The importance of your vehicle’s exhaust system

There is more to a high-performance machine that engine, transmission and suspension upgrades. All the additional power generated in the engine leads to an increase in the exhaust fumes that are produced with every combustion event. Since your stock exhaust system will not adequately handle the increased efforts, you will have to get yourself a high-performance exhaust system with aftermarket exhaust accessories. The vehicle exhaust has three main roles in your car’s normal operations, these are:

Removal of exhaust fumes

A car engine converts fuel into mechanical energy through a combustion process that occurs in the combustion cylinders that holds the pistons. Once the combustion occurs, a lot of gaseous waste products are left behind which have to be cleared from the chamber so that further combustion occurs. Due to the complex formulation of car fuel, a lot of toxic fumes are generated. These include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and some lead fumes. If these are not channelled away, they can get into the vehicle cabin and endanger your health, and that of your passengers. The exhaust system not only redirects them away from the engine and cabin, it also ‘cleans’ up the toxic fumes through the catalytic converter.

Regulating the vehicle engine

Since the exhaust fumes are the direct consequence of the combustion process, it goes without saying that they are usually quite hot. If they are not redirected from the engine, they will add to the engine temperature which will lead to reduced performance and, in more severe cases, engine failure. The exhaust system helps cool the engine by channelling the exhaust fumes away from the engine.

Reducing the noise generated by the engine

The combustion chamber contains a series of explosions which are required to generate power for the vehicle. The noise that is generated in the engine is quite loud, and can be distracting to the driving process. This is why the exhaust system has a muffler in place which absorbs and dissipates this noise to more manageable levels.

Why do you need to upgrade your exhaust components?

All of the exhaust system functions that have been outlined in the previous chapter will be occurring on a higher magnitude on a high-performance vehicle. Therefore, the exhaust system has to be upgraded to meet this higher workload demanded of it. Most of the upgrades that will be made on the exhaust system will be focused on the dual task making it more robust (by using stronger materials) and making it larger to accommodate higher volumes of exhaust fumes.

Aftermarket exhaust component upgrades available for your car

Exhaust springs

What most people don’t know is that the exhaust system is very rarely held together through rigid joints. This is because the high temperatures of the exhaust fumes lead to a lot of expansion and contraction as the car operates. To ensure that the exhaust system can function under extreme temperatures, most components are joined together through exhaust springs. Once you get a larger and more robust high-performance exhaust system, the accompanying exhaust springs also need to be upgraded. This will allow them to hold the increased weight without encountering problems. A few snapped springs can lead to exhaust components falling apart which lead to leakages as well as damage.

Exhaust silencer packing

Silencer packing refers to the heavy duty material that is inserted in the exhaust muffler for noise dissipation. The increased noise output requires materials such as fiver glass which have more density than the packing that is used in ‘ordinary’ exhaust mufflers. While repacking can be done at home, professional help is advised to get the best results.

Clamps and exhaust mounting

When you are racing or drifting, most of the vehicle components are affected by momentum. The exhaust system which stretches all the way from the engine to the vehicle rear is particularly susceptible to the rapid movements involved in high-speed cornering. Additional support for the exhaust system is provided by exhaust clamps and exhaust mounting. Exhaust mounting is made from reinforced rubber or silicone and is placed on the vehicle chassis to support the exhaust system from below. Clamps, on the other hand, are fitted into the body frame and support the exhaust system from above and the sides. Together, these exhaust accessories ensure that the exhaust system does not sway too much when you race.