Right now I'm removing the rear silencers! I will install a 48mm tube to replace it and a double exhaust tip in chome on both sides. I'm picking up the tubes tomorrow and start to install the pieces! Pics and a sound check will follow
Best regards

Frederik

 

You will be the loudest and most obnoxious XJS in Belgistan my friend

 

Good for you, Please do post your pix when you do this, plus a description of the sound.
I'll have my '89 XJS out of storage end of April, and the most of the Forum's gist is to remove the rear catalytic converters plus the front muffler. That was my plan, pending an epic mind blowing epiphany.

 

Frit, do you mean you are removing the silencers under the floor, before the rear axle, or the ones in the tunnels each side of the boot?

Greg

 

I don't know how to call them, silencers or mufflers or resonators but yes Greg the ones in the tunnels on each side of the boot.

The first reason for this removal is that I saw that brackets that hold silencer up on both sides are rusted through... I will weld new ones in place and test sound without them in place...

Pics will follow later today

Greetz,

Frederik

 

Frederik

The brackets just bolt up through the tunnel top, access under the carpet in the boot. Easy fix, parts available and not expensive.

Removing the tunnel silencers will make the car unbearably noisy, I think. You can remove the silencers under the floor in front of the axle, and people sell a kit to remove them. This apparently makes the car a bit louder, but not too much so, and enhances power. I have never been in a car with this mod done, so have no personal experience.

Greg

 

Hey Greg,

Not the brackets on the car are rusted , these are in excellent condition, but the brackets welded onto the silencer. I've just went and picked up the tubes and 1 exhaust tip (to test) and will fit this afternoon

Best regards,

Frederik

 

As promised a few pics of the job

The two OEM stainless steel tips were fairly easy to remove, just releasing the little bolt and after a bit of wigling, they went right off... I was a bit worried because I've read that they could be very hard to remove. Then removing the right silencer was easy to. I had to use the dremel to cut through the bolt of the piece that hold the silencer and the tube together because the bolt was so rusted, I couldn't unscrew it. After that with a bit of force I could just pull off the silencer. But then for removing the left silencer, I also had to use the dremel to cut the bolt of but the silencer would not move... I had to bang it with a rubber hammer for about 1h30... Now I'm a patient guy but after about an hour I had to take a walk and a few deep breaths because otherwise the hammer would have ended up somewhere else but then I started to see some progress and half an hour later it came off!
I just attached the 2 48mm tubes to the car and wanted to put the exhaust tips in place, when I saw they were to big and didn't fit through the opening in the back of the car a pity because I really liked the look of them. I can go and change them next week for another pair.
I also saw that at the end of the silencer, where the bracket rusted through, there is a 30° bent in the tube, so I will also have to bent the 25" extensions I bought before I will fit the exhaust tips.
I could not do the sound recording yet, because I couldn't take the car out the garage. I started the engine inside the garage and it is loud, I mean LOUD like Greg says. I will leave it like that for now and install the exhaust tips. From the moment I can take the car out I will make a movie to let you hear the lion roaring, it is no longer a cat but a really loud lion...

 

one more pic of the rusted through bracket!

I will fix both silencers so I can always go back to original if I want to...

 

It will be less loud when the tips are on and the end of the pipe is outside the tunnel. Right now, the sound waves are exiting the pipe inside the tunnel, which acts a bit like a trumpet and amplifies the sound, but I think it will still be loud when the tips are on, even so! But maybe not...

Even on a standard exhaust, the removal of the OEM tips creates quite a bit more noise!

Greg

 

I did this mod last summer and recorded the sound with my Android cell. Noise levels aren't bad at all untill you hit about 3000-3500 rpm, then there is a noticable "roar". I don't mind it because the only time I reach those rpms is when I pass some one, then it makes heads turn and I start to giggle!
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cg7aReYxWnw&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dcg7aReYxWnw%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded

 

Hey Jamey,

Yup, similar sound. Did you make bigger openings in you air filter boxes too?

 

No not yet. I was planning on fabricating some aluminum cold air intakes but then blew my transmission so it was put on hold.
As soon as the snow is gone (and mud) I will start on the transmission and then I move onto my project of fitting a race bucket to the passenger seat as mentioned in my Imagination and Ideas post.

 

Does everyone out there have really sensitive ears or something?
At one point the exhaust on the drivers side fell down just before the muffler. Straight through the 2 cats and out of that pipe. It sounded good, a little dumb on the highway because of the stupid 3 speed but it wasn't at all what i would consider a loud exhaust.
Half the pickups driving around town were twice as loud

 

I love a little bark! My intake is opened up and I run only the cats and turbo style mufflers at the rear. The stock system is way too quiet! What's the use in having all those cylinders if you can't hear them? Otherwise you can get more power alot cheaper intalling a small block.

 

i have a problem with getting traction, and my 5" side pipe makes 12cylinders sound fantastic at 7000rpm, it is a whine not a grumble!