With the inhaling end of things buttoned up, it came time to open up the exhaust system. Although the stock exhaust system on the Project Evo is far better than those found on the majority of vehicles out there, it still possesses the same restrictive qualities. Whether it’s piping that constantly kinks back and forth or pinched at bends (not mandrel bent like performance systems, in which the bends are created in a way that preserves the inner diameter of the piping), it isn’t the most efficient lay out possible.
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. And it’s no different when dealing with exhaust gases. Whereas some back pressure is actually a positive for a naturally aspirated engine, this isn’t the case for turbo engines. Quick evacuation of exhaust gases from the turbine side will lend to quicker turbo spool and generation of power at the crank. Hence, piping should be as straight as possible and bigger to offer increased exhaust gas velocity.

As illustrated in the above photo, the HKS Carbon / Titanium Hi-Power exhaust system is far more efficient and superior in design over its stock counterpart. Piping is enlarged and as straight as possible. The only bend present is the joint between the B pipe and the exhaust canister itself, promoting free flow. The exhaust system features full SUS304 stainless steel piping for excellent corrosion resistance, which is important for regions where winter snow and road salt can creative havoc on untreated metal surfaces. The canister is wrapped in carbon fiber and finished off with a titanium tip, burnished at the edge for show points.

Again, we tapped the services of Edgar Mendoza at Garage Boso in Gardena, CA for the install. As Edgar concurred, everything fit as it should. This is an important point to remember regardless of what you may consider for your ride. Purchase parts made by reputable manufacturers. This will assure that the product is actually engineered and designed for your vehicle. All the hardware will be included with the part. Finally, you will be able to extract the kind of the performance you expect from your new purchase. Parts made by inferior companies can’t deliver on any of these promises. As you may have noticed, only top-notch parts from top-notch companies have been utilized on our Project Evo. This will be the persistent theme in any build we do.

Complimenting the HKS Racing Suction Reloaded intake kit featured in the previous installment of Project Evo, throttle response has been improved even further. The ass dyno is definitely telling us that mid-range and high-end power has been improved. We’ll confirm this and many more things once the car is strapped to the dyno.

In the next installment, we tackle the interior of the car as we head toward the end of phase 1 for Project Evo. And we feature the absolutely best made seats on the planet, courtesy of Recaro.

Sourcebox

HKS USA
13401 S. Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90061
(310) 491 3300
www.hksusa.com

Garage BOSO
123 E. Gardena Blvd., #C
Gardena, CA 90248
(310) 715-1380
www.garageboso.com