exhaust

  1. Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Axleback R&D: A Rumblin', Tumblin' Alternative

    Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Axleback R&D: A Rumblin', Tumblin' Alternative

    With the recent release of our Pro Cat-Back Exhaust for the 2016+ Chevy Camaro 2.0T, we have one more variation for you to check out - the Race Axleback.  While it may look like a step down from our Catback, I must say that this exhaust couldn't be any more aggressive.

    Even though the cat-back is a full exhaust, it does have two muffling units towards the rear of the system (straight piping from the downpipe would be unbearably loud). This Race Axleback is essentially a full-on straight pipe for the rear section. From the mid-section of the factory exhaust all the way to the end of the rear bumper, there will be absolutely nothing impeding flow or sound, so it turns this mild 2.0T LTG into something completely different. I won't hold anything back here. There was little attempt to tame the sound coming from this exhaust design. This exhaust will crackle, drone, pop, and make surrounding ears curious. See for yourself in our comparison video below!

    Again, like our cat-back, this axleback

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  2. Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 6: Pure, Unadulterated, Awesomeness

    Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 6: Pure, Unadulterated, Awesomeness

    The last piece of this puzzle has finally fallen into place. Finishing off our offerings for the 2016+ Chevy Camaro SS exhaust systems lands us here with our Race Axleback. The SS has an unmistakable sound, and it's a sound we don't want to stray far away from - we only want to enhance it in the most robust way possible, and I feel that the engineers have done just that.

    I'll make this simple - this exhaust is mean.

    _MG_4196r

    It's a mix of a modern sounding V8 with the raspy aggressive tone of a certain 1970's-era machine that was made of steel, had belt-buckle seat belts and a bad attitude. When this car starts up, it will give unassuming bystanders a jump - I've seen it happen at gas stations when I got to drive it. There are no fancy tricks here, just a raw, unrestricted, unfiltered sound from the hefty 6.2L LT1. Not only does this exhaust have a chip on its shoulder when it's at idle, but when you open the throttle, it screams like a bat-out-of-hell.

    MM Race Dyno Chart

    And on top of the awesome sound, it performed

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  3. The Rise to Power - Downpipe R&D, Part 2: A Working Prototype

    The Rise to Power - Downpipe R&D, Part 2: A Working Prototype

    Downpipes are a choke point in many turbocharged vehicles when it comes to exhaust flow. As opposed to naturally aspirated cars, less serious thought needs to go into the size of the exhaust piping. In most cases the system just needs to be bigger in diameter, maximizing what you can within the alotted design space.

    The downpipe on the Camaro 2.0T's LTG engine is a restrictive point in the exhaust system, a conclusion brought about by our testing. The point of emphasis is the rate at which exhaust gases are expelled out of the turbocharger. That flow is very important to how well the turbocharger can do its job. If you can flow more exhaust gases, the turbine can spin faster, leading to more boost. It is now time to test the prototype and figure out what our downpipe design can do for this LTG power-plant.

    Production sample of our downpipe!
    Production sample of our downpipe!

    There is a noticeable difference in sound. Even with our catback and intake on the car, you can hear a much throatier and raspier exhaust sound. This

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  4. Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 5: Decimating Drone

    Piping Hot - Exhaust R&D, Part 5: Decimating Drone

    Usually, the first noticeable change people make to any car is how it sounds. As summer starts to heat up, some of us gearheads are starting to take our unicorns, endless money-pits, kind-of-finished projects, or whatever you call your ride, out of storage, or the garage. It's the season for nightly meets, hot track days and long cruises, giving you the perfect opportunity to showcase the changes you've made to your pride and joy since you put it away for the winter. Whether you replaced your catalytic converter with a high flow version, got a full, larger-diameter exhaust, or custom fabricated your own straight-pipe setup, the exhaust is the go-to modification if you want to be heard.

    We know that there is a sweet middle ground many go for when modifying the exhaust. An exhaust that is too tame can be a bit of a let-down if you want some serious growl. However, an exhaust that is too aggressive can anger the neighbors, attract Johnny Law, and loudly drone on the highway - none of which

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  5. Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 2: Turning Heads

    Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 2: Turning Heads

    Our recently released catch can for this 2016+ Chevy Camaro 2.0T needed a part two to our "The Making Of" (TMO) video series for the project, and I was tasked with directing it. I wanted to take our Camaro home (Washington D.C.) for the weekend to put some miles on it so our kit would catch real world content inside of the catch can to show in the video. It just so happens that we had a full cat-back exhaust prototype on the car for me to enjoy. Let me tell you something, this car turns heads.

    Exhausts can be a tricky modification. If it sounds good, then it's a tasteful part of the car that you and others around you can enjoy, but if it sounds bad - I think you gearheads know the term for that. I can tell you first hand that this car sounds incredible. Even my father, who knows very, very little about cars in general, heard it during a cold start and was impressed. "Why does it sound so different from the blue one [the SS] you brought home?" I said it had a smaller engine in it with prototype

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  6. Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    Makin' Our Camaro Purr - Catback R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    Here I stand, firmly within the land of people who spend egregious amounts of money on car parts, as I look back and wonder how in hell I got here. Those of us in my position often place the blame on a nasty little creature called the "mod bug."

    The mod bug, as they say, is a tricky little bastard. Though you may think most damage-imposing biting insects live in Australia, I can assure you, this one is alive and well in the Americas. I've had firsthand experience as a victim, and it isn't pretty - just ask my bank account.

    The feeling of that bug biting for the first time is unforgettable. At the beginning, you say "just an exhaust and springs, and then my car'll be perfect". Enter mod bug. Before you know it, you're dropping a Ferrari engine in your wide-body FR-S.

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  7. The Rise to Power - Downpipe R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    The Rise to Power - Downpipe R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    I think we can all agree that the past couple weeks have been quite eventful here in the United States.

    Regardless of which political candidate you supported, it's time to move on and unify now that our election has concluded. Whether or not we're happy about the outcome, we - as a society - need to be working together now. But certain Facebook friends can't seem to figure that out. You all know the one(s). Regardless of their political allegiances, they flood our news feeds with statuses high in pressure and often full of hot air. It's utterly exhausting - if only there were some way to get these people to pipe down.

    The Camaro downpipe connects to the back side of the turbo.
    The Camaro downpipe connects to the back side of the turbo.

    Well here's an unpopular opinion for you" let's find a good, level-headed automotive engineer and elect him or her as the next president! Because if our goal is to exhaust the high pressure and hot air out of our system, they've already got that figured out - it's called a downpipe, ladies and gentlemen, and there's

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  8. Sounds from an American Muscle Car - Exhaust R&D, Part 4: Sound Check

    Sounds from an American Muscle Car - Exhaust R&D, Part 4: Sound Check

    A Gaggle of Pipes,

    Hello everyone! You may remember from our previous 2016 Camaro SS Exhaust post that we have decided to move forward with five different systems for this car. It is my pleasure to let you know that all our Camaro exhaust prototypes have been completed. We've been busy testing and re-testing for fitment, sound, durability, and performance - and fun, of course. Our on-road testing process usually begins a little something like this:

    Rob, the project manager: "Hey Gardiner, I need you to take the SS home tonight to put some miles on the pro system."

    Me: "Ugh, if you insist."

    They really have to twist my arm.

    So many options - which one to choose!
    So many options - which one to choose!

    Exhaust systems are a complex endeavor in any regard, but this dual-mode Camaro exhaust is particularly intricate. This bear has demanded myriad engineering-hours, but we've readily progressed through the trials and tribulations of the R&D process. Now, I would like to show you a particularly cool piece of the system that came to

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  9. Let Your Ponies Be Heard - Exhaust Component R&D, Part 6: Test Results

    Let Your Ponies Be Heard - Exhaust Component R&D, Part 6: Test Results

    In our last post, we took a look at the axleback fabrication process. Now that our prototypes are on the GT and ready to rock, it is on to testing! While we were not expecting much in the power department out of these exhaust options, we still wanted to see how they sound on the dyno.

    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust - Race Axleback
    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust - Race Axleback

    Mishimoto's Mustang Axleback Exhaust - Race version
    Mishimoto's Mustang Axleback Exhaust - Race version

    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust with polished tips
    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust with polished tips

    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust - Pro Axleback
    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust - Pro Axleback

    Mishimoto's Mustang Axleback Exhaust - Pro version
    Mishimoto's Mustang Axleback Exhaust - Pro version

    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust - Street Axleback
    Mishimoto's Mustang GT Exhaust - Street Axleback

    Mishimoto's Mustang Axleback Exhaust - Street Version
    Mishimoto's Mustang Axleback Exhaust - Street Version

    Testing

    In addition to sound testing, we will test each of our axleback options on the dyno to determine if one offers any benefit over another. This will help us to decide which option to proceed with. After making a few passes with a stock GT to determine a baseline, we ran each of our axleback options (large mufflers, small mufflers, and straight pipes) on the

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  10. Let Your Ponies Be Heard - Exhaust Component R&D, Part 5: Axleback Fabrication

    Let Your Ponies Be Heard - Exhaust Component R&D, Part 5: Axleback Fabrication

    Last time we wrapped up our resonator-delete testing, and with that component good to go, we're on to our next conquest, axleback exhausts. If you have not had a chance to take a look at our resonator deletes check out our blog posts HERE.

    Axleback Fabrication

    Any living, breathing car enthusiast knows that the exhaust is an important modification for modern muscle. Most owners want to rid themselves of the stock sound and let their pony car be heard right out of the gate. Being s550 owners ourselves, we want to hear the unrestricted growl of the Coyote in our GT, so we set out to design some axlebacks. We intend to design a few options as we want to offer an exhaust for every taste.  We plan to test a straight-pipe option for those who want to hear the GT scream, a small-muffler option for those who want an aggressive note but have neighbors, and a large-muffler option for those who like a more tame sound.

    We began the design process by applying the data we obtained from the stock exhaust

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