TECH TIPS: MUFFLERS PART THREE-CUSTOM EXHAUST SYSTEMS & MAINTENANCE

Custom exhaust systems are a lot like exploratory surgery-it’s a guessing game until you get opened up. That’s why most good muffler shops won’t give a quote over the phone for a custom made system. The problem starts with the nightmares under the hood.

Maybe it sounds simple-a custom exhaust on a relatively stock 64 Impala based on the word “stock”. That’s until you get the car up on a lift and find out that the guy put a Ferrari chassis under the shell.

Let the fun begin…

We asked about this custom exhaust issue and we received some good advice “bring it down, put it up in the air and  get options and prices because on the lift, the truth comes out”.

That’s the only way to approach a custom exhaust project because if you don’t you’re going to get hurt feelings and possibly knuckles, if you haven’t done a preliminary assessment.

Exhaust systems have come a long way since the 2” exhaust was the standard-they look very puny when you have options of 3,4 and 5 inches. In addition, gaskets have really improved with copper and multi-shim steel configurations available.

The biggest question is how much do you really want to spend because like anything automotive related the sky is the limit. The labor can go up exponentially when jobs get more complicated but the issue always come down to wants and needs. For example most muffler guys wonder “if a 5 inch exhaust system will really help a small block like a 283?’ It will definitely sound huskier, but in most opinions the horsepower gains may remain questionable on a dollar for dollar basis. We covered the material quality issues earlier and these are probably a lot more important as an investment in a custom system.

The last issue in muffler world is basic maintenance and it doesn’t get any more basic-make sure you have a drain hole at the lowest part of the muffler. Mufflers are like a test tube in a lab with heat changes and chemical reactions, so they will produce condensation and caustic chemicals during normal use. We were told  “ contrary to popular belief, a drain hole won’t cause rust, it’ll prevent it because mufflers rust from the inside out”.

That’s probably the simplest piece of maintenance you can practice on your old car-that, and not stuffing squirrels up the exhaust pipe. Basically, you really have no excuses for letting an exhaust system deteriorate.  

What it comes down to is the age-old automotive story. Simple and complicated at the same time- mufflers are a typical car part.