Best Exhaust Manifold For 2.0 Injected?

[RevDave]

I've posted my questions here before about making some inexpensive modifications to my '82 Spider 200 F.I., and was told that instead of using I.A.P. headers, I would be better off building my own system using a 4 into 2 manifold then a 2 into 1 downpipe, ditching the catalytic converter, and then using a free-flowing muffler, like an ANSA...

That all sounds doable, but here's the problem... At the present time I'm living in Northern Ireland and my car is in my brother's garage in Georgia, so I really can't look at the car per se, and see what manifold I've already got on the car. As mentioned before, it's an 1982 2.0 with stock fuel injection. My question is - what year/model exhaust manifold should I use to make this work? I've been watching E-Bay for manifolds, and have found both the cast iron 4 into 1 and the 4 into 2, which was apparently used on some earlier 2.0 cars...

My question is: Do I already have the manifold I need, or do I need an earlier manifold, onto which I will bolt up a different downpipe? Also, what about the O2 sensor? Is there a port for it to screw into on the manifold, or will there be one on the downpipe that I buy? (Or do I have to weld a fitting into the downpipe to make this whole thing work?

Thanks for your insights (and patience) with a Spider owner who is a long way from home!

Dave

[htchevyii]

You should allready have the good one.

[So Cal Mark]

Norn Iron huh? In Belfast? I've got lots of friends there. Your manifold is already a 4-2 with a 2 into 1 downpipe. Just upgrade the rest of the system to at least 2" without a catalyst. That's about as good as you can get until you upgrade to a good header

[adrians]

My car ('81 FI) had a earlier 4-2-1 manifold and header pipe fitted (when converted LHD to RHD ) from a '72 Coupe. The earlier manifolds definitively don't have a Oxygen sensor port.

In discussions on this forum and an email from Brad (bradartigue) I discovered that particular combination was restrictive to letting the engine rev freely. So I sourced the original FI Manifold and Header pipe. The car runs much better now.

See http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2860

Regards

[RevDave]

Thanks Mark - that's good to know, so I don't need to go hunting for another manifold! By the way, is there a pre-bent 2 into 1 front pipe (for another, non-cat car Spider) that I could order that would run all the way back to the joint where the rear muffler joins, just in front of the muffler, or will I need to piece something together?

I've read differing opinions on this forum as to whether a "front" muffler is really necessary, and was contemplating some kind of straight-thru glasspack or stainless steel front muffler, rather than a restrictive front muffler - or maybe just trying the rear muffler only and seeing how it sounds. (If it's too loud for my tastes, I can always go pack to a straight part of the front pipe; cut a segment out and fit a second muffler at that point.)

Yes, I'm living in Northern Ireland - about 75 miles west of Belfast in Co. Fermanagh, near a town called Enniskillen.
Wonderful people, beautiful scenery, and a wonderful way of life, but frankly the weather this past year has really been bad. LOTS of rain! (I don't know why anybody over here would even think about a convertible!)

In fact, I've yet to see a Spider in the 2 1/2 years that I've been here.

I did go to the Goodwood Festival of Speed (south of London) last spring with my son. It's a truly amazing event to be sure, and something that should be on every "motorhead's" list of things to do before you die...

Check this link out: http://www.goodwood.co.uk/site/content/ ... fault.aspx

I got some pictures of a Fiat /Abarth Spider 124 Factory rally car - I'll try to post them in the next week or so in case anyone wants to see a bit of what it looked like.

Thanks again for your help - Dave

Dave

[So Cal Mark]

Enniskillen, that's cool. It is beautiful there I'll agree, but pretty darn wet. I took a trip around the north coast in January and almost froze to death. Locals thought I was crazy leaving Calif to visit NI in Jan.

I'm not aware of anyone making a bolt on pipe without a cat. I'd set it up without a front muff, and add a little resonator if it's too loud

[ga.spyder]

I am not sure if we are talking about the same thing,bur Bruce's Parts Bin stocks a ''test pipe'' which is a bolt in.Remove the cat and the pipe bolts in,eliminating the cat.There are a lot of other f.i. guys that use this setup.My cat is still there but has been rodded out,w/ a Ansa on the back(no resonator).I think it sounds great and isnt that loud at all.
Craig

[So Cal Mark]

I was thinking more of a bolt on system from the manifold back, using larger pipe and eliminating the cat. Might be a market for that?

[BigBird68]

I would be interested in such a pipe for my '80 FI, there are no laws retricting this in this part of Illinois.

[ga.spyder]

If you are talking about the ''test pipe'',it isnt listed in their online catalog.Probably because you cant remove a cat in areas that have emission testing. http://www.fiatparts.com/ is the website and the phone number is there.
Craig

[So Cal Mark]

catalysts are required by Federal law, and it violates Federal law to remove them if originally installed by the mfg.