300tdi defender 90 exhaust mods

[A Twig]

Hi all,

So, a lot of my current standard exhaust system is rusting through. Now, according to this:

1 ESR158 DOWNPIPE 200TDI TO LA939975
1 ESR2297 DOWNPIPE 300TDI FROM MA 939976 EXCEPT CATALYST
2 ESR358 FRONT SILENCER 200TDI TO LA939975
2 ESR2381 FRONT SILENCER 300TDI MA939976 - TA999221
3 ESR254 REAR SILENCER 200TDI TO LA939975
3 ESR2382 REAR SILENCER 300TDI MA939976 - TA999221
4 ESR3495 DOWNPIPE 300TDI FROM MA 939976 WITH CATALYST
5 ESR4526 REAR SILENCER 300TDI FROM TA 999222
6 ESR4527 TAILPIPE 300TDI FROM TA 999222

I currently have a 1,2,3 set up. Now, I'm thinking that for cheapness, simplicity and possibly some better performance, I could replace 2 with a straight through pipe such as this:

http://www.mailorder4x4.com/4x4/products_detail.php?ProductID=10493

Therefore, my questions are:
a) Is that part correct?

b) Does anyone know of a simple non silenced rear to replace (3)?

Trying to get the old girl up to scratch for our yearly Eurojaunt, only one month before departure so usual panic!

[Aragorn]

I wouldnt go completely unsilenced, it'll likely be a bit boomy on the motorway and the like if you do.

That said, later 300tdi's were offered with a TD5 style rear pipe that might offer the less-silencing your looking for, Its part 6 on your list. As per the diagram though, it needs mated up with a different centre box (5) which probably isnt available in "streight thru" format. It would probably be easy enough to fabricate a streight pipe to replace it though.

[LandyManLuke]

Based on experience, the noise from a completely unsilenced exhaust becomes very tedious if you plan on driving for any time. A friend had a 200tdi 90 with no silencers and it was no fun on long journeys.

I've got a centre box in my stainless steel exhaust, with a short and simple pipe at the back, which is much more pleasant on long journeys.

[steve200TDi]

Hi,

On mine I removed the rear section (3) as I made a rear winch bumper and so it got in the way.

What I did was to buy sections 2 and 6, shorten 2 to fit onto 6 and it's been on there for the last 3 or 4 years.

To start with when I swapped it over it was a tiny bit loader, but I've happily lived with it ever since.

Steve

[Aragorn]

Hi,

On mine I removed the rear section (3) as I made a rear winch bumper and so it got in the way.

What I did was to buy sections 2 and 6, shorten 2 to fit onto 6 and it's been on there for the last 3 or 4 years.

To start with when I swapped it over it was a tiny bit loader, but I've happily lived with it ever since.

Steve

This sounds like a good idea!

[A Twig]

Hmm, I didn't think it would be that bad in terms of boominess, generally the tyre noise outweighs the engine above ~40mph so I wouldn't have thought it would have made much difference.

Hmm, ok different plan, is there anything stopping me putting 5 & 6 on to replace 2 & 3? Are all the flanges etc the same? I've seen a straight through pipe replacement for 5 if I decide to go down that route. Argh, decisions!

[Aragorn]

5 and 6 together will directly replace 2 and 3.

[A Twig]

Lovely, cheers for the help all, I'll get the credit card out this afternoon.

[A Twig]

Ok, just to round out this topic in case anyone searches for it in the future.

I went ahead and bought ESR4527 (unfortunately a Britpart version but it was actually pretty good quality and didn't need modding to fit! ) and I bought a straight through replacement for ESR4526 ( one of these http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/centre-silencer-replacement-pipe-300tdi-9497-da4294-p-922.html ).

After a couple of hours hacksawing through the old rusty bolts that held the original system, I offered up the new bits. The hanger for ESR3527 matches up great, but only one of the hangers for the middle bit matches up, (the front one) leaving a spare hanger (the one just next to where it bolts onto the tailpipe) with nowhere for it to go. Its about 5 or 6 inches rearwards past the original hanger.

However, having bolted it all up it is pretty solid just on the two hangers, with no play or movement whatsoever. I guess this is a product of it being a lot lighter without all those mufflers/silencers, but for completeness sake I will try and figure out a way to mount the second hanger. There are some holes there in the chassis crossmember that look like they could take a bracket so I'll go from there.

Only different was that the tale pipe sits a little higher and would blow slightly onto the mudflap, so I had to cut out a small C section off the shoulder of the mudflap with a pair of supersnips just to make sure I didn't get the whiff of melting rubber!

So, how does it go?

Well, in short, if I knew it made this much difference I would have done it years ago! Turbo spools up noticeably earlier, acceleration is smoother, and low end grunt is a lot better. I can comfortably stick it in 4th in a 30 despite the Disco transfer box, and 5th doing 40, so fuel economy is noticeably better on my work run today - I'll post some figures next time I fill up.

Noise wise? Really not all that different - although with a caveat that its a County, with a lot of noise insulation stuff all over it and all the extra trim, which helps. If you boot the throttle you hear the rumble (its a great sounding rumble ), and up to about 50 mph you can hear it, however, above 50, the tyre noise for the A/Ts and the engine noise definitely drowns it out, so I really don't have any negatives about it! Another caveat, my 300tdi does have a cat, so I guess that muffles it a touch.

Overall though, it's a lot cheaper that replacing the silencers etc, and the driving experience is genuinely heaps better, even my missus commented on it completely unprompted, and the extra noise for me has been negligable - so all worth it!

[Aragorn]

Completely unsilenced? or is there a cat in the downpipe?

Surprised its quiet if its completely unsilenced

[A Twig]

Another caveat, my 300tdi does have a cat, so I guess that muffles it a touch.

yep its not completely unsilenced - still loving it though!

[Aragorn]

You'll probably find even better response/performance would be achieved by ditching the cat, but readding a silencer to keep the noise sensible.

Cats the most restrictive part, and isnt required on diesels!