I want to get some flexible exhaust hose with 2" OD for my new engine break-in and to drive to the muffler shop. It's also available in sturdy stainless. Has anybody ever tried to run an exhaust system with this stuff for a while? I wonder if it leaks at all or how long it would last? A dual flexible pipe exhaust system like that would be less than $100. You could make your own custom bends in seconds and the spiral walls would accelerate exhaust flow, as a neat side-effect.
My brother has a length of that stainless stuff connecting his "lakes" headers to the undercar exhaust. Kind of a kitchy but cool look to it. I have pictures of real, serious racers at Bonneville and the lakes using that stuff as the headers and system on their cars in the early days. Suppose it made engine removal quicker.
I thought I have seen a lot of that flexible exhaust on early roadsters and custom rods. At first I just wanted to get the cheap galvanized steel for just the engine break-in and to get to the muffler shop. But now I think I will go with stainless and mount it permanently. These pipes are actually very rigid and not as flexible as it seems. Just wondered if there is anything I am missing or have not thought about.
'52 Chev with a Western Auto flex pipe dual side headpipe & headers consumes 1 headpipe a month ... I hope they've quit making it.
Back in the day, low-budget drag cars ran lengths of this stuff straight out of each exhaust port, and they were called "spaghettis". A nasty flathead, running on pop and wearing spaghettis, made a wicked crackle like nothing else. They'd be great for a cacklefest!
Stainless is not a bad idea, J C Whitney has sold it in many sizes, for years. On the flow side, it doesn't "accelerate the flow", that tubing creates turbulence which reduces flow.
There we go - a good reason for me to just stick with the galvanized cheap stuff for break-in and the short trip to the muffler shop around the block. I like easy flowing straight pipes out the back, ideally. The least restriction is best. Thanks for the quick and helpful responses! I bet those flexible hoses would be rather loud and kind a funny sounding...
That stuff is still used on Semi-trucks, usually in 5".....lasts over 100,000 miles if Stainless..........and doesn't leak......
Very true, actually it can last a lot longer than that. It's generally used to connect various parts of the system and lengths are limited to 2' at the most (and usually less) in factory original type installations. This being said though, I would only use it as a stop-gap measure on a car.
The stuff flows terrible at high rpm, but every garage should keep a piece on the shelf for emergency use, it's priceless at 3am. However, the best use for that stuff is camshaft break in. Check it out.... Spotted these at a local IRL team liquidation auction and had to have em. "warm up exhaust" Roger Penske was nice enough to stop bidding when he realized I was just a dude off the street, that guy's a class act. My neighbors think they're dreamy, and surely there's plenty of HAMBrs that would make a set if only they'd thought of it. Sorry for the O/T car they're hanging off of. From Tony Kannan to an old elcamino. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
It has always been my understanding that a corrugated tubes's resriction increases with the flow going through it. Thats why all of the flex lines that hook up to furnaces, water heaters, ect are corrugated. If the line comes loose or is cut the flow will be restricted to a lower amount than it would be with smooth tubing. If you ever open up a natural line to blow it out before hooking it up to furnace it will whistle like hell.
This type of exhaust hose is actually made from a very thin strip of metal and folded into itself, which leaves a pretty smooth surface inside and out. - Pretty cool idea and probably patended. The cheaper steel will be great for cam/lifter break in and the occasional carb sync or whenever the engine needs revving. It is sold for shop exhaust use originally. I saved my 22" smithy's and was thinking of a silencer system like Shifty shows in the pic.
I had that on the 51 i recently purchased and it was OK. It was the first thing to go. I cant speak for all but the setup on mine was leaking like hell. It sounded Ok but the straight pipes I had put in were beter and no fumes....at least not from that anyway. I still have have them for other occasions should i need them.......
I used stainless flex pipe on my roadster, because that's the look I was going for (40's lakes car), and it worked out real well. It doesn't bend as tight as you would think, I had to made steel pipe to go around my steering box cuz it was to tight to get it to go around. As for leaks I could really tell you, I have no mufflers on it. But I haven't seen any carbon comming out between the ribs. Got mine from JC whitney. Good luck
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