Looking for stainless steel y pipe for small block Chevy.

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I was driving my 78 chevy k20 today and it got loud all of the sudden. The y pipe rotted out right where the pipe connects to the manifold. I need a new y pipe. Basically i can get a walker aluminized steel y pipe for $110 but i was looking for a stainless steel y pipe. I am surprised for as many sbc engines made i can't find any aftermarket stainless y pipes. So basically i am looking for either a stainless steel y pipe or a cheap aluminized steel y pipe. I can weld it all together myself and would prefer not to spend $110 on an aluminized steel y pipe. I would be more comfortable paying $50 for an aluminized steel y pipe if possible but would prefer some stainless options if anyone can point some out to me. Thanks
 
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Originally Posted by Kira
There's got to be stainless fabricators around. Ask at a speed shop if you're near any.

I didnt want to spend a lot of money. I am just looking for something i can bolt up. The truck rarely gets driven and is mostly used to plow my driveway
 
Stainless Steel exhaust, and not spending a lot of money don't go hand in hand very often. I would check some exhaust shops in the area. While it's going to be more expensive, it might not be as bad as you think. Depending on the number of bends and welds, amount of tubing involved, etc. And it will solve your problem once and for all. Why put another part on that's only going to rust out the same as the last one did?
 
If you can weld it all together then just get some bends from summit and go to town...

Plan b (also not cheap) have the walker Y pipe ceramic coated...
 
Thanks for the input guys. The more i think about it the more i don't think stainless is for me. The reason i asked is because for my Honda it was easy to find a relatively cheap stainless exhaust but not so much for this truck. I am now looking for the cheapest aluminized steel y pipe that will fit without hitting anything or hang to low. Today i an going to take the exhaust off and clean up my manifolds.
 
For the 22 years I owned my 91 Grand Marquis, it consumed 7 exhaust systems. If I had the foresight, I would have switched to stainless early on.
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
For the 22 years I owned my 91 Grand Marquis, it consumed 7 exhaust systems. If I had the foresight, I would have switched to stainless early on.

Or Midas
grin2.gif
Wye pipes are the most durable piece of the exhaust. How old is the current pipe?
 
Originally Posted by andyd
Originally Posted by Kestas
For the 22 years I owned my 91 Grand Marquis, it consumed 7 exhaust systems. If I had the foresight, I would have switched to stainless early on.

Or Midas
grin2.gif
Wye pipes are the most durable piece of the exhaust. How old is the current pipe?

I bought the truck in 2012 and whatever y pipe that was in it is what it has. So the old one lasted at least 7 years which is pretty good to me considering the truck got driven in the salt and sits a lot
 
I don't have the Grand Marquis anymore. It was my winter car, and I needed to give it up for something more reliable for daily and long distance driving.

The Y-pipe may have looked better than the tailpipe or exhaust, but my experience tells me when the rear two pieces are used up, the Y-pipe is not far behind. Plus it's a lot easier to replace the whole system than separating horribly corroded pieces.
 
I managed to get the drivers side exhaust manifold off but I cannot get the passenger side off. On the drivers side all of the bolts came out so the manifold came off easy. On the passenger side 3 of the bolts snapped off. I cannot even get the passenger side manifold to budge. I tried hitting it with a 3lb hammer, heating it with a propane torch, prying on it with a breaker bar, and using an air hammer around the broken bolts to break the rust free. Any ideas on how to get this off? I just remembered while typing this i have a really long crow bar I will try tomorrow. Below is picture of snapped bolts circled in red, the drivers side manifold, and the reason i took the manifold off to remove the 3 studs holding the pipe to the manifold.

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Rust isn't the only issue.....Those manifolds tend the shrink, There is a tool to spread it back out......Lisle part#13000. You'll probably need one to reinstall them anyway!

Replacement of both may be the best option.....They didn't use gaskets at the cylinder head from the factory, Those will definitely need surfacing & it's probably not worth it.

I'm aware gaskets are available & everyone uses them, But it's incorrect & causes issues with blown out gaskets.
 
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Rust isn't the only issue.....Those manifolds tend the shrink, There is a tool to spread it back out......Lisle part#13000. You'll probably need one to reinstall them anyway!

Replacement of both may be the best option.....They didn't use gaskets at the cylinder head from the factory, Those will definitely need surfacing & it's probably not worth it.

I'm aware gaskets are available & everyone uses them, But it's incorrect & causes issues with blown out gaskets.

Interesting i didn't know that. When i get the other manifold off i will figure out what to do. This truck is pretty ratty and it mainly sits. Its more of a play toy/plow truck. I don't mind if it's not a perfect seal between the head and manifold.
 
Currently I am at the point where I cannot get the passenger side manifold off so I think I am going to cut it off. I tried my crow bar on it and it does not budge one bit. Only the truck shakes back and forth. Time is getting short and its starting to get colder out. Also I saw this rusty looking spacer attached between the passenger manifold and the pipe. It turns out it is the heat riser. I did some googling to discover what it was. Mine is missing the whole weight and spring section. So I will buy new manifolds, heat riser, and aluminized pipes and just be done with it. I will be finished with school in a few years and once I have a real job with real money I can deal with it the next time it needs something exhaust related. My old manifolds are so rusty and there are not even threads anymore for the three studs that hold the pipe to the manifold.
 
Around here almost every exhaust shop does stainless and y pipes are and have been normal every day deals.
Only down dude is that they do mig welding at the joint and it's steel mig. And no purging
 
Get a real torch, get the manifold red hot around the broken bolts. It will come off. Use torch to get the head good and hot around the broken bolts without applying torch to bolts. Use a visegrips to remove bolts.
You can drill out the 3 studs for the pipes. Either tap the holes and put new studs in or use 3/8" bolts. It will be much cheaper than buying new manifolds.
Cheapest exhaust will probably be duals. 2 down pipes, couple of cheap mufflers and couple of turndowns. No welding, just clamp together, done in 60 mins or less once you have the manifold cleaned up and reinstalled. Clean manifolds and heads up go with rough sandpaper or similar.
Agreed on the no gaskets, and dont waste $$ on the heat riser, they are worthless and get rusty after 1/2 a winter.
 
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Originally Posted by Srt20
Get a real torch, get the manifold red hot around the broken bolts. It will come off. Use torch to get the head good and hot around the broken bolts without applying torch to bolts. Use a visegrips to remove bolts.
You can drill out the 3 studs for the pipes. Either tap the holes and put new studs in or use 3/8" bolts. It will be much cheaper than buying new manifolds.
Cheapest exhaust will probably be duals. 2 down pipes, couple of cheap mufflers and couple of turndowns. No welding, just clamp together, done in 60 mins or less once you have the manifold cleaned up and reinstalled. Clean manifolds and heads up go with rough sandpaper or similar.
Agreed on the no gaskets, and dont waste $$ on the heat riser, they are worthless and get rusty after 1/2 a winter.

I do have an oxy acetylene torch but i am out of oxygen and dont have the money right now to exchange the tank. Not to mention my welding shop thinks my oxygen tank is to big for a normal customer and doesnt want to exchange it. I like the idea of the heat riser also the spacer to replace the heat riser is almost as much as a heat riser. I will see about getting the manifold off and saving it.
 
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If you still have the hot air choke you might need the heat riser. If it has been converted to electric you can ditch the riser valve.
 
So there are supposed to be these metal heat shields for the spark plug wires. Mine are kind of rotted off. Do i need these? Trying to save money where i can if i dont need them i wont get them.
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