Extractors for Petrol V8

Saw a set (Pacemaker?) fitted at the local exhaust shop, including free flow mufflers and bigger exhaust.

Don't know whether they worked in the long term, but after the test drive, owner had the type of grin that a young fella has after reading his first Playboy.

Sound was music ... but out on the road with a load may droan a bit.

Cape Kid...this might sound a little contentious but its my opinon.

Extractors on modern vehicles are not the improvement they used to be, my reasons...

1. Older vehicle exhaust systems used to dump all exhaust into one cast manifold and then turn 90deg and drop into one thin exhaust pipe. So fitting an interferance fit extractor and free flow exhaust improved the flow vastly.

It has been many years since manufacturerts have done this and the manifolds now are actually a header in design..that is they are free flowing and cast so that the firing order of exhaust gas assists in the scavenging of the next charge.

So the advantage is less and less now as our vehicles get more and more well designed. (you would need to get a mechanic to look at the LC exhaust to see if there is room for improvement in the header design)

2. The quality of the headers varies VASTLY... and some are NOT an improvement over the cast manifold if it is a header type from factory...The mounting plates can be restrictive if they havent been port matched and the welds and construction of the collector pipes can and do restrict or disturb the free flow of the gas.

3. The heat shields on factory ehaust systems are there for a reason and protect some pretty vital parts under the bonnet. Not uncommon on older cars to 'cook' the starter motors etc that had heat shields before and were removed when fitting extractors. Look at other areas like clutch master cylinder, wiring looms, aircon hoses etc that would be exposed to radiated heat if the factory header was to be removed.

4. Generally the most restrictive piece of a modern petrol exhaust are the catalytic converter/s. These can be replaced with high flow items at a large cost but CANNOT be removed.

I suggest the large smiles that some have after spending thousands on an extractor and exhaust system is the sound of the exhaust now with the new muffler and the rest is all in their mind.

You may get a dyno proven result with just high flow catts and freeflow system but I doubt the extractors will do much at all.

Talk to some experts...(not exhaust shops, they have a vested interest in selling you a system) but a reputable dyno tune specialist and ask if they have any data on LC improvements/recommendations they could pass onto you.

Good luck with it...it is a very expensive mod that can give you little more than a drone nowdays.

Matt.

Hi Cape Kid,

Go to www.lcool.org and search the forum. Lots of fantastic advice for all L/C owners.

I must say I agreed with the above post until someone posted a picture of LCV8 exhaust manifolds.
In the photo anyway they were like an old Ford V8, just a log with a pipe out the end.
So extractors may give an increase in power.
Usually the increase is mostly from the modified exhaust.
Regards Philip A

Hi Cape Kid,
Here's some info to start you off

http://www.lcool.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3671

Cheers

Cape Kid...this would certainly make a difference...not sure about reliability though!!!

Supercharger

Matt.

We have a 2002 V8 petrol and fitted extractors and 3 inch pipe to travelling to West Aus last year towing a 18' caravan weighing in at 3 ton. The end result is; 1. Now sounds like a V8.
2. The motor now hangs on a lot longer due to exhaust getting away quicker.
3. Vehicle now has more grunt.
4. Fuel economy has increased by 1kpl which meant that on our trip this paid for the set up.
Go for it.
Baz

I would suggest you have a look on www.lcool.org. In the 100 series forum, there are piccies of the std vs extracters plus who does em plus a video of the car afterwards rumble rumble...

I have no experience with Extractors on petrol Landcruisers but in my experience which includesl racing cars for nearly 30 years, fitting extractors to an otherwise standard petrol engine makes virtually no difference to the performance.

There is a perceived performance increase which is usually the extra noise that sounds great but on a dyno or against the stop watch, extractors generally are not worth the $$.

However that changes if you find a way to get more fuel into the engine, modify heads, valves, cams, etc when they do help a lot.

Do your research and DO NOT talk to the exhaust shops as all they want to do is sell you extractors. Try to get exact before and after figures done on a dyno or via a stopwatch from someone who has been there done that before you buy to see if the extra increase?? in power/economy is worth while.

Also having a noisy exhaust does get on your wick if you are travelling long distances unless you are what I would call a youngster - but you can fit extractors with a quiet exhaust if the fitter knows what he is up to.

Also let the insurance company know what you have or are intending to do as they WILL want to know. If you do not tell them, they may walk if you ever make a claim and you will be un-insured - expensive.

Stevesub

This topic has been a real eye opener for me as I just about to splash some cash on a set of extractors and exhaust.

I have a question regarding vehicles fitted with gas. I have a 105 series petrol cruiser, on gas, that I was going to install extractors and a high flow exhaust from the cat back. The reason wasn't so much any extra power benefit, but to clear the exhaust faster possibly reducing the under bonnet temperature.

Is this not going to aid in this situation?

Any help or advice would be most appreciated.

Regards,

Bruce

Hi All
Thanks everyone for your reply's. Some good information to digest.
Cheers
Cape Kid