The V8 Owners Forum -

Hi All - I have an RV8 with stainless steel manifolds which I'm told are off an MGV8 (old one), now it also has a balance pipe which is a sort of flexi pipe with a couple of sleeves at either end which are then bolted to a flange on either manifold. One of these was blowing so I just tried to take the thing off but I think I might have to buy a new one as its now a bit mangled. Can somebody tell me if any RV8 had a balance pipe fitted as standard on a S/S system ?? or am I going to have a special pipe made ??

Regards,

Simon

You will need to get one made up I think.

Is this the sort of thing you are liikung for??
http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php? ... 409s1411p0
Ian

ian.stewart wrote:Is this the sort of thing you are liikung for??
http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php? ... 409s1411p0
Ian

No, its more like a 'coil' than like a hose. Its got a flange welded onto either end which then bolts onto the flange thats on the inside of either manifold. I'm sure the manifolds are off an MG but i'm sure they wouldn't have gone to the bother of having another piece welded into the manifold purely to make a balance pipe ?? I can only assume that some cars had these fitted ?? I'll try and take a photo tomorrow.......

The coil type is more a comerical application, i've heard the flexi type are suppposed to be very good

Standard MG install didn't have a balance pipe. Who ever made the system up must have included the balance pipe. Flexy exhaust pipe is readily available even in stainless so I am thinking a quick cut the ends off your old one and weld them onto a new section of pipe would be an easy option.

I run an MGBV8 and I have not fitted the balance pipe. I have been told it is supposed to help with pulse tuning. But I have fitted two separate pipes from my manifolds without a balance pipe and she works and sounds ok to me.
I'm sure if you are going to pulse tune an RV8 engine, you have to do some funky pipework to match the middle two of one bank with the outer two of the opposite bank. Mine seems to work fine as it is.

I dont have a ballance pipe either, but both manifolds do join just under the gearbox into 1 ststem

Thats how the original MGB V8 system is fitted Ian. The down pipes join into a Y peice.
There are some aftermarket twin systems with the balance pipe though.
I've heard lots of debate on this and I'm still not convinced it will make a great deal of difference to performance if you have a balance pipe. I believe it does change the exhaust note somewhat on a twin system though.
I'll stick with my home made twins.

Thanks for the replies, I think i've had a bit of a result now. Looked up a local Blacksmith and hes going to angle grinde all the old weld of the ends of the existing pipe therefore leaving me with some nice round pipe to sleeve over the top of. Found that my local motor spares shop sell flexible exhaust pipe in mild steel which looks the same as the bit I've got to chuck (albeit not s/steel) but i'll clamp it together then it'll be easier to take off come the time I need to do a sump gasket or something !!

My exhaust is a twin system that runs down both sides of my car (a Ginetta G33) but the balance pipe crosses the two under the engine at the bottom of the manifolds. Don't know what benefit (if any) it has but maybe its because the manifolds are very close to the engine so ease escape or maybe its because the engine was built from new with performance in mind as its a 4.5 JE Engineering lump with a few high spec bits and bobs. Anyway, think it can now be fixed fairly easily and I don't have to blank off the pipes which I was going to do in frustration !!

Thanks again.

Simon