Repair And Fix it

Dual exhaust is applicable on motorcycles, trucks and cars. Replacing dual exhaust with an aftermarket system may increase engine power, fuel efficiency and provide a better sound. Aesthetically appealing aftermarket dual exhaust pipes can also replace dull and aged components. Dents in the piping, corrosion, age spots and missing hardware are also reasons for dual exhaust piping replacement. Compromised dual exhaust pipes may increase backpressure within the piping, which decreases performance and suffocates the engine. Each replacement exhaust system will include installation instructions specific to the vehicle but there are general steps each process requires.

Instructions

Removing Old Dual Exhaust

1

Open the hood and disconnect the negative battery cable. This black cable is marked with a negative symbol. Also follow this step when working on a motorcycle. Doing so will allow the vehicle computer to reset and recognize the new dual exhaust pipes after completing the install.

2

Lift the vehicle off the ground using jack stands. For four-wheeled vehicles place the parking brake on. Leave adequate room underneath to remove the exhaust components efficiently.

3

Lay the new dual exhaust piping adjacent to your vehicle and compare it to the old exhaust underneath the vehicle for reference to where each new part will go.

4

Spray the flange bolts and exhaust clamps mating the exhaust components together with penetrating oil. This will loosen them and make removal easier.

5

Unbolt the tailpipe from the muffler if applicable with the socket and wrench set. Some vehicles feature a retaining clip that clamps around the Y-pipe and muffler. If this is the case, bend the clip back with a flathead screwdriver.

6

Unplug the exhaust sensor located on the piping between the muffler and catalytic converter if applicable. Sensor locations vary by vehicle.

7

Remove the tailpipe and muffler assembly after unbolting each nut and from its bolt. Locate the exhaust hangers and lift the dual exhaust piping off the hook where necessary. You may also use the hacksaw and cut through the front muffler piping, towards the front of the car, for removal. Refer to the new exhaust installation instructions for specifics.

8

Leave the rubber grommets on the exhaust hangers when removing the exhaust components. If you were instructed to cut the old piping off, spray the newly cut section with oil, which will make sliding the new dual exhaust piping into place easier.

Installing New Exhaust

9

Install the new components from the front of the vehicle towards the rear. Follow the new exhaust instruction manual for directions.

10

Hang the new components on their corresponding hangers and then hand-tighten the necessary flange nuts. Do not torque them to the specification listed in the vehicle owner manual yet.

11

Center the new components before tightening each bolt to the required specification.

12

Reconnect the exhaust sensor and negative battery cable.

13

Start your vehicle and listen for exhaust leaks, which make a hissing noise. You may also strongly smell exhaust underneath the vehicle if it is leaking.

Most stock exhaust systems are single exhaust, meaning that they have one head pipe expelling exhaust from the engine. A dual exhaust system has two sets of head pipes, which allows more exhaust to escape and provides marginally better engine performance, as well as giving the car a more aggressive sound. The difference between them can be surprisingly subtle, however, and if youre in the market for an exhaust system, you should compare the benefits and drawbacks carefully.

Instructions

1

Know the difference between a true dual exhaust system and an exiting dual exhaust system. A true dual exhaust system has two complete sets of the exhaust array-two mufflers, two catalytic converters and two tail pipes-while an exiting dual exhaust system has a single modified muffler with two pipes extending from it. The former provides a genuine boost in horsepower and efficiency, while the latter is essentially a single exhaust system tricked out for aesthetic or stylistic reasons and has no other practical effect.

2

Examine the size of the vehicles engine. You will usually find a dual exhaust system in a V-6 or V-8 engine because they have two exhaust manifolds. Smaller engines tend to have a single exhaust system or else a dual existing system rather than a true dual exhaust system.

3

Compare the difference in horsepower. Dual exhaust systems tend to be better at this than single exhaust systems because there is more exhaust leaving the engine through a second system. This produces more horsepower and improves engine performance, though the emissions they create may not be legal in many areas.

4

Examine the potential for torque, which is usually manifested in the size of the exhaust systems pipes. The narrower the pipe, the more quickly exhaust moves through the system and the more torque the system produces. A dual system tends to use smaller pipes than a single system, which thus produces more torque.

5

Compare the noise levels which the exhaust system produces. Ideally, the difference is negligible, especially if the mufflers are doing their job properly, but a dual exhaust system is naturally inclined to produce more noise than a single exhaust system. The particular pitch and timber of the sound can vary as well, which is part of the appeal of installing a dual exhaust system in the first place.