Guest Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 This is my first post on Blatchat and thought this the best place to canvas opinion on a repair I need to undertake. I have a 1993 1.4 Supersport K series Caterham on which the exhaust has a failed weld between the silencer and the tail pipe. This has happened once before and I had the joint re welded, however I believe that trying to do this again may result only in very temporary fix as the stainless steel will become brittle, but I'm not sure this is the case. Assuming the re welding is out then I'm looking at options of replacement. The current system is the Caterham standard single pipe through the side wall to a silencer containing a cat to a side exit tail pipe. The silencer has mounting brackets front and back. The car is mainly used as a road car now. As I see it there are two main options (unless anyone knows of a third way?) 1. Get an identical exhaust from Caterham and potentially have the same issue in the future. 2. Get a new system from power speed or similar. From what I've found out so far I'm looking at a sizeable bill for either option and I'm wondering what the pro's and cons are in going for a non Caterham system. Most people appear to have done this in search of performance improvements, which is not a priority for me. If anyone has any recommendations id love to hear them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry No Sheds Flatters Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Try an advert in wanted for the same silencer you have fitted that has been removed by someone who has upgraded. This will probably be the cheapest option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheshireCat Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I had my exhaust welded as you describe earlier in this year. The welder said that if it happened again he would look at possibly welding some metal fillets at right angles between the tail pipe and silencer to strengthen the weld. May be worth investigating ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Capt Sensible. I've had a look through the For Sale list but not seen anything. Might try the wanted list. CheshireCat, I was thinking about getting a disc welded to reg end if the silencer and then as you say getting a stiffer welded onto the tailpipe. I had a temporary exhaust from Caterham when the car was new that had a similar detail as the weld at the front kept failing. Thanks both for your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I know you say that performance improvement isn't high up on your priorities list, but there is a 99p Caterham 4-1 race system on eBay at the moment. The silencer is a bit battered, it's miles away from you and you will need to enlarge the hole in the side skin to fit it, but on the plus side, it could be a cheap way to a replacement system, you'll have some pennies left over to buy a new silencer if you so wish and your car will have a few more ponies too. Link below: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321420276575 You have done well to avoid the itch of upgrading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 You really need to find and use the front mounting point to help support the front of the silencer. Normally between 800-805mm from centre of rear one. Will need to get a bracket welded to silencer or inlet. Use standard bobbin like rear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Quoting K7ROB: ... The silencer has mounting brackets front and back... Already done, Ian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Mankee, thanks for the link. I might investigate what's involved in fitting and getting it upto scratch. As for avoiding upgrades I did have the car supersported from its original spec when I bought it. Family life keeps further upgrade aspirations in check! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazerBrain Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I'm in a similar position. Current silencer is blowing from the join to the tail pipe. Previous silencer (which I believe was the original on my '97 1.6 SuperSport) failed the same way a few years back. Mine is also supported on bobbins front and back. My concern is that the tail pipe bracket is angled compared to the bobbin attached to bracket on the car. The first pipe failed a couple of years after I switched round the bobbin - originally the bobbin was screwed into the car, with the bracket on the end then bolted to the tail pipe bracket. The bracket is now attached to the car, with a bobbin attached to it vertically, then the tail pipe bracket over that. I wonder whether this is placing more stress on the join? Is would also make more sense to me if the tail pipe bracket were directly welded to the silencer instead... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 2, 2014 Member Share Posted June 2, 2014 *arrowup*Can you add a photo of that? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpa Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 It is usual to have teh angled bracket bolted to the car and then the bobbin attached to that, with the exhaust tailpipe bracket fastened to the bobbin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Mackenzie Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Hi there I have a complete spare K series exhaust (4-1 collector inside skin) and cat exhaust. Would be looking for £100 Cheers Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Ian I think I've emailed you directly about your spare exhaust... If not I would be interested Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Both the supports for my exhaust are via a bobbin fixed to the bracket bolted to the car. In the very early days I didn't have the fixing at the cat end of the silencer and suffered a failure of the front joint. This one was very understandable due to the weight of the exhaust being largely in the middle that weld is under a lot of stress. The rear one is a bit more odd as the distances are relatively small and with the front fixing in place the load on the joint can not be that great. I suspect there may have been a slight defect in the weld that over time with heat and pressure has caused a crack. Then in my case doing 700miles the other weekend has blown the hole wide open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesG Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Just to throw a spanner in the works; I have the CC 4-1 Race system fitted to my 1.6 K (for the time being), but I only use the rear bobbin and bracket to my car. Although the previous owner suffered bracket failure and dragged the silencer around for almost a full lap of Knockhill, resulting in a reduced tailpipe, the system is still going strong and always tests around 98db at MSA events. To spur on your purchase (it's not an upgrade Love, it's just how they make them now honest!), my engine is making approx 180 bhp with this system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazerBrain Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Annoyingly I have found no photos of the old bobbin configuration. Here's the current rear mounting, showing the sideways stress on it here and from a different angle (reflection in the body is useful!) So, the previous config had the bobbin screwed into the body, the existing bracket rotated 180 degrees so it became the right height for the tail pipe bracket, then the 2 brackets bolted directly together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpa Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 From the pictures, it looks like your can is twisted and too far forward. if you loosen the cliip between the front of the can and the 4:1 collector (the :1 part), you should be able to reduce the stress on the bobbin massively. You may need to loosen the bolt holding the bracket to the car as well, to allow the best angle on everything.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Silencer definitely wants loosening and twisting ..... so the tail pipe is just below the horizontal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 2, 2014 Member Share Posted June 2, 2014 As above: 2P=1KW. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazerBrain Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I agree with the twisted comment, but this is the standard silencer - the 4:1 is inside the body, so just a single pipe comes out. The angle cannot be adjusted as far as I can see due the single pipe fitting already having the bend. This goes straight into the silencer, so no options to alter the angle. Here's a poor photo (I always seem to take photos featuring the non-exhaust side...) which should illustrate my point here Sorry K7ROB, hope the thread hijack contains some useful info for you too! Edited to correct link. Edited by - LazerBrain on 2 Jun 2014 21:00:24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 No problem, it is quite interesting. From all of this I have an idea on how to possibly modify my existing exhaust to strengthen the joint. But have also spoken to Ian about his spare, which hopefully will get me through the upcoming MOT! I wonder if for yours if it is twisted the bracket could be reformed to allow it to sit at a better angle rather than be pulled into a certain line by the fixing point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazerBrain Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 An update on my exhaust... The exhaust was removed from the car, and the cracked tailpipe to silencer weld was repaired by fellow ReHaBer Ian Reynolds It behaved a bit oddly when welded initially - the weld seemed to be balling up and shrinking away from the metal. fixed tailpipe to silencer weld The tailpipe bracket was bent, but is still not at the right angle to be bolted vertically to the bobbin. A new rear bracket has been fashioned from a piece of Wickes restraint strap. The pre-drilled holes were in the right place and just needed a little widening. The exhaust now sits around 30mm further out from the car body and is not under the tension it was previously. tailpipe bracket It all sounds a whole lot better now. 🥰 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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