Fellow air-cooled drivers,
I finally installed the muffler yesterday. I had no choice but to drop the engine and remove the heat exchangers. I was able to get the muffler onto the 4 studs but it wasn't easy. When I got the muffler on the 2 studs of the right head I had to force the left side of the muffler onto the 2 studs of the left head. I was really worried about damaging the threads of the studs because it was metal scraping against the threads. As soon as the muffler was on all 4 studs I positioned the heat exchangers onto the muffler. I then installed 2 bolts from the manifold into the right muffler flange. I next installed 1 bolt from the left manifold into the left muffler flange. I had to use a big pliers to bend the manifold over the muffler flange. When all 4 manifold bolts were in I tightened the heat exchanger nuts and 4 nuts onto the head studs slowly. The heat exchangers didn't fit correctly into the muffler. After tightening everything I don't know if I have a gas-tight seal from the head to muffler.
I can't install the stove pipe and I can't clamp the right preheater box onto the heat exchanger. The right preheater box is cocked at an angle and I can't align it with the heat exchanger. I live in Southern California and the car is garaged. Do I absolutely need the stove pipe and right heat exchanger connected to the preheater box?
The car appears to drive normally. It idles ok. Can I check for leaks around the head to muffler by spraying carb cleaner around the fitting? If the idle increases does this indicate an exhaust leak?
Thanks in advance