240: IPD Stainless NA 240 header pipe

[esmth]

Has anyone gotten one of these:

https://www.ipdusa.com/products/1654...171285-1346768


I am curious about the tube diameter at the end. I have a 2.25 universal aftermarket cat i'd like to use and plan to replace the flange on the pipe with a v band.

Also I am curious about the quality/welds. Any additional info would be appreciated. Thanks!

[volvowagoon]

I was kinda curious about getting one simply for the cockroach survivability. My original one started leaking right at the merge. IPD isn't shy about telling you that this is Chinese, so I'll bet that the welds are not back purged. I've seen some very expensive Chinese stainless headers with terrible sugaring and blockages. I'm not betting that any of the mild steel ones are made better, but for the added cost of this particular part I'd be disappointed to find flaws like that. Hopefully somebody will share some actual experience with this particular part.

[shoestring]

I wouldn't spend the money on a V band for that. Cut the flange off, get a Torca clamp that's the right size and rip it.

[Cwazywazy]

V bands make you go faster.

[esmth]

Well, I bought it. If I remember, I'll update this thread with pix. I hope the 2-1 merge isn't bad like most of the aftermarket pipes look to be.

[white855T]

Originally Posted by shoestring

I wouldn't spend the money on a V band for that. Cut the flange off, get a Torca clamp that's the right size and rip it.

V- bands are cheap. Why wouldn't he do it? It will make removal easy.

[shoestring]

Not as cheap as a reuseable $7 clamp that needs no welding and causes no pipe damage.

[dl242gt]

Stock pipe size for the n/a cars is 2". I use one of the lap joint sleeve clamps on the join between the front muffer and the pipe out of the cat. Works great and they are cheap at summit racing.

[volvowagoon]

I've actually had terrible issues removing the V-bands in my Camaro. If you don't line your pipes up perfectly when you're fabbing the exhaust, any sort of bind you put that joint will make removal a bear. I have to pry my clamps off with screw drivers sometimes. Plus, you don't have to cut or reweld anything when road debris gets knocked up and damages a torca clamp.

[volvowagoon]

Regardless, I look forward to pictures of the part and and how well it fits!

[white855T]

Originally Posted by shoestring

Not as cheap as a reuseable $7 clamp that needs no welding and causes no pipe damage.

Pipe damage from what? Small price to pay to make to header pipe easy to remove.

[esmth]

I have had stainless V band clamps and flanges on my current exhaust for 2-3 years now and they come apart and re seal effortlessly every time. I personally think the slightly higher price is worth it.

[shoestring]

Originally Posted by white855T

Pipe damage from what? Small price to pay to make to header pipe easy to remove.

From a clamp that would crush the outer pipe to form a seal. We (and so do many manufacturers) use a sleeve-type exhaust clamp that butts 2 pipes of the same diameter together. They are durable, long lasting, and very easy to use. I only recommended it because the OP expressed some concerns about the quality of the pipe he's buying. I am not implying that V bands are inferior, and if that's your preference, that's what you should do.

[go240go]

I've had one for about a year. Decent quality, good fit, nice that it's stainless, no leaks at the welds, appears to be holding up well. Diameter at the flange is 2", designed for the stock cat size. Prob would make most sense by adapting 2.25" starting at the 2-1 collector.

[cmsuter]

I bought one and have yet to install it. Really looking forward to it.

[esmth]

I got it the other day. Here are measurements:
The big pipe is not a perfect circle it seems, sort of oval that changes diameter during the bends near the exit. it ranges from 2.325" OD at the collector to 2.2" at the straight and 2.175" at the bend. The ID of the pipe at the exit is 2.1". The pipe is 0.050"-ish thick.
The small pipes are 1.675" OD and 1.575" ID.
Length from entrance flange to merge is 24" and from merge to exit flange is 22".
Exit flange itself is 2.25" ID and distance from hole to hole is 2.75". It is 0.375" thick. The fastener holes are 0.425" diameter.

Considering typical IPD markup it is pretty okay quality but it does have some considerable flaws. The major being not much of it is square to itself. The entrance flange isn't square to the dual pipes, the big pipe is not square to the dual pipes/merge (is this normal for 240 header pipe?) The bellhousing mounting bracket plate thing is not square to the pipes, the nuts on said plate aren't directly under the holes etc etc etc but I am being nit-picky.

(click to embiggen)

[volvowagoon]

I dunno man. That looks atrocious even for China standards. Is that dual pipe flange tacked with a MIG welder? So much for stainless! All that junk inside is not something I'd want to be running through my catalytic converter either. I have some drier vent clearing brushes that I use for exactly that. I'm glad I didn't waste the money on these pipes though. I've had really good luck with cheap Walker brand pipes anyway.

[esmth]

it is par for the course compared with the other IPD exhaust stuff
if it bolts up i'll be satisfied

[wolf_walker]

I guess for the money this isn't bad, what would a nice one done right cost, $500? $700?
I'm sure IPD or a few others could make it happen but nobody would buy it.

[Broke4speed]

Originally Posted by wolf_walker

I guess for the money this isn't bad, what would a nice one done right cost, $500? $700?
I'm sure IPD or a few others could make it happen but nobody would buy it.

Agreed. I'm pretty sure the added cost here is just for the longetivity factor. NOBODY would buy a header pipe that was non-china stainless, with absolutely perfect TIG welds because it would be ridiculously expensive. ESPECIALLY considering it's for a non-turbo car. That'd be flushing money down the toilet.

[esmth]

Some additional things I have noticed staring at it for another evening:
* the smaller plug has no stop/backing so if can screw all the way through the threaded boss. There is no way to secure it the way it is. (what is this even for? back-pressure gauge?)
* where the merge is, there is like an inch of extra pipe not trimmed internally that I cannot get a good picture of. I'm not a flow guy but it doesn't look like it helps.

Before I decided on getting a cat I bought this: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/big-95000flt
I plan to have it welded in the collector anyway and just have it plugged for now. While i'm in there i'll try to clean up the extra untrimmed pipe with a burr. It might not help/do anything but it'll keep me occupied at least.

[shoestring]

Originally Posted by esmth

Some additional things I have noticed staring at it for another evening:
* the smaller plug has no stop/backing so if can screw all the way through the threaded boss. There is no way to secure it the way it is. (what is this even for? back-pressure gauge?)

My factory downpipe has this port but it's got a flanged screw to plug it. I'd imagine there's a gasket there too. I imagine it is a cat failure test port leftover from bygone days.