AUII Exhaust Question

Au2falcons · 02-06-2005, 09:27 PM

Hi Everyone,

For those who don't know i own an AUII S s-pack ESP. It's absolutely bog standard except for a Tickford snorkle & i love it that way. I remember years ago almost buying an ED XR6, looking under the car the exhaust split into two pipes after the CAT and met up again at the rear. Is the AUII XR6 exhaust setup similar? I'm thinking of upgrading the exhaust, though i don't want the noise to go with it. I'll be happy with a nice note (eg. similar to a stock V8) but i will get fed up with the note of a sports system, especially when cruising on the freeway. I thought that if the XR exhaust split in two this may give better flow. By the way it has IRS. Advice please?

Cheers

Adrian.

Dark Horse · 02-06-2005, 10:19 PM

The XR6 HP has a forte exhaust stock.

The VCT has a dual 2" exhaust stock. Not a bad setup, it has a nice note, no drone, that's not too intrusive on the freeway.

Au2falcons · 03-06-2005, 06:35 AM

Dark horse, sounds like i'm after the VCT exhaust, has anyone got some pics of the setup??

au-steve · 03-06-2005, 01:29 PM

why not use a custom setup? then you can choose the headers, mufflers, keep or remove resonator, 2 1/2" with 2 1/4" mid section? 5" straight through? i reckon set it up how you want it.

Au2falcons · 03-06-2005, 02:05 PM

The reason why i'm not choosing a custom setup is because on a previous car i did a similiar thing, the performance components generally come with increased noise, there is no such thing as a quiet sports exhaust. When i had the other car done i was promised that it would be very quiet when cruising, which it was untill the mufflers carboned up (about a week) then it drove me insane.

jonbays · 03-06-2005, 02:54 PM

Maybe for you happiness is a stock exhaust.

I don't think its going to be worth changing exhausts.

Au2falcons · 03-06-2005, 04:02 PM

So there won't be much difference in the VCT exhaust?

jonbays · 03-06-2005, 04:17 PM

Not really. The quoted power difference between the Fairmont Ghia VCT and XR6 VCT is 168fwkw vs 172fwkw. Four flywheel kw difference! its a bit of money for that small a difference. And rember not allthat gain is exhaust the XR6 was supposed to have a more agressive tune in the ecu which was pretyy hopeless.

A good set of extractrrs and 2.5 exhaust with straight through muffler and resonator will give you about 10 extra kw at the back wheels! But it will be louder and I am prepared to accept that even like it sometimes but if you aren't i understand as it does detract from the smooth limo feel of my car in some ways.

Au2falcons · 03-06-2005, 05:49 PM

Ok i am amware that there is a small difference in kw, mostly due to the cylinder head or ecu modifications. I guess i'm not really chasing kilowatts, more like responsiveness. I was thinking that the twin system would breath much better & improve response

Casper · 03-06-2005, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Au2falcons

Ok i am amware that there is a small difference in kw, mostly due to the cylinder head or ecu modifications. I guess i'm not really chasing kilowatts, more like responsiveness. I was thinking that the twin system would breath much better & improve response

had it on my VCT, was worth nothing to be honest. Just not worth getting.

Au2falcons · 03-06-2005, 05:59 PM

hmmmmmm if that's the case then she will stay extacly the way she is

04-06-2005, 09:57 AM

Jonbays, the comparison you gave between the Gia VCT 6 at 168 kw and the XR6 VCT at 172 kw is very interesting. But I suspect that niose reduction even with the XR6 twin pipes was a primary concern of Ford.
When I mod the AU2 I intent to fit "two" quieter straight through mufflers on a 2.5 inch exhaust (most straight throughs have "NO" restrction at all). The additional straight through is because I like it quiet as possible at constant criuse.
You guys have already given me the tip for a the bigger Tickford air intake thanks. Ive got one coming in the post.

Anyone know what the stock duration at 50 deg for the cam in the AU 2 is?
Jonabays that 10 kws sounds good
Cheers Tim

Au2falcons · 04-06-2005, 10:58 AM

Ok i'm getting confused here, i'm not talking VCT in a Ghia to an XR6, i'm asking if the twin system as fitted to the XR6 VCT would improve the response of the base Intech motor in my S pack?

Casper · 04-06-2005, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Au2falcons

Ok i'm getting confused here, i'm not talking VCT in a Ghia to an XR6, i'm asking if the twin system as fitted to the XR6 VCT would improve the response of the base Intech motor in my S pack?

Simple answer is no, not to any great degree. It may have a slight improvement but nothing measurable.
Remember, the main advantage in the exhaust is from the engine to the cat. Changing this set up to twins still has the same single pipe from the manifold to the cat so theres no improvement there. As for sound, its a bit louder than the stock forte exhaust anyhow...not much though.

In the end it would be a waste of money.

04-06-2005, 11:12 AM

It would not be much of an increase at all as Jonabays infers.
I have the same engine as you and I will use a custom set up. It might be just a "tad" noisier than a VCT XR6 set up but I am almost certain it would be more free flowing than the VCT XR6 exhaust.
I dont mind mine just a little bit louder than stock, just not a continual droner. For me its worth the compromise.

Au2falcons · 04-06-2005, 11:29 AM

Ok cool, i understand now, stock exhaust it is then. I wasn't chasing kw's, though if there won't be an improvement in response i agree that it would be a waste of money. Thanks to everyone for their advice, greatly appreciated

Cheers

Adrian.

b2tf · 04-06-2005, 11:38 AM

From the sounds of it there wouldnt be any worthwhile gain in doing it, regardless of what model one you get you'll find that stock Ford exhaust systems are pretty crappy anyway.

The fact you have IRS adds to the issue because as I'm sure you know, your exhaust has to be a certain style to clear the IRS setup etc etc. Our Fairmont has it and the exhaust system is junk - most restrictive bit of the whole car, but dad being the stocko warrior he is (it took me 6 months to convince him a K&N and a Tickford snorkel was a good idea), will leave it that way.

**Mechan1k** · 04-06-2005, 11:58 AM

Maybe change the front section of your exhaust ... leave the rest of the muffler(s) and see if that makes a difference.

I now from the cat back may be restrictive still ... but nowhere as restrictive as the factory front section ... with headers it might be a fraction louder ... but the factory mufflers should quieten that right down to near nothing ... it might a fraction louder ... but negligible.

Speak to a exhaust shop and ask about everything .... they will tell you exactly what you will be able to do.

04-06-2005, 04:41 PM

If it is not more responsive for the throttle even at low revs with a good custom set up then Ill eat my hat.

**Stav** · 04-06-2005, 06:22 PM

I have seen the dual exhaust on the vct au six and think that opening the second pipe should see some good gains.But no one has tried it.

Casper · 04-06-2005, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by useless

I have seen the dual exhaust on the vct au six and think that opening the second pipe should see some good gains.But no one has tried it.

What do you mean the opening the second pipe? If you mean the H join at the end of the exhaust before the resonator than a few of us have done that (mine was done from the factory as twin pipes to the tips) and it makes SFA difference.

jonbays · 04-06-2005, 06:44 PM

Yeah agreed a waste of time.

Just go for a sexy exhaust tip or do it properly and put up with some extra noise.

Au2falcons · 04-06-2005, 07:07 PM

Well i changed the rear muffler about six months ago because the original had started to rust out, i picked up this as an original replacement.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y280/a...t=P1010177.jpg

It's actually, from what i recall 1/4" larger than the original & has changed the note at idle only. As for the chrome tip, i replaced the original pee shooter as soon as i bought it over three years ago with this one.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y280/a...nt=ESPRear.jpg

Just another pic while we are at it

http://photobucket.com/albums/y280/a...t=ESPFront.jpg

Cheers

Adrian

**Stav** · 04-06-2005, 08:24 PM

Mr bro had a vct au3 and he had a factory dual exhaust running to the back. The distinguishing thing Isaw guys was that it was blocked at the rear of the car.From memory it had a crossover pipe to the other piep which exits at the back.

Casper · 04-06-2005, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by useless

Mr bro had a vct au3 and he had a factory dual exhaust running to the back. The distinguishing thing Isaw guys was that it was blocked at the rear of the car.From memory it had a crossover pipe to the other piep which exits at the back.

That was normal for the VCT. Opening up the pipe into full twin tips gave a little bit more noise but absolutely no performance gains.

**Stav** · 05-06-2005, 09:39 AM

oh ok mate...didnt know that.Thanks

buickman · 05-06-2005, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbays

Yeah agreed a waste of time.

Just go for a sexy exhaust tip or do it properly and put up with some extra noise.

That would be the only solution . It just takes time getting used of driving a car that is dead quiet to some exhaust noise.

I whimped out and had the exhaust fitter throw my old rear muffler back on as the hot dog type with extractors & 21/2 redback system was a bit to noisy for me when I tested it around the block.

buickman

jonbays · 05-06-2005, 12:30 PM

I had my exhaust guy keep my stock muffler and resonator for about a month while i debated whether the noise was worth putting up with.

As I had a before and after dyno done there was no question as to whether it was worthwhile power wise so you tend to feel lile its worth putting up with when the facts are pretty conclusive and its just bnot all the noise making it feel faster.

Even still I wasn't happy with the loud burble at 1800rpm which is a common rev range to cruise in.

Funnily enough before I actually decided to fix it I changed cam and the cam quietened it down and it doesn't burble at 1800rpm any more. I know a cam quietening the exhaust! But it did. Probably noiser at 3500rpm now but you dont drive around at 3500rpm as thats over 115kmh for me in third and I have fourth to go.

mik · 05-06-2005, 08:09 PM

my tailpipe burnt out and i removed the whole system for a look, the most restrictive part as mechan1k has said is the front section, prettty crappy...... but quiet. it would be interestin to see the front section replaced with bigger stuff

sfr rob · 05-06-2005, 09:42 PM

I read here somewhere that it is nearly impossible to have TWIN exhaust on an AU because of the fuel tank...

Now, couldnt you make a fake Twin exhaust by linking 2 pipes out the back after the tank?
like the letter Y ??

all i am talking about is just the looks... not for performance or anything