enjoi · Feb 19, 2022

I’ve been enquiring with an exhaust place near me about options for my P38. I’ve noticed the headers/flange look quite rusted.

do you think I should go for an engine back system rather than cat back given the state of it? Or am I overreacting

I’ve attached some snaps

thanks!

Grrrrrr · Feb 19, 2022

I think when you see the price you'll leave it until the head gasket goes and you have to move it.

tomcat59alan · Feb 19, 2022

Look ok to me, heat shields starting to go but as said leave them until you have to.

Marshall8hp · Feb 19, 2022

Nothing wrong with those.

kermit_rr · Feb 19, 2022

Looks healthy to me

Ratae · Feb 19, 2022

Look fine to me too. Bit of surface rust.
As long as the mating surfaces are good then carry on with them.

brianp38dse · Feb 19, 2022

Unless you fit stainless headers all the steel ones will look like that after awhile, look like normal 20year old headers to me.

Rubberknees · Feb 19, 2022

As an old boss of mine used to say If it ain't broken don't mend it. Look OK to me

Datatek · Feb 19, 2022

Looks fine to me,

Ratae · Feb 20, 2022

brianp38dse said:
Unless you fit stainless headers all the steel ones will look like that after awhile, look like normal 20year old headers to me.

Be careful with stainless systems.
Got a sports system with tubular stainless headers on my classic. Fitted around 20 years ago.
Surface rust on the header flanges & all tubing - the boxes are still shiny so I suspect more than one grade of stainless used.
Did a top end rebuild about 3 years ago & the state of the gasket faces on the headers was absolutely shocking. Rusted & badly pitted & needed refacing to get a decent mating surface. The cylinder head faces were fine.

DanClarke · Feb 20, 2022

Those exhaust manifolds withthe concertina expanders are about £450 each I think. Leave well alone until you have to touch them.

Grrrrrr · Feb 20, 2022

Ratae said:
Be careful with stainless systems.
Got a sports system with tubular stainless headers on my classic. Fitted around 20 years ago.
Surface rust on the header flanges & all tubing - the boxes are still shiny so I suspect more than one grade of stainless used.
Did a top end rebuild about 3 years ago & the state of the gasket faces on the headers was absolutely shocking. Rusted & badly pitted & needed refacing to get a decent mating surface. The cylinder head faces were fine.

Definitely check the grade of stainless used and that it isn't just the boxes but the whole system.

RangeRoller dt · Feb 20, 2022

Seem very clean in the photo if they were problematic everything around there would be stinking dirty
If you take the cat-back part off I would start her up, then block the exhaust with my hand (wearing heatproof glove) if it cuts out it’s fine if there’s issue you will see it leaking.

Ratae · Feb 20, 2022

Grrrrrr said:
Definitely check the grade of stainless used and that it isn't just the boxes but the whole system.

I did when I got it.
The boxes are not magnetic but the rest of the system is.
Bit of a rough & ready test I suppose, but the fixings on the boat aren't magnetic either & I've never had any issues with those.

To be fair, the pipes have surface rust but that's as bad as they've ever got.

The visible parts of the header flanges - one for each cylinder - are surface rusted but I was

&

when I saw the faces that contact the gaskets!

Rubberknees · Feb 21, 2022

Ratae said:
I did when I got it.
The boxes are not magnetic but the rest of the system is.
Bit of a rough & ready test I suppose, but the fixings on the boat aren't magnetic either & I've never had any issues with those.

To be fair, the pipes have surface rust but that's as bad as they've ever got.

The visible parts of the header flanges - one for each cylinder - are surface rusted but I was & when I saw the faces that contact the gaskets!

If magnetic more than likely galvanized

Ratae · Feb 21, 2022

Mine are definitely not galvanised mild steel.
There are a large number of grades of stainless that are magnetic.
My boat ones - fixings & a few plates - are A4 (aka 316) and not magnetic.
No doubt down to cost, as austenitic s/s is more expensive then ferritic or martensitic.

As not immersed in water it can't be galvanic corrosion.

Datatek · Feb 21, 2022

Rubberknees said:
If magnetic more than likely galvanized

Not so, low grade stainless is magnetic. All stainless corrodes to some degree look at 5 year old mast stays on a sea going yacht under a microscope and they are full of little corrosion holes.

Datatek · Feb 21, 2022

Ratae said:
Mine are definitely not galvanised mild steel.
There are a large number of grades of stainless that are magnetic.
My boat ones are A4 (aka 316).
No doubt down to cost, as austenitic s/s is more expensive then ferritic or martensitic.

As not immersed in water it can't be galvanic corrosion.

Beat me too it and with more detail

enjoi

Active Member

Attachments

Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

tomcat59alan

Well-Known Member

Marshall8hp

Well-Known Member

kermit_rr

Very

Ratae

Well-Known Member

brianp38dse

Well-Known Member

Rubberknees

Well-Known Member

Datatek

Well-Known Member

Ratae

Well-Known Member

DanClarke

Well-Known Member

Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

RangeRoller dt

Well-Sprung Member

Ratae

Well-Known Member

Rubberknees

Well-Known Member

Ratae

Well-Known Member

Datatek

Well-Known Member

Datatek

Well-Known Member

Similar threads