exhaust for 2.7 (NA, no cat)

Veerzigzag · Jun 8, 2013

New exhaust time is not far away. I see that Dansk supply a system, from the end of the Y-piece (mine is in good order) back. The Dansk system gets mixed reviews in this forum and TIPEC, but the issues seem mainly to be around Turbos. For about the same price our local Longlife shop will make up a stainless unit with one or two boxes, noise level at customer request. And then is there the issue of tuning or re-chipping the ECU, when using a non-standard exhaust? My 2.7 NA has a very simple twin manifold to y piece to mid box to back box system. Postings seem to indicate that it is better to keep a two-box system rather than just having a back box. Then there are the shiny H&S systems but they are almost £900 and I am hoping to pay about half that. Feedback and experience greatly appreciated!

Added: actually am just rethinking the H&S offering - it's from the manifolds back, and is £800, whereas the Dansk (and local made) systems are effectively only the back half of the system. Anyone tried the H&S on a non-turbo?

Dave928 · Jun 8, 2013

I too have the 2.7. I had the bigger dansk 2 box cat-back system with the original front box. It made the tone slightly better, but I was still a bit dissapointed. They make a smaller cat-back system with just the one silencer thats a smaller backbox. I feel this may have been more what I was looking for, but the specs didn't list it as being suited to a 2.7. I have only just fitted the dansk front box (92.445s). Although well made, it was not a straight fit ! The downpipe had to be cut (as the original system is an all in one). The flared opening at the end of the dansk was quite a few mm too big. A sleeve had to be made to allow for the gappage. Weather it was due to the fit or not, the hanger holes didn't line up either so new holes were drilled ! So the cat-back was much easier than the front box for fitment. The original front box strangles the volume and tone I think. Having the full system is the way to go. The tone / volume is much better with the full system, and could be described as what it should have from standard maybe. It is still not overly loud, but is sufficient and I'm happy. I have had custom boxes made up in the past on other cars and have been happy with those also but have been louder. I would not hesitate to get a custom exhaust setup provided the fitter was capable. I was originally going to before having the front box put in, but I was afraid of getting horrible rasps with the straight pipe !

Mike_Pollock · Jun 8, 2013

I'd investigate the local route. They will probably use off the shelf boxes and bend the tube to suit. And could be surprisingly good valve. My 2.7 had one made up by a local company in the North East for a previous owner about 2006 for Â£300 approx in stainless from the manifold back, with 2 boxes, possibly slightly larger bore, larger tailpipe, still looks perfect and gives a lovely sound (according to several reports

) not too loud

Veerzigzag · Jun 9, 2013

Thanks Mike and thanks Big Dave, for your very helpful information..

Veerzigzag · Jun 11, 2013

I have booked into Longlife Peterborough for fitting a stainless made-up exhaust. They also do ECU remapping - question is, given the new exhaust layout (maybe deleting the middle box), should I have the ECU re-mapped as well? (That's presuming my '89 NA 2.7 has a re-mappable ECU of course). Or should I replace the ECU chip(s) with some after-market version? Or should I leave well alone and see how it runs with the new exhaust then maybe take it in to an Indie for tuning?

Dave928 · Jun 11, 2013

I don't think you will regret the Longlife exhaust. Good choice. I don't think the ECU remap is at all required. Its basic anyway. I would see how it goes first. I have a Promax chip installed but extra bhp from the chip is minimal really. Probably about the same as the exhaust !

Veerzigzag · Jun 20, 2013

I would see how it goes first.

The answer is that it goes very well indeed. Longlife at Peterborough did a great job. It would appear likely that they were replacing the original 24-year-old exhaust. They cut the downpipe just after the Y piece, made and welded a proper flange joint there, then used a wider pipe back to a single box at the rear, all in stainless steel. You get a choice of noise level; "original sound" (as defined by civil servants), "mild sporty" (but that sounds like an option that Alan Partridge would choose), or "loud". I opted for the latter; burble at tickover, through to a lovely "reverse cone bark" when changing up at the red line. (Motorcyclists of a certain age will understand what an open reverse cone megaphone sounds like). An excellent piece of engineering, and a cost in total of Â£400 including the tailpipe and VAT. I was worried that the lady wife would be annoyed by the sound level, but she said that, while loud, the noise is not out of place for a 944.