Replacing or upgrading the exhaust in a Land Rover is something you will want or need to do if you keep your truck for more than a few years. The main problem is that the cost of a genuine Land Rover exhaust is astronomical. In this article, we will examine the parts of the exhaust system, and how you can save money when you want to replace pieces of it or the whole.
System Description
Your Land Rover rover exhaust system begins right at the engine head. The exhaust valves in the head open and exhaust gasses are expelled into the exhaust manifold. There are two manifolds, one on each side of the engine that collect the exhaust gases from each of the eight cylinders, and run them into one large tube that heads down below the engine. Below the engine, the two exhaust headers feed into a “Y” pipe. The “Y” pipe serves three important functions. First, it combines the flow from the two exhaust manifolds into one pipe. Second, it houses the oxygen sensors which feed important information back to the engine computer. Third, the “Y” pipe contains the catalytic converters which “clean” the exhaust taking out hydrocarbons and other nasty things.
Directly behind the “Y” pipe is the muffler. Obviously it quiets down that racket the exhaust makes. From there, exhaust piping takes the exhaust to the back of the truck. At the end of the line is a resonator, which is really a secondary muffler.
Replacing the whole thing
Replacing the whole exhaust can be done with either a kit or in pieces. If you want to replace the whole thing, you have two options. A “Cat-Back” system that leaves everything between the engine and the Catalytic Converters in place, or the FULL exhaust option which replaces everything but the exhaust manifolds. Companies like N.R.P., Borla, and now Falcon offer Cat-back systems. NRP systems aer available exclusively from Rovers North.
Rolling your own
A less expensive option is to simply buy the pieces you want or need and take them to a local welder or exhaust shop to have them installed. This is the option ypu can chose when you want to replace exhaust components. You have to remove the resonator completely and replaced it with a stainless steel tailpipe. You may order to high performance catalytic converters, a Flow Master 3 chamber muffler. Here’s the breakdown:
CTO-6905 Universal Catalytic Converter: 2 @ 59.99
FLO-42452 2.25 Flowmaster Muffler: 71.95
Subtotal: 191.93
Shipping/handling: 22.95
Total: 214.88
[It is just an estimation, please check their own website for current price. ]
Installation was 165.00 for all pieces. This brought the drive-away grand total to $379.88. To be fair, this price did NOT include new stainless steel exhaust pipe like the commercial systems. They offered to custom bend pipe for an additional $200. Your shop may be more or less expensive.
This information is provided as a guide only and is not intended to be taken as any guarantee of your satisfaction. In case, the flowmaster exhaust is MUCH louder than stock and my Range Rover now sounds like a sports car. Choosing a more mild muffler ($30-$65) would make the system sound more like the stock system. An added benefit of going to this new exhaust is that the engine breathes easier, offing slightly better acceleration and slightly better fuel economy.