Sparks Exhaust Packing

[Chino886]

How do you change the packing in a Sparks exhaust, it looks like you need to cut off the rivets? Am I correct?

D

[300exOH]

Yes. You can just drill out the rivets and repack. Then put in new rivets.

[Chino886]

Originally posted by 300exOH
Yes. You can just drill out the rivets and repack. Then put in new rivets.

may sound like a dumb question, but how do you drill out a rivet?

[300exOH]

You need a drill bit the same size as the center pin of the rivet. I'm thinking around 3/16" or 5/16" but I'm not positive.

[bwamos]

I usully use a 1/2" drill bit.. and just let it go through just enough to let the head of the rivet come off. (Don't drill through the body, just the head of the rivet) Then I push the rivet through with a pick.

Otherwise, I always just end up with a Spinning rivet stuck to my drill bit.. lol.

Once the 2 rivets are out, the whole core should just slide out. The packing IS going to snag on the rivets for the Sparks Racing label, so just keep pulling. ;)

The end of the core pipe is expanded to slip over the pipe/chamber tip on the main pipe. There's no attachment at that end. You don't need to remove the Torx screws on the front end of the can.

[Chino886]

Originally posted by bwamos
I usully use a 1/2" drill bit.. and just let it go through just enough to let the head of the rivet come off. (Don't drill through the body, just the head of the rivet) Then I push the rivet through with a pick.

Otherwise, I always just end up with a Spinning rivet stuck to my drill bit.. lol.

is there a certain size rivet I need to buy, sorry for the dumb questions, I have never repacked an exhaust before. If you go too long without repacking it, do you lose and power or anything?

[300exOH]

Originally posted by bwamos
I usully use a 1/2" drill bit.. and just let it go through just enough to let the head of the rivet come off. (Don't drill through the body, just the head of the rivet) Then I push the rivet through with a pick.

Otherwise, I always just end up with a Spinning rivet stuck to my drill bit.. lol.

Yeah. That works too. If you use the 1/2" bit just go as slow as the drill will allow and it should work well. If you drill all the way through you'll have a real hard time fixing it. If you don't get the right sized bit you will end up with the spinning rivet on the end. lol

[300exOH]

Originally posted by Chino886
is there a certain size rivet I need to buy, sorry for the dumb questions, I have never repacked an exhaust before. If you go too long without repacking it, do you lose and power or anything?

You can match up the rivet at the hardware store after you drill it out. I'm not quite sure what size it is exactly. Yes you will lose some power after the packing has blown out(mostly low end).

[bwamos]

Cant remember rivet size off the top of my head.

I think it was a 3/16" rivet. I used the shorter shank rivets.. either will work though. The label uses (4) 1/8" rivets if you take them out. Sometimes it's hard to get the packing back in, with those in there. They will snag the packing.

Sparks uses good packing, so it will last a while. When it does go bad, you will loose "some" power, but nothing really noticable.. it will start to sound tinny though. Once you get enough carbon in the packing though.. it will loose some silencing, and get even louder, as if the sparks wasn't loud enough anyway.. lol.