I would have thought the 2 1/2 pipe would have been ok,
I seem to remember putting the Muffler first and the hotdog on the end of the pipe was most common...

Well I got the ute running great and was having a ball in it.




It was proving to be everything I wanted it to be from the start: something small and light and can have some fun in on a windy road but also something I can use to pick up parts and junk for other projects ive got going.




It was awesome for about 3 days until it overheated about 50m from my driveway. I pushed it home and left it until today.
Tried cranking it over and seemed as though it had next to no compression. I figured it was a piston ring so I stripped it down to find this







Now I dont know what to do with it.
1- Just forget about it for another 6 months until i have time to strip the motor back and go all out rebuilding.
2- try buy another L18 or L16
3- Buy a SR20 and take it off the road for 12months

If anyone knows for a L18 or L16 in Vic or southern NSW please let me know.
cheers

I would put another good used engine in it.

Do you have any ideas what caused the damage?

Bit of an update.
Slapped a fresh stock l18 in it. Also a big ebay alloy radiator, 2" exhaust, a set of camber tops, removed lowering blocks and a general tidy up and its almost done(just 8 months late)

But now I'm on uni holidays so a another phase of mods is about to begin which means I going to beg for some more advice.

-Im thinking twin webers, just not sure of pros and cons between twin 40s and twin 45s? I want the ute to be practical and reliable which makes me think a well tuned set of 40s. But i think il always wonder how much better it would be have a set 45s. is the difference that much? are 45s over kill, considering i will be running stock internals with just a bigger cam.

- Ive got a bluebird box to go in it which will change it from a dogleg pattern to a normal pattern(preferred), but the box is longer and i think it will move the shifter back which might get too close to the hand brake? any advice on this?

- It is way too noisey in the cab at the moment, whats the best/cheapest way to get rid of all the sound and vibrations?

- I plan to pull the heater out and run electric heater demister. the plumbing to make the heater to work with the L18 conversion is a mess. surely a little electric heater will do the trick? also I want to tidy up the engine bay so tricks on ways to hide things would be great

-plan to overhaul suspension and brakes. stiffen and flip rear leaves? is this frowned apon? also going to make coilovers for the front. what are the best struts to start with? ive currently got early stanza ones which no decent brakes bolt up to. ive got a set of sumitomo twin pots, what struts would suit these? are disk rears worth the effort?

Thanks in advance

Ill keep it updated on these mods as I go, pictures to come soon. Will also be selling off a fair bit of stuff.

Cheers