Where to get custom exhaust clamps made?

[nebogipfel]

You assume correctly about me and the fume issue. Any leak under the car is a big headache for an FHC. The y-pipe is about the worst being furthest forward. Being "airflow" compounds this. With negative cabin pressure there is no such thing as a sealed cabin - though if I ever did a complete body off restore I would be obsessive about this aspect.

Simon, With apologies because I haven't gone back through the previous discussions and am aware that you have probably struggled with this for a while. Have you considered that the Y box may not be the source of your problem? In my experience over the years it tends to be turbulence at the rear dragging the fumes back under the car. On vans (which because of the flat back end suffer the problem a great deal) a couple of miles down the road with poor rear door seals and you risk gassing yourself.

I only offer this as a passing suggestion, but have you got the tailpipe exiting as far rearward as you dare? and are all the holes in the rear of the car such as light holes, random holes in the boot floor (found on most Elans) the hole where the fuel pipe enters, the diff mount holes and top turret holes all sealed?

I run my Elan most of the time with the aircon on full (top down ) but there is always the suggestion of aroma of exhaust in the boot and I confess I've never sealed mine up properly

As I say apologies if I'm singing an old song you are very familiar with ....

The only other thing I can offer based on vague memories of one of my F/H Elans is the interior was always more fragrant if I kept the eyeball vents open. I thought then and still think that the airflow isn't quite sufficient in FHC's. Now if you can just think of a way to increase it without taking the screen out

I hadn't really thought about it until now but I assume this is why Lotus introduced the airflow vents?

[simonknee]

My nose is highly tuned so I know exactly where the leak is coming from by the particular aroma...
However there are tests I have devised that may help others...

Test for leaky exhaust:

Using some odd homemade tubing I attach compressed air at very low pressure to the tailpipe. I work my way along the exhaust listening and feeling for egress. This is so much better than running the engine. You can hear what is going on, you won't burn yourself, you don't get fooled by drafts from the bell-housing... This technique turned up a longitudinal crack in my manifold that was hidden from view and impossible to discover with the engine running.

Test for boot:

Put a super-bright led cycle light (or similar) in the boot and look for the egress of light. You can peer all the way around and ensure that there is a seal. This technique revealed that a DPO when replacing the rear panel had made the corners too tight resulting in a profile for the seal that was never going to match the boot lid.

If you are going camping (as we often do) you really do have to pay attention to this or your tent, sleeping bags and clothes will smell to high heaven when you get south of France.

Why, why, why, the y-pipe (sorry TJ)

One reason is the gear gater. Again a DPO made something of a mess of the fibreglass around the gear gater. This is hidden by the console but the gater was not sealing at the fibre glass as it should. I have improvised with a Marigold (rubber glove) and gaffa tape for now. The fumes from the y-pipe then get drawn down the chassis and you have a plethora of opportunities for a badly sealed hole between there and the boot.

Fumes under the bonnet:

For instance my leaky manifold. These can go the same way as above. Plus if you do not have the foam seal along the back of the engine bay then you can suck them straight in your fresh air vent. You can do this anyway via the drain hole in the air vent box!

Of course the tailpipe should stick out the back far enough to be a pedestrian hazard.

FHC airflow and eyeballs:

If you have under bonnet fumes your eyeballs will hurt your eyeballs!!. If you have a leaky exhaust or boot then the airflow makes things even worse as the cabin is under even greater negative pressure. I am on the home straight now but when I was really struggling I stuck closed-cell foam in the airflow vents to mitigate this. Actually it is still there!. In terms of helping with fumes the airflow solution is rubbish as it needs all other seals - exhaust and body - to be tip-top or things are worse not better. Of course when you are sorted fume wise then airflow keeps things fresher without oopening the windows.

Anyway I think I have sorted my y-pipe clamping. It may have been a silly mistake on my part. However I will keep you in suspense until I have tested it out.

Would still like those Jetex style clamps made in a 1.5" size though, does nobody make anything any more???

Simon

[bcmc33]

Test for leaky exhaust:

Using some odd homemade tubing I attach compressed air at very low pressure to the tailpipe. I work my way along the exhaust listening and feeling for egress. This is so much better than running the engine. You can hear what is going on, you won't burn yourself, you don't get fooled by drafts from the bell-housing... This technique turned up a longitudinal crack in my manifold that was hidden from view and impossible to discover with the engine running.

I like this idea - and will try it when the exhaust goes back on. Many ways of doing it, but I just have to think of the easiest way to make an adapter for the end pipe.