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Need exhaust header advice/source for Amos

T

Tinster

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

As of yesterday, all the work I have been putting in getting Amos my '69 Triumph TR6 ready for driving season was brutally halted. Engine purring, as I closed the hood for a test drive. Suddenly, loud pops and flames shoot out the exhaust header.
The Ratco Braided, Stainless Steel throttle cable had ground a hole in one of the header pipes. Why did this NOT happen when I had the enngine stripped down to the header two weeks ago? Blargh!!

My block is a 1968 TR250, my carbs are 1970 Strombergs 175 CD2, tranny is TR4A, the dizzy a 1969. most of the car is 1969. It appears the rusted headers are Pacesetters.( 6 into 1 ) No idea the year of the head.

1. How can I determine the year of the head?
2. What headers can be sourced for a 1969 TR6?

Thanks much- What a disappointment. Going out for the first drive in 5 months and headers blow a hole.

Thanks everyone.

dale
 

BRSLimited

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Victoria British and Moss have headers for TR6's. I believe the manifolds were all directly interchangeable between the TR250/TR6 heads.
 
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T

Tinster

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BRSLimited said:
Victoria British and Moss have headers for TR6's. I believe the manifolds were all directly interchangeable between the TR250/TR6 heads.

Pacesetter says No. Their units start with the 1972 model.
Much torch heating, rebending and grinding required to get
the Moss or VB header to fit a 1969 TR6. I lack all those skills.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Sail- I was wondering about welding myself. I know zip about welding but there is a full service muffler only shop about 2 miles from home. The flame hole is about 3/8" diameter, the pipes totally rusted.

Is it possible to weld rusted steel? I can drive the car to the muffler shop if I SS strap the flame hole shut.

What's your opinion?

Thanks,

dale
 

hondo402000

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how about a piece of muffler pipe the same diameter, cut it and get a hose clamp and just clamp it in place till you get a new set

Hondo
 

kodanja

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replace it`~~!

stainless rots out bad' not worth putting a bandaid on it'
 

swift6

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Dale,

They list the pacesetter (and others) as '72-'76 because the adapters they use to attach to the remainder of the exhaust are designed for the dual exhaust used on the later cars. TR250s and '69-'71 TR6s used a single pipe exhaust. The attachment at the cylinder head is identical for TR250 thru the last TR6 made in 1976.

Many of the older headers didn't use premade adapters though and to fit one you would have to have a custom adapter made from the header collector to the intermediate exhaust pipe. Check your existing exhaust to see if a simple header swap is even possible without having some custom pieces made at the exhaust shop.

While your checking out your header to exhaust connection, check the rest of your exhaust system as well. Given the humidity and salt air of your locale as well as the condensation that forms in the exhaust, the rest of your exhaust may need to be replaced as well unless you have fit a stainless system sometime in the past. If the whole system needs to be replaced, now would be the time to do it.
 

mtlman8

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stainless steel does not rust. if you try to weld rusted metal you will end up chasing the hole till you get to good metal. You could cut out the bad section and weld a new piece in.
 

swift6

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Answer to question #1, simplest way is by the intake manifold. The Intake manifolds, and the intake port spacing changed at the '72 model year. The exhaust ports stayed constant. The year of the head doesn't matter for the exhaust manifold/header fitment, only for matching up with the "correct" exhaust (single vs. dual pipe) system.

The TR250/'69-'71 TR6 used a short runner intake manifold and '72-'76 TR6s used a longer runner intake manifold. They are visually distinctive so you don't have to measure anything to tell the difference.
 

swift6

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mtlman8 said:
stainless steel does not rust. if you try to weld rusted metal you will end up chasing the hole till you get to good metal. You could cut out the bad section and weld a new piece in.

Agreed, but remembering photos of his header from a few years ago (that you haven't seen), his header appeared to be a mild steel unit and looked fairly rusted then. Frankly, I am suprised it lasted this long since he lives in Puerto Rico.
 
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T

Tinster

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Thanks all. Good to hear from you Shawn. This is not an unexpected curse.
I saw the poor condition of the header 3 years ago. But at that point the car was not yet operational and was dumping $thousands into a car I did not would ever run. A new exhaust system at that time made no sense. Now it is needed and yes, I'll do front to back. Final remaining Pedro system. LOL. VERY good new the Pacesetter will work without much difficulty.

Thanks all for the insight.

Dale
 

mtlman8

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I think mild steel has a shelf life of a mango in puerto rico. i'd replace it with stainless.
 

TR6oldtimer

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Dale, the header on your car is bling and does little to enhance the performance. If it were mine, I would look to buying a used original cast iron one with a single exhaust, and buy the front exhaust piece.

If not, then look for whatever you can afford in a header. It does not matter if it is for a pre-72 or not. A good muffler shop can fabricate the dual header to single exhaust system pipe.

In the interm, see what a muffler shop can do for you, and if you are lucky, the problem will be taken care of.
 
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T

Tinster

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Shawn: Photo of carbs and intake manifold in place.

intakeManifold.jpg




Burn hole thru header pipe is where Ratco SS cable crosses the pipe.
carbLungs.jpg
 

mtlman8

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was it heat or friction that cut or burned that hole?
 

TR3driver

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TR6oldtimer said:
If it were mine, I would look to buying a used original cast iron one
:iagree:
Tubular headers are always more troublesome/shorter lived than cast iron, even in SS.

But I wouldn't be particularly picky about early or late. As noted, any muffler shop should be able to hook up whatever manifold you get to whatever exhaust you've got.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]In the interm, see what a muffler shop can do for you, and if you are lucky, the problem will be taken care of. [/QUOTE]
Ditto.

As a very short term solution (like to get to the muffler shop without a tow truck), cut the ends off of a beer can, slit it lengthwise, and wrap tightly around the tube. Secure with as many hose clamps as you can find (or baling wire, coat hanger, etc). The result will not be totally leak free, but should be good enough to get to the shop without attracting the attention of the local gendarmes, or setting anything on fire from the exhaust. There are also "muffler bandage" products available at your local parts house, that work on the same principle (and last about as long).

Also worth looking at your mixture under cruise conditions, whichever way you go. Any exhaust change that actually makes a difference will upset the mixture under some conditions, and less restriction usually means leaner mixture. Lean mixture leads to high exhaust gas temperature, which kills exhaust headers, valves, etc.

Probably the biggest disadvantage of the ZS carbs is that it's difficult to change the mixture calibration (which does need to be changed for almost any other engine modification that affects performance).
 

mtlman8

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it looks like those are 175 cd's. not cd 2's if they are than they are adjustable. still wondering how that hole got there... friction from the ss cable rubbing or heat blew out a weak spot?
 

swift6

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Dale,

That is a short runner intake manifold and would signify that your cylinder head is from a TR250 or early (pre-'72) TR6.

Ray had a good bit of advice. With your engine your not really gaining much performance from having a header vs a stock exhaust manifold. You would have more noise, both out the rear tailpipe and in the engine bay as well as more heat in the engine bay. If you could source a used stock exhaust manifold it would last as long as the car does. Plus you could bolt up either a stainless or standard mild steel exhaust system in your garage without issue. I wouldn't limit yourself to the single pipe exhaust manifold though if your looking at replacing the entire system. Find the manifold first and then fit an appropriate exhaust (either dual or single) to whichever manifold that you can find.

My preference would be the dual manifold with a stainless twin sports exhaust system. I had that set up on my old stock engine and the sound was very nice. I could probably set you up with either a single or a dual stock type manifold, but the shipping from Colorado to PR may be brutal since its heavy and won't fit in a USPS flat rate box.
 

hondo402000

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Dale do you have an Oxy Act torch? If you do you could braze a patch over the hole, go to your local auto parts store, they usually have small pieces of muffler pipe, cut a patch maybe 1 inch square depending on the hole size bent it to the same radius as your header pipe, clamp it on with a hose clamp and braze it on, remove hose clamp and you are done!

Hondo
 
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