Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

[Bushtreka Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Bushtreka]

Has anyone done an upgrade on their V6 90 series exhaust system?

Has anyone put on a set of headers/extractors and was it worth it? Can you get them ready made or is it a custom job?

Was there any increase in power or torque and did it get rid of that annoying resonance at around 3000 RPM that seems to afflict a lot of 90 series 3.4L V6's

I would also be intrested in any improvements apart from headers. Have you been happy with yor mods and what did you put on?

Any help would be appreciated.

[warren Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close warren]

hi,
You may believe this to be a boring answer. A family member of mine has worked for Toyota for many years .Has moved on now ,but still drives a petrol Landcruiser 100 series and still insists that if a motor company like Toyota spends millions on designing the complete vehicle to suit conditions then there is really no huge benifit by changing engine and exaust standards setups. Does this vehicle not perform as you would like now ?

[Leethal Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leethal]

Hi Bushtreka,

I believe "Wildcat" brand have off the shelf extractors to suit, they are not mandrel bent unfortunately.

Warren I understand what your saying however Toyota like all manufacturers design & build a product to do the job at the most economical cost, to maximise their profits, not performance so it is possible to improve specific areas of most vehicles .

[Bushtreka Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Bushtreka]

Warren,

Thansk for you input. I am sure that it won't make a big diiference as you say but 5 to 10% extra grunt from a mandrel bent free flow exhaust system and possibly some headers to help clear the exhaust gas that bit easier would go a long way to compensating for the larger tryes and extra weight that has gone on in the form of mods including winch, dual batteries and rear draws. Whilst I am not unhappy with the vehicle at all, if I am replacing something I will look for any enhancement if it is reasonable value for money.

Cheers

[Bushtreka Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Bushtreka]

Leethal,

Thanks,I didn't know that the Wildcat extractors weren't mandrel bent. I assumed they all would be - silly me!! Or is that not a factor?? I did a bit of a web search and checked out the Wildcat site since my original post and it looks like they make something that might fit. I will check it out more when I get a chance and see what they have to say.
I guess it is now whether they are worth the $$ or do I keep stock manifolds and fit a mandrel bent free flow system from there back

Cheers

[Leethal Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leethal]

Bushtreka,

Mandrel bent is better but not the be all and end all, so I believe the wildcat extractors will be worth it.

Remember though the best and easiest way to improve performance is ensure everything else is correct, Plugs, HT leads, MAF sensor, Air filter etc.

I improved my economy and performance by simply doing the normal stuff and the MAF sensor

Leethal

[warren Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close warren]

Point taken guys in regards to exhuast mods. Some day I will probably need to do something myself.Leethal, not to stray from this topic, but can you tell me what is MAF and what is it you do to improve economy?
Regards

[Leethal Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leethal]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

Hi Warren,

Sorry for the long delay in answering but first work then a short (7000 km +) trip across the Simpson, Alice etc meant no time to surf the web.

The MAF is the sensor which measures the Air Mass entering the engine. Depending on the build date of your vehicle it is either a mechanical design- a flap or it is Hot Wire design. The Hot Wire design is the later type and the wire becomes contaminated through use.

There is now a CRC product designed to clean this sensor so it reads the passing Air Mass properly, simply remove the Sensor assembly (gently) from the air intake after the air filter housing, turn upside down and spray liberally, allow to dry and refit.

The other things are the basics, ensure spark plugs are clean & correct gap, replace High Tension (plug) leads at 100,000 kms, clean air filter, correct ignition base timing, tyre pressures, remove my roof racks when not in use etc.

Pretty basic I know but all the Fuel saving devices all slide that statement in .. "along with a properly tuned engine" this will save fuel - its the properly tuned engine that saves fuel not to mention a light right foot

Sorry for the lengthy reply but I hope you get my drift

Lee

edit - I averaged 15 l/100km over the trip, 4 passengers (sometimes 5) roof rack loaded with second spare, 2 tables and 2 swags, 60 litres water & 20 litres fuel across the desert (at start anyway), plus bags, food etc loaded to the roof behind cargo barrier, On the highway drove at 110 limit & 125 in the 130 limit due to running in convoy witht the leader having a heavy right foot lol total distance was 7165 kms, 4000 plus km's off the blacktop.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

edit - I averaged 15 l/100km over the trip, 4 passengers (sometimes 5) roof rack loaded with second spare, 2 tables and 2 swags, 60 litres water & 20 litres fuel across the desert (at start anyway), plus bags, food etc loaded to the roof behind cargo barrier, On the highway drove at 110 limit & 125 in the 130 limit due to running in convoy witht the leader having a heavy right foot lol total distance was 7165 kms, 4000 plus km's off the blacktop.

Pretty good fuel figures there Lee...

Do we get to see a trip report of your Simpson crossing :?:

[gav_vx_man Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close gav_vx_man]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

HI there
I have done a full system on my prado 90 series v6, I actually have pacemaker headers and a straight through muffler and 2 resonators to cool down the sound a little, and you know what it actually does give you a little bit more punch on the pedal. It also gets rid of that annoying vibration up around 3000 rpm and it revs lower on all levels of driving, my mate has a bog stock one with standard tyres, i have the big 267 75 on and mine revs a couple of hundred revs less at 100, he has even noticed it being in my car with me
cheers dude hope this helps

[rossy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rossy]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

hi leethal , good fuel numbers for the trip. sounds like the superchager is working well?. cheers warwick.

[tassie tiger Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close tassie tiger]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

It is worth keeping in mind that you will only get maximum benefit if everything is done correctly from go to whoa. There is little point in fitting a set of extractors unless you have pinned them to the heads, blue'd them and then flowed the exhaust ports and the gaskets to match.

If you dont you end up with a step on each and every exhaust port that can do away with any gains that your extractors may have given you. I have never found a set of extractors that was better machined than the factory manifold and didnt require releaving.

For my money, I would start at the heads and work from there, ensuring everything is matched, otherwise I would spend the cash on something useful.

[xlr8_87 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close xlr8_87]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

It is worth keeping in mind that you will only get maximum benefit if everything is done correctly from go to whoa. There is little point in fitting a set of extractors unless you have pinned them to the heads, blue'd them and then flowed the exhaust ports and the gaskets to match.

I'd have to agree to disagree here...

Whilst yes, doing the heads and exhaust ports will get you more power out of the exhaust upgrade, you still gain a very good, useable power boost from a set of extractors and a high flowing exhaust.

Comparing the V6 on my commodore (yes not a prado, but still an engine which would highly benefit from head/porting work), I dynoed it before and after an extractor/hi flow exhaust system and gained 20rwkw. Not just that, but acceleration and low end power were significantly increased.

[jj95prado Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jj95prado]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

Is there any benefit in replacing just the exhaust with a free flowing system and not the extractors?
$$ is always an issue and I don't think I'd be able to afford the whole system at once.

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

Re: Exhaust System Updrade - Help Needed!!

I haven't done mine yet, but from what I've read the extractors is the more important item to change.