S1 exhaust systems.

[JHeiner]

I am in Australia, and my S1 exhaust has seen better days. Of course, there are none in Australia, so will need to buy in the UK. The exhausts that are available now are round and stainless. Mine is a battered square stainless, with cracks and holes. Is there are advantage with the newer round exhausts? Someone told me that the older mild steel is a better sound .... old wives tale or truth? Thank you for your help.

[Alan Whitaker]

Hi
old wives tale. A good exhanst builder should be able to build an exhaust to sound loud or quiet, its all on how much you want to pay.
Shipping from the UK to NSW will not be cheep

Alan

[JHeiner]

Thanks. The cost of getting one manufactured here is the same as getting one from the UK. There is no one I can find who has experience with this exhaust, and the plan was to cut the current one open and copy it. They are available 'off the shelf' from the UK, and I have found that they are mainly round. I was wondering why the change in shape. A local mechanic made the comment about mild steel being less 'tinny' a sound than stainless steel ... I had never heard of it before, but I am willing to admit I know nothing. Jim Heiner.

[Julesprivate]

When new a stainless exhaust (with stainless baffles) can indeed sound a little "tinny", a mild steel exhaust tends to have baffeling material of either fibreglass/steel wool or similar construction so sounds a little better when new.

Having said that, once they are coked up a bit the sound is very similar and the SS one will last a lot longer. I have a full SS exhaust on mine with tubular manifolds and it sounds awesome! No hint of tininess there at all, just a lovely booming noise...

[BountyHunter]

Alan Whitaker said:

Hi
old wives tale. A good exhanst builder should be able to build an exhaust to sound loud or quiet, its all on how much you want to pay.
Shipping from the UK to NSW will not be cheep

Alan

alan with respect i disagree.

yes a good exhaust place can moderate the sound levels, but mild steel just sounds better (more mellow, deeper and throaty) ive been told its something to do with the way the mild steel resonates compared to the stainless

[Alan Whitaker]

Hi All
I think not but I feel a good debate coming on

Alan

[mikel003003]

In theory the differance in molecular structure between two different materials will definatly affect resonance, which is better ? Surely that is subjective I would go for stainless for longjevity

[phillpot]

Scratch build from mild steel, pipe, bends, Y pieces and "Cherry Bomb" style silencers all readily available on Ebay etc.
Far easier to work with, less prone to cracking and easier to repair if it does, life span on a "hobby car" will still be many years.


Oh, and sounds better

[AutoAndy]

A 10 minute internet search brought up some interesting stuff:

Your "good friends" in Callaway have a general overview;
http://www.engineering.com/Videos/ProductDesignCha...

Or Mikes advice;
http://www.mikekemper.com/elantra/diyexhaust/index...

..for a V6:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7792362_make-exhaust-sound...

or go for one of these....



I am sure the right info is out there somewhere

Edited by AutoAndy on Sunday 9th September 21:01