Who has built their own exhaust?

I am considering building my own exhaust. I think I will be using cast buick v6 225 manifolds from a special or skylark or similar. It won't be complex as i can go pretty much straight back with some bends for clearance. I plan on doing this inside the frame rails, no frame mount master. How did you guys deal with the rear mount gas tank? Did you run the pipes straight out under it? Should i tie the pipes together in an x pattern, or does it not really matter? Ideas? Comments?

 

Don't forget about Norcal69's exhaust. Maybe you could go along the inside of the frame to right at the factory rear shock location and then shoot it outside and exit like his?
http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/inde...common-sense-build.110768/page-5#post-1231534

 

Every exhaust I've ever built, I started with a 8 or 10'(?) section of tubing from NAPA, made narrow notches with a sawzall, bent the notches shut and welded them up. It gives you incredible flexibility if you make the notches and bends, get the pipe fitted in place, then tack them, then take it back out to weld it. The narrower the notches, and the more there are, the smoother the bend.

The welds don't make for the smoothest of internal flow, but we ain't racin', right?

I know you've seen this, but for those who haven't, the bottom section is what I'm talking about.

 

I rather dislike replacing old rust exhaust systems every few years.
Previously I have done a full stainless exhaust on my Hurricane powered 3B.
Full stainless including all bolts excepting the muffler and the cast manifold.
It's basically a copy of the original configuration.
The SS thin wall handrail tubing was cut to form the curves all was tig welded.

My future projects are all Dauntless powered flatties.
I have a pair of Buick Fireball manifolds for one Jeep and my other 225 Dauntless has a set of Commando manifolds with left rear dump.
So here again I plan to go with stainless tubing. Not sure how exhaust tubes will be routed yet.
I have dual underseat tanks for one of those builds so I'll likely tie all into a single muffler at the rear.
The other build may feasibly get a rear tank.... so a dual side dump exhaust system seems to be the only viable choice.

Somewhere you'll have to cross your tubes to outside of the frame rails.
In that case dual dumps placed just in front of the tires seems the only sensible option.
Unless your frame has been stretched far enough there simply is no place to locate a single large muffler.

 

I built mine. I used the exhaust manifolds and parts from Summit. I got really tired of crushing the mufflers under the floorboards. I actually went around the front of the oil pan from p-side and connected to d-side down pipe. Super happy with how it turned out and no problems hitting anything!
Pics here:https://picasaweb.google.com/117314299486619980930/JeepExhaust

 

I was thinking about that. I plan on going inside the frame rails, but thats not required.

I am also thinking about exactly that cut/bend/weld concept

I got a deal to buy 45' or about 50lbs of 1 7/8 random bends in a box from a header manufacturer in York PA for 50 bucks. All I gotta do is drive up there. they will ship though. Probaby would make it more expensive than the ones at speedway.

 

Inside the frame can be done with a single muffler, even with a rear tank. I used the less crushed muffler from the old set up.

 

I have 2 old stainless mustang mufflers that came off a shelby or something that I used to use with the headers. I plan on reusing at least one. I could exit in front of the rear tires again, but for little money and some fabrication could just go out the rear like you or norcal. I am reticent to go out under the rear tank for many reasons, but someone could convince me its a good idea.

 

I would not go out under the rear tank personally, I think mine would not last very long there, I have bounced off the tank guard many times. I moved mine behind the rear tires for noise (getting old) and exhaust fumes. I still get fumes but not quite as bad.

 

Exhaust U-bends is what most folks use.............no need to make them that pretty..........Tig weld w/70s7 or 309 stainless.............. and away you go.

 

Ok, just a bunch of U bends? How about tailpipe expanders on a 1/2 impact gun? I watched my family mechanic, who taught me a lot and let me work on my first jeep in his shop for free, use one a long time ago like that.

 

I made my own with pieces I had lying around. It's a single system Y'ed together right below the passenger manifold. I am using a front dump on the drivers side with a high mount PS pump. I still can drop my starter out the bottom. It runs inside the frame rail all the way until the rear axle then exits out the corner by running it between the frame and leaf spring. I don't have a rear tank but plan on doing that upgrade soon, then I might have to adjust the tailpipe but not much. It has a Cherry Bomb turbo muffler, it fits nicely.

Not the greatest pics but you get the jist of it.

 

With the V6 in my CJ-7, I used pre-bent sections to wrap around the front of the motor then meet at a pre-made two into one collector on the passenger side. From the collector back is a straight pipe and stock muffler in the stock location.

 

FWIW, the header I built for the F-head in my 3B out of standard tubing is still going strong 17 years later. A good header paint on clean material is crucial.

 

I like the idea of stainless, but i really don't like working with it. I wind up wrecking it with sugaring on the backside unless I fill the pipe with argon and the cost is a bit high for my budget. Chances are that before the standard stuff rusts out I will have already built a new jeep anyway.

I do agree that the stuff that comes from flaps, etc, is super junk. I am looking at 16 gauge material. 18 gauge is available, but i don't want it. Harder to weld, easier to rust a hole in etc.

Thanks guys for the great pics and info. This will go a long way for me and maybe others who want to attempt this.

 

Here is most of mine. I made it so I could remove it easily if I need to. I exited between the leaf spring and frame to d-side rear. As I stated above mostly made up of parts ordered from Summit. Really no rust to worry about in Ca.

 

This is how I would like to do mine... On my last project I had the exhaust done, it cost 450 bux!! I supplied the mufflers and all they needed to do was put three bends in each pipe and hang em. If I can find a good shop near by I might talk to them and see, but right now I'm leaning towards diy

 

I went to 3 or 4 local shops for estimates. The quotes were so high they must have been gold plated! I figured they did not want to do a custom job, too much trouble.

 

I don't even know who I would even ask to do any work at all for me. Not that i could ever afford it either. After looking at all this exhaust work, I am chomping at the bit to do mine. Looking at my junk engine mated to the empty sm420 with the mocked up brakes sticking out the firewall made me pretty excited today. Its a pile of garbage, but soon it will be drivable.