Hi there. I'm new on this - looks like a great forum. I hope someone can help me with a problem.

I have a 1984 watercooled Sopru camper. I leave it with a mate in Adelaide, who starts it up every few weeks and runs it round the paddock, as I only use it once a year when I come back to Australia. Two years ago, after negotiating a S*** track to visit friends at Lake MacQuarie, one of the exhaust headers cracked. I had it welded up in situ. This year, same friends, same track, same result, welded up again. The gut that welded it (in Canberra) said the metal was getting a bit crystallised. When I got back to Adelaide, I left it to be serviced at Volksfactory, who took the whole exhaust system off and welded it up on the bench. They tell me just one of the pipes is $300 new, and one is not available.

Does anyone know a source of new or good header pipes for my van? I think there are three of them.

Incidentally, I am thinking of selling the vehicle. It's only done two trips Adelaide - Newcastle on a fully rebuilt engine with brand new heads, and I've always had it serviced and only used genuine VW coolant. I am supposed to be coming back this Xmas, but the long trip from France is getting a bit much for my old bones!

Cheers,

Bob

free bump

The 1.9 exhausts do crack, and will keep cracking,
If you were going to keep the van, I would fit a complete exhaust from a 2.1, these are a much better design, thicker and won't crack like the 1.9, mine has over 280,000 k's on it and never been welded yet.