J Posted April 9, 2006 Report Share Posted April 9, 2006 i'm down for 2 of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 i'm down for 2 of them Dont think this ever worked out. It looks like everyone just called the places advertised and orderd them themselves.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Talking with Epiflex...they can do discounts with 10 or more ordered. They have a bellows unit with an "Inner SS Braid" which allows for a smoother flow than the other bellows due to their waved shape. I am ordering a couple of the Inner Braid bellows to see what they look like and see if they are worth the money. I also have a jig made from long ago so if anyone wants a cross-over made...let me know via PM for cost. -Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 I just talked to the EPIFLEX.com people and ordered the FO4175 Flex pipes. I am thinking these will work. However, I would also like to point out that I am going to be a ginnee pig on this. Cause i also ordered a set of FO4175IB from the same company. These are the same flex bellows as mentioned, however they have a inner braiding inside the bellows. The design model FO4175 has a tempature range of up to 1000, sales clerk said it was posible it was up to 1100. The model FO4175IB has a tempature rating of up to 1300-1400*. However you loose about 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch on the inside diameter. Aparently I talked to the same guy as TGPilot (kenny) right after he called, and provided some more info that kenny didnt have. So, if the FO4175IB with the inner diameter is to small, we can always upgrade to the FO4200IB to make up for the diference IF needed. I wasnt ready to make that jump at this point. EPI also offers another pipe that has a heat range of 1500* part number FO4175ILL. But I think that is overkill at this point.. The prices are as follows... FO4175 $16 FO4175IB $21 These prices are better than the ones quoted from JC Whitney, and EPI also offers more options. I am going to have a professional welder TIG weld this together when I get the bellows, and will post pics then. Right now I am trying to work together a Jig tool so if this does work, I dont get any metal distorsions from cutting and putting back together.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Did you talk to Rich? Sounds like a well informed guy. I wondered about the FO P/N's working because they are Flex Only. The UF is the Universal that has nipples welded on. You will need some meat other than just the flex bellows knuckles to weld to which I experienced with the flex I did for TWalt a while ago. Looks like an awesome product...we shall see. I have a feeling the IB 1 3/4" will be too small an inner diameter though. The 4200IB (2" ID) will be a better fitment just looking at it on paper. When I do the T3076 turbo I will have a 2" ID cross-over mated to 1 5/8" tubular piping instead of the log manifolds. Just think it will flow gobs better. Even with the IB rated at 1300*F I am concerned with strands breaking free and whipping into the exhaust fan. I will see what the construction looks like when I get them to see if it is a real concern or not. Let me know what your pieces look like when you get them...I am curious to know the construction quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 Well, The information is slightly askue with these bellows. The FO4175 has a bellow of 2" and a nipple of 1" on each end. Sounded kinda small, But unfortunetly I am working with limited information. I wish they had a part with a 3 inch bellow, and 1 inch nipple on each side. I have a feeling that would work tons better. Also. The contrusction on the FO4175 is as follows. Instead of the 1 layer of tin bellows, they manufacture a 2 layer bellow, followed by the outside braiding. Even if you get the FO4175IB, that design stays the same, however there is now, inside the 2 layer bellow, another layer of the stainless steel mesh, kinda like a liner. Which I think would be a good idea as far as some metal breaking off the 2 layer bellows, but you run the rish of some mesh stainds making there way into the turbo. But I also think that the 3 layers that the FO4175 will probly work very well with what we have going on. The problem is that we dont have that much room to work with... I sent you an email there Kenny, hit me back would ya.. EDIT: On a sidenote..... I would also like to add that I am not going to be doing this to make money or for anyone else other than myself. I am just trying to repair my car, and sharing the information as I encounter it so that others can be as informed as I am. I know Jeff M has worked endlessly and tirelessly on making a better TGP for all of us, and I do not want to step on his toes considering his experience and expertise on this. I am, like some otheres here, are on either a limited budget, or limited time frame (both fit me at the moment). And I know Jeff is recovering from some medical issues. This is the ONLY reason I am persuing this. My cars inspection runs out at the end of the month, and I have to get it licensed, and I have not been able to buy a Jeff M product at this point..[br]Posted on: April 10, 2006, 03:02:39 PM_________________________________________________Hey Kenny (TGPilot), do you happen to have a X-over laying around with the OE bellows still attached? Or even detached? If you do, do you think I could talk you into taking a High Res Pic of them with a very visible ruler sitting beside them? I dont have this stuff as my X-over is still in the car with the heat sheild still attached (hey, its my daily driver, I cant put it out of commision at this Point).. Thanks and let me know.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 I would like to buy a x-over from Jeff M, but as we all know he has been dealing with some health issues. And unfortunetly, I have a timeline because of my cars inspection expireing at the end of the month. They passed it last year with the faulty x-over, and since I have installed the TopGun 160 chip, the x-over has gotten alot louder. I think they wanted the money to fix it, and when they found out it wasnt available they didnt know what to do. Cause they came up to me with my failed certificate, and then said "but we cant fix it". Well no SH|T? If you had bothered to ask me, I coulda told you that LOL.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 On this subject, I'm wondering which style of bellow would be better as far as flow is concerned..."braided" or "interlocking." Braided http://stores.channeladvisor.com/verociousmotorsports/Items/FC-0175-400-B? The "braided" version there appears to be what the EPI flex FO4175 should look like(2'' flex, 1'' nipples on each side). Also, on the EPI Flex website, it says that the "ends" are "aluminized steel", but I believe that is referring to the flexes that can be ordered with ends and not the nipples that come of the flexes without ends? Interlocking http://stores.channeladvisor.com/verociousmotorsports/Items/FC-0175-400-I? Those "interlocking" versions claim to be 100% stainless including the "crimp rings"(I assume those are the small ends shown in the pictures). I'm going to email the website I posted and see if that is an actual representation of how the interlocking flexes look. If so, the coupler looks to be a good 3'' long and the ends only appear to be 1/2''. I emailed that website just a few minutes ago, and I'll update this post whenever I hear from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 Not sure I like the idea of "crimp" style welds. All that does is when you weld it to your pipe, it runs a good chance of leaking.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 The crimp style, which came stock on (if I remember correctly) Nissans and Acura/Honda. The crimps always seperated causing exhaust leaks. True, I am talking when things are done on a assembly line and assembled in 500 per hour or whatever it was. I just have had bad experiences with them. It may be that if I professional welder, and not some machine, welded mig or tig, that they may hold up forever and a day. I just remember what i went thru on replacing those things when I used to work at an exhaust shop.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutlessSupreme Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 my EPI Flex ones were the same as the second link Matt listed i sold a pair to Tony (Gutlass Supreme) i recall..... I guess I never got a pic of just them by themselves.. but you can see them here in this pic: http://members.cox.net/odyssey37/images/tgp/IMG_6874%20(Medium).jpg they actually resemble the first link more.. I still have them boxed up somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 I did get the Bellows in from EPI. I guess they might have had some new guy working the machines or something cause the braiding is all screwed up. Not sure if they are gonna pony up and send me new ones or say that I am SOL... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 I would demand they exchange them...but that is me I like to piss in peoples Wheeties! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Ride Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Alright, I apologize for bringing this topic up from the grave, but I'm curious to know how well these worked out. I'm looking to replace my Flex bellows soon and am considering purchasing these bellows and having my friend weld them up. Im probably going to order the FO4200IB as it was mentioned earlier that the FC4175IB might be too small and i plan on porting the heads eventually so having too small of flex bellows would kinda defeat that. Anyone who has used these, how well did they work out? Thanks, Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiac6ksteawd Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 They worked great for me. EPI asked me to take them to my welder to get a metal fabricators opinion of the braiding problems I had. He said that since it was 1 straind, in a set of 10, that it wasnt going to make a bit of diference. I had them installed. I am going to tell you the same thing i tell everyone that has recently msged me about this.. Just buy the one from Kenny. By the time its all said and done, its actually cheaper. For it do be done properly at a welding shop, they have to buiild a jig. And the time involved on those can be expensive. If I had known it was going to cost as much as it did, I would have just gone with Kenny.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Ride Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Cool, Thanks I'm not trying to take any business away from Kenny (TGPilot), i was simply looking for an alternative since I have a buddy that can wield it up for me for damn near nothing. If I had the extra cash laying around I would definetly get one from kenny. I know that he does very good work, and next year I want to have him burn a chip for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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