Ricambi Header experience

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1983Pinin
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Your car is a: 1983 Pininfarina

Ricambi Header experience

Postby 1983Pinin » Fri Oct 21, 2016 10:45 am

Hi folks,

I need to replace the exhaust downpipe and probably the center exhaust in my 83 Spider, and while I lust for the Allison complete exhaust solution ,I have too many other things to do with this car that I can't justify the expense.

I see that Auto RIcambi has a header plus downpipe for a little more than the downpipe so am considering this option.

I saw a post or two about this setup, and would like to hear more from those running this setup.

Pros and cons? I know heat becomes and issue and saw a lot of postings about heat protection of components near the header.
Any comments on construction quality and longevity of their header and downpipe? Performance???

I am going to keep the cat conv in line.

Thanks!
--Peter
--Peter

1960 something 850 Spider in 1974-1976
1970 something 124 Spider 1977-1980
Currently 1983 Spider 2000

ebrown0104
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby ebrown0104 » Sat Oct 22, 2016 2:05 pm

I can't speak for the Ricambi header, but I'm using a Vick's stainless header (and full exhaust) on my car:

http://www.vickauto.com/newstore/index. ... ts_id=4204

It fits well, and even after a 30-40 mile drive, I can pop open the hood and original plastic overflow bottle is cool and the steering idler/damper is only warm to the touch.

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1983Pinin
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby 1983Pinin » Sun Oct 23, 2016 8:53 pm

Thanks for the info ebrown. I don't know how I missed that one!
--Peter
--Peter

1960 something 850 Spider in 1974-1976
1970 something 124 Spider 1977-1980
Currently 1983 Spider 2000

vandor
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby vandor » Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:58 pm

Since the exhaust ports come horizontally out of the head, the 'new design' creates a very sharp angle at the head-header junction with no bend at all, just an abrupt change in direction. That cannot be good for flow.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town

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chrisg
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby chrisg » Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:21 am

Wait, Csaba, do you mean on the vick one mentioned upthread?

interesting stuff to follow, though at the moment I remain a fan enough of the factory 4-2-1 setup. The concept of any header (not to fault any design...I would expect it's the inherent nature of a header's construction) not causing some heat issues for things like the battery, coolant tank, coil, motor mount, alternator (all residents of the right side of my 124 engine bays) is interesting also!

Chris
Chris Granju
Knoxville, TN
'71 FIAT 124BS (pretty), '72 FIAT 124BC,'76 FIAT 128 Wagon(ratbeast), '85 Bertone X 1/9, '70 124BC (project), 79 X1/9 (hot rod in rehab), '73 124BS (2L, mean), '74 124 Special TC, '73 124CS, '73 124 Familiare

vandor
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby vandor » Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:04 am

>Wait, Csaba, do you mean on the vick one mentioned upthread?

Yes.

> I remain a fan enough of the factory 4-2-1 setup.

That is a very good choice up to 120-130 HP.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town

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So Cal Mark
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby So Cal Mark » Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:59 am

there is a lot of power to be found in a well-designed header, far more than what the cast iron manifold can provide.
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
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starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

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chrisg
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby chrisg » Thu Oct 27, 2016 11:25 am

guess it's a balance of power gains w/ (in my case) a basically stock 1608 TC vs. the minor hassle of properly insulating the area against an increase in heat. And, by that I mean, how much improvement do you realize with the header being the only variable? That said, I've had cars with headers, but the cost/benefit of a header when there aren't other engine improvements is something I don't have a good feel for.
Chris Granju
Knoxville, TN
'71 FIAT 124BS (pretty), '72 FIAT 124BC,'76 FIAT 128 Wagon(ratbeast), '85 Bertone X 1/9, '70 124BC (project), 79 X1/9 (hot rod in rehab), '73 124BS (2L, mean), '74 124 Special TC, '73 124CS, '73 124 Familiare

pdx124
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby pdx124 » Sun Oct 30, 2016 8:45 pm

Does the Ricambi header line up with the engine's horizontal exhaust ports better than the new vick's design?

http://www.autoricambi.us/product/EX5-4 ... --1979-85/

131
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby 131 » Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:00 am

[quote="chrisg"]guess it's a balance of power gains w/ (in my case) a basically stock 1608 TC vs. the minor hassle of properly insulating the area against an increase in heat.quote]

Why is there going to be an increase in heat? It's not like a stock manifold doesn't get hot.
Mick.

'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.

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chrisg
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby chrisg » Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:56 am

That's a thermodynamics question I don't know the answer to, but my non-scientific experience has been that tubular headers leaving the exhaust ports radiate heat more than the cast iron manifolds. True, either way it's quite hot. And I could be dead wrong on this...now that you ask, I can't say I have ever taken measurements to verify what it seems like. Thanks!
Chris Granju
Knoxville, TN
'71 FIAT 124BS (pretty), '72 FIAT 124BC,'76 FIAT 128 Wagon(ratbeast), '85 Bertone X 1/9, '70 124BC (project), 79 X1/9 (hot rod in rehab), '73 124BS (2L, mean), '74 124 Special TC, '73 124CS, '73 124 Familiare

vandor
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby vandor » Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:21 pm

[quote="pdx124"]Does the Ricambi header line up with the engine's horizontal exhaust ports better than the new vick's design?

all headers where the pipes come out horizontally will line up with the ports. The only one I've seen that is available today that does not come out horizontally is the 'new design' in the link above.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town

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So Cal Mark
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby So Cal Mark » Wed Nov 02, 2016 1:04 am

I've done a fair amount of dyno testing with our headers on stock engines, comparing the results to cast iron manifolds and one other well known aftermarket header and significant gains are possible with the right header design
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566

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RRoller123
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby RRoller123 » Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:24 am

Mark, is that in a particular RPM band, high or low or across the whole range :?:
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So Cal Mark
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Re: Ricambi Header experience

Postby So Cal Mark » Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:48 am

gains were across the entire rpm range but percentages were much higher from 6k since high rpm is where the stock system is very restricted. Even midrange gains were in the 10% hp and 15% torque though
Mark Allison
allisonsautomotive.com Fiat and Alfa Romeo parts and service. Performance parts our specialty!
Headers, ignitions, wheels, cams, flywheels
starsmark@hotmail.com 909-981-3566


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