stainless steel exhausts

[eddiec]

Has anyone had experience of stainless steel exhausts re,performance ect

 

[GordonTarling]

Recently had one fitted to my S210. Reasonable price compared to genuine MB exhaust. Sounds very similar to original when just 'cruising', but does have a louder note than before when you give it some beans. My family now call it the 'afterburner'!

 

[Roger Jones]

Performance? No effect whatsoever as far as I can detect, although I suppose it might even degrade the performance. Exhaust systems are designed as an intimately integrated part of the whole engine system; I think any notion that a change to non-original design can improve performance is ill founded, not to say fanciful.

Noise? Yes, they are all noisier than mild-steel exhausts. With no OEM exhausts now available, I had one fitted to my Capri 2.8i and had to take it back to Longlife to make it quieter, which they did without hesitation or extra charge. It's now at the quietest configuration possible and is still louder than the original, although it is tolerable and not unpleasant.

 

[BTB 500]

Quite a few 'quality' cars have stainless steel exhausts as standard, so the issue is really back-street design and construction rather than the material itself.

Remember anything other than an OEM or pattern exhaust must be declared to your insurers.

 

[alfie07]

I had one fitted to a 2.8 capri aswell no more bills for rusty boxes in all the time i owned the car (5 years)

 

[Roger Jones]

"Quite a few 'quality' cars have stainless steel exhausts as standard, so the issue is really back-street design and construction rather than the material itself."

Exactly. My 300 E twin turbo had an SS exhaust fitted as an integral part of the turbo conversion (done by Hughes of Beaconsfield when new) -- further evidence of the crucial relationship between exhaust system and engine.

However, I think the material itself does have a bearing on the noise: it's thinner than mild-steel equivalents.

 

[BTB 500]

However, I think the material itself does have a bearing on the noise: it's thinner than mild-steel equivalents.

Presumably it doesn't have to be thinner though?

I'm trying to remember which of my 'mainstream' cars had a stainless system from the factory ... it was either the Vauxhall Sintra 2.2 or VW Sharan 4Motion.

 

[Smatt]

I had one on an old Citroen ZX 2.0i 16v simply because it was cheaper & had better longevity. I did not notice significant performance gain; definitely louder- people would often joke that I needed the exhaust fixed!

ps: A condition of the lifetime guarantee is that it has an approved inspection yearly!

 

[bennesspipers]

Had 1 fitted to my C220 last month by a firm in Walsall who make all their own parts, i told them i wanted my MB cat fixing into the new system & that i wanted it to sound not much above normal noise level when im 'behaving', but with a bit of a throat when im upsetting boy racers. I have to say its brilliant, & guarenteed for life. This system joined on just after the front pipes go 2 into1

 

[lynall]

I think the reasons it thinner is because for a given section its stronger than steel so doesnt have to be so heavy (hence the tinny sound) and also i suppose as it doesnt corrode they dont have to factor that in.

Just had a price on mine to replace middle sectioncats back to stainless rear silencer and was quoted £180 which i thought reasonable.

Do a google but iirc theres stainless and theres stainless some rusts!



Lynall

 

[Dieselman]

I think the reasons it thinner is because for a given section its stronger than steel so doesnt have to be so heavy (hence the tinny sound) and also i suppose as it doesnt corrode they dont have to factor that in.

It's also stiffer so has a higher resonant frequency so tends to ring whereas a mild steel exhaust will dampen the sound due to flexing.

Do a google but iirc theres stainless and theres stainless some rusts!

Which is good as it makes it less brittle and prone to heat cracking. This must be used for manifolds. It's dependent on how much chrome there is in the mix.
Don't ask me the different code numbers though...

 

[Roger Jones]

I happen to have two small sections of mild-steel exhausts in front of me, and under a linen tester (magnifying device with a ruler built in) I can see that one is 1.5mm and the other 2.00mm thick. The only info I've yet found on the Web about SS gauge in exhaust systems is 1.00mm and 1.2mm, but no doubt it varies.

 

[bennesspipers]

Before i had mine fitted i checked up on the quality of the stainless steel that the firm uses (iv a friend who knows the codes) & its 'T304' which is considered good.

 

[ollieclk]

I have had quite a few on various cars but now always stick with standard ones. You will not feel any performace from just the exhaust unless your going to go down the lines of performance manifolds and the removel of cats and free flowing boxes, but then you would need a re-map / chip. Then you will have to live with the noise of a rally car, if this floats your boat. If its simply for looks i would probably just replace the rear box, or the tail trim.

 

[Roger Jones]

T304 stainless steel seems to be the most common of the various types, which I believe vary by composition, thickness being indicated by the gauge number

Gauge and Weight Chart