I don't have the data, but have read that the longer BJ8 exhaust
actually helps power in some ranges. Exhaust system design is
borderline witchcraft, and not necessarily intuitive; i.e. shorter isn't
necessarily always better (it depends on bore and stroke, resonant
frequencies, etc.). The longer system, I believe, helps low-end torque
at the expense of some high-end HP (but I can't prove it).
Anyway, when my Ansa mufflers gave up the ghost I used its pipes and
some 'Heartthrob' mufflers from JC Whitney:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/high-performance-muffler/p2006485.jcwx?filterid=j1
I welded 18-inch mufflers in front, and 15-inch (or 12-inch, can't
remember) in back. These mufflers appear to be very well made (in the
USA!). The sound is louder and a little harsher than the Ansa's--which
are glasspacks, BTW (I learned from an 'autopsy')--which I thought were
higher-pitched than stock Healey BJ8 mufflers. Without the small
resonators the Ansas have at the tip there is a sharper 'bark.' They
are noisier at low speeds, but at cruise speed (+/- 70mph) the cockpit
is very quiet (witchcraft).
AFAIK, the original mufflers used baffles, and it appears most, if not
all of the aftermarket systems--esp. if they call themselves
'performance'--are glasspack. I think glasspacks will deteriorate over
time no matter what, but baffled systems will fail eventually as
well--the baffles can break off and plug the system, worse than just
getting noisier with time as the glasspacks do.
bs
Mark Schneider wrote:
> <snip>
>
> Marks 3
> '66 BJ8
>
>
--
*******************************************************************
Bob Spidell San Jose, CA bspidell@comcast.net
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