Exhaust options

Russe11

Russe11

True Classic
I’m looking to replace the stock exhaust system on my ‘81 (fuel injection and no A/C). I’m interested in hearing opinions from people who have had experience with other systems. I’m installing more sound deadening material to reduce the noise level, and don’t want to be working against myself with exhaust choices.

Thanks for your input
Brian
 
I have a IAP style long tube header feeding into a stock muffler on my 85X. It also has an MWB performance head, although I don't think that has much effect on the noise level. I think it sounds good. You can check out a short video that MWB posted on their FB page here.

fb.watch

Hope you had a good weekend! Here’s Jim Decker’s car with our performance long tube header, stock muffler. A very nice upgrade for both power, with a... | By Midwest-Bayless Italian Auto | Facebook

Hope you had a good weekend! Here’s Jim Decker’s car with our performance long tube header, stock muffler. A very nice upgrade for both power, with a...
fb.watch fb.watch
 
One of my Xs has the same exhaust Jim has, sounds mostly like a stock exhaust but with attitude, especially when you get on it (I have a 34 DAT carb). On my other X I have the same header but a generic turbo muffler. Sounds great but is probably too loud for driving near other cars when I get on it and would certainly work against your sound deadening efforts although surprisingly tame at cruising speeds.
 
Any aftermarket tubular header will be noisier than any cast iron manifold. So if low noise level is your main goal then go with the factory Euro style dual-outlet cast iron manifold. But they are getting hard to find new. On the other hand if performance is a higher priority overall, then consider a tubular header; either the old ANZA header (also very hard to find in good condition anymore) or the one from Europe that has a similar "4:2:1" design. I'd have to dig up the info on that last one. A member here recently discussed installing it on his car but I don't recall who it was.

To get the most out of the cast iron or ANZA manifolds you should make a custom downpipe to install the muffler. The other header (that I don't remember the name of) was offered either as a header only (would also require a custom downpipe) or a complete system with muffler. But I believe it was a very loud muffler.

With any of these three choices you can pick any muffler you want for the trade-off between noise and performance. The muffler will make a bigger difference in total noise level than the header construction. How it is mounted and any added insulation will also make a noticable difference in noise levels.
 
Xs are always noisy cars, I tell people it's like being chased by an angry sewing machine. The header with stock muffler (and carb with sport filter) sounds like a very large angry sewing machine. The header and turbo muffler sounds like.....a race car, just wish the sound level was lower.
 
Thanks for the input.

Jeff: At this point, I can't really chase things that are 'hard to find'. Too much going on in the rest of my life. But thanks for presenting them as options. The design-it-yourself option really appeals to a part of me, but I know I'd have to put a lot of effort into it to be satisfied with it in the end, which would overdraw my clock.

Carl: Thanks especially for relaying a direct comparison of two systems you've had first-hand experience with. The fact that one is the same as what Jim mentioned helps put a bracket on it. I'll try not to let the sewing machine catch me.

Jim: Thanks for sharing your perception, and for the link. That helps a lot to get the character of the sound. Combined with Carl's input about volume from the same system, and Jeff's comment that an increase in volume from any setup with headers is nearly inevitable, that may just be the best choice available (for me) in a ready-to-go system.

Brian
 
I don't know the current status for any of them, with all of the changes that have taken place in the past couple of years globally. But there's a couple of companies in Europe that make nice systems for the X. They offer the preferred "4:2:1" design (vs the more common "4:1") in stainless, including the complete system with muffler and even a cat if needed. But the prices are around $1200 as I recall. Look for "CSC", "MP developments", or the third one I still can't remember that someone here posted about before. Hopefully someone else can come up with that third company because I thought it was the better choice.
 
Ed Cohen had a CSC exhaust, with cat. Nice looking but apparently poorly built as his had a loose baffle in it and the company was a tad difficult to deal with. The home grown headers, four into one long tube are the usual choice for us and seem to perform very well for street use.
 
The two most recent threads which mention CSC exhaust point to unpredictable build quality, poor customer service, excessive noise, and high price. I'm not eager to take a chance there.

CSC header muffler combo

Does anyone have any experience with this setup? I found a shop that will import it and apparently it has a catalytic converter built in.. Thanks, Ed
xwebforums.com

Euro CSC-Time Muffler

As a result of a major screw up with CSC-Time I am the proud owner of a brand new CSC-Time Euro muffler. It is still in its wrapping and if I cannot resolve my issues with the distributor and company I will be selling it. Is there anyone interested in this? Here is the link to their...
xwebforums.com

I didn't find anything referring to "MP Development", or know who the other vendor you mentioned might be.

I did see a recommendation of the Vick Autosports header, which looks very similar to the one from Midwest-Bayless, but in Stainless Steel. It will also accommodate either stock muffler (FI or Carbureted models).

Brian
 
Russe11 said:
At this point, I can't really chase things that are 'hard to find'.

Brian
Click to expand...
While they may seem to be a difficult to find part in North Ameria, there are literally millions of these around the world, so they are NOT hard to find... you just need to know where to look!

the manifold from the tipo and similar models are still available new, genuine and also aftermarket for reasonable cost

lots of used items too.

genuine new @ 150 euro
www.ebay.it

CONDOTTO SCARICO COLLETTORE MARMITTA FIAT UNO-PUNTO 55 CABRIO-TIPO-LANCIA DELTA | eBay

Le migliori offerte per CONDOTTO SCARICO COLLETTORE MARMITTA FIAT UNO-PUNTO 55 CABRIO-TIPO-LANCIA DELTA sono su eBay â Confronta prezzi e caratteristiche di prodotti nuovi e usati â Molti articoli con consegna gratis!
www.ebay.it

or a used one for 30 euro
www.ebay.it

COLLETTORE DI SCARICO FIAT TIPO (93-96) 1.4 51KW | eBay

Le migliori offerte per COLLETTORE DI SCARICO FIAT TIPO (93-96) 1.4 51KW sono su eBay ✓ Confronta prezzi e caratteristiche di prodotti nuovi e usati ✓ Molti articoli con consegna gratis!
www.ebay.it

SteveC
 
fiatfactory said:
While they may seem to be a difficult to find part in North Ameria, there are literally millions of these around the world, so they are NOT hard to find... you just need to know where to look!

the manifold from the tipo and similar models are still available new, genuine and also aftermarket for reasonable cost

lots of used items too.

genuine new @ 150 euro
www.ebay.it

CONDOTTO SCARICO COLLETTORE MARMITTA FIAT UNO-PUNTO 55 CABRIO-TIPO-LANCIA DELTA | eBay

Le migliori offerte per CONDOTTO SCARICO COLLETTORE MARMITTA FIAT UNO-PUNTO 55 CABRIO-TIPO-LANCIA DELTA sono su eBay â Confronta prezzi e caratteristiche di prodotti nuovi e usati â Molti articoli con consegna gratis!
www.ebay.it

or a used one for 30 euro
www.ebay.it

COLLETTORE DI SCARICO FIAT TIPO (93-96) 1.4 51KW | eBay

Le migliori offerte per COLLETTORE DI SCARICO FIAT TIPO (93-96) 1.4 51KW sono su eBay ✓ Confronta prezzi e caratteristiche di prodotti nuovi e usati ✓ Molti articoli con consegna gratis!
www.ebay.it

SteveC
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info and the pointers, Steve. That's helpful.
A manifold like that would be a good start, if I had the time to build the rest of the system. That may be something I'll revisit at some point. It sounds like fun to me and is not that far removed from the 'fancy plumbing' work I do on Trombones.
For the time being, I'm needing a bolt-in solution. I've landed on the Vicks header and an OEM muffler (FI-type). But the info you provided will certainly be useful to someone else in a different set of circumstances.

Brian
 
Ha! I'm honored that you remembered that clip after all this time!

Stainless steel reservoir seeps

On the one I repaired the little neck wasn't loose, just leaked. But as I heated the spot to try and seal the leak with silver solder, it melted the existing filler material and the whole neck came loose. Then I was able to clean things up better and start over. But I'm guessing the original...
xwebforums.com
 
The scooter video reminded me of something that happened a little over a year ago: It was a beautiful Summer day, and I took a little (solo) drive on a curvy road, along the lakeshore. I was thoroughly enjoying life and thought to myself that I had really hit the sweet-spot in the fun-per-dollar quotient. Then I came up behind a teenage guy on a scooter with his girlfriend on the back, and it occurred to me that I had just been completely outclassed. I wasn't even in the same league on the fun-per-dollar front...
 
carl said:
Don't get excited, the girl was his sister and if he really wanted to have fun he would have a real motorcycle....or a guy on the back with a trombone.
Click to expand...
Ha! Sure... His Mom made him take his sister to her piano lesson, and all he really wanted to do was sit in the basement playing video games... I guess I could look at it like that.

But what I really decided to think was that I was looking at it all wrong. Fun-per-Dollar doesn't really matter. Enjoying the day mattered. As long as the dollars don't get in the way of the enjoyment, the quotient is in a good spot. Whether it's the kid on the scooter, me in the Fiat (or even on my bicycle), or my friend down the road with her TWO Jaguars. ('69XKE & modern F-Type)

Anyway, I've run into something interesting with the exhaust installation. I'll start a new thread on that topic when it's all sorted. Thanks everyone for the input.

Brian
 
Russe11 said:
... I've run into something interesting with the exhaust installation. I'll start a new thread on that topic when it's all sorted. Thanks everyone for the input...
Click to expand...

Well, it seems that the folks at Vick Auto and I have a different interpretation of what it means for their header to be compatible with the mufflers for both Carbureted and Fuel-Injected cars. It looks to me like it would be a direct fit with the Carbureted version, but will involve reconfiguring to use the FI muffler I bought for it. If anyone else has successfully installed a Vick's header with a FI Muffler, I'd love to hear how you did it.

Brian
 
Russe11 said:
Well, it seems that the folks at Vick Auto and I have a different interpretation of what it means for their header to be compatible with the mufflers for both Carbureted and Fuel-Injected cars. It looks to me like it would be a direct fit with the Carbureted version, but will involve reconfiguring to use the FI muffler I bought for it. If anyone else has successfully installed a Vick's header with a FI Muffler, I'd love to hear how you did it.

Brian
Click to expand...
Brian,

I am sure you can find an exhaust shop that can make it work. You probably need to decide if the value of your time and effort finding a shop, then working thru the issues, is greater than biting the bullet and buying a carb muffler. :(
 
I have a long tube header on my 81. It has a three bolt flange that bolts up to the carbed muffler. This muffler has a shorter neck that bolts to the header and is a direct fit.
If you are not sure, call Matt at MWB and even though you didn't buy the header from him he should be helpful on this if you buy the muffler from him.
www.midwest-bayless.com

Exhaust Muffler (Fiat X1/9 1975-80 w/Carb) - OE / ANSA

Exhaust Muffler (Fiat X1/9 1975-80 w/Carb) - OE / ANSA
www.midwest-bayless.com www.midwest-bayless.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top