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Tips & Tricks

Exhaust Systems

Everything You Need to Know About Exhaust Systems in Tuning
by
Bartek Bartoszewicz Tuning Professional
#Auspuff
#Motor-Tuning

Exhaust Systems in Tuning

If exhaust system tuning makes you think ‘intense’ – intense sound, intense looks, and intense performance – you’re absolutely right. At least, if you do it correctly.

A lot of the time, people just shorten a pipe and think they’ve tuned the system. They’re wrong. So consider that particular myth busted, and let’s look at how to actually optimize your exhaust system, step by step.

CONTENT

How does an exhaust system work?

To optimize the exhaust system as a whole, we need to look at what it does, and the components it includes. Obviously, its most important tasks include cleaning and discharging your exhaust gases. It’s also designed to minimize exhaust noise. But it goes without saying that reducing noise and discharging exhaust gases are far from the whole story. Depending on the car or exhaust system concerned, the exhaust has either one or two lines. Every component in an exhaust system has to be perfectly coordinated with the others. For example, sports exhaust manufacturers focus on flow optimization to help minimize drag when the gases leave the engine compartment. Otherwise, the back pressure from the exhaust gases would reduce engine performance. Another important function is muffling, which cuts down the exhaust noise that develops in the cylinders. The key component here is the muffler itself, which either absorbs or reflects the sound. But there also are other components that can have a muffling effect. This is actually critical, because the decibel level between the exhaust valve and tailpipe has to be seriously toned down. Yet another function of the exhaust system is to clean the gases. The whole system is exposed to the stresses of high temperatures, pressure, vibration, corrosion and so on, all of which it has to combat.

What is an exhaust system actually made up of?

Nowadays, it’s a sophisticated system with a host of components that should ideally be perfectly matched. How easily available these are, and how many versions they come in, depends on the car and on performance:

The way that the exhaust system is connected to the body is designed to minimise body vibrations and inherent noise by using flexible supports. In many cases, vibration dampers are used as well, to protect the rear muffler from breakage. Vibration dampers make driving more comfortable and more fun by reducing the sounds that reach the car interior.

Which exhaust parts can you tune and how does it help?

In theory, you can tune any part of an exhaust system – and if you’re serious about tuning, you should! You’ll find manifolds, downpipes, cats, and mufflers in our store along with connecting pipes and so on. As the exhaust system is so complex, it’s best to consider it as a whole. Do that and you’ll reap the benefits below.

A deep growl: the hallmark sound of a sport exhaust

A quality sport exhaust has an unmistakable deep growl. There’s no unwanted resonance – just a distinctive racing noise – pure joy. For lots of people, this is reason enough to optimize their exhaust system. Sport mufflers do the best job in achieving the right sound quality by letting through mainly low-pitched sounds. They also give you a greater sense of performance when you put your foot down. That said, take note of your local noise regulations for road use if you want your car to pass its inspection. This is where precision sound design comes in! NB: If your system has a dB killer, you’re not allowed to remove it. An exhaust flap gives you plenty of scope for individuality by regulating your exhaust volume. How loud or quiet you want it is up to you.

Sport exhausts and added performance

When it comes to sport exhausts and performance, you need to make a clear distinction: Are you really going for tuning, or are you just making a few enhancements? By enhancements, we mean things like modifying the muffler to customize its design. In tuning, a sport exhaust means optimizing the whole exhaust system, starting with the manifold, so as to optimize the exhaust gas flow for minimum backpressure. Because the poorer the flow, the harder it is for the engine to get rid of it. Minimizing the backpressure increases torque and speed range, which in turn means you’ll really feel a boost in performance. Of course, tuning doesn’t stop at the manifold. All the other components in a sport exhaust are designed for high performance as well. The name of the game is to discharge as much exhaust gas as possible as quickly and easily as possible. For example, this is also the case with the downpipe, which assists the turbocharger perfectly by ramping it up faster so it can do its job more effectively. To get the best from any changes you make to an exhaust system, you’ll usually have to modify the software as well.

A sport exhaust for the racing look

Let’s be honest, a sport exhaust looks good regardless of how much you boost your car’s performance. Even just tailpipe tips will give your vehicle the racing feel. Your heart will be pumping even before you look under the car: hand-finished stainless steel, WIG-welded flow-optimized transitions, brushed steel. An exhaust like that makes you want to spend more time staring under your car!

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2.0L TSI Golf 7 R exhaust system ex cat with TÜV MILLTEK

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Sport exhausts and vehicle inspections

Since the exhaust is also a source of noise and pollutant emissions, it’s important we cover the vehicle inspection angle of sport exhausts. (This article refers to German regulations; be sure to check the regulations in your own country.) Generally speaking, you can’t simply install a system – it has to be done in conjunction with a certificate of conformity or ABE (general type approval). The exception proves the rule.

What can’t you do with your exhaust?

All the advantages of professional exhaust tuning come with certain unprofessional methods, which, although popular, are also illegal. The reason they’re popular is that they produce fast results that you can really feel and hear. Examples are shortening or perforating the exhaust, or removing individual exhaust parts. The aim here is generally to produce a ferocious sound. While it may be considerably cheaper than a proper sport exhaust, you won’t enjoy it for long if you get caught. Another downside of the illegal methods is that they don’t enhance performance. Obviously, we always recommend that you take the correct approach from the start.

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2.0L TFSI Golf 6 R Auspuff ab Kat mit Tüv MILLTEK
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2.0L TFSI Golf MK6 R cat-back exhaust system MILLTEK

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The exhaust system isn’t everything

Tuning the exhaust system has lots of advantages, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. If you’re looking for a marked improvement in performance, it’s always a good idea to tune your car as a whole. And whatever you do, always chip-tune the software as well. Check out our tuning guides for recommendations on tuning stages for a wide variety of engines and cars like the Golf 7 GTI or the 2.5L TFSI EA855evo engine in the Audi RS3. Our guides give you a solid overview of the tuning steps you can take over and above the exhaust system for reliable, lasting improvements in engine performance.

Ask BAR-TEK®

We’ve been in motorsport for a long time and handled pretty much every type of project. If you want to optimize your exhaust and you have some questions, the best way to contact us is via our online chat. Take a look at our FAQ, too. You may find your answers there. We look forward to hearing from you!

Bartek Bartoszewicz
Tuning Professional
His first car was a Polo Mk1 with a 40 Weber twin carburetor and 129 PS (95 kW). His second was an Audi 50. Today Bartek tunes Lamborghinis to 1000 PS (735 kW). Even as a young boy, Bartek disassembled vehicles and put everything back together better. He wrote his high school diploma with oil on his fingers. The trained automotive mechanic with a focus on engines and gearboxes was determined to go into motorsports. In his 10 years in Formal 1, he supervised 73 races, including as engine mechanic for Ralf Schumacher at Toyota. Since 2010, he has dedicated himself fully to his company BAR-TEK® and helps his customers to bring VW and Audi engines to peak performance.
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JSM-Automobile
16.04.2024, 09:07 Uhr
Guten Tag, ich mache Leistungssteigerungen an Motorrad 2-Ventiler Boxer BMW,für Rennstrecke und Straße, suche dafür Abgasanlagen mit Leistung. Könntet ihr mir da behilflich sein?habt ihr da überhaupt Interesse? Über eine Antwort würde ich mich freuen! Danke, mfg. Schneider
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Jerome
18.04.2024, 09:38 Uhr
Hallo, das klingt wirklich spannend, aber Auspuffanlagenbau für 2-Räder bieten wir leider nicht an. Da es bei so einem Komplexen Thema wie Auspuffbau, auch um berechnen und probieren geht, setzt das ganze auch die entsprechenden Apparaturen voraus wie z.b.: 2-Rad Prüfstand etc. Wir haben hier im Hause einen Allradprüfstand mit dem sowas leider nicht machbar ist. Dennoch viel Erfolg bei der Suche. Mfg
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