Project Varatrackerstorm or Firetrackerdero.

[Varastorm]

It's surprising what you need to build this exhaust system.

I can now see how the cost rockets up,

This is why I had to come out of retirement Chris

Let this be a Warning to everyone. If you've got an exhaust to build, get it out of your system & make sure you build it before you retire.

Or it might turn into a sad life changingly tragic episode of pain

I feel It needs two of those "Y" bits though, but £50 for something that you really don't want & know isn't going to look nice.. We'll see. Thing is though, it'll be a bugger to fit if I change my mind later on.

Or if I later find out it would of unleashed loads more power.

To add to it all, I need a refill of Argon £40, copper exhaust gaskets & a job I've been avoiding is snapped exhaust studs

Am I correct on thinking I'll need a 7mm stud grabber extractor, plus-gas & a bit of luck

Btw, 40 exhaust springs is a little over the top Chris, nearly enough to make a retro Vono spring mattress base

[Varastorm]

Today I've decided to take on a job I've been dreading to do all year. Two front snapped exhaust studs.

I should of tackled them when the engine was on the pallet, but I never

I've been soaking them with wd40 & twatting them with a lump hammer every time I go to the shed.

Thinking that when I do tackle them they'll fall out How wrong was I.

The plan was..

Mole grips. Fail.

Then pipe wrench. Fail.

Then small stilson. Fail.

Then heat was applied using the tig torch. Fail.

Next up was to tig weld some high tensile 8mm bolts to the remains of the studs using 0.7mm stainless 304 rods.

The initial tacking of the studs.







The thread started to fail/twist so I welded the thread up again with 0.7mm stainless 304 rods.

Back & forth mm by mm & copious spraying of WD40. It took an age but they did com out







The force required to remove these studs was unbelievable, huge round of applause goes to the Lidl Powerfix 1/4" socket set I used



Job done

[AMCQ46]

good work there, lucky you are so skilled with the TIG, that could have been much worse!

[Varastorm]

good work there, lucky you are so skilled with the TIG, that could have been much worse!

Not too sure if your being sarcastic about the upside down wd40 welding effort on the studs AMcQ

In fact I was thinking of touching them up with a flap wheel before I took the pictures

But like you say, could of been a lot worse. I really didn't want to drill them out

Horrid job though, I'm left with an empty 8mm hole to the rear & one good/new oem stud.

Am I correct in thinking it's a 7mm thread on the stud ?

[Varastorm]

Forgot to mention, The sleigh arrived yet again today

A slab of A4 stainless steel, 220 x 75 x 8 mm.



This will be used for fabricating flanges similar to the oem items

[sirch345]

It's surprising what you need to build this exhaust system.

I can now see how the cost rockets up,

Btw, 40 exhaust springs is a little over the top Chris, nearly enough to make a retro Vono spring mattress base

And there's me thinking you were going for a spring type saddle with the spares

Good work removing the broken exhaust studs, well done
The only thing I would suggest if you don't mind me saying is, if you ever need to do that again on another engine, Plus-Gas penetrates deeper than WD40,

Chris.

[tony.mon]

Am I correct in thinking it's a 7mm thread on the stud ?

Yes, 8mm one end and 7mm the other.
Keep it simple, wind in a length of M8 studding and have done with it.

[fabiostar]

well done sir, that is one ball ache of a job ..

[Varastorm]

[/quote]Yes, 8mm one end and 7mm the other.
Keep it simple, wind in a length of M8 studding and have done with it.
[/quote]

Seems like the studs are designed to fail, when they do snap it leaves a little 8mm shank to help you out

[tony.mon]

Seems like it, but I would guess that it's also so that the nut unscrews before the stud when you get some torque on it. The 8mm end needs more torque to undo than the 7mm end.
Otherwise when you try to undo the nut, it's just as likely that the stud and nut unscrews as an assembly
While that's not a disaster, the stud screws into alloy, so it's preferable not to do this as the thread will eventually wear in the head.
You wouldn't want to have to buy a new head after the system has been on and off a few times.

Otherwise they could have just used a bolt.?..

[Varastorm]

Seems like it, but I would guess that it's also so that the nut unscrews before the stud when you get some torque on it. The 8mm end needs more torque to undo than the 7mm end.
Otherwise when you try to undo the nut, it's more than likely that the stud and nut unscrews as an assembly
While that's not a disaster, the stud screws into alloy, so it's preferable not to do this as the thread will eventually wear in the head.
You wouldn't want to have to buy a new head after the system has been on and off a few times.

Otherwise they could have just used a bolt.?..

I agree with you 100% on that theory Tony

It's just that I've never seem an 8mm/7mm stud combo.

Best I've seen was on the old Mini's, the exhaust studs were brass or bronze or similar. I never had an issue with those nuts

I might have a look to see if they still sell them, the later one's were 8mm if I remember correctly.

[sirch345]

Best I've seen was on the old Mini's, the exhaust studs were brass or bronze or similar. I never had an issue with those nuts

You're taking me back now
Both of my old Mini's had brass nuts (ooh err missus ) on the exhaust manifolds now you mention it, a smart move me thinks

Chris.

[Varastorm]

You're taking me back now
Both of my old Mini's had brass nuts (ooh err missus ) on the exhaust manifolds now you mention it, a smart move me thinks

Chris.

I had a quick look last night Chris. They might of been imperial UNF, but there are loads of m8 fine (1.25) for sale on ebay.

The ones I remember were quite deep/long & had a small groove/nick half way down the flat. If they were grubby, it looked like it was 2 nuts. like a locknut that'd lined up perfectly.

If I was going to do this, I'd like to go nuts deep, oops, Ooh err Missus. I mean to get the deep nuts.

I'll have a look for some combo studs, M8 1.5 to M8 1.25

[VTRDark]

I can't wait to see this exhaust put together. Good work on those studs. I wish I had a welder and could weld.....absolute lifesaver. Christmas has come early here too...it's snowing.

[Varastorm]

Christmas has come early here too...it's snowing.

It's not snowing here yet, it was really nice (but cold) this morning but it's raining now. No snow for us

Too cold to tinker down the shed, so I'm looking for stuff again.

I'm looking for tubing that goes over exhaust springs. I think they call it anti vibration sleeves.

I would like branded ones, but they're silly money.

So as the exhaust is unbranded, I'm going to go the same way with the sleeves

The tubing I've chosen & hopefully won't melt onto the springs is black food grade high temp 10mm id 12mm od silicon pipe.

Time will tell if it's okay & its only cost me £3.23 for a meter of the stuff & that's including delivery from China. Incredible really