custom exhaust for 5.3 v12 ?

[JonSEC]

Im just finishing off a project and I wanted to know if anyone can recommend any good places to get a complete custom exhausts system made up for a daimler double six ?

I have seen a few places stock the manifolds and they can complete the rest of the system with ease but I am curios to see if anyone has got any pictures or videos of any custom systems for series 3 jags?

Any pointers or advice would be great!

Kind regards

Jon

[XJ Flyer]

The ones I know of are mainly either Haywood and Scott or AJ6 Engineering.Some say that the original cast iron manifolds are good enough for most power output levels while others say that there's an advantage in using the fabricated headers type ones.However whatever choice is decided on in my experience the V12 can have very little if any silencing without sounding too loud.I think the ideal would probably be Haywood and Scott fabricated headers with the standard intermediate pipes and AJ6 silencer delete/substitute pipes and large bore fabricated over axle pipes and then just use a one into two adapters and twin outlet pipes without using any back boxes.

[JonSEC]

I think I'm swaying towards H and S exhaust system but would really like to see some examples of their work either pics or vids before spending £2k
All I can find is Subaru and a few
Bmws on you tube

[XJ Flyer]

It's probably understandable that there won't be many of the H and S type systems around because of the expense.Which includes my own case.In the case of modifying the XJ it's usually a case of putting the money into everything other than the exhaust system,like engine,driveline,brakes and suspension first.There's often not enough money left over for an expensive exhaust system after all that.So it's usually a case of as much as can be afforded then.In my case it's standard as far as the intermediate pipes and then I just used the AJ6 silencer delete pipes and large bore over axle pipes with TWR twin outlet back boxes.

There is a photo of the H and S V12 manifolds on their site which I'd certainly like to use if I get some spare cash.

www.haywardandscott.com/jaguar/jaguar-xj/v12-xj-ma...

Edited by XJ Flyer on Tuesday 25th February 00:37

[V12 Migaloo]

Just a quick 2peneth worth from me.. take care going for a manifold other then the standard, as the 6 branch manifolds do make an awful clatter unless they are very well wrapped and insulated and even then you still have the possibility of having a car that sounds as if its pinking every time you accelerate. You can work the internals of the standard cast iron manifolds to improve flow but performance gains all depends on what you do with the air boxes, butterfly vales and ECU.
Removal of the centre boxes frees up a lot of back pressure and adds a delightful growl at the same time. I'm not sure but I think Winspeed can offer you some help with exhausts.
Good luck and post some pictures of your project.

[JonSEC]

Hi Thanks for the help.

I am going to meet the Haywood and Scott chaps in the coming weeks to have a chat about a whole system including the manifolds.

Do you know anyone who has purchased the manifolds from Haywood and have had rattle problems?

Kind Regards

Jon

[V12 Migaloo]

JonSEC said:

Hi Thanks for the help.
I am going to meet the Haywood and Scott chaps in the coming weeks to have a chat about a whole system including the manifolds.
Do you know anyone who has purchased the manifolds from Haywood and have had rattle problems?
Kind Regards
Jon

Dear Jon, the clatter I mention is not a rattling of the exhaust but the resonance noise of the exhaust gases bouncing around the pipes. The standard cast iron manifolds subdue this effect quite well. Good luck and post some photos!!!

[fizmo100]

I've just had the Simply Performance middle-box delete pipes fitted to my 6.0l XJR-s, I'm not sure yet what I make of the noise. It is a touch on the droney side, with a pitch that rises and falls as you work the throttle. I wouldn't say it was intrusive, it sounds great at idle, but it adds a deeper boominess to proceedings rather than the snarl I was hoping for. It does get more snarly if you give it a bootful. In terms of performance I feel like the car has sharper response to throttle inputs, but this could easily be psychological, and the noise it makes does encourage a heavier right foot than the velvety whisper it made before.

I had a 5.3l XJR-s prior to my current car which, as far as I know, had just had the rear mufflers removed, and that thing sounded like a Spitfire. I was hoping for some of that attitude from the current setup I'm running, but it is a very different sound. I may well end up taking the rear mufflers off too...

I posted a vid earlier today which gives some idea of the sound of the exhaust with the Simply Performance pipes - it's only taken on a camcorder, but it might be of interest to you. I'm hoping to maker a better video in the next few months where the sound is recorded in stereo using good quality microphones (I'm a recording nerd as well as a car perv).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz0Y-Apoz98

[JonSEC]

Thanks for uploading the video and your very helpful response.
I am visiting a few places next week so I will post pictures/ video once the exhaust is fitted

Thanks again
Jon

[XJ Flyer]

fizmo100 said:

I've just had the Simply Performance middle-box delete pipes fitted to my 6.0l XJR-s, I'm not sure yet what I make of the noise. It is a touch on the droney side, with a pitch that rises and falls as you work the throttle. I wouldn't say it was intrusive, it sounds great at idle, but it adds a deeper boominess to proceedings rather than the snarl I was hoping for. It does get more snarly if you give it a bootful. In terms of performance I feel like the car has sharper response to throttle inputs, but this could easily be psychological, and the noise it makes does encourage a heavier right foot than the velvety whisper it made before.

I had a 5.3l XJR-s prior to my current car which, as far as I know, had just had the rear mufflers removed, and that thing sounded like a Spitfire. I was hoping for some of that attitude from the current setup I'm running, but it is a very different sound. I may well end up taking the rear mufflers off too...

I posted a vid earlier today which gives some idea of the sound of the exhaust with the Simply Performance pipes - it's only taken on a camcorder, but it might be of interest to you. I'm hoping to maker a better video in the next few months where the sound is recorded in stereo using good quality microphones (I'm a recording nerd as well as a car perv).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz0Y-Apoz98

Don't forget the over axle pipes are an important part of the equation.The standard ones are relatively small diameter/bore bent tubing.Whereas fabricated larger bore ones need to be fabricated out of sections of tubing which are cut to shape and then welded together to make the required turns.

It would also be interesting to find out if the back boxes are made to the original straight through TWR spec.As I said previously I'm using a standard system as far as the intermediate pipes then AJ6 silencer substitute pipes,large bore over axle pipes,and genuine JagSport/TWR rear boxes and it sounds a lot more Merlin/XJR15 like than that although it's also on individual throttle bodies.Having said that the other video seems to sound better than that one.

Edited by XJ Flyer on Thursday 27th February 22:43

[V12 Migaloo]

Fizmo, I did the same, but also fitted stainless steel back boxes and I think that makes a difference...

[fizmo100]

Interesting responses - it sounds like there is a lot of scope for tailoring the sound of the exhaust, as it appears changing any component can have a big effect. Regarding my backboxes, they are the standard TWR ones as fitted when new. The video was taken from the side of the car at an angle, and the camera was against a wall, so the acoustics will have been terrible - if you can hear a difference between the two videos that shows the position of the camera had a big influence on recorded sound quality. I'm planning a more scientific recording in the future - I'll do one with the car as it is now, and you've got me thinking about large-bore over axle pipes now too. Who fabricated yours, and what sort of price would I be looking at?

[XJ Flyer]

fizmo100 said:

Interesting responses - it sounds like there is a lot of scope for tailoring the sound of the exhaust, as it appears changing any component can have a big effect. Regarding my backboxes, they are the standard TWR ones as fitted when new. The video was taken from the side of the car at an angle, and the camera was against a wall, so the acoustics will have been terrible - if you can hear a difference between the two videos that shows the position of the camera had a big influence on recorded sound quality. I'm planning a more scientific recording in the future - I'll do one with the car as it is now, and you've got me thinking about large-bore over axle pipes now too. Who fabricated yours, and what sort of price would I be looking at?

If they are the original back boxes they are basically just two straight through channels to the outlet pipes with some sound baffling around them.I'd guess that there wouldn't be a very big difference between them being there or removed completely but it's probably still worth trying which is what I'm planning to do if/when they eventually reach their use by date.In the case of the larger bore over axle pipes I ordered mine from AJ6 engineering together with the silencer substitute pipes.They need to be made to a tight tolerance to increase the diameter to an effective degree as possible while still not fouling when the rear suspension is under full load on corners but there's plenty of scope for the increase.I'll remove the wheel and get an exact measurement of the pipe to provide a comparison.I can't remember the price because it was so long ago when I ordered them and the price then probably wouldn't be representative now anyway.

I'd like to do a similar video of my own running but I've got to replace my old VHS camcorder which had a great stereo sound system on it if only it was still working.

[richw_82]

I used the middle box delete pipes on one car and was a bit disappointed. All I've ever done to make the V12 (and the XK sixes) sound a bit more fruity is replace the rear silencers with pipe!

[jodypress]

I've heard many good things about Tony Banks on Jaguar Forums who specialise making custom exhausts

http://tonybanks.co.uk/index.html

[OEMplush]

I believe QuickSilver also offer a system for the 5.3 V12 which you may also want to take a look at. I could not find a video of the set-up but i imagine if you email the company they will have one available. As I have mentioned in other posts, i have one on my 996 and am so happy with it i tell anyone who will listen, i can imagine a snarl would be right on there list of priorities

http://www.quicksilverexhausts.com/JAGUAR_pricecat...

[HeWhoDaresRoy]

Larini do/did exhausts for XJS's I think.

I've also heard very good things about this guy, though I've not used him myself:

http://solid-fabrications.co.uk/

I've got the AJ6 engineering system on mine and it did have the standard backboxes. Sounded a little tinny in my opinion, so I've bought a couple of meaty back-boxes from Ebay and had those fitted. Yet to hear it though.