My down pipe elbow fab.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,129
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From: Cornfield, Indiana
My down pipe elbow fab.
yo, i just wanted to show off my first attempt to make a downpipe elbow, or any real exhaust fabrication for that fact.




i'm using that and the mazdatrix flange underneath of it. after i get the tranny back in it, i'm running it down to the local exhaust/tire shop and having them bend me a full 3" straight pipe system from the elbow (the elbow is 3" pipe as well). I know i still need to put a O2 sensor bung in it.
I know my welds kindof suck, but this is the first time i've welded in 2yrs.




i'm using that and the mazdatrix flange underneath of it. after i get the tranny back in it, i'm running it down to the local exhaust/tire shop and having them bend me a full 3" straight pipe system from the elbow (the elbow is 3" pipe as well). I know i still need to put a O2 sensor bung in it.
I know my welds kindof suck, but this is the first time i've welded in 2yrs.
i would just keep the flange and throw the rest away. let someone else make it or but a pre bent mandrel bend and weld it to the flange. if someone else is making the rest of the exhaust, might as well let them do the down pipe.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
Go to the local tubing supplier and get a 90 degree "ornamental stainless" weld el in the size you need (2.5"). It will be a few dollars and has a very nice constant radius bend.
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FAIL
Do it right or don't do it al all. You can call summit and order the pieces you need and have them the next day...... at least I know they had the best prices on the 2.5" Magnaflow beds I bought.
Do it right or don't do it al all. You can call summit and order the pieces you need and have them the next day...... at least I know they had the best prices on the 2.5" Magnaflow beds I bought.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,129
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From: Cornfield, Indiana
college = less then no money, it should be proficent for my aplication and it was free at my dad's lumberyard's truck shop. The exhaust doesnt bend at a 90 degree angle, its more like 60, so i figured i could just do a 30/30 with one cut and be ok, rather then a 45/45 for a 90 degree (I would have made three or four peices, so 30/30/30 or 22.5/22.5/22.5/22.5).
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...115+4294864577
If you can't spend $21.95 + shipping to do it right than you have no business owning this car
If you can't spend $21.95 + shipping to do it right than you have no business owning this car
yea... unless you can weld like Aaron Cake then you should probably just buy a down pipe. I believe there is one for sale in the parts section for like $65...
or follow Titanium's advice and use pre-made bends and try again.
because honestly... that weld is embarrassing...
or follow Titanium's advice and use pre-made bends and try again.
because honestly... that weld is embarrassing...
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
That weld is no worse then my first exhaust project...and I ran 12s with it. 
But proper mandrel bends or thin case ornamental bends are so cheap that it's not worth trying to bodge something together.
If the OP wants to make a bend, then instead pie sections should be cut to make a more gradual transition.

But proper mandrel bends or thin case ornamental bends are so cheap that it's not worth trying to bodge something together.
If the OP wants to make a bend, then instead pie sections should be cut to make a more gradual transition.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,129
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From: Cornfield, Indiana
yeah, i think i'm gonna give it another shot, but make 2, 20degree cuts (IE 20/20/20) to achive my 60.
thanks for sticking up for me aaron insted of arguing with me like on other threads, LMAO.
thanks for sticking up for me aaron insted of arguing with me like on other threads, LMAO.
Not to mention the time involved. I'm not going to say what I bill for my time but if you think about how long would it take someone to make a bunch of pie cuts and then weld it up
Well you get the idea. Time in and dollars out or time out and dollars saved does not compute for somepeople.
Well you get the idea. Time in and dollars out or time out and dollars saved does not compute for somepeople.
I was trying to avoid posting on this, but it keeps getting bumped, cause I can be mean.. but EPIC FAIL.
Theres very cheap and easy alternatives then what POS you built. Keep the flange, worst case go to a junk yard and take a piece of junk desiel exhaust (3") and make a freakin down pipe if you can't afford a $35 muffler shop to make you one. I'm sure someone on this forum could donate a better dp then that one. Its a horrible design, and horrible fab/welds. GARBAGE, straight up, sorry to be such a dick, but common man.......
By the way, I commend you for making the effort in making your own stuff...... awsome, but you have to know when its not going to work, or if something else will work better, espcially when something else could cost less/same or take less effort.
Not optimal, but easier to fab with better results then what you got. Just take a straight piece of tubing and make many cuts in it like 1/8" apart and 3/4 of the pipe depth. Then you should be able to bend the pipe making a smooth transition and weld up the slots.
~Mike............
Theres very cheap and easy alternatives then what POS you built. Keep the flange, worst case go to a junk yard and take a piece of junk desiel exhaust (3") and make a freakin down pipe if you can't afford a $35 muffler shop to make you one. I'm sure someone on this forum could donate a better dp then that one. Its a horrible design, and horrible fab/welds. GARBAGE, straight up, sorry to be such a dick, but common man.......
By the way, I commend you for making the effort in making your own stuff...... awsome, but you have to know when its not going to work, or if something else will work better, espcially when something else could cost less/same or take less effort.
Not optimal, but easier to fab with better results then what you got. Just take a straight piece of tubing and make many cuts in it like 1/8" apart and 3/4 of the pipe depth. Then you should be able to bend the pipe making a smooth transition and weld up the slots.
~Mike............
Last edited by RacerXtreme7; Oct 13, 2008 at 11:49 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,129
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From: Cornfield, Indiana
yeah, i said i was goint to try it again with lots more sections.
I want to know how to be able to fabricate exhaust, thats why i didnt buy a bend.
i know the welds suck, but for not welding in 2yrs its not to bad i think. they just look nasty, they got good penitration in the metal and it was a but weld. I also didnt get the welder setings figured out till i was almost done with it (i weld by feel).
I want to know how to be able to fabricate exhaust, thats why i didnt buy a bend.
i know the welds suck, but for not welding in 2yrs its not to bad i think. they just look nasty, they got good penitration in the metal and it was a but weld. I also didnt get the welder setings figured out till i was almost done with it (i weld by feel).
Or just do it the right way AND SPEND A LITTLE MONEY!!!!!!!
If you haven't welded in 2 years and couldn't get the settings right after an entire bead, you'll either have a weld that looks like wax drippings or you'll burn right through the material. Spend the money and don't worry about any of those problems. Not to mention that flow right after the turbo is most important.
If you haven't welded in 2 years and couldn't get the settings right after an entire bead, you'll either have a weld that looks like wax drippings or you'll burn right through the material. Spend the money and don't worry about any of those problems. Not to mention that flow right after the turbo is most important.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 0
From: Cornfield, Indiana
dude, chill, seriously. its not yours so dont worrie about it
If the HKS and REV TII system is a 2.5" DP then a 3" with minor restiction should be more then adiquite, think about it that way.
and what have you welded? it looks like wax dripings becasue it was a little cold, but it still go good pentiration (IE heat marks on the inside of the pipe). i know the setting now so if i do it again, they'll be nice. And its not a contiuous bead, its a bunch of small beads so as not to warp the pipe, durr.
If the HKS and REV TII system is a 2.5" DP then a 3" with minor restiction should be more then adiquite, think about it that way.
and what have you welded? it looks like wax dripings becasue it was a little cold, but it still go good pentiration (IE heat marks on the inside of the pipe). i know the setting now so if i do it again, they'll be nice. And its not a contiuous bead, its a bunch of small beads so as not to warp the pipe, durr.


