Mk2 1.8 HL Automatic update

[mickthefitter]

Alright Baz, thanks for the offer. Since I've started the ball rolling with the guy in Mansfield, I'll see if he comes up with anything first, and if not, I'll get back in touch and see if what you've got is any use. I've still not looked underneath yet to see what state the rest of the exhaust on the car is in! All I know is, it's noisy....

[Morris McKinnon]

It could have been the insulation/wadding in the muffler that shot out of your foreman's car. I've seen that stuff hanging out of tailpipes sometimes. Probably what clogged your back box. The mesh inside rusts and the insulation backs up soaking up the carbon and moisture. If you open up the back box you'll probably find a big lump of what looks like a wet oily rag!

[MARINAMADBAZ]

Hi mick no problem I'll get a pic for you just in case I have also some used marina rear back boxes but cannot say wot condition like inside dunno if you wanna gamble one of them let me know if u don't get hold of anything cheers baz

[mickthefitter]

It could have been the insulation/wadding in the muffler that shot out of your foreman's car. I've seen that stuff hanging out of tailpipes sometimes. Probably what clogged your back box. The mesh inside rusts and the insulation backs up soaking up the carbon and moisture. If you open up the back box you'll probably find a big lump of what looks like a wet oily rag!

You are probably right. I don't know how old the exhaust was, but if the car did a lot of short runs, what you've said about rust probably adds up, because the last few days, when I was trying to set it up, it was making a lot of condensation in the exhaust and leaving rust spots inside the tail pipe. Everything that came off the car (distributor, back box) stayed at the garage. I'm not bothered Glyn kept the old distributor. He didn't charge me as much as he should have, for the work he did, and he probably has added it to a collection of old car bits somewhere, just in case it comes in useful some day. Not that it ever did me any good.

[mickthefitter]

Hi mick I have some new mild steel rear exhausts here made by walker they are straight ends but the larger box type as fitted on Ital,'s not the more rounded Box on a marina let me know if I can help baz

Looks like I might be paying you a visit, Baz. I can't get hold of any exhausts around here, other than order a stainless steel one from Earlpart, which I might well do, but if I want to try to use my Marina before October arrives, it's going to have to be a mild steel back box from somewhere else. My garage man had suggested replacing the middle section just in case it was deteriorating internally like the back box had, although from the outside it looks serviceable. The down pipe has been welded and sleeved though, where it mates to the middle section, so I'm not even sure it would be a straight forward job mating a new mild steel middle section to the down pipe. Anyhow, I'll have to try to make do with a back box for now if I can get one.

Am I right in thinking the old style back boxes in mild steel have the pipe that hooks around the axle? The pictures of stainless ones I've seen come with that part separate, clamped in place.

I'd asked Fittapart at Mansfield if they could source me an exhaust. From this I've learned that back boxes for the Marina are still listed, but middle sections haven't been listed as a part number in catalogues since 1999. However, none of the suppliers my chap asked had got anything in stock, and they weren't planning on ordering any batches any time soon.

[Kilroy]

Has anyone tried fitting muffler and resonator from an MGB.?

The exhaust is very much the exact same setup - be nice to have the 'proper' MGB sound..

[mickthefitter]

Looking at exhaust systems for the MGB on the internet, photos show the back box with a fairly straight pipe where the back axle should be. I'm not sure of the MGB routing - under the axle? With the Marina having a very hooked pipe there, fitting an MGB silencer would involve getting someone to fabricate some new pipework for me.

[david painter]

Yes MGB system is straight and goes under the axle. Would need the back box cutting off and welding to over axle pipe for Marina, alternatively get a universal resonator box and weld it in place of your blocked one. exhaustpartsuk.com › ... › Exhaust Silencer (Length12") › 5" Diameter
Dave

[mickthefitter]

Wow. I never knew such things existed. Any idea which perforation size would be needed? Is that to do with the amount of noise produced, or to provide the correct back pressure? Or both?

[lock1506]

If your over the axle part of the pipe is ok you could just put a cherry bomb silencer on. I had one on my coupe with a nice stainless polished tip and it was no louder than the standard system. I might still have it lying about somewhere.

[mickthefitter]

I didn't take the old silencer away with me from the garage. I could phone tomorrow to see if it is still around, but it might have been scrapped. Last week, it didn't seem important.

[david painter]

Its a bit suck it and see but this similar diameter and length to original worth a try at least will get you going for rest of the season
eBay item number:280701334930
Dave

[mickthefitter]

Cheers

[MARINAMADBAZ]

Hi mick also got new axle pipes with no box so you can sleeve a universal or cherry bomb or summit similar for a different sound/look

[mickthefitter]

Okay Baz. Is it easier for me to come to you, or for you to post? Are you able to provide a few photos of what you've got i.e. the new Ital back boxes vs. the used Marina ones? My chap in Mansfield who had the back catalogues reckoned the part numbers he had for Itals and Marinas were the same in respect of the back box. Got a commitment this weekend so if me collecting from you is okay, if we go ahead, I can't make it this weekend.