Well, I just returned from finally getting my Neuspeed exhaust installed on my S2K. I purchased this exhaust in the group buy back in late november/early December...

Here in North Carolina, there are not alot of import shops. I searched long and hard to find one. Ended up finding one in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are about 30 minutes from my house.

Anyway, I watched very closely while the owner of the shop removed my old exhaust and installed my new neuspeed exhaust. Everything looked fine, the guy was very careful while performing the install. After he was finished, I pointed out that I had heard of some cases where the Neuspeed exhaust had melted the black part of the rear bumper. We both examined the system and there was some "play" in the thing, meaning that we could move it from side to side a bit. However, it looked like the clearances were ok.

With all of that being said, when I arrived back at my office after the install, I check the exhaust and it HAD indeed melted my bumper!!!! You can not see it unless you
get on you hands and knees and look closely at the top side of the exhaust pipes.... It's melted on both sides!!!

I called back to the shop where I had it installed. The owner recommended me to check with Neuspeed to see if they
have any suggestions.

I figured that I would check here as well, because I know there are several people with the same system.... Any ideas????


Jeff Lipack

 

Sorry to hear that. I can't remember who it is but somone on this board had Neuspeed look at the problem and they confirmed that the exhaust could not move enough to "touch" the bumper. However, it sounds like once again we have a melted bumper. Maybe it has something to do with those tips holding allot of heat? I installed the HKS over the weekend and it has plenty of clearance and even though the hangers allow some movement I don't think it could ever touch the bumper. That is why I am thinking that the Neuspeed tips are building up and holding heat close to the bumper. BTW, after running the HKS the tips are hot but not extremly hot to the touch (i.e. probably could not melt the plastic) as the Neuspeed must be. Good luck...

 

A few of us looked at an S2K owned by one of the Neuspeed owner/employee. It had the Neuspeed exhaust. It had melted part of the bumper, but definitely looked to me like it melted by contact, no just heat exchange. The curve and even surface texture matched the exhaust tip. Also, we shook the exhaust and seemed like it could easily come in contact under heavy cornering.

 

Yes, my was definately a result of contact not heat exchange....

Jeff

 

This concerns me since I'm thinking about getting a Neuspeed exhaust.

With the recent group buy, has anybody else had this problem?

 

First, thanks to Eric Petersen for letting us use the board to answer tech questions.

Okay, regarding the exhaust contacting the black plastic trim that surround the exhaust tip on the UNDERSIDE of the bumper, yes REDSCORP's car (which is here for other prototype work) exhibits this condition too after we've driven it harder. We think that a simple tweak of the exhaust hangers on the end mufflers will add a little more tension on the factory rubber "donut"
hangers and help "tighten" up the exhaust mounting. Alternately, we may just trim back part of the plastic underneath the bumper.

To clarify that we are talking about the same spot on the car, the colored portion of the bumper visible from all normal observation points is NOT MELTING! On REDSCORP's car, the flat black plastic UNDERNEATH the bumper that surrounds the exhaust tip has been singed towards the back section of the exhaust tip. To view this point, you should be on your hands and knees to be able to look underneath the bumper.

If we are talking about the same spot, then email me at greg@neuspeed.com and I will start a user group off the forum to provide you with technical assistance.

Best Regards,
Greg Woo
NEUSPEED

 

I installed my Neuspeed exhaust on Friday night, 12/1/00 and ran in an autocross the next day. After the autocross, I noticed that the black plastic from the rear valance that arches over the exhaust tips was melted on both sides. It is obviously from contact, as there is melted black plastic on both exhaust tips. I reported this on the board the following Monday.

I noticed the problem occurring again at an autocross school on 12/17/00 and again at a autocross practice on 01/01/01 when both times I experienced melted black plastic on the exhaust tips and bits of melted plastic hanging from the rear valance.

I've since noticed it once after some spirited street driving.

It is obvious that extreme cornering forces cause the exhaust to swing excessively allowing the exhaust tip to contact the black plastic valance.

Since no one has reported this problem with the Amuse, Comptech, HKS, Mugen, or RM Racing exhausts, it is obviously something with the Neuspeed exhaust that is causing this problem.

I had contacted Greg Woo regarding the problem and asked if the aluminum billets in the exhaust tip might be acting as a heat sink and actually retaining heat. Since this is a distinguishing feature of the Neuspeed exhaust, this becomes an obvious potential source of the problem. Greg responded that they discussed this at the shop and decided that it was not a factor.

Bottom line, my valance is melted. Other local S2000 autocrossers with the Mugen exhaust and a custom single pipe exhaust have not experienced this problem.

I will take pictures tonight and post them.

 

The car owned by 1Y2KS2K has a Neuspeed exhaust and we were looking at it at the West LA meet on Sat. He had just driven down some twisties and the black plastic part on his bumper was melted. I think it was the first time he'd seen that happen. Looks like it might happen under heavy cornering. I think S2WOOOW might be referring to the same car. We shook the exhaust and it did seem like there was enough play to come in contact with the black plastic to melt it.

 

TFota: I run with the aluminum billets off, and still had the plastic meltdown last Staurday. (I never had them installed from the beginning.)

My opinion is that the tips do not actually touch the plastic on heavy cornering, but are close enough that there is sufficient heat from the tips to induce melting. When you consider that you can be turning tight corners, at high speed, for several seconds, then the heated tips may be in proximity to the plastic shield for quite a lot of "cooking" time.

 

The four rubber muffler hangers are not the same: two are firmer for mounting the muffler exit side (possibly so the tips don't bounce too close to the bumber openings) and the "engine" muffler side hangers are softer and allow the main exhaust pipe to move a bit...

Bottom line: Are the four hangers being used appropriately?

I actually mixed up the hangers when I installed my Comptech exhaust and quickly made the change. They are noticeably different with a quick flex between the fingers...

Just a thought!