Alternative Exhaust Systems For Your Performance Car
Factory exhaust systems often leave a lot to be desired in the performance department. Government restrictions often limit car manufacturers. The result is an exhaust system that does not breathe well and that leaves a lot of performance on the table for your performance car. Replacing the exhaust system is an excellent way to gain more performance without spending too much money.
Large Bore Systems
One of the best ways to increase your car's performance is to replace the factory exhaust system with a system that uses larger exhaust pipes and mufflers. The larger diameters of the pipes allow more exhaust gases to pass through them and remove the spent gases from the engine faster.
The larger pipes also often reduce the backpressure on the exhaust system and make it easier for the engine to intake more fuel and air to the cylinders because the exhaust leaves the engine faster. The reduction in pressure results in more horsepower development in the engine and more performance overall.
Performance Catalytic Convertors
If you can buy a performance exhaust system online that allows you to specify some options, like adding high-flow, high-performance catalytic converters, you can gain even more flow through the system and more power to the wheels. Not all performance catalytic converters are legal in the US, so be sure you get ones that are if you are considering going this route.
The catalytic converters for performance exhaust systems are often more expensive because of the materials used to manufacture them. Still, they also typically last longer than factory versions, and if you are genuinely seeking more performance, they can be worth the added cost.
Tubular Exhaust Manifolds
Taking the performance a little further often requires adding tubular exhaust manifolds, commonly called headers, to the engine. The headers are made from steel tubing, and all the pipes coming off the individual cylinders are made from tubes that are the same length. The manufacturer will bend the tubes to make them all terminate at the collector and become one pipe that the exhaust pipes bolt onto.
Keeping the pipe all the same length is critical to balancing the outflow of exhaust gases from the engine and allows the exhaust system to pull the gases through more efficiently. When combined with the performance exhaust pipes, mufflers, and catalytic converters, the headers complete the performance package and offer the most significant gain in performance for your factory performance car.
While other modifications can make more power, a performance exhaust system offers the best performance for the price in most cases, and it can be a great starting point to enhance other modifications that you will make later.
To learn more, contact a resource that carries products like Chevy Corvette exhaust systems.