is a metal master, but his linguistics are off a bit. Properly, NIX should be referred to as 'La Gata Negra". NIX is female as is her stewardess.


3. I've no issue with driving fast. Focused and at the right place. In my "kid" days, my pals referred to me as "speed king". Odd, how fast can a "T" Ford go?


Wow, each of my Chippers run. But each short of doing work ! Differing issues !!!


Carl

 

Elinor, that is catalityc converter honeycomb material, and it is toxic, you should not be touching it!!