Date:         Tue, 15 Nov 94 16:12:03 PST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Kautz <dkautz@hpsidms1.sid.hp.com>
Subject:      Re: Exhaust Extractors??

Harmon Seaver writes:

>    I'm looking for a exhaust system for my '73 1700 van. What I want is 
> the extractor type of headers, preferably with heater boxes, but all I
> see pictured in the ads in magazines are either for the older 1600 engines
> which won't work, of course, or else they look like they are for off road
> use in sand rails. Does anyone have any idea of where to get one? And yes,
> I looked in Bus Boys (boy, are they overpriced!) but what they show doesn't
> look like it would do much, just uses the stock heater boxes and then a 
> cheaper muffler.
> 
>    Also, does anyone know of a decent price on a hydraulic 3/4 race (or so)
> cam for the 1700-2000 engine?
>
 If the heater boxes on your engine are the original ones, they are already
 "headers" in the sense that exhaust is led through an individual tube from
 each exhaust port. If you were to remove the stock muffler, you would see 
 four round openings, 2 in each heat exchanger. I have seen extractor systems
 that mount on the same flanges as the muffler that have tubes that snake 
 around so that the path length is equal for all cylinders and merge into a
 collector and muffler. These are made by the same people who make the ones
 for the 1600 engine (Thunderbird, S&S, etc.). Calling some of the advertisers
 in the VW T&A magazines should be fruitful. My recollection is that the 
 extractors cost about 1/2 what a stock muffler does. On the other hand, most
 extractors that have been on a vehicle for awhile look and sound like h*ll.

 One more thing. I think that on the '73 the source of exhaust gas for the EGR
 was a small flange on the muffler at the far left. If you need your smog 
 equipment functional for inspections, you may have a problem with header
 systems. I believe David Schwarze has a '73, may he can do a better job
 here.

 Regarding you question about camshafts - The cam may not do you much good 
 unless you open up the induction system a bit with bigger carbs. I think
 those will cost you more than the cam does.

 Dave Kautz
 '74 Westfalia