Exhaust fabrication

GT6Steve

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
751
Location
Las Vegas Nevada
If I flatten a round tube, oval it actually, do I need to go to a larger tube to compensate or is the ovalling essentially invisible to the gasses?.

To state the question differently, how should I handle tight areas under a frame to maximize ground clearance?

Thanx in advance...
 
The pipe diameter can be the same if you have the equipment to ovalize and keep the area equivalent. Making the transitions smooth is also a challenge if fabricating yourself. I took the easy way out used parts from Dr Gas and Spintech. In order to run 3" all the way back I used oval 3" under the differential. About a foot of the pipe is oval and transitions back to round before entry into the mufflers. This a picture before I had the final fitting and tips installed:

224484950ec1ee77.jpg

Dimensions of 'ovaled' pipe are here:

https://www.drgas.net/catalog.php?catid=3

My .02.

Phil
 
Burns stainless has it all in stainless, but he has burns prices too LOL

If you want to DIY, I have done it before. I take an oversize section of tubing and crush it flat in the hydraulic press. Then cut down so I have the crushed section and cut a bunch of slits in the end and hammer the rest in to create a smooth transition to the smaller OD you were using for the rest. It's a lot of work but cheap.

Pmaza, that's a pretty system you built there, very nice.
 
I bought a 45* bend aluminum induction tube some time ago, and I had to reduce the ~3" diameter to a oval....

BUT, the problem was when trying to use dome wood in the vice to make a oval, that flattened sides got ripples in the surface.....I did not know how to straighten it....so curious how you all bent that pipe without making a mess out of the flattened surface....

:eek:
 
Thanx guys,
I went with the ovalled bit so as to keep moving forward. I reasoned it wasn't crushed enough to essentially change the shape.

I'm trying some new stuff with this racer so I'm trying to minimize the variables. Thanx for the input.
 
TT:

Thanks, I have a pile of F'ed-up tube from the initial attempts to get it to fit right. lol.

mrvette:

I asked the guy at Spintech that same question, basically he said he has a special mandrel to make bends in the oval tubing. DIY bends without that have to be a major PITA.

Phil
 
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