When I stopped by Falconworks to check up on the improvements that they're doing to the XKR (almost done) I got quite a surprise.

The photos below are FACTORY parts:







LOOK HOW SQUISHED THE FACTORY PIPES ARE! This is on both sides of the car!

I remember that someone makes a kit to go straight past the rear suspension. How do you guys like it?

I can't believe that I'm pushing this much power out of this 4.2 only to have it plugged up like this! AAAAAAH!

This is going to get fixed. I'm downright perturbed.

 

Mina was really nice and set me up with an updated hanger kit. I bought THIS to have installed on Monday:

Performance Exhaust Mina Gallery for Jaguar XKR

 

When I put in my Mina Exhaust I likewise was flabbergasted by the restriction in the factory exhaust. I have always been happy with my Mina and Nameless exhaust combo.

I just try to avoid gravel roads like the plague with that beautiful polish on them.

 

Stainless still being 'mostly' ignorant iron, and its alloying elements behaving as they do, that high polish is not just for bling - it is a functional contributor to resisting corrosion. (Yes Virginia, under trying circumstances, 'rustless' iron - is not, and will do..)

One doesn't need nitric or other strong acids to re-passivate either.

My 'Spring' cookware - now and then scarred or over-heated to blues and browns by absent-minded Elders, is quite happy to respond to El Cheapo White Vinegar.

Slow, but not THAT slow, and considerably safer to store and apply than stronger and/or more active acids. Have a care to keep it away from the aluminium chassis, of course...



BTW - initial impression was that the Mina was a bit pricey. Then recalled that two months ago, Meinike hit me for $427 to do a single-hole, plain carbon-steel pipe, flash-galvanized muffler & resonator back .. for a clapped-out 2000 MY Dodge Caravan, yet...

By comparison, the Mina treatment may be quite the bargain after all...

 

As an ex-Zoni I would be concerned about under the axle if you are lowered. Especially if you are driving the hills around Tucson. MarcB has the under axle setup and lowered and on our run on Monterey he scraped a number of times on the back roads. A custom shop should be able to get you full round pipes over the axle. Or...you could go with side pipes with an "X" crossover.

 

Yup, lowered and under the axle is not the best combination, watch out for road hazards as you will only have about 2 1/2" of clearance. I have had the under the axle sections replaced once already and I need to do it again soon. Per Dave's comments next time I am going to have over the axle pipes made.

P.S. I too am a former Arizonan and frankly it has been my experience that the roads in AZ are better than the roads here in California, you just need to remember how low your car is (or will be).

 

If I recall correctly I believe Avos has mentioned that he has an X pipe and sport cats but an otherwise stock exhaust. His power seems to be just fine, even with the restriction.

 

Indeed, I have just the stock exhaust and sport cats (no x-pipe).

Wouldn't claim it to be optimal, but also not very restrictive. Pending of course how far you want to go in power, as obviously the higher you go the more effect a suitable exhaust can have. For me the test I once did with a x-pipe didn't show any significant power difference (to my surprise), so the sports cats with stock exhaust will do for me now. Maybe if I would test for 700 hp I will check it again.

 

I am concerned about how low the installation will be. I suspect that it will work out OK with my care about bumps, etc. Perhaps the real issue will be when my fiancee, Kate, asks to take my XKR out for a drive with her girlfriend. NOOO! They do look quite 'delicious' when they ride in it, though. Hmm...

 

Really? You turn a 600hp monster over to a girl? You need to do like I just did for my wife and buy her a nice XK8.

 

Can you describe the process for cookware?

 

When my wife and her BFF head out in the XK8 I remind them that Thelma and Louise was just a fictional movie.

The ladies do look good in these cars ...

 

Two parts to it.

I detest scraping sticky or singed debris, so day-to-day is to splash in a millimetre or so of white vinegar just after the cooked food is decanted. Cooking vessel still warm, vent-hood left on low, and go off to table.

Food debris usually washes right out by the time the meal is finished.

The less-frequent need applies when a vessel has been overheated a bit. That may call for a bit more vinegar, being covered and left to stand overnight. Repeated, even.

Need for scouring ***** or abrasives has become extremely rare - even with an absent-minded Mother-In-Law who routinely melts the heaviest of aluminium, pops copper bottom-discs right off lesser stainless.

When cleaning-up the old machine-tools I am into restoring, vinegar also finds a place. As said - slower than other acids, but much, much safer to store and handle, being 'food-grade' as it is. And cheap.

 

thankeee ...

does this work for bluing of the interior surface due to overheating?

 

Jeff,

If I owned your car, there's no way anyone besides me would drive it. Too risky and dangerous. Think of how much money and time you've poured into that puppy....

Fiance or not, don't cave. You should be the only one who drives that monster....

 

Superbly. Take you less than five minutes and five cents worth of vinegar to see it work.

CAVEAT: Vinegar is 'food' BEFORE it picks-up the metal ions. No longer as safe AFTER.

I usually do two applications, then flush it out well, wipe, let air-dry to insure the oxide(s) film is sound and stable before the next go at cooking.

 

Thanks!