XFORCE exhaust install – RB20 powered VL Turbo

[motorculture]

Here at XFORCE, we offer a large variety of products to suit all vehicles. If we don’t offer an off-shelf system to suit your car, we can use our mandrel bends, high-flow cats and mufflers to custom make something to suit your car.



In this install, one of our XFORCE three inch stainless steel barrel mufflers is going to be placed into an existing three inch system. The car is in question is a Holden VL Turbo, which has had the engine replaced with a RB20 motor from a R32 GTS-T Skyline.



We visited Hakan at Northmead Performance Exhaust to do the install. Hakan has been using XFORCE products since nearly their inception, and rates them very highly. “They’re a high quality, Australian product” mentions Hakan. “I’ve installed numerous XFORCE exhausts across a myriad of cars, and had nothing but good news.”



As mentioned before, we are using a three inch (inlet and outlet) stainless barrel muffler. Haks mentioned that “XFORCE exhausts are packed with a stainless steel material instead of fiberglass, which prevents them from blowing out due to excessive backfire and heat.”



He also mentioned that the internal perforated barrel is rolled and seam welded the whole way down, and not spot welded like many other local exhausts. “Many other exhausts are just spot welded two to three times down the barrel. XFORCE exhausts are welded all the way down the seam for added strength.”



The car in question has a few bolt-on modifications including a larger turbo, boost controller and front mount intercooler. The XFORCE muffler will help increase the overall flow of the exhaust and unlock some more top end power. First things first are to get the car in the air and inspect the working space underneath.



We offer a large variety of sizes and shapes when it comes to universal stainless mufflers. Hakan had previous experience with working on VL turbos, so he already knew that a barrel muffler would fit underneath and look the part on the car.



With the exhaust cut from the differential backwards, it is now time to choose a tip that suits and begin to customize the exhaust.



As these particular mufflers are universal and suitable for all vehicles, they come simply with a straight-cut inlet and outlet depending on size. From here, you can step-up or step-down the inlet to suit, and have a customized exhaust tip to add that unique look to your own car.



Titanium burnt, dump, big bore or even fluted? There are plenty of exhaust tips one can choose when using a universal muffler. Many people are beginning to choose uni-mufflers to install as they can then pick what tip will finish off the rear end of their car. The tip chosen for the VL turbo was a fluted item, which can be seen sitting on the bench in the above photo.

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Some modification had to be made to the outlet of the exhaust. As the muffler sits further back than usual on a VL turbo, the outlet had to be trimmed and then extended with the new tip.



Performance Exhaust Northmead use stainless steel wire in their welders. This leaves a nice, shiny weld which doesn’t have to be painted as it does not rust.



The next step is to check clearances and the muffler mounting point. From here, the tip can be extended and modified to suit the rear bumper of the car.



After the body of the muffler has been cleared for clearances, the tip is placed in a vice then carefully tig-welded. A tig welder leaves an incredibly neat welding-bead when compared to a mig, but is quite hard to master. Hakan is an expert on the tig!



Next step is to finish welding the tip then check again to make sure it is not fouling against anything underneath the car.





Once happy with the location of the muffler, the rear differential-back section is then welded and tacked to complete the rear part of the system.



In this photo, you can see how long the tip needed to be extended in order to exit past the rear bumper (preventing exhaust burn on the rear of the car).



And the finished product! The stainless finish gives a real tough look to the rear of the car and suits it to a tee. How does it sound? Next week, we shall be putting together a few drive-by audio clips and static idle clips so you guys can hear it for yourselves!

Don’t forget to check out the XFORCE homepage by clicking here!