Shopping for a well-tuned, nice-sounding exhaust system can be an overwhelming experience for sport-ute and sedan owners. That’s because an entire range of options stemming from variables such as vehicle type, RPM ranges, and even anticipated noise emissions all need to be considered at once.
The fact is, there’s a lot more to exhaust system design than meets the eye – or crosses the ear. It’s a science that accounts for everything from pipe diameter to driving style to achieve a desired level of performance. A poorly designed exhaust system can strip an otherwise powerful engine of all its performance characteristics, while a properly designed one is going to allow it to breathe, perform, and sound better every time you drive it.
Locking in Optimal Flow With High-Performance Exhaust Setups
If you own a full-sized stump-puller like either Nissan’s Y62 or Dodge’s Hemi Ram, or one of Holden’s fire-breathing HSV V8 sport sedans, then you already know what kind of heavy-duty demands high-performance exhaust setups are under. Big engines don’t just need to consume massive volumes of air: they also need to be able to evacuate as much spent exhaust gas as quickly as possible. Exhaust valve timing may be responsible for releasing gases from the engine, but it still takes expert engineering to get them away from the engine; that’s where a high-quality aftermarket exhaust system comes into its own.
The key to identifying which aftermarket exhausts for sale are the best performers, however, comes down to understanding the 3 principles that have the most influence on exhaust gases once they’ve entered the exhaust pipe.
- Scavenging. This is the low-pressure vacuum that’s created by the opening and closing of the engine’s exhaust valves as they force spent exhaust gases out.
- Backpressure. Whether it’s the result of poorly bent pipes, restrictive pipe diameters, or some other inline impediment, backpressure is any resistance that exhaust gases experience as they’re being expelled.
- Velocity. Assuming scavenging is high and backpressure is low, velocity is the speed of the exhaust gases as they’re being drawn through, and out of the pipe.
Ideally, the optimum operating conditions for all performance exhausts are for superior scavenging to occur with the least amount of backpressure, at the highest possible velocity; and on vehicles like Y62s, Hemi-powered Rams, and HSVs, it takes purpose-built, low restriction / high flow systems to get those optimum conditions. And fortunately, when it comes to serious high-flow exhaust systems, Australia has some of the best exhaust systems, and system designers in the world.
Low Restriction Nissan Y62 Exhausts Unleash Hidden Power
When it comes to full-sized 4WDs with space and power to spare, you don’t have to look any further than Nissan’s sixth-generation S1 – S5 Y62 Patrols. The big Nissan’s 298kW, 5.6L V8 comes in handy when you’re shovelling around in a vehicle with a 3500kg GVM; but it takes a low restriction, mandrel-bent aftermarket exhaust to get the full benefit of what these powerplants have to offer.
Whether it’s for tough off-road tracks or long trailer pulls over the holidays, a dual-out, 3.0” high-performance exhaust system is what you need to free up some of this big V8’s hidden KWs. These cat back, 409 stainless steel systems feature fully TIG welded flange plates and brackets, and come complete with:
- A 2.5″ single-in / 3.0″ dual-out Y-pipe section with braided flex joint;
- A low restriction centre muffler section; and,
- Low restriction rear muffler/tailpipe sections.
Together with all the necessary gaskets and fastening hardware, these 3.0” aftermarket exhausts make installation a breeze utilizing the Y62’s factory mounting points. In fact, these systems can also be used on Nissan’s jointly developed Infinity QX80 luxury 7-seat SUVs. Make no mistake: With their polished centre and rear mufflers, and heat-resistant enamel coating, these high-performance exhaust systems are engineered to last long, look good, and deliver an acoustic note that’ll put a smile on any owner’s face.
Get Legendary Hemi Performance With a Dual-Out System
Whether it’s on or off the road, Dodge’s Hemi-powered DT Ram 1500s are beasts. With their legendary hemi-shaped combustion chambers and domed pistons, these 5.7L V8s are laughably rated at only 291kW, and will effortlessly produce 300+kW with aftermarket exhaust parts bolted on.
Mandrel bent, TIG welded, 409 stainless steel is once again the optimal choice for both superior resistance to thermal stresses and corrosion; and you can buy these 3.0” performance exhausts online in cat back configurations for both E-Torque, and non-E-Torque DT 1500 models. Low restriction, dual-out systems utilizing the Dodge’s OE Y-pipe are the way to go, and they’re comprised of:
- A 2.5” single-in / 3.0” dual-out low restriction muffler;
- Dual rear, over-axle tailpipes; and,
- 5.0” exhaust tips.
These tough, enamel-coated performance exhaust parts are just what a heavy-breathing Hemi needs to keep exhaust gases and power-robbing heat moving after they’ve been expelled from the engine. And given that these are true Dodge Hemis, the unmistakable howl of one of these vaunted V8s through a set of dual tailpipes is a sound that you’ll never get tired of hearing.
Witness What Holden’s Finest Can Really Do With a Full Exhaust Upgrade
Let’s be honest: Holden’s fabled HSV VE and VF sport sedans are, and are likely to remain, the best high-performance sports cars ever produced in Australia. Boasting 6.2L V8s and churning out as much as 317kW in stock trim, these full-sized 4-door sedans and 5-door wagons were designed to be the ultimate blend of elegance and performance; however, it’s never been a secret that their exhaust systems were painfully restrictive.
The truth is, when it comes to top-quality performance exhaust systems for cars like the HSVs, nothing short of replacing the entire system is going to give these engines the room they need to breathe. That’s why when you’re looking at investing in a truly superior exhaust system for a VE or VF, your best bet is to look at a complete, front-to-back 3.0” high-performance exhaust for sale that’ll include:
- A pair of long tube, 4-into-1 headers;
- 200 cell high flow catalytic converters;
- A mandrel bent, H-style balance pipe;
- 3.0” cat back bi-modal or non bi-modal mufflers; and,
- 5.0” exhaust tips.
These TIG welded components made from high chromium 409 stainless steel round out the perfect sports car performance exhaust system for these powerful, last-of-a-breed Commodores. They need the best flow they can get, and these systems will help them get it.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, aftermarket exhaust manufacturers invest a tremendous amount of research, development, and capital into designing the most efficient, and lowest restriction systems possible. Some are inherently better than others, though; that’s why regardless of whether you’re shopping online or in person, you want to be sure that you’re looking at the best one for your engine.
If you own one of Australia’s high-performance sport utes or sedans, you also want an Australian-made high-performance exhaust setup. They’re designed and built to give these special engines all the breathing room they need to survive in Oz’s special driving conditions.
