may be a tip ..but never tried it
 

Was speaking to a long time Mini rebulder/mechanic/tuner blokey a couple of weeks ago about exhausts and their longevity, and he told me that if you actually connect the back box to an earth point on the chassis, you will find the exhaust especially the rear box will last a great deal longer and is less prone to rusting out. Said he had been doing it for years with great success ? :shrug:..


Don't know ? but def doing it on the lil ZEd when the new system goes on soon, has to be worth a try ?



C

Old wives tale ;)

The exhaust is connected to the engine mechanically and electrically, and the engine is connected directly to the battery negative :cool:

Brian :D

Could always convert to positive earth instead.............

Yeah, maybe, but there is a gasket or two in between, and back box hangs on rubber. So there is a small probability this could make a small difference :shrug:

Some people swear by the static discharge strap that hangs off the back of car, again, something I've never needed. If it works for you, do it.

There may well be gaskets, but I can assure you there is a very sound electrical connection made via the studs of both the manifold to head joint, and the manifold/turbo joint to exhaust flange ;)

I can't remember the last time I saw a car with a static discharge strap, but there is a complete difference in the build up of static in a car and that of the Earth, bearing in mind it is sitting on four very efficient insulators, and that of perceived potential difference between a car body and an exhaust pipe.

Brian :D

You're not watching Brian. All Hillman Imps have them... :D

I'd better ask Gary then :D

Ooh, Coventry Climax FWM :drool4:

Brian :D

Best way to stop your back box rusting out is to drill a small (say 3mm) hole in the lowest part of it, to allow the acidic condensate to drain out, rather than just sitting in it. With much less sulphur (now Americanised to sulfur- grrr!) in fuel, the acid formed is much weaker, so exhausts don't rot as quickly as they used to, and especially if your journeys are long enough to boil off all the condensate. Diesels exhausts last longest, as they get a good internal coating of oily carbon to protect them!

You can have both - I've worked on coaches that switch from negative earth to positive earth once the ignition is turned off. ;)