A high-performance exhaust helps keep engine air at optimum levels, saving fuel by not requiring the engine to burn additional gasoline to compensate for poor air quality. A customised exhaust system can also help increase horsepower and torque.
Cast-iron exhaust manifolds essentially dump the bank of cylinders’ primary gas flows collectively into a single collector tube. Tubular exhaust headers offer dedicated primary flow paths for each cylinder that ultimately merge into a common collector.
Mandrel-Bent Tubing
Mandrel bends are a popular type of rotary draw bending technique that utilizes a hard or soft rod called a mandrel to prevent the pipe from collapsing during bending. This helps produce precise bends and keeps the diameter of the tube consistent throughout the entire length of the curve or bend.
Professionals that shape metal for a living swear by the benefits of mandrel bending when it comes to producing tight radius bends. When compared to the less precise, crush-style bends that often occur with other bending techniques such as press bending, mandrel bending produces far superior results.
This can help reduce the risk of damage to your vehicle’s exhaust system, which is important because it performs a vital function of venting and expulsion of harmful gases from your engine. Wrinkles or deformation in your vehicle’s tubing can lead to material fatigue and failure of critical components over time.
Raised-Port Cylinder Heads
Whether you’re building your first engine or an experienced power-maker, the right set of cylinder heads is essential. The hottest aftermarket heads are designed to offer excellent airflow. Many manufacturers include port flow numbers on their websites for each head based on various valve lifts, as well as information like valve angles and combustion chamber volumes.
Flow is the way in which air is drawn in, used to create energy and then expelled out of the engine through the other set of valves. Think of a standard head as the lungs of someone who smokes all the time, with lots of restrictive airways.
Cylinder head specialists use tools to enlarge the ports and improve flow by smoothing the surface of passages and chambers. Aggressive porting can yield impressive power gains but also may compromise low-end torque and idle quality.
Mandrel-Bent Mufflers
Using a special mandrel during the bending process allows for a much more precise and consistent bend, preventing the material from breaking or cracking. The mandrel also eliminates spring-back, which is when the tube/pipe returns to its original shape after bending.
Unlike crush bends, mandrel-bent pipes maintain the same diameter throughout the bend. This improves exhaust flow and reduces restriction.
A high-quality, custom mandrel bent system is more expensive than a cut and welded one, but it will last longer and offer better performance. It’s worth the investment if you want to keep your car running at peak condition for as long as possible. Coastal salt air and wintertime road chemicals are hard on everything, including your exhaust system. The right system will keep your vehicle’s engine running smoothly for years to come.
Crush Bends
Crush bends, also known as pressure bending or rotary draw bending, are a common production method for exhaust tubing. Unlike mandrel bending, these methods deform the tube by applying pressure to its outer surface. This reduces the inner diameter of a bend, creating restriction that can negatively affect performance.
Despite their limitations, crush bends are an inexpensive way to form tubing with complex bends. They’re also easy to operate, even for someone who doesn’t know much about bending tubes or pipe.
if you’re going to be running a turbo setup, it would make sense to go with mandrel bent piping. It keeps the inner tube size consistent throughout the curve, so it flows better than pressure bend piping. It’s worth the extra investment.
Mandrel Bends
Mandrel bending is the preferred method for creating smooth bends in your exhaust system. It uses a solid mandrel shaft with up to five segmented, donut-shaped balls that fit inside the pipe/tube during the bending process. This internal support prevents distortion, collapse, rippling and flattening.
With this technique, you get a higher-quality, more precise bend that reduces air resistance and turbulence in the system. It’s a vital aspect of your vehicle’s performance that you wouldn’t want to jeopardize with any kind of damage.
Non-mandrel bending, on the other hand, does not use a solid mandrel to help the material retain its structural integrity during bending. This method is suited for thin-walled materials and can achieve smaller bending radii. However, it can also lead to increased distortion and less smooth surface quality.