One of the most popular upgrades performed on vehicles in Australia, are the exhaust system upgrades. The reasons for upgrading may vary, but the three most common reasons are performance, looks and sound. The purpose of the stock exhaust system is pretty simple and well known – out with the bad gases, in with the good. Even though this sounds pretty simple on paper, it’s far from that, as the tasks performed by the exhaust are a bit contradictory. Each part of it is important and has to fit within 3 stages of components. What it’s made of is also something you need to consider, for both cosmetic and performance reasons.Exhausts Australia wide don’t need to follow as strict rules as they do in America, for instance, as the emission laws are less strict. However, that doesn’t mean that us Australians have to be less environmentally conscious than others just because of that reason. In fact, every exhausts Australia purchase that we make, makes a statement about the type of people we are. Enough ecology classes for now, let’s move on to the the purposes and parts that make the exhaust system what it is.
First off, the exhaust system is designed to accomplish 3 tasks. First and foremost, it removes the combustion byproducts which are created when we burn fuel from the inside of the engine and venting it out in the atmosphere. Next, the exhaust attempts to reduce the noise that comes out of the exhausts, which can be a nuisance otherwise for both passengers and bystanders.
And the last and most important purpose of the exhaust system, is to clean up the exhaust which is produced and vented as much as possible before it’s released into the atmosphere. The reason the purposes of the exhaust systems are contradictory is because the 2nd and 3rd task get in the way of the 1st task, which is why the design of the exhaust systems is carefully made so that all 3 tasks can work together simultaneously.
And now that we have the contradiction out of the way, let’s discuss the importance of the materials an exhaust can be made from. Three types of metals (steel in particular) come to mind when talking about exhausts – T304, T409 and aluminized steel. All of these are great for exhausts, as they’re made with durability, performance and looks in mind. The one you decide to go with will depend on your driving conditions and the climate you live in. Aluminized steel is great for dry climates and off-road driving, while stainless-steel can endure better in a wet, snowy and humid climate.
