Milltek exhaust fixes FL5's biggest shortcoming
No, we don't mean the sound. (Or the price)
Many if not most PHers will have an exhaust-based anecdote. Not only is it one of the most popular and easy-to-achieve upgrades, it is also one of the components prone to amusing inadequacies of penny-pinching design or construction or both. Of course, we’ve moved on from the bad old days when the likes of a Renaultsport Clio would simply discard its exhaust on the road after a certain amount of time and weather - but in a world of stifling noise and emission regulations, the aftermarket remains on hand to go where most mainstream OEMs fear to tread.
Milltek Sport has been doing just that forever (well, four decades) and it hasn’t taken long for it to turn its attention to the latest Civic Type R. This is a good thing for a number of reasons. Firstly, there are the usual claims for improved performance: the firm reckons a 20 per cent reduction in back pressure delivers increased engine power across the rev range, and bespoke outlet valve design has resulted in a 15 per cent increase in diameter - ensuring a fruitier sound in each of the car’s standard drive modes.
Secondly, the new exhaust - comprised of front flex pipe, front silencer (or bypass section), centre silencer (or bypass), rear connecting pipe, dual rear silencer, larger valve outlet and choice of tailpipe - is evidently available as either a resonated or non-resonated system, which means you get to choose between pleasantly loud and outright shouty. And while T304L ‘aircraft grade’ stainless steel is used for most of it, there are five different finishes for the tips: Cerakote Satin Black, Brushed Titanium, Burnt/Blue Titanium, Carbon Fibre and Polished Stainless.
Thirdly, this is important because the new look is arguably Milltek’s most significant achievement. Three tailpipes is already a contentious design decision, one made worse by Honda’s decision to make them different sizes (i.e. a large one in the centre flanked by two smaller ones). The British tuner has wisely corrected that issue by making the triple a uniform size, delivering what it says is a ‘cleaner, streamlined appearance’. We couldn’t agree more, and, other its enhancements notwithstanding, it might be the primary reason for seeking the new system out. But don’t hang about if you’re nodding in agreement with an FL5 on the way - Milltek suggests 70 per cent of the first batch were pre-sold. And you don’t want your latest anecdote to be about missing out.
All modern cars, even V8 are so strangled by sound and emission regulations, they sound s
te.For the first 3 years when no MOT is due, could just run a straight through exhaust with a couple of silencers.... slightly illegal :-)
Of course, with 3 pipes open, the thing sounded apocalyptic - pops, bangs, flames. Great fun!
However, and here’s the rub, when I tested the car on a v reputable rolling road, it consistently had better figures when the 3rd pipe was closed.
So, when I sounded faster, I was in fact slower. Check carefully about the interplay between back pressure and torque:
https://www.carthrottle.com/post/wg3b6r9/
Torque is much more important to road drivers, unless you're planning on driving everywhere at 8k rpm.
I’d therefore have significant doubts about most off-the-shelf exhaust systems. You may be wasting your money, and making your car slightly slower in the real world.
A good exhaust can help, of course, but fitting them without also ditching any existing restrictive manifold and fitting decent headers (and a big debate about shorty, long tube, equal or unequal headers, depending on what you want) is imho a waste of time. And ideally get the entire system fitted by someone who knows what he's doing and who can map it specifically to your car.
And headers / new intake provide a much better sound than the often dull / boomy effect of a big-bore exhaust.
It’s a fun area, but tread carefully and speak to someone who knows what they’re doing. And that is unlikely to be someone selling you a mass-market exhaust with coloured tail-pipes and making big claims about easy bhp wins …
Of course, with 3 pipes open, the thing sounded apocalyptic - pops, bangs, flames. Great fun!
However, and here’s the rub, when I tested the car on a v reputable rolling road, it consistently had better figures when the 3rd pipe was closed.
So, when I sounded faster, I was in fact slower. Check carefully about the interplay between back pressure and torque:
https://www.carthrottle.com/post/wg3b6r9/
Torque is much more important to road drivers, unless you're planning on driving everywhere at 8k rpm.
I’d therefore have significant doubts about most off-the-shelf exhaust systems. You may be wasting your money, and making your car slightly slower in the real world.
A good exhaust can help, of course, but fitting them without also ditching any existing restrictive manifold and fitting decent headers (and a big debate about shorty, long tube, equal or unequal headers, depending on what you want) is imho a waste of time. And ideally get the entire system fitted by someone who knows what he's doing and who can map it specifically to your car.
And headers / new intake provide a much better sound than the often dull / boomy effect of a big-bore exhaust.
It’s a fun area, but tread carefully and speak to someone who knows what they’re doing. And that is unlikely to be someone selling you a mass-market exhaust with coloured tail-pipes and making big claims about easy bhp wins …
I hate to be neggie, but the Miltek for the Fk8 was shoddy in workmanship for many people. I got the remus for less than this one (£1500 for miltek by the way), which had a bluetooth valve and gave it some huge character it was lacking.
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