Re: [T3] lets talk mufflers and cylinder heads

["Jim Adney" <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 9 Sep 2000, at 23:13, Keegan Ferrando wrote:

> Alrighty hopefully this will end my questions about mufflers, but then again
> maybe not, however.... Since I have decided not to go with the cheesy 4 tip
> GT exhaust system I recently saw a SB with dual quiet packs and those look
> really sweet so I wanted to know how those seem to work out with the SB's
> some guy told me once that they get ripped of on obstructions a lot but I
> think that was a bunch of crap.

I used aftermarket mufflers for quite a few years. In general they 
are easier to install and cheaper to buy. They don't fit as well, 
however, and I had continuing trouble keeping them sealed around the 
lower heat exchangers. You have to remove the upperheat exchangers in 
order to use them, but you should NOT throw away those old upper 
boxes! There is also less ground clearance with all of them, and I 
did have one dual sided version that completely folded up under the 
car when it was backed into something.

> okay enough of that muffler business and onto another question:
> I was told by another guy (one that knows little of vw's) that the heads on
> aircooled's need to be retorqued after a while from uneven cooling the heads
> get tweaked and need to be retorqued. Well let me know if anyone has any
> input !!

I have heard this suggestion, too, but I have never done it, and 
never needed to. New engines were never retorqued after delivery as 
far as I know, but Russ may have some insight on this.

In my opinion, if you rebuild the engine carefully, with lots of 
attention to cleaning and facing the mating surfaces of the heads, 
cylinders, and case, you will not need to retorque.

OTOH, I take a lot of time torquing my heads when I rebuild the 
engine. I don't have any idea whether it is important, but I torque 
alternating sides while slowly coming up to the spec. I always have 
case savers installed by RIMCO, and I usually torque to about 2 lb-ft 
over the OE spec. DON'T DO MORE THAN THIS!. (More is NOT better.)



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Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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