I have had an S&S system in my '84 (1.9L) for a couple of months now.  Only
problem that I have had was caused by my negligence in not assuring my
mechanic had his Wheaties the day he installed the new system resulting in
one of the bolts coming loose.  With regard to distance to transaxle
housing, one would hope that mass of the housing and lubricant inside would
minimize effects of the close pipe.

John Lauterbach
Macon, GA

----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Porter <fporter@MICRON.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 1999 10:24 PM
Subject: request for opinions of the S&S header system

> hello all,
>
> I have fit checked the S&S header system on my syncro van (S&S sells the
> same exhaust system for syncro and non-syncro vans, so I think anyone
> with an S&S system could reply to this query) and am wondering if it
> will overheat the transaxle.  Here's why:
>
> Where the front header pipe in the STOCK system attaches to the front
> left exhaust port, it goes straight forward and then bends rearward to a
> collector--lots of clearance between it and the transaxle.  However,
> where the S&S attaches to the front left exhaust port it has a U-bend
> inboard towards the transaxle and then back out to the 4 into 1
> collector.   The S&S U-bend lays very close to the transaxle (1/2 inch
> or less in spots) and this U-bend is also the first 6-12" of the
> header--the hottest part.  I'm really concerned that this hottest part
> of the exhaust being so close to the transaxle may heat the transaxle
> quite a bit, possibly damaging it.
>
> An observation that makes me fairly certain that the first 6-12" of the
> header pipe is the hottest is the change in discoloration of the header
> pipe closest to the heads.
>
> Another place with low pipe-transaxle clearance is  where the pipe from
> the front right exhaust port crosses underneath the transaxle, but the
> discoloration I mentioned above is not present where these low
> clearances occur.
>
> What do you think??
>
> thanks,
> Fred Porter