Ruby Tailpipe - Problem Solved

[Colin Morgan]

Hi,

Over the years, I have noticed that the tailpipe on a Ruby always sticks out a long way – as shown by this totally original one.  It goes way past the rear bumper.


  Ruby tailpipe.jpg (Size: 118.62 KB / Downloads: 249)

Is this really necessary?  Perhaps it’s to ensure fumes don’t get sucked back into the car? 

Wondering about air quality inside the car, I put a carbon monoxide (CO) detector in my Ruby glovebox.  This life-saving device had been tested by holding it in the car’s exhaust smoke and, as there is no catalyst on a Seven, it went off almost straight away.  What a racket – about 90 decibels – and it wouldn’t switch off until I took the batteries out – it must have really over-dosed on CO. 

But since then the detector hasn’t ever gone off whilst driving - even when travelling with all the doors and windows tight shut in a following wind or at the traffic lights – therefore, I am pretty sure exhaust fumes don’t generally get inside the Ruby. 

So, I decided to do a cunning test to see if such a long exhaust is really needed.  I cut two inches off my tailpipe with a hacksaw, so it stuck out only 4” from the rear bodywork.  Then drove five miles against the wind and five miles back (with the wind behind me) – with all the doors and windows shut.  The CO monitor did not go off – not one peep, though I did get a bit of a headache.

So, I cut another 2” off the tailpipe and drove the same ten miles there and back.  No CO alarm, though I did have a headache and double vision for a while afterwards.

So, off came another 2”, meaning that the exhaust tailpipe was now flush with the body.  Another run still gave no CO alarm, though whilst driving I had a headache, blurred vision and trouble staying awake.

I didn’t want to cut off another 2” because access was getting hard – so I gave up hacksawing, loosened the clamp at the rear of the silencer and pushed the tailpipe forward 2” so the end was now 2” under the body.  Ten miles later, the alarm still hadn’t gone off – so far as I know – I had a worse headache, tunnel vision and I seemed to black out on and off on the way back, but I can’t really remember.  (Good job the car knew the way back by then.) 

So, my question is – why do we have such a long tailpipe fitted on the Ruby if it is not needed?  Austin weren’t ones to waste one iota of steel – they would even drill out a drain plug to weigh-in the scrap!  Is this one that got away from them?

Colin

[Dave Wortley]

Colin, Have you got the date wrong? It’s April the first tomorrow.
I hope your headache and vision is better.

[Ivor Hawkins]

I use the original Ruby style exhaust on my RP and it sticks out a long way...I have become irresistible to women, can now play the fiddle and my hair is growing back...

["Slack Alice" Simon]

The headache is probably down to Colin trying to remember where he put the CO detector batteries.  

[Colin Morgan]

Batteries?

By the way, the seal on my saloon back window is pretty good. If you have a tourer then perhaps fumes might get sucked back over you with a shortened tailpipe? – but when you are sitting out in the fresh air, that isn’t a problem? Presumably only Ruby drivers are at any risk from CO fumes?

To test this, I lent my CO detector to a late-tourer (4-seater ‘Opal’) owning friend on the other side of Manchester and suggested he cut a few inches off his tailpipe – but I haven’t heard from him since and he is not answering his phone – so there is no evidence either way at this stage.

[andrew34ruby]

My Ruby isn't fitted with bumpers (it's pretending to be a fixed head) and when I fitted the exhaust replacements were out of stock everywhere so I fitted a tailpipe from an autojumble. It stuck out about six inches so I cut it so it sticks out about half an inch from the bodywork. Never had any smells inside.

[Steve kay]

What is going on here? Lines from old movies, Is that a CO2 detector in your glovebox or are you pleased to see me? Ivor claims that he now plays the banjo with a bow. I thuoght most Ruby drivers had converted to side emission, I did because when I cross the Border into England many of the lanes are becoming similar to trials sections.

[Colin Morgan]

So - mixed messages here - some say a short tailpipe is not a problem? But would the Austin Motor Co Ltd have let this go - wouldn't they have specified a shorter pipe?

[Dave Wortley]

Stick with it Colin. Some chaps have longer tailpipes than others. It can't be helped.

[Reckless Rat]

Is the extra length anything to do with the luggage rack that extends rearwards when the spare wheel cover is open? The tailpipe length from the suppliers may be a "one size fits all" as it seems to be a thing with the RP as well. The tailpipe on mine sticks out a fair bit but because I have a rack on the back so it's not so obvious.