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New 4.3 V-6 Motor - Page 8 |
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We still have to make some kind of “Y” pipe for exhaust system. Normally I would just take the car over to the local muffler shop I use. However, Gary & Becky’s place was destroyed by an F2 tornado and they are still rebuilding. (As I am writing this six months after the tornado, they have reopened but are STILL waiting for their pipe bender so they can do custom work.) Anyway, I had to cobble something together on my own. I started by cutting up the original “Y” pipe to get the flanges and a straight piece of flared end pipe to connect to the headers. I also saved the actual “Y” joint so I could connect to the rest of the exhaust. After lots of measurements and several trips to the local parts stores for assorted off the shelf elbows, straight pieces, and reducers, I have managed to fit together something that will work. A pair of reducers were welded into the remaining ”Y” section and the rest was assembled with muffler clamps. Ugly but it works. 
Note: I'll probably end up changing out the one-wire oxygen sensor for a pre-heated three wire sensor at some point since that would get the computer adjusting the air / fuel ratio quicker and result in better gas mileage. From above it looks pretty nice, just one clamp showing.
One thing not shown in this installation is the cooling modifications that were made. There will be a separate article on this. The short version is the factory clutch type fan was replaced with a direct drive stainless flex fan and a pair of thermostatically controlled 10-inch electric fans were also added. This cooling setup has proven it’s worth on days up 104 degrees when stalled in traffic jams. Keep reading |