So you want to do a performance exhaust read this.

[AspenF150]

This article is supposed to help you pick out the right exhaust system for your car. The ultimate decision rests with you. I`ll be talking about street gas applications mostly. This is all my own knowledge and words. Nothing from anywhere was copied and pasted.



Picking out an exhaust system is tricky if your looking for a specific sound. Installing a performance exhaust is usually the number 1 thing alot of people do. There easy to do if you buy a cat back system and most gearheads, like myself love that beefy sound they produce.



There`s hundreds of brands avaliable for different makes and models. In this thread, I`ll compile all my knowledge of exhaust systems, what part will do what and what sound it will produce.





Headers - Headers come in a variety of material used in fabrication. Popular materials are usually cermaic & polished stainless, chrome and black. Ceramic headers are the most durable to heat and the most expensive. This would be my number 1 choice if I were to pick out a set of headers.



(A) Headers come in a variety of styles as well. Just depends on your application and what your trying to achieve.



( Long tube headers - Long tube headers can cost some big bucks. Expect to pay about $500+ for a good set. Long tube headers have excellent flow characteristics and give your application more power on the bottom end of the power range. Because they flow the best, they give your exhaust system that extra deep throaty sound. On the flip side, they can be tricky to install and in some cases, you may need to sacrifice a component on your vehicle or break out the acetylene torch.



(C) Short tube headers - These Headers also known as shorties cost less than long tube headers, easier to install and made of the same material long tubes are usually. Short tube headers will give you more top end power. Good for merging on the freeway or passing a slow poke. Because of there design, they do not flow as well as long tube headers and won`t sound as throaty as long tube headers will in some cases.



Catalytic Converters Also known as cats. Most modern catalytic converters are made of stainless steel for long life of being exposed to the elements. It what`s inside is where the magic happens.



Catalytic converters have 2 cells inside the outer shell. Each cell is made of 2 different materials that are folded onto themselves. If you unfolded that material from each cell, you would have a football length of material.



In the first cell of the catalytic converter, you have platinum and palladium. In the second cell, you have platinum and rhodium. While these materials are widely used to make catalytic converters, they are still not the most efficient things in the world. You have to drive your car for about 5 miles until the catalytic converter reaches full efficiency.



Some brands that are popular in the market are, Magnaflow, Catco, Walker & Bear River Converters.



Which brand you go with really doesn`t matter as far as what sound comes out of them or which one flows better than the other. Catalytic Converters vary widely in cost. Factory ones being the most expensive. Expect to pay anywhere from $300 on up depending on your application.



(A)Direct-Fit Converters These are my favorite type. Direct fit converters are specifically meant to fit your application. The pipe is mandrel bent from the factory to fit your vehicle. The catalytic converter(s) are welded onto the pipe for you and all hardware is supplied. All you have to do is unbolt off the old stuff and direct bolt on the new converters. While this is a more convient approach they do cost alot more. $200 on up.



( Universal Converters - A Universal converter is basically a one size fits all converter. Different size converters vary depending on your engine size. Don`t worry most manufacturers have taken the guess work out for you. All you have to do tell them your vehicle and then show you what kind of converter you need.



Pipes - Exhaust piping comes in 3 different materials. Aluminized steel, stainless steel & titanium.



(A) Aluminized Steel costs the less of all the materials. The flip side is they rust out very easily if do alot of short trips in town and if exposed to the brutals of winter.



( Stainless Steel costs alot more than aluminized steel simply because it lasts along time. 8-10 years plus. Stainless steel in the aftermarket exhaust industry usually come in 2 different types of material. 304 stainless and 409 stainless.



(B1) 304 Stainless can be polished to mirror shine but does not last as long as 409 because it is a softer stainless steel. This is why manfactueres can achieve that mirror look.



(B2) 409 stainless is harder stainless steel than 304. 409 cannot be polished to a mirror shine(not that I`ve seen anyway) to a mirror look. 409 is what most car manufactuers utilize on there exhaust systems for long life.



(Titanium) Titanium is relatively new to the market. It is lightweight, very expensive and mostly used in the racing industry. This material should be used on racing applications and show cars with minimal driving.



Pipe bends Pipe bending comes in 2 different ways. Crush bent and mandrel bent.



(A) Crush bent simply bends the exhaust piping to any degree in order to fit under the vehicle. Usually turndowns or up and over rear axles. The bad side is crush bent reduces the given diameter of the pipe reducing exhaust flow somewhat. This is the cheapest way of doing it.



( Mandrel bent is the more expensive route. But does not reduce the given diameter of the pipe. Rather is stretches the metal to form the bend at any angle and maintain diameter for a smoother flow and less restriction.



Note The shorter your piping is on your exhaust system, the louder it will be. Not necessarily throatier. This will also increase interior volume inside your vehicle also known as resonance or drone. If you do alot of highway driving, I do not recommend this setup as it can become annoying after awhile. Also the bigger diameter of your piping is, the louder and deeper your exhaust will be. Typically, for street applications, no bigger than 2.5" pipe to keep backpressure on your motor. Any bigger is not necessary unless you have a modified engine. Such as supercharger, turbo, cam etc... If you are using a cat-back system on a stock engine, 3" is ok for this setup.



X pipes, H pipes, Y pipes - These are known as crossover pipes. Popular use in a true dual exhaust system which I will explain later. These crossover pipes also help to cut down on excess popping for a smoother tone.



(X pipes) These are the most popular setup in a true dual exhaust system and can be built into a performance muffler. What they do is simply even the backpressure on your cylinder heads so one pipe nor louder or flowing better than the other one. X pipes can be either fabricated at an exhaust shop or can be bought from a number of manufacters. X pipes are good for mid to high end torque but tend to produce a higher pitched sound.



(H pipes) This is an old school setup used in a true dual exhaust system. An H pipe is simply a piece of pipe welded in between the 2 running pipes coming off the cylinder heads. A hole is cut into each of the 2 running pipes and then the H pipe is welded in between. H pipes tend to produce a more deeper sound and are good for bottom end power.



(Y pipes) Y pipes can be used in 2 different ways. Either splitting an exhaust system into 2 pipes from 1 pipe. Or 2 pipes into 1 which is what some car manufactures do before running into the muffler.



Mufflers -Mufflers like exhaust piping can be made of the same materials except titainum. Mufflers can be constructed in several different ways.



(B1) Absorption. Absorption mufflers do not restrict any exhaust sound or flow whatsoever. They simply absorb any excess noise to clean up the sound. Glasspacks which look like a torpedo are purely absorption mufflers. Most of Magnaflow`s line up is absorption. As well as Dynomax Ultra Flow mufflers and there bullit mufflers and Hooker`s Maximum Flow mufflers.



(B2) Chambered - These style mufflers use exhaust flow to cancel out excess noise by bouncing the noises off themselves hence producing a cleaner sound. Chambered mufflers because of this design restrict flow somewhat. Flowmaster mufflers are mostly chambered & Hooker`s Aero Chamber muffler.



(B3) Baffled - Baffled mufflers both restrict flow and absorp sound making them quiet. Car manufactuers use these style mufflers.



Note The shorter the body of the muffler is, the louder your exhaust will be.



Exhaust setups - This is the biggest issue when trying to decide an exhaust system for your vehicle. I`ll explain to the best of my knowledge.



(A) True duals - A True dual exhaust system is 2 of everything. 2 pipes no y pipe of any sort, 2 cats if applicable and 2 manifolds. V6 engines on up. You cannot put a true setup on a 4 cylinder unless you have 2 downpipes coming off the manifold which most 4 cylinder engines don`t. This setup produces the most sound & flows the best. True duals, because they flow better will both increase your power and move your power range to the mid and high end range. Good for highway acceleration and passing slow pokes. True duals are not necessary on a stock motor but they will not hurt the motor either.



( Cat back systems - This setup is replacing everything from your catalytic on back. This style setup is widely used because it is relatively cheap if you buy from the exhaust shop and produce enough sound for the average joe. Cat back system keep your bottom end power but don`t do much for you mid & top end power. You can have your exhaust shop install a cat back for you or you can buy a cat back system from your choice of manufactuer. Magnaflow, Corsa, Dynomax, Borla too name a few. A quality stainless steel cat-back will run you about $500 on up.



(C) Single exhausts - A single exhaust is simply one muffler and one pipe. Most people when are on a budget but want a good sound from there exhaust go this route. Most just simply replace your current muffler with a performance muffler.



Tips Tips come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There made of 2 materials that I know of. Chrome and polished stainless. Tips can can range anywhere from

2" long to 22" long on gas motor applications.



(A) Chrome - Chrome tips are the cheaper tips than stainless. However, they require more cleaning maintence to prevent rusting out and usually cost about $15 on up depending how long they are.



( Polished stainless - These tips cost the most but they are the most durable. If you live up north, I recommend these tips because they require the least cleaning maintence. Polished tips cost about $40 on up depending on length. Tips can come in either clamp on or welded on.



Note Diameter of the tips can range anywhere from 1"3/4 inlet to 5" outlet. Also, the longer your tips are lengthwise, the more deeper your exhaust will sound.



Styles of tips Below are some different style of tips. Which one you pick is strictly up to you.



Rolled slash cut





Non rolled slash cut





Straight Cut





I hope this article has at least narrowed down your decision into purchasing your exhaust system. Please feel free to add to this if I left out anything. Thanks for reading!

[thump_rrr]

This is a great writeup but I disagree with one small point when you speak of Titanium.

Titanium is used for its extremely light weight but not for durability.

Speak to anyone using them in the Scooby and EVO crowds and they will tel you that quite a few of them suffer from cracks since extremely thin piping is used.

Ti is fine for an all out race or show car with minimal driving.

For a daily driver I`d go with 304 stainless.

[AspenF150]

Thanks for the correction thump rr. I gathered it being durable. Never seen a titanium exhaust in person though.



Edit: Correction made

[lugie]

I have learned much from this and other postings, and in my next life, instead of being an academic, I might want to be an auto mechanic. In my teenage years I coveted chopped and channeled cars with throaty dual exhausts (think James Dean`s Merc in "Rebel Without a Cause"), but my parents` car was an 1958 VW. Yes, it did have dual exhausts, but . . . So now, as I am nearing 70, I (and my wife) have recently purchased a 2008 F-150 crew cab 4x4 with the intent of towing a travel trailer some of the time. Since these are my golden teenage years, I would like to install dual exhausts and a "sort of" performance muffler. I want the LOOK of duals and a nicer sound than stock, but not loud, no annoying reverberation in the cab, etc. Don`t need headers, etc. From what I have seen on the web, the Flowmaster 70 or the Magnaflow are relatively inexpensive and would fit my needs. Any comments would be welcome. (I really wanted to be like James Dean.

[Accumulator]

AspenF150- That`s a good summary of the subject :xyxthumbs Some people would possibly debate some points, but eh, why nitpick? Good post.



Noting your username, what would *you* recommend for lugie?



lugie- Welcome to Autopia! Be careful buying mufflers lest you get a sound you don`t like. I just had some MagnaFlows taken off my Crown Vic (shorty headers, high-flow cats, 2.5" mandrel-bent with "X" pipe, etc.) because they sounded *AWFUL* to me, though the original owner loved `em. I never really cared for the sound of most Flowmasters either. See if you can find sound clips on the internet, that way you`ll get an idea what`s what. Shouldn`t be all *that* hard to find `em for an F150, those are mighty popular.



If I had to take a wild guess, I`d think you might like a system from Borla or Stainless Works. And don`t discount headers, they give a certain signature sound that some of us simply *love*

[lugie]

The suggestion to look for sound clip is a good one, but it seems that virtually all clips are made by young men with elevated testosterone levels who floor the gas pedal to make as much noise as possible. Even clips from manufacturers seem to emphasize loudness. Here is what I would like to see: a 70 year-old white-haired man leaning against his idling truck, sipping a martini, and saying, "Isn`t that a nice mellow sound," and then hopefully hearing a still nice mellow (somewhat louder) sound as the truck accelerates at a reasonable rate. Also having driving the truck (without the martini) accelerating at a normal rate, and driving down the highway to hear how it is inside the cab.

[Pats300zx]

Great write up...

[Accumulator]

lugie- Heh heh, sounds like you and I share the same taste in exhaust notes

[longdx]

Great writeup. I have notices that as I have become older that I have less tolerance for intrusive exhaust noise. However, a properly tuned exhaust system that is vehicle specific is a thing of beauty. For me it is trying to find an ideal balance, between increased horsepower and driver comfort.

[Kean]

The suggestion to look for sound clip is a good one, but it seems that virtually all clips are made by young men with elevated testosterone levels who floor the gas pedal to make as much noise as possible. Even clips from manufacturers seem to emphasize loudness. Here is what I would like to see: a 70 year-old white-haired man leaning against his idling truck, sipping a martini, and saying, "Isn`t that a nice mellow sound," and then hopefully hearing a still nice mellow (somewhat louder) sound as the truck accelerates at a reasonable rate. Also having driving the truck (without the martini) accelerating at a normal rate, and driving down the highway to hear how it is inside the cab.

....this is the issue I`m confronted with myself in the search for a decent, mellow-toned system for my 2010 Challenger R/T. To make matters worse, drone can be particularly irritating in this car with the wrong combination (even if the sound is sweet out the tail pipes). I think we share similar tastes. I just want something a little throatier on throttle than the stock dual exhausts and a mellow, deep sound at idle.

[luohu]

lol.learning.thanks for sharing.

[GP guy]

Great writeup. I have notices that as I have become older that I have less tolerance for intrusive exhaust noise. However, a properly tuned exhaust system that is vehicle specific is a thing of beauty. For me it is trying to find an ideal balance, between increased horsepower and driver comfort.

I agree totally..

[lugie]

Well, this is a follow-up to my question about a nice mellow exhaust for my F-150. Two months ago I got a set of Flowmaster 70s, and I am quite satisfied. They give a nice somewhat throaty sound on acceleration, but once in high gear just a low rumble. Virtually no reverberation or drone. For under $300 installed, not bad.



Now for my other "issue." Why in the world do folks put nice chromed dual exhausts on their vehicles and then let them get all rusty and crudded up? Dual exhausts sound and LOOK nice. If there has been rain, I simply take a damp rag once a week and wipe the exhaust pipes down. That`s it. I have had a couple of Ford Rangers with dual exhausts, and after 5 years the pipes still looked like new.