Date:         Fri, 5 Feb 1999 09:26:02 -0500
Reply-To:     "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Subject:      Re: extractor exhaust?
Comments: To: mac stricklen <mac_stricklen@YAHOO.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Mac,

I have run a couple of these on the 81 Westy I recently sold.  The first
was an EMPI dual quietpack design.  Had sort of a mellow throaty sound.
Noticeable, but not obnoxious.  I did notice a 1-2mpg increase over the
stock system due to the freer flowing exhaust path and I imagine but
can't quite recall that the power was better also.

However this particular system was VERY cheaply made and after two or
three reweldings to fix the cracks and broken mounts, I took the van two
a local muffler shop, where they cut off everything but the flanges that
bolted to the heat exchangers and a short section immediately after the
flanges.  They then welded up some pipes and two small glasspack mufflers
to the remnants of the EMPI system to create a custom dual exhaust.

The result was not exactly a work of art, but looked fine when mounted to
the motor on the van.  Power was exceptional.  And especially as we never
put the fiberglass packing in the glasspack "mufflers", this system was
LOUD!  The noise was similar to that of a Harley.  It was kind of a
"blast" to shake up the stodgy suburban minivan matrons when I picked up
the kids at Nursery School, but not so cool when trying to exit a
campground in the wee hours of the morning.

I replaced this muffler system with a proper South African VW design when
I had the motor rebuilt.  My wife always bitched about how loud the van
was and the mechanic who rebuilt the motor felt that the free flowing
exhaust contributed to the demise of the motor by not allowing the proper
amount of back pressure(???).  So off with the loud and on with the quiet
it was.  Curiously though, the van was now ultra quiet, and my wife
started bitching that she couldn't hear me coming a mile away any more!
Hmmmmmmmm.......

If anyone is interested in waking up the neighbors, I still have the
"Harleyesque" exhaust taking up space in my garage.  Fits 80-83 aircooled
Vanagon.

Tony

Anthony L. Mourkas
Hampden, Maine, USA
1984 Vanagon Westfalia
1987 Vanagon GL Syncro
1991 Jetta Eco Diesel (with broken exhaust for that "Chris Craft" sound)