Il y a de fortes chances que vous ayez été dans au moins une ou plusieurs situations où vous êtes monté dans le tramway modifié de quelqu'un et l'avez allumé et appuyé sur la pédale, seulement pour entendre un son très rare et non le son standard qu'une voiture ferait habituellement produire.
Si vous vous êtes déjà demandé pourquoi, il est fort possible qu'il se passe quelque chose à l'arrière du véhicule, plus précisément dans le système d'échappement. Dans cet article de Motoring Junction , nous allons examiner l'une des meilleures - ou des pires - choses qui puissent arriver à votre véhicule :un échappement à tuyau droit.
Un échappement à tuyau droit remplace les anciens échappements standard que vous trouvez dans les voitures lorsqu'elles quittent la salle d'exposition. Pour certains passionnés, le son d'échappement et les performances d'un véhicule comptent bien plus que les normes d'émission, alors que beaucoup considèrent cela comme irresponsable, vous ne pouvez tout simplement pas ignorer le fait que presque tous les véhicules de nos jours sonnent mal et sont contrôlés.
Les systèmes d'échappement standard de l'industrie sont conçus pour supprimer et étouffer le son d'un véhicule. Sans oublier qu'il s'agit d'une configuration lourde avec des éléments tels que le filtre DPF et le convertisseur catalytique suspendus sous la voiture.
Ce n'est que lorsque vous retirez réellement votre système standard et installez un système d'échappement à tuyau droit que vous réalisez à quel point il y a une différence. Un échappement à tuyau droit supprime les limitations imposées par votre système standard et permet à votre voiture de produire toute la musique de moteur possible. Les puristes et les amateurs de track day l'adoreront sûrement. L'échappement à tuyau droit est également appelé échappement du système complet.
At the root, straight pipe exhausts are not that different from standard exhausts, except the exhaust pipe runs all the way from the exhaust headers to the end, without any catalytic converter or muffler working to reduce the noise (we’ll get to the environmental implications of doing this in a bit).
So now, there’s nothing stopping the exhaust gases from running freely through and flowing out the exhaust tip. This results in the sound that motorheads love and go crazy about, and most older neighbors hate.
Now, there are a lot of people love straight pipe exhausts and another bunch of people who hate them. Let’s take a look at why people are at such extreme poles when it comes to these noise minting bad boys.
Increase in Performance
This may come as a shock but getting rid of the catalytic converter helps the car minimize a lot of back pressure resulting in increased torque and higher horsepower. For many motorheads, this is an absolute no brainer – more horsepower equals better vehicle. In many instances, there is also a notable increase in fuel economy.
Looks Matter
This is a deal-breaker for many streetcar fans. There is a belief that a car must reflect your personality, and you don’t get this with cars fresh out of the factory. With standard exhaust pipes, you don’t get that appeal which would make you stand out from the crowd and express yourself. Straight pipe exhausts seem to give motorheads the ability to show off their true personality and make their car truly their own.
Letting The Engine Roar
As we mentioned earlier, the engine is at its most natural, loudest form when it isn’t held back by the muffler. This is a major reason why most fans prefer a straight pipe system. There’s something about the sound of an untamed engine that just feels right. And that’s what gets motorheads going.
Reduced Weight
When you take off weight from your vehicle, it not only becomes lighter but also faster and more efficient. Hence manufacturers always take this into consideration while designing a vehicle. When you change your exhaust to a straight pipe, you are shedding additional weight, thus making the car a lot more enjoyable. This is also one of the reasons why straight pipe exhausts are an attractive option for many buyers.
Extremely Loud
When we tell you that installing these straight pipe exhausts will most probably result in your neighbors calling the cops on you, we are not kidding. Getting rid of the muffler will make your engine a lot louder than you expect, and will draw a huge amount of attention as a result, both good and bad.
Not Good For The Environment
With the catalytic converter not in place to filter out the harmful components (CO2 and Sulphur to name a few ) in the exhaust gas, they easily mix themselves into the atmosphere and cause a great deal of discomfort in the long run. Phenomena like acid rain and global warming are a few effects of such harmful emissions. Straight pipe exhausts, therefore, get a lot of flak from environmental activists and you might want to think twice before setting up a straight pipe if your neighbour is an activist.
Very Expensive
Straight pipe exhausts do not come cheap. Apart from the equipment, you will need a professional to take care of the installation because the process is certainly easier said than done. And even if you somehow do have the mechanical calibre to perform the installation yourself, the equipment will surely put a considerably large hole in your wallet. Make sure you keep that in mind before jumping in just to make your vehicle sound cooler.
Resale Value Takes A Hit
In many cities and countries across the globe, straight pipe exhausts are illegal. In fact, many countries including USA have banned customisations of any kind on your vehicle, in order to safeguard certain laws and control crime rates. This is one of the reasons why your vehicle’s resale value will take a massive hit once you’ve customised your exhausts.
Closing Thoughts
Now that you know what a straight pipe exhaust is and how it is better – and in certain situations worse – than a standard exhaust system, choosing whether or not to upgrade to one ultimately lies with you. If you’re not one to care much about your vehicle’s resale value, and you love to hear the sound of an untamed engine, you can definitely go forward without second thoughts because a straight pipe is sure to leave you satisfied for ages.
Read:Should you tune your car’s ECU
