Performance Exhausts 101: Types, Materials and Features Explained

The internal combustion engine is what started the vehicle in its most barebones form, but the power produced by this system of components has always had a constant rebuttal against it. That’s mainly because of the amount of emissions and hot fumes coming out as a result of the number of produced HP.

This is where an exhaust system helps out as it’s connected to the engine in order to reduce both emissions and the loud noise the engine generates. Exhausts work by routing the fumes from the engine into the atmosphere through several filters, both particulate and noise reduction ones. Made up of different components, exhaust systems are more advanced than ever, which affects the performance of your vehicle more so than before.

Types of Performance Exhausts

Turbo-Back

When it comes to getting the most out of your vehicle without touching the engine, a turbo-back exhaust is the most advanced solution in that case. That’s because turbo-back exhaust systems replace the exhaust and the turbocharger. With a responsive and durable performance exhaust for sale, you get to increase both HP and efficiency as long as you tune the ECU afterwards. Keep in mind that this is also the most expensive solution.

Header-Back

If you want to bring things down a notch but still get a noticeable bump in performance, you should consider going for a header-back performance exhaust system instead. You still replace the whole exhaust with it but you don’t need to fiddle with a new turbo. Header-back exhausts may still be time-consuming when it comes to their installation, however, they are not as complex of a project as turbo-back systems.

Cat-Back

With a cat-back aftermarket exhaust, you don’t get the challenging installation process or the hefty price tag of the above two. However, because of the fact that cat-back systems only replace half of the exhaust, you also get a much lower increase in performance. The improvement in performance isn’t something that you can’t notice though, as you still get a reasonable enough improvement in acceleration as well as the ability to change the exhaust note.

Materials of Performance Exhausts

Titanium

One of the most sought-after materials when it comes to a performance exhaust for sale is titanium. It might not be the strongest material, however, it’s much lighter than its more common counterpart while being rust-proof. Titanium exhausts are also able to withstand higher temperatures than stainless steel systems.

Stainless Steel

With a stainless steel exhaust, you get the most cost-effective performance exhaust system. That’s because it’s much stronger than titanium and it comes with excellent corrosion resistance and solid heat resistance. Because of this, stainless steel exhausts cost less than titanium ones and thus give you more for the money.

Inconel

The most advanced aftermarket exhaust you can go for is one made of Inconel. This alloy is a blend of materials that helps make for the most heat and corrosion-resistant, lightest and strongest exhaust material at the same time. However, being so advanced, Inconel is rare when it comes to commercially available exhaust systems since it’s mainly used by F1 teams and the aerospace industry.

Features to Consider

Bends

Since an exhaust is essentially a path for engine fumes to travel out of your car, the fewer bends there are, the quicker said fumes and gasses can exit. However, a straight pipe isn’t the best performance solution since having a couple of bends here and there can actually speed up the flow of gasses. Also, consider going for mandrel-bent exhausts, as they are smooth throughout and have the same diameter from start to finish.

Diameter

Talking about exhaust diameter, the size of the piping also affects how quickly exhaust gases can go through the system. The larger the diameter of the exhaust, the more fumes can enter and flow through it at the same time without restrictions. But the larger pipes can also make things worse if you don’t follow a simple rule. That is to go for an exhaust that has an inch of diameter for every 100HP your car makes.

Downpipe

The downpipe is the section of piping where every pipe blends into one for a moment and then separates once again. This portion of the exhaust is responsible for evening out the pressure in the system in order to reduce reverberations and an uneven flow. For performance exhausts, make sure that you go for an X-shaped midpipe configuration in order to get the most seamless transition and an uninterrupted flow of gasses.

Thickness

An exhaust system’s thickness may not affect performance, but it can determine how durable the system is and how well it handles vibrations and drone. Exhausts made of thicker materials are more impact-resistant and thus more durable, while ones made of a thinner material are lightweight, which helps in weight savings. However, thicker exhausts are also able to reduce annoying frequencies better.

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