Custom Exhaust

Hoping to get a custom stainless steel system made fore my 83 tin top which has a 1.8 1989 clipper engine in, was just wondering what best results people have had in terms of the exact specification for it so I've got something to take to the garage to work from. Want quite a nice classic sound that's loud but nothing too stupid, am very new to exhausts so not 100% sure on what I need to look for and would appreciate some advice or even some examples if anyone has them

What manifold do you have, standard VW rubbish toilet bowl/C clip design or an upgraded 4,2,1 manifold or a 6 bolt type VW manifold?

I guess you have the carb version of the 1.8 engine?

The 89 if still oem, as well how it was OEM and how it is now is separate issues.

If you have the Standard Toilet bowl manifold and flange, then you would need to upgrade that to a 4-2 manifold (g60) and or a Header.

The issue with either is the ability to remove the Manifold and not break the Studs which is the major challenge for the DIY'er.

I have sheared the studs even with the head when I first tried it, and took it to a machine shop to drill them out and "Time-sert" the head.

Since then I have still had issues but prior to removing them, I took the time to Soak all the Studs and Nuts in PB-Blaster a week prior, then daily for the next few days.

I started the engine prior to working on it and I removed the in-take.

I also re-learned all about breaker bars and torque-shear…. So I used a 6pt 12mm (depends on the nuts)
3/8" Narrow Tall socket and a Pneumatic Small Profile Impact Wrench I worked from under and over the car to get the right angle.  Most of the Studs cam out with the nut firmly attached to the stud as the stud backed out.

Going back I used Stainless Steel Studs with coper nuts and Plenty of Never-Seize.

I also have the ability to drill the Studs out using Left Handed Drill Bits and a Steady hand… But I also heat and PB-Blaster the Heck out of it and the Head is removed and take to a bench to get the straight on attack.

If you go the g-60 4-2 manifold and a Dual Down pipe you will loose the Sniffer Tube for co2 testing, and moving the Bung to the right side lower makes it easier to put in the o2 sensor.

Now then you can attach which ever Cat Back you want.
(If you don't have a Cat, then you have to usually have a interconnect pipe to reach the Resonator (first silencer).

That makes the Car quieter as it is a Pneumatic controlled hammer suppressor.  

Now if you go Header or Dual Down pipe you will have to Heat Shield your Steering rack by Wrapping the down pipe in Tape (Heat shield) or by installing Aluminum Shields on the pipes.  Manual steering racks are less prone to Heat by nature, then power steering racks.

Headers that I have installed usually have to be ground at the edges where the Intake  bolts as there is a little clearance issue between them.

If you go Dual Down or Header, you will also have to have a flex tube some where, the TT-Tuning dual down has it at the top where it bolts to the g-60 manifold.

Headers need it to prevent pipe cracking from the torque of the engine rock as something had to give, and it is better to have the flex take the strain than cracking a pipe.

Don't trust the Spring loaded ball mount for the pipes, use a flexure.

I think that is all I can think of…..

You can limit some of the Torque of the engine by installing a couple of washers between the front Valance (slam panel) and the front engine mounting cup to get it a tighter fit to the rubber mount.

I've been running a 2" jetex system on mine for the last year and it sounds pretty much perfect in my mind.

I was using a standard manifold and downpipe until this week but am in the process of fitting an Ashley 4-1 manifold to mate to the rest of it, yet to see how it all sounds together

My system is mild steel but all sprayed in VHT black, same with the manifold which also has black heat wrap round it.

The reason I got the steel system is that the jetex stainless system is 2.5" which on a DX is overkill and a nightmare to fit as getting the 2" was tight enough

Thanks for the replies.
I believe it's the stock one but I've tried to take some pictures to show it and attached them to this post
Do you have a link for that jetex exhaust? How difficult was it to fit? Also do you have any videos?
Thanks for the advice Briano1234, how hard is it to find the g60 manifold and header?

 

Over here I have found them in the Junk yards quite often on 95 and up Golfs.  

When I bought my first one from TT-tuning it was @ 150.00 dollars…They were still being made in Brazil at the time, as that was what was stamped on the Casting.

The last one I bought was 25 dollars at the wrecking yard.

https://www.vwheritage.com/wc253j29h2-jetex-exhaust-2-box-system-with-single-80mm-round-tail-pipe-mild-steel-vw-spare
This the same?

Yep thats the one, I got mine 2nd hand which is why I resprayed it and it had been on a tin top so I didnt have the extra brackets and hangers for the cabrio

Fitting was a doddle, hardest bit was removing the original system for me.
Took a bit of adjusting to stop the rattles and then £20 quid at an exhaust fitters to get some hangers welded on.

I've been held up with fitting the manifold at the moment as the brakes on my BMW started binding so I've had to use my axle stands under that for the past week but that'll be done in about an hour so hopefully can finish the job on the Golf next weekend

With regards to manifold fitting.
Its all just a bit fiddly.
I've removed the inlet manifold to give better access to the manifold studs and have been soaking them in PB blaster for the past week but havent yet attempted to undo them.

Just remember you'll need new gaskets for the exhaust and inlet