[Bzimbardi]

So, I am interested in doing a full cold-air intake short ram as well as cat-back exhaust.

I'm just curious - those of you who have done this to other vehicles, do you feel as though it was worth the investment in practical performance gains?

(Exhaust sound is a practical performance gain, mind you! lol)

 

[GSO_Kyle]

It will not give you any performance gain unless you have the turbo model and are going to get a performance tune. Get a good quality filter and change it often. Cars now a days flow really well because they are trying to squeeze out every mpg and hp to use as selling points.

 

[Bzimbardi]

It will not give you any performance gain unless you have the turbo model and are going to get a performance tune. Get a good quality filter and change it often. Cars now a days flow really well because they are trying to squeeze out every mpg and hp to use as selling points.

I have a TH - no turbo for me.

I was kinda hoping to get a little power boost, but really I wanted a better exhaust note.

I guess if there is really no performance benefit, I could just replace the actual muffler portion?

 

[Jesse Conklin]

i put straight pipes on my 1.4 turbo renegade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xztYnDVLGWA Sounds like a mix between a wrx and a diesel truck.

 

[raz-0]

I have a TH - no turbo for me.

I was kinda hoping to get a little power boost, but really I wanted a better exhaust note.

I guess if there is really no performance benefit, I could just replace the actual muffler portion?

Yup. You would be replacing the exhaust mostly for sound. In a NA engine it's not going to do much of anything, except maybe cost you power and fuel efficiency.

Super simple version. Blow out. Now do it through a straw. The air moves much faster. Do it through a paper towel tube, it doesn't move much faster. Moving gasses and fluids drag other things along with them. In the case of IC engines, it helps pull the exhaust gases out of the engine and creates what is called a scavenging effect. Scavenging effect is magic and demons, but it increases efficiency.

 

[Bzimbardi]

Yup. You would be replacing the exhaust mostly for sound. In a NA engine it's not going to do much of anything, except maybe cost you power and fuel efficiency.

Super simple version. Blow out. Now do it through a straw. The air moves much faster. Do it through a paper towel tube, it doesn't move much faster. Moving gasses and fluids drag other things along with them. In the case of IC engines, it helps pull the exhaust gases out of the engine and creates what is called a scavenging effect. Scavenging effect is magic and demons, but it increases efficiency.

Would changing the muffler / exhaust tip rob performance, or were you referring to doing the entire system?

 

[Rufus]

First and foremost I would NOT mess with the intake if you're going to do any kind of off roading. That's a recipe for disaster. Honestly, I don't like any kind of open face intake filter, even for street use, but around here it's very common to drive through flooded streets. It's simply not worth the potential engine damage for a few hp gain.

As for the exhaust, I wouldn't mess with it unless someone develops a nice 4-2-1 header. A cat-back on a stock exhaust mani wouldn't accomplish much but noise.

 

[raz-0]

Would changing the muffler / exhaust tip rob performance, or were you referring to doing the entire system?

It's really dependent on how the system is designed.

Exhaust tip is unlikely in general unless you put a supertrapp tip on it, which can be used to tune an exhaust for good or ill.

Muffler is possible, but not that likely unless you increase volume a lot, as packaging constraints to fit the vehicle usually don't permit you to do anything too horrible.

Fatter pipes after the cat? Some.

Replace the cat and anything before it, guaranteed.

Turbo cars get away with it because the turbo charger is the primary component in controlling back pressure, exhaust gas speed, and the scavenging effect.

When I cared about modifying cars more, for a 2-2.5 liter displacement 4 banger, the dyno results for an intake and exhaust ranged from about -10hp to a best of +5hp.

If you just want sound and bling, a muffler and tip change is likely to not change anything else significantly except your bank balance.

 

[Bzimbardi]

If you just want sound and bling, a muffler and tip change is likely to not change anything else significantly except your bank balance.

Fair enough.

Well, lets hope somebody develops at least a performance tune or something of that nature.

I love my little Rene, but a little extra kick in the pants would definitely help.

I could care less what it does to Economy, my last truck got about 10mpg in the city. Until we close in on that number, I'm in the black lol.