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1976 N/A 242 EXHAUST SYSTEM QUESTIONS

76'MintyFresh

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2022
Location
WA USA
Hi all,
I am very new to TurboBricks and this is my first post. I am 16 and have bought a 1976 Volvo 242 B21F from up in Canada.
So far, I have replaced the timing belt, clutch fan (Upgraded to the tropical system with the 6mm studs and plastic fins), distributor cap, ignition rotor, spark plugs, spark plug wires, wheels, and EVERYTHING except for the junction boxes on the brakes, including the E-Brake system.

I write this post asking for any advice or a direction to follow for when I replace my exhaust system. The Canadian winters were not kind to the catalytic converter or the muffler. I have read some threads here about the poor fitment and build quality of KL Racing (NOT Kalphenke (BNE Dynamics now)) headers.

That being said about KL Racing's systems, I cannot find an alternative, the 76' model uses an over-axel exhaust system.

Any help? Cheers!
 
I wouldn't change out the stock manifold for headers. The stock cast manifold flows just fine for most of us, even if you've gone +T. The rest of the exhaust is pretty rust prone and was just too small from the factory. The hot setup is the IPD stainless Turbo exhaust. They sell everything from the collector back, it's stainless so it'll last longer, and it's bigger than stock with one less muffler so it flows and sounds better.

Do you have to have the factory cat where you live? If not go for a magnaflow hi-flow cat and be done with it for many years...
 
I wouldn't change out the stock manifold for headers. The stock cast manifold flows just fine for most of us, even if you've gone +T. The rest of the exhaust is pretty rust prone and was just too small from the factory. The hot setup is the IPD stainless Turbo exhaust. They sell everything from the collector back, it's stainless so it'll last longer, and it's bigger than stock with one less muffler so it flows and sounds better.

Do you have to have the factory cat where you live? If not go for a magnaflow hi-flow cat and be done with it for many years...
I am N/A, would love to go +T if this B21 ever blows but let us be reasonable, it'll outlive me. The turbo exhaust wont fit I don't think because of the over axle design. I will check though, thank you! Does the magnaflow just offer a high flow cat or is it a whole system?
 
It fits.

Turbo and NA fits the same. Some cars went under axle and some went over. Doesn't really matter.

The IPD Turbo exhaust is a great upgrade for an NA car and won't start to be a restriction until like 180 HP, which very few street driven NA cars will ever see.
 
I have been passively looking at complete-ish exhaust systems recently and was wondering about the KL stuff myself... they don't have a great reputation for quality, but I'm also trying to avoid getting anything from IPD and having to deal with cross-border shipping of such a bulky thing as an entire exhaust system.

My last experience with IPD was being hit in the face with $78 to ship a D24 valve cover gasket...
 
I have been passively looking at complete-ish exhaust systems recently and was wondering about the KL stuff myself... they don't have a great reputation for quality, but I'm also trying to avoid getting anything from IPD and having to deal with cross-border shipping of such a bulky thing as an entire exhaust system.

My last experience with IPD was being hit in the face with $78 to ship a D24 valve cover gasket...
The stainless kit that IPD sells is made in Sweden I believe. There may be a vendor in Europe that can get you the same thing for maybe less money. It's wild how shipping stuff halfway across the world is the same or less than going 100 miles ground freight across the border.

I would go to an exhaust shop before buying the KL stuff.
 
I am N/A, would love to go +T if this B21 ever blows but let us be reasonable, it'll outlive me. The turbo exhaust wont fit I don't think because of the over axle design. I will check though, thank you! Does the magnaflow just offer a high flow cat or is it a whole system?

I’ve got a turbo parts car and an na car, both 83. Exhaust routing is the same on both, under axle, and crunched on both where it goes under the axle. Turbo exhaust is slightly larger diameter.

On my car at least, the cat is built into the down pipe on the turbo car. I believe everything bolts on from the collector back, but no cat. You’ll need to put a cat in on the turbo exhaust. I’m in the US tho, your local emissions equipment may vary.
 
I really liked single muffler factory Turbo system with under axle pipe on my '76 NA with K-camshaft. If fit great and was not expensive. I think most components are made by Bosal.
 
Hey all, thank you for the advice.
I will most likely be going with the turbo system from IPD, turbo cars are slightly hard to find where I am located, unless someone in the WA/PNW has something forsale reasonably priced. Thank you so much for your time, feel free to keep using this thread, I will update everyone soon enough with my findings.
 
Where you live it wouldn't be worth it to scavenge a ssytem off another car. It'll be just as rusty as yours is now. The reason the IPD exhaust is so attractive is that it is stainless. None of the other packaged systems are stainless that I'm aware of. Just cheaper aluminized steel which will rust.

The IPD exhaust is also mandrel bent (better than crush bends) and is slightly larger internal diameter than what you have.
 
The turbo system from IPD doesn't include the down pipe or cat and there is a size mismatch because you're transitioning from a NA system to a turbo system. If you don't need a cat where you live you can buy a complete Simons sport system from VP and I'm sure you could add a cat to the system if you do need one. They ship from a US warehouse so it shouldn't be too expensive although it is oversize.
 
I really liked single muffler factory Turbo system with under axle pipe on my '76 NA with K-camshaft. If fit great and was not expensive. I think most components are made by Bosal.
What is the K-camshaft? How was it installed? And what did you have to do to accommodate the larger camshaft, was it worth the time and money? And is a K-camshaft an upgraded stock camshaft from a separate volvo or is it an aftermarket piece?
 
The turbo system from IPD doesn't include the down pipe or cat and there is a size mismatch because you're transitioning from a NA system to a turbo system. If you don't need a cat where you live you can buy a complete Simons sport system from VP and I'm sure you could add a cat to the system if you do need one. They ship from a US warehouse so it shouldn't be too expensive although it is oversize.
This is exactly what I was looking for, is this stainless steel?
 
Swedish Car Parts sells a full (minus cat section) stainless and mandrel bent over axle stock replacement. The header back Simons system looks nice it has 2 mufflers, I don't like how the IPD Turbo exhaust sounds, which has 1. I've heard that the earlier header pipes are longer before the collector and therefore better? I'd replace as little as you need to. The aluminized steel systems last long enough in the PNW, I always ran the cheap Starla cat back on my cars when I lived there.
What is the K-camshaft? How was it installed? And what did you have to do to accommodate the larger camshaft, was it worth the time and money? And is a K-camshaft an upgraded stock camshaft from a separate volvo or is it an aftermarket piece?
The K is a stock can that came on the higher performance NA cars in mainly Europe. Your 1976 would have a compression ratio of 8.5:1, very low for NA, the later B21F was north of 10.0 iirc. The K cam will drop your dynamic compression a lot, the B cam in your car now is a nice cam, I wouldn't change it with your current goals (getting it driving nice)
 
Swedish Car Parts sells a full (minus cat section) stainless and mandrel bent over axle stock replacement. The header back Simons system looks nice it has 2 mufflers, I don't like how the IPD Turbo exhaust sounds, which has 1. I've heard that the earlier header pipes are longer before the collector and therefore better? I'd replace as little as you need to. The aluminized steel systems last long enough in the PNW, I always ran the cheap Starla cat back on my cars when I lived there.

The K is a stock can that came on the higher performance NA cars in mainly Europe. Your 1976 would have a compression ratio of 8.5:1, very low for NA, the later B21F was north of 10.0 iirc. The K cam will drop your dynamic compression a lot, the B cam in your car now is a nice cam, I wouldn't change it with your current goals (getting it driving nice)
Thank you so much, i apologize to everyone on the forum for ALL of the questions I am throwing at y'all, but this is my first car and I am freshly 16, I am still learning!

That being said...
What is iirc? And what is dynamic compression? Why do these things matter when replacing a camshaft and how does my engine vary from other B21's?
 
Thank you so much, i apologize to everyone on the forum for ALL of the questions I am throwing at y'all, but this is my first car and I am freshly 16, I am still learning!

That being said...
What is iirc? And what is dynamic compression? Why do these things matter when replacing a camshaft and how does my engine vary from other B21's?

“If I recall correctly”

Take a look at the NA performance sticky in the performance section.

I believe the differences in all the Bxx engines can be found in the B21/B23 green book.

100% sincere, not being a dick, but a basic article about internal combustion engines may answer your other questions. Or a basic primer on camshafts.
 
Can you weld? Willing to learn? Make your own. 2-1/4 or 2-1/2 aluminized pipe, coupla hangers, high flow cat, muffler of your choosing.
 
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