Date:         Fri, 11 Jul 2003 16:50:35 -0600
Reply-To:     Eric and Marica <eric.clarke@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Eric and Marica <eric.clarke@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Exhaust Replacement - Aftermarket
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi everyone.

I was poking through the archives and the general consensus was "OEM
good" "Aftermarket bad" on the exhaust replacement subject.

However - faced with a replacement cost of over $300 for an OEM muffler
and my local Midas guy getting me a complete exhaust system fro 495, I'm
going to ask if anyone has ever had experience with a S&S (or SNS?)
Stainless steel 'performance' exhaust and is there any feedback?

I have an 80 Westie that is too loud to drive so my options are somewhat
limited.

Also, after installing a 'performance' exhaust - are there engine tweaks
I should be performing? I assume a lessening of back-pressure but I
haven't been balls deep in performance tuning an engine since the 80's
(a 77 Camaro with a 396 and a 4 speed).  Am I looking at advancing the
timing, adjusting dwell, carb tuning, or all of the above?

Also, I am attempting this prior to the 3 manuals arrive from Amazon and
eBay but I'm assuming its straight-forward access to the heads from
below, pull old, bolt in new, etc. Are there any pitfalls I can expect?

Can you tell I'm a newbie yet?

Thanks,

Eric

p.s. What did the duck hunter say to the hungry pacifist? Hey buddy, no
harm, no fowl!

I know, 'ouch'