Why You Might Want To Think Twice About Adding A Titanium Exhaust To Your Project Car

An exhaust system is quite a popular mod for project cars. Not only do they make the car sound better, but they have minor performance benefits as well. Now, there are quite a few materials from which an exhaust can be made out of, with some of the more popular ones being stainless steel and titanium. The latter of the two is the more exotic one, and it could offers some benefits in terms of weight, but everything comes at a cost.

As mentioned, titanium exhaust systems carry a very significant weight advantage, being almost 40% lighter than an equivalent stainless steel exhaust. It also has a different sound to it, and after a couple of heat cycles, titanium exhausts can turn blue throughout. Titanium is however, extremely hard to work with, and since it cannot be mandrel-bended like steel, it is harder to make it as durable as stainless steel, mainly due to its manufacturing process.

Titanium has quite a few advantages, which is one of the reasons why it is used abundantly in racing applications, in aerospace applications, and even in phones now. Titanium is lightweight, resistant to corrosion, and it has incredible resistance to heat as well. That being said, it only makes sense where weight matters a lot. Its strength-to-weight ratio is its most crucial aspect.

We have discussed that titanium is extremely expensive. This is due to the fact that special procedures, like back-purging the gas, are used to maintain a strong, durable weld. There also needs to be a shielding around the weld to prevent it from oxidation. Titanium is also not as durable for cars which are going to be used on the road in the long run, as it becomes brittle in the cold, and constant heat cycles may cause stress in the metal. They are also prone to cracking.

When deciding for an exhaust for your project car, you really need to figure out what is going to be the purpose of your build. If you are looking to build an outright track car which needs every bit of weight savings, then a titanium exhaust might just be worth the extra money. If you are looking to have a street build, then stainless steel is much better, offering a good balance between cost and durability.

There is also the question of the sound. Titanium has a very distinct sound signature. This is due to the metal's unique physical properties. Most titanium exhausts have a very high-pitched tone, becausetitanium is quite a bit stiffer and thinner than stainless steel, and this results in faster propagation of sound waves. This comes down to personal preference. Stainless steel exhausts will have a deeper tone, which some people might prefer over the high-pitched sound of titanium exhausts. You might also have to look at the laws in your state regarding exhaust modification before doing any changes.