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Split my own exhaust or Fentons on 235?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by slackcat, Feb 25, 2011.

  1. I've the means to split my own stock exhaust manifold on my 235 and wondered if there was any noticable power gain and better sound with Fentons as opposed to split stock exhaust manifold? Just kinda figure with split stock I can keep the heat box and not mess with hot water to heat the intake, still use dual carb intake, and have a little more kick.

    Has anybody had experience with both set-ups??

    thanks in advance.
     
  2. terd ferguson
    Joined: Jun 13, 2008
    Posts: 3,716

    terd ferguson
    Member

    I've used both and prefer Fentons. Fentons have a provision to heat the intake. Unless you're going for a backyard built theme, I'd use Fentons. I used two different home made split manifolds, one modern (one piece) and one old (two piece). My pickup sounded way better with the Fentons.
     
  3. kustomclassics
    Joined: Apr 10, 2004
    Posts: 448

    kustomclassics
    Member

    It depends on the sound you want, if you want a more lowrider bomb sound with a nice rap go with the stock split. If you want a sound with just kind of a throaty rumble and not really a rap I'd go with the headers. Don't go with straight pipes and headers you won't like it its just annoying.
     

  4. Rogueman
    Joined: Jan 18, 2011
    Posts: 301

    Rogueman
    Member

    Back in the 60's I had a friend that had a 52 coupe. It had a 54 motor with spit Fenton Headers. I could hear him from a mile away rapping the pipes off.
     
  5. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    I like a 4/2 split, gives it a unique sound :D...but if I had the means I'd go fenton.
     
  6. rustyford40
    Joined: Nov 20, 2007
    Posts: 2,168

    rustyford40
    Member
    from Mass Bay

    Do it yourself. But I would love to hear a 4-2 split
     
  7. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    Can't do a 4-2 split on a 235 Chevy . To do it you would have to divide 4&5 exhaust ports in the head.
     
  8. i always split my own and they sounded great
    i never knew they made factory ones untill i got on this board
    proabbly never looked at the aftermarket ones who had any money in the 60,s not me:eek:
     
  9. rat seeker
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 377

    rat seeker
    Member

    Fentons, I have them on my 235 and love them
     
  10. 33-Chevy
    Joined: Nov 30, 2007
    Posts: 267

    33-Chevy
    Member

    I have had people telling me about a "4-2" split all my life, and if I keep on living I will have many more people telling me " I had the Chevy split 4 and 2". So I figured out how to do it. Cut both ends off the exhaust manifold, weld a plate in and weld it back together. Put outlets on both ends and run in to a "Y" pipe. Now you have the end two cylinders in the "Y" pipe and the center four in the factory manifold. Have I ever done this? No, but I might if I keep hearing about the "four and two split".
     
  11. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    You tell a good story! Any toilet paper to go with that? There are only 4 exhaust ports so where are the other 2 for a 4/2 split? Either split it 2/2 or use aftermarket exhaust manifolds. Aside from Fenton, there are short tube headers on the market and are available in painted steel, Powder coated chrome, or stainless steel.
     
  12. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member


    Maybe you dont know who you just criticized. Be careful if you dont know the man.

    Read his post again. its pretty clear.

    dont be a dumb ass
     
  13. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    I understand what he is saying but to me it's ugly and mickey mouse and it's not a true 4/2 split. It cannot be done on a Chevy 216/235. Unlike a Chevy small block which has exhaust ports for each cylinder, the old Chevy straight 6 has 2 individual ports and 2 shared or siamese ports, hence 4 exhaust ports. So it will be a 2/2 split or a 3/1 split which is mickey mouse. I am not looking for a arguement nor do I mean to be disrepectful. Peace:)
     
  14. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member


    evidently you dont understand how to do the 4-2 split like Dick is suggesting.

    Think outside the box. Try it this way: inside ports together (4 cylinders) outside ports together (2 cylinders).

    Ugly??? maybe - but its still 4-2
     
  15. It's that " nice rap " I'm looking for. I've seen some vids on here and the cars have a great sounding (to me) crisp note.........that's what I'm looking for. Should ask about mufflers.......glasspacks, smithies?

    LOL at 33's post.
     
  16. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    Well, I wasn't aware of the siamesed ports on the Chevy, I heard it done on a 170 in a Mustang a friend of mine had when we were kids, and it did rap quite nicely!
     
  17. Either way you go , that is about the sweetest sound you can get from an engine,,,,Sam
     
  18. NORTH30FORD
    Joined: Nov 19, 2005
    Posts: 165

    NORTH30FORD
    Member

    Kustomclassics described it best. I run both. My suburban with a stock split and glass packs trough a pair of 1 1/2" chrome pee shooters out the back give it more of a snap.

    On the Fifty I run Fentons and a pair of Smitty's exiting through a pair of 36" long chrome fish tails off a Harley. Nice rumble at idle, throatier sounding rap under throttle. It's sounds best at about 50-55 mph with my foot in it. It makes me giggle every time I put your foot in her under load!
     

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  19. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    But it's still ugly and Mickey Mouse and not a true 4/2 split. If the 216/235 had 6 individual exhaust ports, 4/2 split will still be mickey mouse because there is no balance so a 3/3 split would be the way to go if there were 6 ports. And remember I am just refering to the 216/235 Chevy sixes.
     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2011
  20. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member

    whats a true 4-2 split?

    also, what is a 3-3 split? maybe we have different definitions
     
  21. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    Ive got a set of Clark headers Im gonna run on my inline, anyone ever hear of em. This this the only pair Ive ever seen.
     
  22. Curt B
    Joined: Oct 15, 2009
    Posts: 325

    Curt B
    Member

    Taking the time to do a good job of a split manifold will give you the cool rap and retain the cold start driveability the heat box provides.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  23. RichG
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 3,919

    RichG
    Member

    ^^^those are some nice looing manifolds!
     
  24. 33-Chevy
    Joined: Nov 30, 2007
    Posts: 267

    33-Chevy
    Member

    The issue was not "Does it look pretty.' It was can it be done at all. If you take a one piece Clifford gasket for a 235 and lay it on a table and take a felt pen and draw a line through the second bolt hole in next to the square hole at the end of the gasket you will isolate a port that services # 1 cylinder, and that's all. Do the same thing at the other end of the gasket and you will isolate #6 cylinder. The second port on the gasket is a round hole. This is for the intake manifold. This is irrellevant to what we are talking about. The next hole back is an oblong exhaust port which services cylinders #2 and #3. The next hole back is another round intake port. Then there is another oblong hole which is the exhaust port for cylinders #4 and #5. Going toward the rear there is another round intake port, and then the square port for #6. If you look between the two felt pen lines you drew you will see 3 intake ports which we are not concerned with, and two exhaust ports which service cylinders #2, #3, #4, and #5. This adds up to a total of 4 cylinders. If it is a 1929-1936 Chevrolet, a 235 or a 216, a GMC 270-302 or a Chevrolet 250-292 this is still true. You could cut and reweld a set of Clifford welded tubing headers into a 4-2 split doing this and anybody looking at the car would perobably not even notice.
    I am amazed that nobody said the obvious, a 4-2 split is not efficient and that your car or truck would have more power and better gas mileage with a 3-3 split.
    I like the toilet paper they sell at Costco that comes in the really big packages.
     
  25. HEATHEN
    Joined: Nov 22, 2005
    Posts: 8,560

    HEATHEN
    Member
    from SIDNEY, NY

    Yes, I've got some Clark headers. They actually predate Fenton headers by two years. Do yours have a heat riser, or are they smooth?
     
  26. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    Beauty. Where does one source the second dump tube from?
     
  27. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    The added exhaust outlet should be between the 4/5 and 6 ports so that the exhaust flows better with 1 and 2/3 ports flowing out the stock outlet and 4/5 and 6 ports flowing out the added outlet. It's the way Chevrolet designed them for the 53/54 Corvettes this way the flow is balanced.By the way you can use a cast iron 2 inch elbow from a plumbing supply store. (not home depot)
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2011
  28. Curt B
    Joined: Oct 15, 2009
    Posts: 325

    Curt B
    Member

    I use 2" heavy wall 90 degree carbon steel pipe elbows from a gasfitter supply. I got tired of shaping them by hand and cut them to fit the manifold on a CNC mill. Front or rear dump work equally well (fully blocked) and are decided by motor mount/shift box location for the application.
     

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  29. QuakeMonkey
    Joined: Feb 25, 2003
    Posts: 380

    QuakeMonkey
    Member

    Wow Curt, nice job!
     

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