CurtisRider Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 I am doing a university project in which I have to program a chip and produce a product with at least 2 inputs and 2 outputs (1 must be mechanical). One of my ideas I have is aimed at driving enthusiasts who do not wish to have a loud exhaust all the time but enjoy it whilst driving in a more spirited fashion. I am aware of mechanical/electric butterfly valves that switch over to a second exhaust system. I also know of a back box (that I can't remember the name of, nor can I seem to find it online) that switches from a quieter muffled section to a louder straight through system at the flick of a button (pretty much just an internal butterfly that means you only need 1 back box). I know that this is not a new thing, but it can be improved. My idea was to design a back box that did a similar thing to this single box but with more controllability and feedback to the driver. The driver can : Turn it on or off Set the exhaust to automatically change over at certain RPM Override the auto mode Have the ability to monitor exhaust heat and flow Tune how loud the system becomes (control the valve that opens and shuts) An LCD screen will display the information. This would be of a similar design to a boost gauge to fit in the pods available. The exhaust will have a straight through system combined with a muffled surrounding that can be switched over. It will be universal so that it can cater for most people (I realise that not all back boxes are the same design but this could be adapted, a duplex version could also be designed) Does this idea interest you? If so why? If not, why not? By all means tear the idea apart, add ideas and show me products that do the same thing. I am not fixed on this idea and I do have other ideas that are not car related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pashley26 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 This idea is brilliant, do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Sounds like an ace idea! The change over at a certain RPM sounds good, will almost replicate VTEC which would appeal to loads I think. Sounds good when you're on the motorway too when you don't want that constant drone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted October 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Glad you guys like the idea Please feel free to criticise, i really need to find any potential problems before i dedicate myself to this idea. My tutor was dubious as to whether anybody would want it, but i can see a market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) One thing I can think of is that maybe not everyone would want the whole pod display. Like for those who have a subtle interior, maybe a control uni hidden away somewhere? You know how you can get boost controllers for car amplifiers for subs. I always find those boost guages look a bit tacky when in a pod like on the pillars. Obviously thats just my opinion. Edited October 13, 2011 by dann2707 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 I'd certainly want something like that for my 7, would love the straight pipe noise of a V8 when driving on country roads combined with it being as quiet as it is for daily use. I like most of the ideas, just don't see the point of monitoring exhaust temp. That's a bit geeky. Also LCD screen doesn't sound right. When designing the control unit, try to think what kind of cars would be the target for such an exhaust system. Although I could be a bit biased, I'd expect it to mostly be executive saloons with big and powerful engines (V8/V10/V12). Therefore, the control unit should be suited to the interior of such a car. If you find that the main application of your system would be an ammateur trackday car then LCD screen + gimmicks are fine. But if it's for a luxury sedan then it should be fairly discreet, preferably with just a few simple buttons that can be hidden away somwhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted October 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) Yeah i see what you mean with LCD display, it was literally just an initial idea, if i decide to go further with it i could develop it to be more subtle, and theres no reason why you couldnt mount it in your glovebox The monitoring was really so i could just show off some programming skills and stuff, but i may be trying to wedge too much in really. I guess i hadnt really thought about luxury cars using it, more fast road, but the luxury marlet makes sense for sure. A control unit that can sit somewhere discreet would be ideal, so the ability to turn it on and off can be done whilst driving if wished Edited October 13, 2011 by Paul Oliver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) YES! Greetings that was pretty much what I was getting at, but you put it more elegantly. Ediy i just sais that haha Edited October 13, 2011 by dann2707 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pashley26 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) Realistically there are only two ways to do it, bypassing entirely or two sets of baffles and a diverter valve. My ideas on the two would be... Using a wastegate actuator to automatically pull open a valve when the intake pressures get to a set point, putting the gasses through a second set of looser mufflers. This is pretty much the system a Z06 Corvette uses. Second idea would be bypasing the muffler entirely but with manual/automatic control, personally I want one of these. But this company (DHM) make one which is ECU controlled as apposed to boost - http://www.dmhperformance.com/ecutout.htm Edited October 13, 2011 by Pashley26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 dont quote me on this as ive never really looked at one or at it. but on the R1 motorbike they have an ex-up valve which is a butterfly operation. now i dont know if it is to improve preformance by changing the back pressure at diiferent rpm or soley for noise. either way that only uses one silence and baffles. be worth looking at im sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) Good idea, and I could see a lot of kids wanting them, but I wouldn't ever fit one personally. It sounds like the kind of joke product you find on ebay (electic superchargers, that kind of thing), no offense intended. Infact I did see the idea used on one of those absolute disaster build threads that come up occasionally, guy put an extra throttle in his downpipe to achieve the same effect and he was a laughing stock as a result. Edited October 13, 2011 by Jolfa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pashley26 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thats because you don't care about performance Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thats because you don't care about performance want a car that sounds like the exhaust has fallen off Rich Damn straight I don't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Harrison Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Sounds good. I seem to remember watching a Top Gear episode that featured an Aston Martin with something that opened like that. Also other top end cars like the F430 I think have a sports setting which increases engine noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR28 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Sounds good. I seem to remember watching a Top Gear episode that featured an Aston Martin with something that opened like that. Also other top end cars like the F430 I think have a sports setting which increases engine noise. Exactly why - combined with your idea having more 'functions' - that it's not a bad idea at all. Edit: But yes, wouldn't buy one personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Damn straight I don't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Now try to imagine the same system on your typical 1.6-2.0 4 cylinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-comp-kierz Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Sounds like a really good idea. Was having a look on youtube and came across this- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish-Finger-er Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Second idea would be bypasing the muffler entirely but with manual/automatic control, personally I want one of these. bugger off and go live with JT! erm... a few reservations about it being on a road car(if your using it for being less restrictive etc) the way jardo has shown anything that has a downstream lambda probe is obviously going to take some engineering/bodging to get right,and not mess with the air/fuel ratios and the like. and if your having the valve downstream of the cat(and then downstream of the downstream lambda probe) i would imagine there would be an effect on the passing of exhaust gases through the valve(given that its going to be chopped into a standard exhaust system, were talking hitting a close butterfly valve, buffetting back into the gases running towards it then going out the pipe) thats most likely worse than it passing through the rest of the exhaust system. obviously if your going along the idea of designing a system around it, then its a different story, you divert the flow of gases into the silencers, and have them flow freely out the exit, rather than vice versa. my personal take, rather than a valve would be a back box. imagine that, but with a butterfly valve, right in the centre of the box(i.e next to the outlet pipe), with an outlet pipe round it, so that rather than going round the silencer, it literally goes straight through it. didnt the golf r32 have a variable exhaust pitch in relation to throttle position, vehicle speed etc?? (just thought its a bit more real world, and therefore easier to get tech info on, than astons and ferraris) would i buy one, most likely not, would I be peeved if i saw you on dragons den, with my idea in 12 months, most likely not, would i request that you make your sales pitch to deborah meaden rhyme, most definitely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Quigley Posted October 14, 2011 Report Share Posted October 14, 2011 similar to, but expanding upon, the BMW 328i exhaust system? There's a butterfly valve in the straight pipe, operated by a vacuum hose, that opens at a certain RPM. (or thinking about it, once there is a certain volume of air flowing through the intake). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quick_spider Posted October 14, 2011 Report Share Posted October 14, 2011 I'm pretty sure MG ZR 160's had a system like this - it was a butterfly operated by a vacuum line controlled by the ECU (think it was rpm triggered) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted October 14, 2011 Report Share Posted October 14, 2011 Now try to imagine the same system on your typical 1.6-2.0 4 cylinder Yeah, that would be terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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