Sidepipe mounting gaskets????

[Unique452hp]

Hello,

I was wondering. I am having my car dyno tuned next week and I am also having my headers ground down a tad so that I can more easily access the sparkplugs (currently with my World Product Heads I have to loosen the headers to remove the sparkplugs) My question is this. The speed shop that is doing the work noticed that with the headers bolted to the engine, and the sidepipes bolted hard to the frame, there should be little or no give at all. They are concerned that as the engine torques there is not enough give in the header/sidepipes. They said that this will constantly loosen the header bolts at the least, and crack the headers or collectors at the worst. They suggested a high temp rubber bushing in between the sidepipe mounts and the frame.

Is this really a problem? Has anyone else dealt with this? If so, what did you do to rectify the situation. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Scott

1st car was a Cobra hopefully last will be also

[Jim Harding]

Scott,

I'm no expert, so I'll just repeat what I've learned from others....

If you have solid motor mounts, then you can solid mount or shock mount (rubber bushing)the side pipes.

If you have rubber motor mounts, then you must shock mount your side pipes

Jim Harding
La Plata, Maryland

1982 #3004

[WBofTN]

Scott:
Some people put bushings between the side pipe bracket and the frame. My car does not have bushings and I have had no problem. It realy depends on your motor mounts. I know SPF cobras are bad a/b breaking the sidepipe brackets. But, if you look at ours compared to SPF's, there is a big difference (ours are much stouter).

WB

'93 Unique 427/351W/4sp

[eliminator]

Scott,

You don't need bushings, the Unique cars are made to have a solid mount between the frame and sidepipe. What you can do is make and insulator out of some conveyor belt and put this between the side pipe braket and the frame. Butch Capp's has a 10 year old Unique 427 S/C with the 427 Sideoiler engine and 10,000 miles on it. He also has alot of track time on it, no header or side pipe problem. I am using the original 427 motor mounts on my car and mounted as described above with no problems. I checked my headers the other day and barely had any of the bolts move (aluminum heads), after 1,500 miles.

Eliminator

[clayfoushee]

I was checking things over yesterday per this thread, and found the same thing as Elim. just said above. My SO was installed just prior to my purchase of the car, and after about a 1000 miles the header bolts barely moved. Did find the oil pan fairly loose, but no obvious leaks.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[davids2toys]

My mounting bolts keep loosening and then start squeaking like crazy. I have installed a block of rubber on each mount. I have a bolt that has a spring that compresses as it is being tightened. Can someone tell me how tight I am supposed to go, and is the spring there in place of a lock washer?

[Master]

This is MY experience, both side pipes have developed cracks around the mounting lugs on the side pipes. This happened over the course of a three year period with no bushings. I have since had them repaired and recoated and noticed that in the free state there is a noticable gap between the mount lug and the frame. I made rubber bushings to prevent undue stress by tightening the bolts to the frame. I would loosen the two bolts on the support and make bushings for the difference. My gaps were as much as a 3/4".

[davids2toys]

This is MY experience, both side pipes have developed cracks around the mounting lugs on the side pipes. This happened over the course of a three year period with no bushings. I have since had them repaired and recoated and noticed that in the free state there is a noticable gap between the mount lug and the frame. I made rubber bushings to prevent undue stress by tightening the bolts to the frame. I would loosen the two bolts on the support and make bushings for the difference. My gaps were as much as a 3/4".

I have already done that. My gap was nowhere near 3/4 inch though, maybe 3/8.
My question was the spring on the bolt and how tight do I go with them.