The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Exhaust clamps for butt joint.

These clamps are really nice for areas where you might want to disconnect the exhaust in pieces. Stainless and well made.
Since my exhaust system has an X-pipe, I would need to remove ALL of the exhaust as a single piece. Placing these between the engine and X-pipe really helps.

They do work well. As long as the pipe is straight where you have it
disconnected. When I replaced my old Smithy exhaust with a Smithy ,forward it was straight.
Going back it had a bend almost in the wrong spot. It was tricky getting
it seal. Very small leak at one end. To be safe ,I used high temp red silicone.

Good job. Looks nice.

Another alternative with better sealing, would be a V-band clamp. Reusable, however, they do need to be welded in.

Those SS clamps are common on big trucks, they come in straight sizes and stepped up!

Ed

Thanks Lugnutz How 'bout a photo of your x pipe install, if it's not too much trouble.

Explanation time. I have an engine noise. Pretty sure I have a good ear. It sounds like an exhaust leak.
So my brain goes into diagnostic mode!
Manifold to downpipe donut gasket looked fine. Good seal. No change.
Next, I welded up all the nested pipes to seal up any small leaks. To do that most efficiently without taking ALL the exhaust pipe out, I cut pipe and used the pictured sleeve connection pictured in this thread.
No change.
Could the noise actually be caused by the X-pipe? Hmmm.
So I took the X pipe off (it had to come off for final welding anyway) and drove the truck with only straight pipe coming back from the manifolds. It was so loud that I really couldn’t hear the noise very well, but I could tell the noise wasn’t gone.
Next, I installed my glass packs with more straight pipe, but with the X pipe eliminated. I had to convince myself that the noise was not caused by the X pipe. No change.

Now we come to the personal preference decision. My preference versus what the neighbors like. The X-pipe was a very quiet exhaust system. No hot rod sound at all. Hardly a rumble, even with glasspacks. X-pipe video

I really like the growl with just glasspacks and no X-pipe. The noise is still there though. Next I’ll check valve lash and then I’m stumped because I checked the engine to manifold yesterday and didn’t find a leak at the engine. Factory GM ram horn cast iron manifolds. Noise is not present at idle (at least I can’t hear it) and is most noticeable at acceleration. Spark plugs are tan like wheat bread.

Pics show my X-pipe fab. The exhaust tubing is mandrel bent mild steel kit from Amazon (NOT stainless like I said previously). I’ll never tackle something like making my own exhaust again. Too much fiddle factor and took me forever and a week.

I still plan to use the connection sleeves but will wait until I finalize the exhaust. Currently it’s mocked up to exit just in front of the rear tires while I do diagnostic work.

Stainless steel exhaust is usually louder and "tinnier" sounding than galvanized steel and aluminized steel. Maybe its transferring internal engine noise? Stuck lifter? mild lifter tick magnified by exhaust?

My bad. I mis-remembered the details. The Amazon exhaust tubing kit is mild steel. I now remember that I doubted my ability to weld stainless so I bought mild steel and saved $10. Haha! I’ll edit the earlier post to say mild steel.

Thanks for the photos. Not to worry re the SS vs mild steel. It’s hard to keep track of all that needed on these builds. I just brazed up a quicky dual exh on mine just for start up. Actually sounds pretty good using a pair of Advance Auto cheapie mufflers & mid 60’s Vette exh manifolds 2 1/2 “ thru out. But I’m still working on the permanent, finished product. That’s why I wanted to see your x pipe

What's that perforated angle bar for?

Looks to be a temporary exhaust pipe support IMO. Useful to help support when fabing up the exhaust and only 2 hands to work with.

Exactly.

It's actually called "Dexion", it's available in 10ft lengths. I have used it for shelving and framing, it works great for fabbing things together.

Aha! Finally tracked down that noise. It was an exhaust leak, just as I had suspected. But it was elusive hiding at the engine manifold gasket for cylinder #7 exhaust. Right up near the firewall. It took all of 15 minutes to fix it. Meanwhile, I went through all of my valves and adjusted valve lash thinking it might be a valve noise. The rewards are two. I learned how to adjust valves using the companion cylinder method that Jerry talks about. The other reward is that the engine now sounds AWESOME!

Post a recording on Youtube of your engine running.

Video link LINK HERE

Congrats on finding & stopping the exh leak. Still like to see your x-pipe install, if you decide to do it.

The X-pipe was installed and a success. Just not the sound I wanted. I didn’t figure that out until I had to track down my exhaust leak. X-pipe video

Is it the X Pipe’s fault, or you just need a different muffler to get the sound you want?

IMO, the X-pipe was quiet because of some sort of cancelling effect. That’s speculation. I really like the way it sounds right now. Same cast iron manifolds and 2” pipe going back to Magniflow glass packs.

The more bends an exhaust system has the quieter it will be. The X pipe does have a noise cancelling affect as it eliminates the pluses from either side of the exhaust, actually cancelling them out. The X pipe is used in a lot of performance builds as is aids in exhaust savaging as well. Of course the larger the diameter the more free flowing an exhaust will be, that too can be over done, most engines operate well with some back pressure.

Thanks for posting that. I've heard others say it really changes the exhaust sound. I do like the way my 454 sounds now with my semi temporary non x pipe setup set up.