Exhaust systems are probably the most discussed, and lauded aftermarket automotive parts in Oz. In fact, they’re regarded as something of a universal remedy for most automotive ills: more power, better consumption, and a sweeter sound, all at a price that would make mum proud. And in all honesty: aftermarket exhausts can indeed do all of these.
The truth is, an aftermarket exhaust system delivers a better balance of affordable power and performance than any other modification you can make, and with no special tools required. They do, however, require measured expectations. A new exhaust system alone won’t double your torque or cut your fuel consumption in half, but it’ll give you a proper idea of the kind of power that your car or ute is capable of producing if it has the chance to breathe better.
Let’s be honest: while it can be difficult to quantify how much of an actual difference some upgrades make, swapping your vehicle’s super-restrictive, OE exhaust for a low restriction high performance exhaust upgrade is one that you’ll immediately recognize the impact of. An engine needs to be able to expel spent gases with the same efficiency that it takes fresh air in, and it’s no coincidence that the more displacement one has, the more efficiently it needs to be able to do both. Full-sized, V8-powered 4x4s are the modern-day torchbearers for big displacement, and exhaust upgrades have become an essential to helping these brawny heavyweights become better performers.
With big displacement, deep breathing V8s being notorious for how much air and fuel they’re capable of guzzling, you’d be remiss to ignore how advantageous low restriction aftermarket exhausts are at disposing of waste gases. And if you’re unsure about just how much of a difference one can make on an outback-sized, luxury 4×4 like Nissan’s Y62 Patrol, here’s what you can expect:
Make no mistake: from on-demand ELocker differentials to heavy-huffing superchargers, the range of high-performance parts options for Nissan’s Y-62 flagship has never been greater. A high-performance aftermarket exhaust system, however, provides the foundation you need to build all your other upgrades around. You can even order a custom Y62 high performance exhaust online, have it delivered anywhere in Australia, and do a complete install in under two hours using basic tools and all factory mounts.
Ask any 4×4 aficionado, and they’ll tell you that when it comes to rugged, full-sized vehicles that ooze luxury, S1 – S5 Y62 Patrols are in a class all their own. With their 298kW, 5.6L V8 powerplants, and virtually indestructible suspensions, Y62s have the power and the posture to step off the bitumen anytime you want, but it only takes a low restriction, high performance exhaust system to transform one into a true on and off-road master.
Starting with 2mm mandrel bent 409 stainless steel tubing, Australian made, 3″ Y62 performance exhaust systems are manufactured in cat back configurations and are comprised of:
With fully TIG welded 10mm flange plates and brackets, these high-performance exhausts bolt directly up to the Patrol’s OE headers and cat, and are good for an honest 7kW – 10kW increase that you’ll instantly feel through its tightly geared, 7-speed automatic transmission. It’s the extra power for overtaking and heavy pulls over long distances that these burly 4x4s need, especially if they’ve been fitted out with larger and heavy wheel and tyre combinations.
You don’t even have to buy your Y62 exhaust as a complete system. You can purchase these performance exhausts online in centre-, and rear-section only sets, allowing you to complement them individually with other upgrades, or to satisfy more specific state requirements for fuel or emission standards.
While acoustics are an essential part of any exhaust upgrade, it’s even more important when it comes to V8s. 8-cylinder engines are natural loudmouths, and the job of preventing their guttural barking from flooding the Y62’s luxurious cabin falls to the Nissan’s extensive exhaust chambering system. The results that these highly restrictive systems actually produce are mixed at best, though. That’s because in addition to modulating noise and eliminating exhaust reverb, they’re also directly responsible for:
When it comes to noise emissions and high performance exhaust upgrades, Australia Design Rules (ADRs) are very specific about their allowable levels. However, with their wider tube diameters and glass packed mufflers, custom Y62 systems are engineered to produce a throaty V8 exhaust note that’s unintrusive to passengers, inoffensive to pedestrians, and still solidly capable of putting more power to the pavement. They’re the kind of perfect balanced exhaust systems Australia expects for its best-in-class, full-sized 4x4s.
At the end of the day, the Y62’s power, poise, and sheer presence makes it arguably the most impressive full-sized 4×4 in production. It lacks for nothing either on or off the road, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a good thing even better.
An Australian-made exhaust is going to give your Y62’s healthy V8 the room it needs to breathe freely. It’s an upgrade that you’ll see an immediate benefit from, and it could be the catalyst for making your Patrol an even more potent 4×4 than it already is.