Exhaust

[Mike T]

I have a new stainless steel exhaust fitted, just clambering underneath to check fluid levels and noticed that the exhaust pipes are blue right up to the back box.
 Is this normal?

[diffwhine]

Stainless does go blue when it gets hot. Is your timing on? It's not running hot or anything?

[Wittsend]

If it's not that then there are s/s and s/s. Not all s/s is of the dame grade. Cheaper (thinner) stuff may go blue

[Mike T]

This is a double s exhaust. I did 50 mile round trip yesterday, temp stayed at 80c and no loss of water. Not sure if 80 is what is expected. Trying to check everything before to trip down to the rally.

[Peter Holden]

Pretty good temperature that.

My stainless exhaust has been on for more than 40 years, it is suffering though.  The flanges where the silencer fastens to the intermediate pipe are made from mild steel and are disintegrating.  I have 2 new stainless steel flanges to fit? I am collecting some stainless rods next week

Peter

[Adam1958]

Exhaust gas temperature and coolant temp don't always run in tandem, a high EGT could be too much timing advance or too lean of a mixture... I would pull a few spark plugs out, check the colour, and if all is well then just crack on. As someone has already mentioned stainless is available in a few grades, 304 being common for exhaust, but if the material is on the thinner side it may go blue.
Personally I wouldn't worry though, it's pretty common. 

[Mike T]

Just pulled a couple of plugs to check. I am a novice just going by the plug charts on the net I think they are ok.

[Alan Drover]

Difficult to tell but I'd hazard a guess they're slightly on the weak side. When I changed my plugs recently all four were a brick red colour.
Are you using E5 or 10?

[Mike T]

I am running on E10. I do have the timing slightly advanced only because I get a higher vacuum reading.

[Alan Drover]

Maybe it's too advanced for E10.

[Alan Drover]

As a matter of interest what is your vacuum reading at tickover? Mine's about 21/22 HG.

[w3526602]

Hi..... if I may deviate ....

Series One manifolds pointed straight out (sideways), through a hole in the inner wing, then down to chassis level, then back along the chassis, over the rear axle. then across the car, and ended behind the right hand rear wheel.

That is, of course, I had been involved.

Most of the S1 and S2s, that had passed through my hands, had their silencers (cant remember their origin, but just a simple 3" dia tube with a stub at each end), hanging under the passenger seat, and ending in a 90*, clamp on elbow, just in front of the left hand rear tyre. Very cheap to make, and very simple.

602

PS.  Memory suggests the silencers were from Commer 16cwt vans. The "bends" came from the shelves of my local Halfords, etc ... those that allowed me to rummage in their back office.

[Wittsend]

Not so easy "reading" spark plugs these days with E5/E10 petrol as this fuel tends to "wash away" carbon deposits.



The plug pictures ^^^ are not so clear, they tend to suggest to me that the engine is running a little rich.

I would have thought that if the engine were too far advanced and running hot that the plugs would be more biscuit/white in colour

What make/plug rating are you using ?

 

[Mike T]

Just a update, It was running slightly weak and the timing was to advanced. Now set at 6 deg and hopefully mixture spot on. The 250 miles to the rally this weekend will be a good indicator.