Exhaust weight

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furyus2

furyus2

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So, I took my exhaust off from the collectors to the mufflers.
It weighs a ton. 3 inch with an X pipe. Is stainless lighter than mild steel? Enough to be a benefit? Enough to justify replacing the mild steel with stainless, considering the cost, and work?
 
My TTI 3" X-pipe and bullet Dynomax mufflers ending at the rear end weighs around 50+ lbs. Stainless won't be significantly lighter than mild steel unless it's thinner. I actually wanted the extra weight of an exhaust system for the class I ran and it helped ET in my particular combo. But even if there is a weight advantage with a stainless exhaust system, I can't see how it would be worth the weight reduction considering the labor and/or expense.
 
Stainless is heavier at the same gauge, but is usually thinner wall tubing, so pretty much a wash. But 304 is pretty, & will last forever(almost), so there's that.
 
Could be worse. I've got 3 1/2 to the bumper with giant Flowmaster big block mufflers. Just over a hundred pounds.
440 at the moment, built for the nitrous 520 that's coming.....
 
33IMP said:
Could be worse. I've got 3 1/2 to the bumper with giant Flowmaster big block mufflers. Just over a hundred pounds.
440 at the moment, built for the nitrous 520 that's coming.....
Click to expand...
You should look at the episode of Engine Masters on mufflers. Flowmaster was rated very low.
 
furyus2 said:
You should look at the episode of Engine Masters on mufflers. Flowmaster was rated very low.
Click to expand...
True, well, except for the really big race mufflers (see the EM episode of 1000hp mufflers ). But the current setup is way bigger than it needs to be for this motor, and I'm sure it's not a restriction.... and they're quiet.
I do have an alternative, I have a 3 1/2 hooker Aero rearend length system that would save about 50 lbs, that I had on an n/a small block that ran 9s thru the mufflers.
 
There is a guy on the B side experimenting with aluminum mufflers and exhaust (fullmetaljacket).
His 3" (i think) x-pipe and mufflers to the rearend was 22 lbs. I don't know how it turned out.
(Fullmetaljacket is a rabid weight reduction fanatic, in a good way)
 
This reminds me of a story told by one of the Ramchargers at Carlisle a few years back. They were having trouble getting their Max Wedge car to hook with those old 9 inch slicks from the 60s. The Max Wedge had exhaust dumps about half way back in the car with removable caps, so the story was that they took the tailpipes off and they had that little bend at the end to direct the exhaust down. They crammed stuff up the tailpipe to beyond the bend where you could see and filled the tailpipes with molten lead. They put them back on the car, removed an equal weigh from the front end and of course ran the dumps uncapped. And you thought it was all about those enormous batteries in the trunk.
 
My 3" x-pipe, cut outs, Dynomax Superflow mufflers, turn-downs, and hangers weighs 41lbs. They are stainless

20220811-203352.jpg
 
33IMP said:
There is a guy on the B side experimenting with aluminum mufflers and exhaust (fullmetaljacket).
His 3" (i think) x-pipe and mufflers to the rearend was 22 lbs. I don't know how it turned out.
(Fullmetaljacket is a rabid weight reduction fanatic, in a good way)
Click to expand...
I'm on fbbo also, so I will look him up.
 
Aluminum can be used after the headers but the corrosion issues can suck.

Titanium works great, costs a fortune.

Aluminum mufflers and dump before the axle will save you about a third. Titanium headers and head pipes will save you another third.

2:1 could save you some weight but you have to up size downstream which offsets some of the weight savings.

A good blend of cost and weight savings would be ti head pipes and aluminum mufflers and the shortest possible system.
 
Thanks for all the input. I think I will be still considering the stainless, due to rust resistance. Living in Florida, I am constantly chasing rust issues on any piece of hardware, and anywhere paint may have gotten scraped off.
 
33IMP said:
There is a guy on the B side experimenting with aluminum mufflers and exhaust (fullmetaljacket).
His 3" (i think) x-pipe and mufflers to the rearend was 22 lbs. I don't know how it turned out.
(Fullmetaljacket is a rabid weight reduction fanatic, in a good way)
Click to expand...
I am friends with FMJ. Fanatic is putting it mildly. It's been a couple years but so far his aluminum exhaust has held up.

Last year I took the plunge and bought an all-new TTi exhaust system from the headers back for my Duster. Looks beautiful yes, but their stuff is HEAVY. I'd wager the 1 7/8" headers weigh at least 15-20lbs over my old 1 5/8"- 1 3/4" step headers. Being friends with FMJ I am a weight-loss fanatic myself and was surprised to find out my brand-new, really expensive exhaust system was so porky.

This all replaced an exhaust shop 3" H-pipe system with Flowmasters that was fully welded front to back. (what a P.I.T.A.) The old junk was not light by any stretch but honeslty the TTi stuff is heavier. The plan is to go with turn downs to lose some of the exhaust weight. Those tailpipes must weigh 30lbs each!

TTI 1 7/8" full length headers, full 3" X-pipe system with Dynomax Ultraflows.
2021-05-25 14.19.34.jpg
 
rmchrgr said:
I am friends with FMJ. Fanatic is putting it mildly. It's been a couple years but so far his aluminum exhaust has held up.

Last year I took the plunge and bought an all-new TTi exhaust system from the headers back for my Duster. Looks beautiful yes, but their stuff is HEAVY. I'd wager the 1 7/8" headers weigh at least 15-20lbs over my old 1 5/8"- 1 3/4" step headers. Being friends with FMJ I am a weight-loss fanatic myself and was surprised to find out my brand-new, really expensive exhaust system was so porky.

This all replaced an exhaust shop 3" H-pipe system with Flowmasters that was fully welded front to back. (what a P.I.T.A.) The old junk was not light by any stretch but honeslty the TTi stuff is heavier. The plan is to go with turn downs to lose some of the exhaust weight. Those tailpipes must weigh 30lbs each!

TTI 1 7/8" full length headers, full 3" X-pipe system with Dynomax Ultraflows.
View attachment 1716005066
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply Ramcharger!
My system on my car is the definition of overkill. At least I was smart enough to put a flange after the mufflers ahead of the tailpipes so I could remove them easily. I like my system, but it's HEAVY. Not thick wall tubing like tti must be, just too big .
I think I'll weigh the system ive got, post headers, and the lighter system I'm gonna try. I'll bet I can save 50 lbs easily.
 
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