Replacement Exhaust issue

[Jezza]

Hi - I got a stainless Steel replacement exhaust and when I went to get it fitted the garage found there was something attached to the exhuast roughly where the side door is, that had no equivalent connection on the new exhaust - and weren't sure how to proceed.

pictures of the unit are here





the unit is connected to something just under the pasenger seat - as below



can I just disconnect this (as advised by the exhaust supplier) and lose the part of the unit attached to the old exhaust - or what are my options?

thanks
Jeremy

[westonwarrior]

do you have the cold strart pack with the engin button by your right knee and twin starter batterys?

If so its probably the exhaust gate and can be removed and disgarded

[Jezza]

yes - have the winter pack - extra battery connection, switch for engine heat thingy by right knee etc.

Was told it was an intercooler and could be dumped, and the pipework sealed off with an M8 bolt - but wanted to be sure before it got done, the old parts dumped, and finding out it was a necessary part of the exhaust system !!!

cheers
Jezza

[Northern Bongolow]

it is just a valve that restricts the outlet on the pipe, it aids warm up by partially blocking the exhaust and making the engine work harder whilst warming up.
many just remove it, but i use mine every day it certainly speeds up warm up times and make your cold start solenoids go off quicker which means its running more efficient earlier if you do lots of cold starts per day like i do.
they have been known to stick shut which could be a problem (never seen this myself though).
any good exhaust place could modify your new exhaust to accomadate this valve.
there have been reports of full stainless systems cracking, for this reason i only fit stainless to the 2 rear sections only,(again never seen this myself either).
your choice as they say.

[mikeonb4c]

it is just a valve that restricts the outlet on the pipe, it aids warm up by partially blocking the exhaust and making the engine work harder whilst warming up.
many just remove it, but i use mine every day it certainly speeds up warm up times and make your cold start solenoids go off quicker which means its running more efficient earlier if you do lots of cold starts per day like i do.
they have been known to stick shut which could be a problem (never seen this myself though).
any good exhaust place could modify your new exhaust to accomadate this valve.
there have been reports of full stainless systems cracking, for this reason i only fit stainless to the 2 rear sections only,(again never seen this myself either).
your choice as they say.

Very interesting post Ady. All points noted.

[Jezza]

Interesting - not too bothered about the stainless cracking as it's supposed to be warrantied for life! - the guys that fitted it said they'd heard of this too - so just have to look out for that one!

Just as an addition to this - blocked off the pipework and removed the valve - there is a significantly better exhaust flow since fitting the new exhaust!

Just wondering if the unit under the passenger seat does anything else - or can it be unplugged too ??

cheers
Jezza

[dandywarhol]

Yep - take it out and put an Eberspacher diesel heater in the space...................

[dobby]

Sorry for a daft question but my bongo has got one of those, the power to it was disconnected by AVA when I bought the bongo in 2005. I now need a new centre section and a possibly a back box. Can you take out the complete unit including in-line valve and will there be enough slack to fit the centre section and new back box or do you have to replace the two piece pipe section with a one piece as per AVA's part here:

[Northern Bongolow]

as you know the in line valve is a fair lump so i would imagine its a different front pipe for the winterpack model to the standard front pipe. there wouldnt be any slack to just butt up to the front pipe so either get a good exhaust/manufacturer fitter to make up an insert or buy the ava part.
if it was mounted further along the exhaust you could just insert a small piece of pipe, but as its on the downward angle butting up would not be possible unless you go for a flexible clamp on insert cut to length like they do on some larger bodied camper vans and trucks with custom bodies etc, they sell this in different diameters.

[dobby]

Cheers Ady

Need to have a good look at the whole of the system in daylight but weighing up the pros and cons of going stainless. Suspect we are going to be keeping the bongo for many more years now as I don't need a car for business use etc. now.

[Northern Bongolow]

as an add onto this thread, if trying to remove the valve completely be aware that the front section of the exhaust has a 4 bolt fixing flange to the valve body. then goes to the very small second section which converts/adds up to make the standard no valve length of front pipe. so if replacing you will need a longer (standard ) front section with the standard 2 bolt flange fitting.

see photo's above.

or a gas axe and welder .

[steveyd]

Hi,

You can use the long front pipe from a 3 part system - try Regis Exhausts on ebay - I asked them and they had them in stock. This will replace the valve and the small elbow joint. From this point backwards the system is the same for all 2.5td Bongo's.

BTW - if yours is a winterpack Bongo I'd get it undersealed PDQ - for some reason they rust quicker (plenty of comment here on the forum on this). Mine is no exception. I'm getting used to the waxoil fumes now.

cheers,

Steve