S3 exhaust

[seniorchristo]

I am curious to know why Lotus would reduce the diameter of the exhaust pipe going into and coming out of the muffler.
Going in it measures 1.8 inch OD. Coming out it looks to be about 1.3 inch. Just fitting something akin to a TTR big bore muffler would seem like a benefit. Has anybody else wondered about this? My engine is a tall block with what seems to be a camshaft upgrade. The tailpipe pipe looks absolutely miniscule!
Chris

[ericbushby]

Chris,
I don`t know what you have got there but my S3 is not like that. Perhaps you have a different muffler on there.
Inlet pipe is 42mm OD (1.650") and outlet is 54mm OD (2.125"). These are standard sizes for industrial water pipe round these parts.
As always I cannot say that mine is right, but it looks OK to me. Is your silencer/muffler mounted sideways under the boot floor or straight like an S4 ?.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[seniorchristo]

Eric
I can't say for sure my system is original but it does follow the original S3 configuration of the pipe doing a U turn and the muffler sitting sideways.
Chris

[Gordon Sauer]

I remember that on mine and how small it was. Unfortunately I don't have it to measure it but then it was replaced, unfortunately with a bigger system and burned/darkened the paint because unlike the +2 there were no heat shields on the S3. Gordon Sauer