stainless steel exhaust

meexi · Post by **meexi** » 30 Apr 2004, 02:14

hi,
just had a stainless steel exhaust fitted to my 1999 xantia hdi 110 estate i got a company called http://www.fife-autocentre.co.uk.
left the car for half a day they reuse the existing `cat` but renew everything else looks fab. i got a quote from kwikfit for a complete system in mild steel £440.00 fife auto centre`s price £345.00 with a lifetime warranty. they will do any car.
meexi

Kered · Post by **Kered** » 30 Apr 2004, 02:48

Very interesting - pity I live near Southampton!
About 30 years ago I fitted a stainless exhaust to a F*rd Escaught. It was a bit noisier - not due to insufficient silencing but because it was made from much thinner steel (It doesn't corrode so why make it thicker!)
I have the exact same vehicle as you - do you notice any difference to the sound of the exhaust?
Derek

Simon Canfer · Post by **Simon Canfer** » 30 Apr 2004, 12:42

With turbocharged engines the turbo takes much of the energy from the exhaust so silencing is barely required.
(Cue guff on "you need backpressure!)
Simon Canfer

Daniel B · Post by **Daniel B** » 30 Apr 2004, 13:43

Derek,
don't know about pricings - but Powerflow have a distributor/fitter in Southampton - they also make and fit stainless steel exhausts to your exact specification, and also have a lifetime guarantee, as long as you bring it back to them once a year to check it over.
Dan

meexi · Post by **meexi** » 01 May 2004, 02:59

my exhaust components were supplied by a company called ZAUST who make there exhausts out of 2mm stainless steel i am told that powerflow only make theres out of 1mm stainless steel.
the exhaust seems to have a growl at low revs but thats the only difference.
meexi

Simon Canfer · Post by **Simon Canfer** » 03 May 2004, 21:03

I'd have thought 1mm stainless was more than enough for an exhaust! 2mm must weigh a lot - do they say why 2mm is required?
Simon Canfer

MW · Post by MW » 03 May 2004, 21:18

I'd have thought 1mm stainless was more than enough for an exhaust! 2mm must weigh a lot - do they say why 2mm is required?
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Ermm, vibration? Many years ago,I remember seeing my young go-faster neighbour in tears because the shiny new stainless system on his XR3 had simply fatigued itself to pieces. Pretty difficult to weld those things back together, I believe. (In his case, actually, the combined value of the exhaust and the sound system was more than the whole car was worth. And it might have helped if he hadn't lowered his suspension, thus hardening the ride quite a lot.....[:D])
But as long as your mountings are OK there shouldn't be any probs. Sounds like a good deal, price-wise. Let us know how you get on.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 04 May 2004, 14:53

Stainless steel work hardens and becomes very brittle in a way that mild steel simply doesn't, and the temperature changes don't help one bit neither does the fact that it has been welded. The end result would be an exhaust that becomes brittle then cracks when it flexes

Post by **philhoward** » 04 May 2004, 23:46

Most stainless exhaust failures are down to either the boxes becoming choked with soot, or weld failures (more common). The amount of much i've shaken out of stainless back boxes is unbelievable! If you can get a re-packable one, then it will outlast the car until the welds start failing...I think that's actually more to do with the grade of stainless than anything, as some are more "flexible" than others.