Re: [alfa] spider two-piece exhaust manifold instead on one-piece

["Dean W. Cains" <dwc@xxxxxx>]

Hi Tony:

The downpipes between an early Spider with the two-piece manifold are 
indeed quite different from your '87 single manifold, so the manifolds are 
not interchangeable.  I've got both '74 and '87 Spider's, and I installed a 
two-piece manifold on the '87 last year.  In fact, I installed an entire 
'74 system on the '87, which now operates without a catalytic 
convertor.  So, both cars now have identical systems from the head 
outwards, including oxygen sensors, which required welding a threaded bung 
into the downpipes.  The sensor on the '74 goes to a fuel/air ratio display 
(only somewhat useful for tuning the Spica injection), while the sensor on 
the '87 works with the stock Bosch L-jet injection.  The '87 now runs quite 
a bit better, but it would be hard to quantify the improvements or exact 
causation.  The manifold and downpipes from the original '87 system were 
much smaller in diameter (especially the downpipes, whose path was also 
much less direct the '74 parts), and who knows how clogged that original 
convertor may have been?  IMO, it was a worthwhile upgrade, but there are 
certainly issues regarding the removal of the catalyst you may need to 
consider, based on your location and moral compass.  The '74 parts, 
front-to-rear, are certainly a good deal less expensive, too, and I'd 
highly recommend only using OEM Cisam-branded parts.

Regards,

Dean
Lutz, FL
'74 & '87 Spider Veloce's


At 11:45 AM 4/27/2004, you wrote:

> Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 17:30:09 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Anthony" <tg60@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] spider two piece exhaust manifold instead on on epiece
>
> HI all,
>
> I was under the impression that you could substitute a two piece exaust 
> manifold from an older spider for the one piece manifold in my 87 spider, 
> without modifing or changing the downpipe, which is one piece with the cat.
>
> I just called one of the usual alfa parts houses and I was told that I 
> can't do that.
>
> what's the deal?
>
> TonyG
>
> 87 Grad.
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