Exhaust Dilemma - Powerflow

[Walker2686]

Afternoon,

I managed to pick up a Powerflow stainless exhaust on eBay for what I thought was a bargain.. the seller is a car dealer/garage in Coventry and they've taken it off a customer's 200 that they've fitted a new system on. It was on for £120 or best offer and they accepted £90. It's also got another standard Cat with it. I've had new Powerflow systems a couple of times before on cars and was always happy with them. I like putting a stainless system on cars I intend to keep, nothing too loud though!

The description implied it was fine and the garage even offered to fit it if I went down to collect but I got it couriered up to me in Leeds. Now I've got it one of the tailpipes is a bit loose and cracked around the weld, and some of the other welds don't look great. I took it to a garage I've never used before to fit it but he said he wouldn't fit it if he were me especially without having it welded!

Anyway long story short the seller will refund me the £90 and pay for it to be sent back or will refund me £45 if I want to keep it and get it repaired and fitted. I'm leaning towards getting it sorted and fitted to be honest as it is cheap. What you reckon fit or send it back?

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[JMR]

Does look a bit pigeon shît tbh.

Powerflow systems are always only as good as the welder that puts them together at the franchise.

For £45 you've got a cheap exhaust.
I'd ask a friendly welder how much he'd want for grinding the welds out, prepping the ends of the pipe again and re-welding where required from scratch.

 

[Dumdum]

It’s gone round the edges of the weld which means it was a weak point, I’d get some straps made up, ie little ramps to go from lip of silencer to pipework at 45 degrees either side, only need to be two mm plate but together should add some resistance to cracking

 

[JMR]

Good idea - I had a KTEC/Janspeed exhaust on my 182 Cup which was a beautiful piece of fabrication.
That had splayed straps from the silencer to the pipework - nice touch and gave some re-assurance of strength

 

[Dumdum]

I welded a friends (olliep on 182/trophy forums) exhaust a few times, I think it was a scorpion system that kept cracking around the weld like that, put little straps in, crack no more... think it’s continuous heat cycling and vibration that does it at points where vibration is worst

 

[Walker2686]

I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure what you mean! Can you point me to any pics as an example?

So I take it you think I should keep it and fit it then? It will work out very cheap and do the job..

Found a place very near where I live called Fenton Motorsport by chance today and spoke to the guy there today and he says he'll sort it and fit it no problem, shouldn't take long he said.

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[Dumdum]

Top and bottom you basically cut a strip on 3mm steel and fit it at 45 degrees from the lip of the box to the pipe to effectively reduce movement where it’s cracked

Kinda an inch wide strip top and bottom like the yellow lines in the pic

It just strengthens the joint and takes the stress off the edge of the weld

 

[-Eddie-]

If I’m honest I would rather stick to the standard system over a Powerflow system even though it’s only going to have cost you £45.

Not a fan of their stuff at all. Cheap materials and not great quality.

 

[Dumdum]

If I’m honest I would rather stick to the standard system over a Powerflow system even though it’s only going to have cost you £45.

Not a fan of their stuff at all. Cheap materials and not great quality.

my sentiments exactly, they put it together based on what fits rather than what makes the most power, why you want to add some thing to a car than will probably lose power I will never know, and then get it remapped to get the same power as before and remove the flat spot, also that back box will be a rear box used in reverse, so no flow to the left side other than a bit of pressure leakage, your better off making it single exit and not using the left exit at all

also the stainless used is magnetic, hence cheap as chips and will rust, not like a magnex/scorpion/akro/insert major brand here, the tailpipes are usually decent quality but that's so they stay shiny!