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kevinm
28-05-2014, 12:27 PM
Hi Guys
I was really hoping I wouldn't have to say this. But for the second time the rear RPW header on my 380 has developed a crack. Again it is near the weld and nuts where it joins the block.
You may remember the first one lasted around 8 months and RPW replaced it. Now the second has lasted under 12 months. Yesterday I took it to a reputable exhaust company in Newcastle and although they said that the header looks quite good, he thinks it has a design flaw. For example the acute angle of the pipe from the front header as it passes around the back into the exhaust could be creating a disproportionate amount of heat. He checked the engine mounts which were fine and the rest of the exhaust and it was tight. He noticed that the blue paint on the back header is peeling at a greater rate than the paint on the front on. There are also 2 Flexis. So he was at a loss to explain why 2 headers would crack in virtually the same place in such a short time. And to answer the obvious question. No I don't flog my pride and joy very rarely do I approach anywhere near high revs.

I contacted David Thomas at RPW and he has never heard of this happening. He disputes the idea of a design flaw saying that if that was the case he would be getting returns all the time and he doesn't. He suggested I take it to the manufacturer, Liverpool Exhausts. However, he hasn't responded to my request for a new header at no cost. As I was laid off in April I don't have the money to travel 400 km to Liverpool and back and pay for another header to be supplied and installed. Even if I do get a new one for free I will still have to pay for the installation. So its a lose-lose for me.

Is there anyone who has had the same problem or could offer a suggestion as to what has caused this? I would appreciate any thoughts.

freshi
28-05-2014, 03:48 PM
im using livo exhaust, same as rpw....I ran into a problem where when i got the exhaust HOT it was rubbing on the other extractor where u Y/U shape joint together, It was causing crazy vibration sounds, exhaust stress on parts will "can" cause cracks, he welded a bracket to seperate the Y/U joint so they dont rub together...fixed my problem, for 6months now, I havent had any cracks develop thank GOD, my headers are MILD steel not stainless.....i know stainless are more brittle and can crack, I know if i super charge my beast ill be using STEAM PIPES ceramic coated so i dont run into this issue

Q1: are your headers mild or stainless?
Q2: do u ever run into CEL with the headers? if so how did u fix it?

thanks

Foozrcool
28-05-2014, 04:09 PM
Mate this is a common problem with these & for David Thomas to say he has never heard of this, he is lying through his teeth as usual.

Mine did the same & I have had them rewelded & a brace welded across the pipes to take the stress off the manifold weld so it wont happen again.

Getting new pipes will see the same happen again.

TreeAdeyMan
28-05-2014, 05:03 PM
Same here with the rubbing, I had a brace welded on to separate the two downpipes just a bit, around 1cm.
I never had any cracking near the block after over 100,000k, but one of the flexi joints cracked internally and had to be replaced. Took ages to diagnose what was causing exhaust fumes to get into the cabin, as you couldn't see the crack from the outside. My exhaust bloke cut open the pipes just aft of the flexi joints, poked an optical probe in there, and found the crack. He sourced two new flexi joints, cut the old ones out, welded the new ones in, made it look like new, and charged me nix! I guess he felt a little bit guilty coz he fitted the RPW extractors in the first place. I also had RPW extractors on my old TE 3.0 Magna, and after about 50,000k the rear bank cracked through on two pipes right at the block (where the pipe is welded to the mounting flange, same as the reported problem here). Partly caused by bashing the rear bank downpipe a few times on speed humps, I had superlow Kings springs fitted and it was pretty damn low!
So adding it all up, the 380 RPW extractors have a design fault where one downpipe passes under the other with very little or no gap, and the pipes are a bit thin and tend to crack.

zilo
29-05-2014, 08:43 AM
The most annoying thing with the cracking pipe is that you don't notice it for a while when it first starts happening and it keeps triggering the knock sensor.

Car randomly goes into limp mode.

Solution is to weld, weld, weld it.

These headers have dubious power gains too..

flyboy
29-05-2014, 03:15 PM
Mate this is a common problem with these & for David Thomas to say he has never heard of this, he is lying through his teeth as usual.

Perhaps send an email to Thomas with a copy of this thread, and ask him to confirm once again he has never heard of this before.

zilo
29-05-2014, 05:19 PM
Perhaps send an email to Thomas with a copy of this thread, and ask him to confirm once again he has never heard of this before.

Front and rear banks made by different people.

Thomas's own words to me.

Madmagna
29-05-2014, 07:20 PM
Wow, another RPW issue.

Should try and claim a Quafe warranty through him, a bloke would have a better chance of falling pregnant.

If the flex pipes are properly located it may be a similar issue to what others have stated.

l also have spoken to a couple of people with similar issues so this" have not heard of this before'' IS pure rubbish,