Bash level - Greg Giraldo. (expert)
How are we looking on the passenger side where it was so tight before? Because, if you recall, this all started because I wanted to put a new exhaust on good ole Elmore and I got the spot on suggestion that new engine mounts would free up space.
Way better!
Now is when we're all reminded what a dingleberry I can be. I really thought I measured that the collector flange was 3". So I ordered that 3" y-pipe kit, 3" flanges, 3" muffler, etc. etc...
It's 2.5".
The headers neck down right before the flange. Doh.
I'm not able to return that fancy y-pipe so, unfortunately, it'll be 2.5" coming out of the collector and then will step up into 3" for the rest of the system. It'll help the fitment, for sure, but I'd prefer it be all one size from the collector back.
I was talking to a friend who works at a well known heat-control company about what I could use to help insulate the steering box from that primary. My thought was just a piece of gold foil on the steering box would do enough but he said he'd like to see that primary tube wrapped and then make some sort of shield. He said I'd need about 1/2" to achieve that ideal setup.
Aside from the fact that I don't want to take the header back off and have to buy another Remflex gasket because I'm sure it'll come apart, I also am not confident I could bash that primary tube much more without either getting it red hot to bend or cracking it.
What are the group's thoughts on this?
More space would be better if you want to get some insulation in there. How bad is the heat for that steering box?
Remember that heat is transferred three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. If the pipe is touching, you're getting all three. If you can get some air space with a shield that isn't touching anything and a little heat wrap on the pipe and the box, now you're preventing conduction and reducing radiation.
If I was you I'd try to smash up the primary some in situ with a torch. If it gets sketchy, then I'd take the header back off and eat the gasket price. It's just smooshed graphite - I have more optimism that you can reuse it than you, but that's probably because I wasn't there to see it when it went in.
How about just running a bigger power steering cooler?
Joking (kinda)
In reply to Mezzanine :
I don't know the answer to how bad heat is for the steering box, to be honest, but I assume less heat is better and the heat coming directly from the primary is about as hot as it gets in an engine bay. It's not physically touching anywhere. I'd say the average gap is about 1/8", maybe slightly less. I'm about to go try MAP gas and a pry bar.
The gasket is extremely fragile but I suppose there's a chance I could reuse it. It's not so much the cost but the waiting for another gasket, really.
In reply to gsettle :
I mean...maybe? It does have a cooler now.
Since time is your critical path, then go ahead with the map gas and pry bar. If it feels sketchy or like you're about to ruin something, then fall back and run it as it sits right now and order the gasket to make this a future you problem. Get all the stuff queued up to do it with headers out when time isn't as tight. Will time ever be less tight?
In reply to Mezzanine :
Oh, it's not that I'm short on time, necessarily, just impatient. I want to dig in on this new exhaust!
I spent some quality time with the yellow bottle and I think I'm happy with how it is now. The tightest point is about 1/8" (instead of that being the biggest gap) and on the firewall side it opens up to almost 1/2". Getting at the tightest point is only possible from underneath and it's difficult to get the pry bar into the right spot while it's still red hot.
Getting it to 1/2" everywhere, I don't think is reasonable/feasible.
Today's project was cleaning up all of the old brass fittings and running a new copper line for the oil pressure gauge. Far from my cleanest work but I couldn't feel my fingers by the end, cut the line a little short... excuses, excuses, etc, etc.
