E99: Yet Another S300 SX-E Thread
Tuned
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 364
Likes: 65
Your exhaust pipe supplier appears to be telling you good information. This article says the same thing. The product description for these bellows even state to not use them in up pipes. Now I wonder if anyone with fresh uninstalled CSD, Irate and all other brands of T4 kits can stick an endoscope down inside to see what kind of bellows those have.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
When I was building E99 bellowed up-pipes because there were none available, I used these (maybe not this size). They were also less than 1/2 this price last time I bought them!!
https://vibrantperformance.com/catal...830c731ea902d3
https://vibrantperformance.com/catal...830c731ea902d3
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 6,861
Likes: 2,335
From: WV
I’m not taking mine off to confirm, but those should only be braided on the outside. The inside likely has a bellows style. Anyone have the pipes off that can check?
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,125
Likes: 4,726
From: Henderson, NV
When I was building E99 bellowed up-pipes because there were none available, I used these (maybe not this size). They were also less than 1/2 this price last time I bought them!!
https://vibrantperformance.com/catal...830c731ea902d3
https://vibrantperformance.com/catal...830c731ea902d3
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,125
Likes: 4,726
From: Henderson, NV
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 425
Here's a video from the local supplier I mentioned where he talks about it. The braided flex joints used by CSD and now Irate have an outside braid and an interior flex pipe. The bellowed joints have solid pipes on the inside that slide over eachother (it'll make more sense when you see the cutaway in the video).
I'll give his company a call today and try to get more info.
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Brett Foote
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,125
Likes: 4,726
From: Henderson, NV
Here's a video from the local supplier I mentioned where he talks about it. The braided flex joints used by CSD and now Irate have an outside braid and an interior flex pipe. The bellowed joints have solid pipes on the inside that slide over eachother (it'll make more sense when you see the cutaway in the video).
I'll give his company a call today and try to get more info.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 425
Makes me wonder why the braided style is being used for up-pipes then? Because they look fancier is probably the reason : /
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 6,861
Likes: 2,335
From: WV
It makes sense and the one he’s selling in the video is probably “the best”. But I believe we are overthinking this when looking at the braid covered flex style. It should work fine. CSD said he had only had like 1 failure in all of his builds and he found it was related to a relaxed condition while welding. He now compresses the flex joint a bit during weld. Besides, a failure of this style would only result in a leak. I know this doesn’t matter to the OP with her Irate kit though.
Now the braided on the inside could be bad news and I feel he’s correct in saying we should stay away from those.
Just my humble opinion.
Now the braided on the inside could be bad news and I feel he’s correct in saying we should stay away from those.
Just my humble opinion.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,125
Likes: 4,726
From: Henderson, NV
It makes sense and the one he’s selling in the video is probably “the best”. But I believe we are overthinking this when looking at the braid covered flex style. It should work fine. CSD said he had only had like 1 failure in all of his builds and he found it was related to a relaxed condition while welding. He now compresses the flex joint a bit during weld. Besides, a failure of this style would only result in a leak. I know this doesn’t matter to the OP with her Irate kit though.
Now the braided on the inside could be bad news and I feel he’s correct in saying we should stay away from those.
Just my humble opinion.
Now the braided on the inside could be bad news and I feel he’s correct in saying we should stay away from those.
Just my humble opinion.
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 425
It makes sense and the one he’s selling in the video is probably “the best”. But I believe we are overthinking this when looking at the braid covered flex style. It should work fine. CSD said he had only had like 1 failure in all of his builds and he found it was related to a relaxed condition while welding. He now compresses the flex joint a bit during weld. Besides, a failure of this style would only result in a leak. I know this doesn’t matter to the OP with her Irate kit though.
Now the braided on the inside could be bad news and I feel he’s correct in saying we should stay away from those.
Just my humble opinion.
Now the braided on the inside could be bad news and I feel he’s correct in saying we should stay away from those.
Just my humble opinion.
Like you said it'd probably be fine though. I just wish, for this price point, it was done with the more reliable joints so it wouldn't a potentiality I'd have to worry about.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,125
Likes: 4,726
From: Henderson, NV
You're right that it'll *probably* be fine. I think the big concern is that, in the opinion of manufactures, the thin walled flex tube and braids don't hold up to the heat very well long term, and if they fail it could cost you a turbo/necessitate a new set of up pipes that might not be in production anymore. Plus these kits haven't been in production long enough to know how they'll be holding up in say, ten years, and the pipes aren't in a position where it's easy to check how they're holding up.
Like you said it'd probably be fine though. I just wish, for this price point, it was done with the more reliable joints so it wouldn't a potentiality I'd have to worry about.
Like you said it'd probably be fine though. I just wish, for this price point, it was done with the more reliable joints so it wouldn't a potentiality I'd have to worry about.
