Bulge

[doug stanley]

does anyone know what the bulge on the lower right side of the p-5 is for ? seems a strange place to route the exhaust if that is what it is. i am in the dark on this one.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

It is the exhaust. Where else would it exit?

http://www.elioowners.com/threads/the-real-p5.6429/page-114#post-124941

 

[doug stanley]

It is the exhaust. Where else would it exit?

http://www.elioowners.com/threads/the-real-p5.6429/page-114#post-124941

i'm not talking about the hole , i'm talking about the bulge. its not on the drivers side.

 

[Johnny Acree]

The muffler and exhaust pipe is inside that bulge

 

[doug stanley]

The muffler and exhaust pipe is inside that bulge

i guess theres no room on the underside of the body to run it. most unusual. that looks like an expensive option. the exhaust pipe will have to be heavly heat sheilded. my guess this is a quick fix for the "reveal". the production model will surly have it running underneath.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

i guess theres no room on the underside of the body to run it. most unusual. that looks like an expensive option. the exhaust pipe will have to be heavly heat sheilded. my guess this is a quick fix for the "reveal". the production model will surly have it running underneath.

That's how the cad drawings had it:

http://www.eliomotors.com/gallery/#photos

 

[Bert]

i guess theres no room on the underside of the body to run it. most unusual. that looks like an expensive option. the exhaust pipe will have to be heavly heat sheilded. my guess this is a quick fix for the "reveal". the production model will surly have it running underneath.

Why a quick fix? There's limited room underneath. There is little space between the passenger compartment and the frame, even in the P3 and P4. This one is no different.
While it "disturbs" the lines of the Elio, it isn't by any means a deal breaker! IMO. When I learned the exhaust would run outside the right body line, I even started considering a side pipe! The real question will be, is this cover removable, and is what is inside also painted like the rest of the autocycle?
I still like it, the body lines aren't hurt by this "bulge".

 

[John-b-gone]

Why a quick fix? There's limited room underneath. There is little space between the passenger compartment and the frame, even in the P3 and P4. This one is no different.
While it "disturbs" the lines of the Elio, it isn't by any means a deal breaker! IMO. When I learned the exhaust would run outside the right body line, I even started considering a side pipe! The real question will be, is this cover removable, and is what is inside also painted like the rest of the autocycle?
I still like it, the body lines aren't hurt by this "bulge".

If you zoom in on this photo you'll see that "cover" is molded part of the main body. Sorry no removal unless you want to cut it out. However I do like how "The Bulge" channels any gas spill away from the hot exhaust. https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=...CFBA1!5417&parId=66C8BD49AECFBA1!5393&o=OneUp

 

[Bert]

I kinda figured that, but it doesn't hurt to hope! LOL

 

[Ekh]

i guess theres no room on the underside of the body to run it. most unusual. that looks like an expensive option. the exhaust pipe will have to be heavly heat sheilded. my guess this is a quick fix for the "reveal". the production model will surly have it running underneath.

No, it won't. The current location was chosen as the best compromise after lowering the passenger seat to increase headroom. That choice meant redesigning the gas tank. That choice required re-routing the exhaust. It was already too low; they lost the muffler to a manhole cover in Manhattan on the P4. So routing it outside the vehicle, instead of under it, was the design decision. But it also entails having to insulate the between the exhaust pipe / muffler and the passenger compartment; there's a lot of heat to dissipate.

The only option that might have permitted the exhaust to stay under the car would be to raise the whole undercarriage and put on much larger tires -- not compatible with 84 mpg.

So live with the bulge, fellah. It's that way for a reason.