What you need to know about the new Tundra's exhaust.

The new Toyota Tundra is a powerful truck — anyone who’s driven one will tell you that. Toyota has made a truck that can haul, tow, and race with any half-ton on the road. However, Toyota fit this truck with a relatively quiet exhaust system. If you think your 381 hp 5.7L V8 ought to sound as fast as it is, then this article is for you.

Fortunately, the factory exhaust system is efficient and doesn't require much modification. The new Tundra comes with a 4 into 2 into 1 exhaust manifold, which has been found to be most efficient for moving exhaust gases quickly. The exhaust manifold is also made out of stainless steel, which is light and resistant to rust. And, the exhaust manifold has equal length exhaust tubes making it as good as most products available after-market. In short, the exhaust manifolds on your new Tundra don’t require any modification.

The next components the exhaust gases travel thru are the catalytic converters. There's really no benefit to changing or modifying these, and taking them off is a bad idea. Today's modern catalytic converter is very efficient and it's legally required equipment. Makes sense to leave them alone.

After the catalytic converters, the exhaust gases from each side of the motor cool somewhat and meet-up at the muffler. Again, the factory system is pretty good. You won’t see a significant hp and torque gain by replacing the factory muffler (3-5hp, 5-10ft-lbs at the most), but you will HEAR the truck better. The rumble that you'll hear if you do this is intoxicating, but there are about a hundred different mufflers to choose from to help you get the rumble you want. TRD, Borla, Flowmaster, Gibson, Edelbrock, Magnaflow, etc all offer quality products. While brand is important, it’s more important to know what you want.

First, do you want to hear the exhaust ALL the time? In other words, when you drive down the highway, is a little exhaust drone OK? If not, make sure you choose a muffler that's not described as being loud. If you ask your local muffler shop or visit websites like www.tundraheadquarters.com or www.tundrasolutions.com you can find a good muffler.

Another noise concern is loudness. Do you want to have a truck that's only slightly louder than factory, something agressive, or something very loud that the whole neighborhood will hear? If you're looking for the last option, make sure to look for the words "racing" or "glasspack" in the muffler's description. If you aren't wanting something LOUD, then avoid muffler descriptions using those terms.

You also need to decide if you want a single or dual exhaust? In terms of performance, you usually see the best increase by copying the factory system but upgrading the components. On the Tundra, that would be a single exhaust. But since you’re not going to see much of a performance difference either way, dual exhausts do look and sound better, and that would be my suggestion.

Stainless steel or aluminized steel -- that's what you'll be asked when you're choosing your new muffler. While stainless looks cooler, that's not really a good reason to buy it. After all, how often is anyone going to be looking under your vehicle? The best reason to choose stainless is resistance to rust. If your local geography has salt water or high humidity, stainless steel is a good idea. Otherwise, save some coin and go with the less expenisive galavanized or aluminized steel.

Article Source: http://www.articles.ask-me-about.com

Author Jason Lancaster has worked in the auto business and with the Toyota Tundra for the better part of a decade. Find more Tundra Info at his website, www.tundraheadquarters.com.
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