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Buyers Guide to Mustang Exhaust Systems

Understanding the Parts of the Mustang Exhaust

The most common modification done to a Mustang next to buying new wheels, is on the exhaust. Whether you're swapping out your Mustang mid-pipe or getting a whole new system, one thing is constant: Mustang owners want true American Muscle sound and performance. This can be done by upgrading the parts of your exhaust. But, what are the parts of the exhaust?

It may seem like a silly question, but it's not! There is more to the exhaust system than just pieces of metal bolted together. Your exhaust performs many functions, but the most important ones are:

  1. Getting hot exhaust gases coming from your engine out of your car.
  2. Limit the noise output.
  3. Reduce exhaust emissions.

How does the exhaust system do these things? By pushing the nasty gases from your engine, through the pipes and mufflers, and out of your car.

There are three main components to the exhaust system. All Mustangs have the same set-up, regardless of generation.

Exhaust Diagram

 

  1. Manifolds: The manifolds are connected to the exhaust ports of the engine. They funnel the exhaust gases from the cylinders into a single exhaust passage (the mid-pipe).

    2. You will hear manifolds sometimes referred to as headers. While they perform the same function, they are not exactly the same. So, what's the difference? A manifold usually has several holes converging into a common chamber. Headers generally have tubes that curve to join the exhaust ports to the exhaust pipe. This allows the gases to gently slide into the pipe, rather than slamming through the ports.
    Manifold - Stock
    Header - Aftermarket

     

  2. The Mid-Pipe: All Mustang exhausts have a mid-pipe. This is where gases go when they leave the manifold. GT mid-pipes are different than V6 mid-pipes.

    3. GT Mustangs: Come stock with a pipe that has an H-formation (H-Pipe)

    V6 Mustangs: Come stock with a pipe that has a Y-formation (Y-pipe).

    Some aftermarket mid-pipes come in an X-formation and are called X-pipes.

    The main function of the mid-pipe is to equalize the exhaust pulses. They are the bursts of exhaust from the engine to the pipe which makes the system work
    more efficiently, allowing the engine to produce more power.

    All stock mid-pipes come with catalytic converters, or "cats". Cats remove the contaminants from the exhaust, making them emissions friendly. Aftermarket mid-pipes that are meant to be used off-road or for racing don’t have catalytic converters, and are called “off-road H- or X-pipes.” Off-road mid-pipes aren’t meant for street use and, depending on your state’s emissions laws, may not pass inspection.

     

  3. The Cat-back: The cat-back bolts on behind the catalytic converters. The assembly contains the mufflers and the tailpipes. This is the final destination of the nasty gases from your engine.

 

Mufflers Made Simple

Mufflers are designed to reduce the noise your car makes when it’s running. There are three ways manufacturers do this:

  1. Absorption: The least effective at reducing noise, but the best at letting exhaust gas through.
  2. Restriction: Found in almost every stock exhaust system.
  3. Reflection: When two waves of sound hit each other, the noise is cancelled out so there is nothing left of it.

 

Do Mufflers make Horsepower?

No. However, using a muffler with the best possible flow will help with the overall efficiency of the entire system. The more efficient your system is, the more power you have.

 

What are resonators?

            They are similar to a muffler, but they are basically just a sound chamber. They are used for one of two reasons:

  1. To increase the volume of the exhaust.
  2. To decrease the volume of the exhaust.

 

Most people use it to soften the volume, and recognize that there is little to no performance gain to be had.