Delica 304's final word on his 2.5" side exhaust.

[delica 304]

As you will recall from my previous post, The dangers of Boredom,
http://www.delica.ca/forum/the-dangers- ... -2911.html

I had a Flowmaster muffler installed with a 2.5" stainless exhaust pipe. After driving around for a few weeks, here is my take on the new system.

EXHAUST NOTE: The new system is definitely louder than stock, but less than some of the Fords and Dodges out there. There is also the benefit of being able to hear the turbo wind up as (the Cylon) god intended! When pulling away from standstill, the exhaust has a nice throaty rumble to it. If however, you stomp on the pedal, the sound goes from nice and throaty to severe bronchitis, plus there is the big black cloud!

BIG BLACK CLOUD: If you're going to spend your time leaning on the pedal, yeah, you're going to be leaving a big sooty cloud in your wake. If however, you do as the Greeks do (everything in moderation), all you'll see is a slight puff the moment you start to pull away. Apart from that, all you see a slight exhaust trail in your wake.

EFFECT ON FUEL ECONOMY: Like most people, I was getting about 500Km per tank. (Needle bottomed out, reserve light glowing like Cybill Sheppard's hair). I first noticed an improvement when I got down to just over the 1/2 tank mark, and my trip odometer (which I reset at every fill up), was reading 274Km. In the past, I would be under the 1/2 mark and just shy of 250! As it stands right now, I am at 500Km, and the reserve light is giving the occasional flicker!

THE VERDICT: Replacing my exhaust with a non stock system was a worth while investment. While is is a bit more expensive than buying a stock unit, The van gets better fuel economy, breathes easier, and it has less trouble maintaining its speed going uphill on the highway. I suspect that the actual fuel economy is better than I have observed, as I checked my tire pressure today and found that all my tires were down 20 PSI (30 PSI vs. 50 PSI).

I hope you guys find this interesting and helpful,

Cheers,

John

[jessef]

Ditto.

Since going to the 2.5" side exhaust, my highway driving is easier, mileage a touch better and turbo whining is a bonus.

[Jaz]

If there is a method to free up the intake so that it matches the new output, do it. You'll hear yet more turbo spool, and all engines love as much cold air as they can get! Mini snorkle or even the whole hog would be a good mod, as it increases the ram air effect.

How are the reactions of those beside you when they get showered with BIG black clouds of smoke?

[jessef]

Gears are turning in my head for a DIY snorkel.

Some guy cut me off and was tail gating me today.

Usually I'm a pretty docile driver but as I passed him, I touched the pedal and a nice shot of soot went directly into his nice little driver-side convertible head height

Don't piss off a vehicle twice the size of yours

[Schwa]

I find it handy to strategically fart out a turd of diesel particulates for similar reasons, now and again... keeps people back where they should be.

[Mystery Machine]

I've been running a side exit on the Mystery Machine for about 3 years now and just LOVE the sound it gives out! A deep, low, resonant menacing rumble. It doesn't sound like a diesel, nor a V8 - just a nice 'mellow bellow'.

Mine is a silencer from an R33 Skyline GTR and I had the pipework cut off and a new 2.5" SS pipe custom made from the downpipe to the silencer. The silencer has a 5" tailpipe which is a 'bit' crazy OTT - but for some reason it kinda looks right/in proportion on a vehicle with such a lift/big tyres. Either that or I'm just so used to seeing a cartoon sized 'zorst on it now??



I'll have to get some proper shots of the system sometime.

The only downside I have found is the amount of soot build-up you get on the rear wheel and suspension. It only happens or becomes really noticable over a long period of time (mine doesn't smoke much at all) and would probably be far less obvious if I actually washed the motor more regularly than once every two years...

Here is a shot of the rear wheel looking a bit blackened and sorry for itself.



Up close its also quite pitted from all the soot ground into the alloy, but a few hours with some cutting polish should sort it out. I really ought to clean the soot off more often...and I think I will do it sometime soon to get the alloys looking nice & shiny again but like I said, this is the only real downside to have a side exit.

As for fuel saving, I wouldn't have a scooby because when you're running 33 mud's, big roof rack, roof lights and all other manner of accessories that don't exactly help the already box like aerodynamics of the thing then it's kinda not worth bothering. I just fill it up and drive the thing...

The other bonus you gain from a side exit is more room underneath to fit more toys/accessories.

[jessef]

The other bonus you gain from a side exit is more room underneath to fit more toys/accessories.

Like this

[Mystery Machine]

Like this

SWEET!

.......or something like this:



(or plenty of other things that I've got planned for the Mud Monkey!)

[g_man1972]

Forgive my ignorance, but WFT is that? Are you converting your Deli to an electric hybrid lol.

[Green1]

MM: I think that extra room has little to do with the exhaust, and much to do with the spare tyre being on the roof...

I am actually looking to make a similar "electrics" box to what you have, however I'd rather leave my spare under the vehicle, and I'm having trouble figuring out where else to mount things....

[Mystery Machine]

The standard exhaust route actually runs straight through where the side of the box is, so a side exit was the answer.

If you look closely at the picture, you can see the space where the original silencer (muffler?) would have been - there is plenty of room around there for mounting an electrics box. This will leave you room to keep the spare where it is.

G-Man - the box houses my inverter, my mains 'hook-up' 240V system/consumer unit and my 12V charging/power system.

I wanted to keep the interior as free as possible from accessories which eat into the space and can look untidy. Mounting it all underneath in a waterproof electrics box was the obvious answer to me.

When I go camping, I can plug the on-site electrics feed straight into the blue socket on the rear bumper. This powers everything in the box, charges/maintains my two batteries and also powers the 12V accessory system on the vehicle (stereo etc...)

It also gives me 240V inside the vehicle (2 x mains sockets set into one of the side panels) so I can use a kettle or any other mains device I want. I've also got another blue socket on the rear bumper where I have a 240V output from the motor so I can run power to a seperate place like a tent etc...and run 240V items from there too...

The inverter is used for running power tools etc...when I am out & about - or for people to run a laptop in the back when I'm on the move. The inverter has its own mains socket (next to the other two) in the back of motor and the system is designed to automtically switch off the inverter if it senses the hook-up socket has been plugged into the mains. Pretty useful.

I've got tons of photos of the system, install etc...if you wanted to see them? (would post them in another thread)

Let me know if you are interested??

Bruce.

[jessef]

I've got tons of photos of the system, install etc...if you wanted to see them? (would post them in another thread)

Let me know if you are interested??

Bruce.

YES !

[mararmeisto]

I've got tons of photos of the system, install etc...if you wanted to see them? (would post them in another thread)

Let me know if you are interested??

Bruce.

YES !

Holy Sweet Moses! I'll second that "Yes!" I'm wanting to do the same thing with Moon Machine (for a 120V system) and was thinking the very same thing: put everything OUTSIDE the van, save room inside for the people/things/dogs/stuff. Is it tied into your vehicle to charge a second bank of batteries somewhere back there? An overall schematic of the design would be very nice.

Oh yes Delica_304, nice exhaust. I noticed mine is getting a bit ratty, so I just might have to do the same thing (change the exhaust that is) and was thinking of going to a side pipe. Same thing, 2.5 inch right from the block back. Can you PM me with the shop and price (or would you recommend somewhere else)?

[FalcoColumbarius]

I third the motion on the floor.

Falco.

[jwfchase]

Or a regular post as well as a PM so the rest of us don't have to ask again!