VW Golf 2.0L TDI Exhaust System

Based on the success they’ve had with their popular 3 Inch Stainless Monster Exhaust for the 2.0L CR Jetta TDI, we’re pleased to announce that Gale Banks Engineering has now released a Banks Monster Exhaust for 2010-2012 VW Golf TDI’s.

Made from stainless steel, the CR TDI exhaust system retains your emissions control equipment while eliminating all remaining factory restrictions.   It removes your muffler, and replaces the stock dual exit tips with a massive high-polished 304 Stainless steel tip.  This exhaust is a great starting point to help take your Golf to a whole new level of diesel performance. More quickness off the line, more power throughout the RPM range, less heat, and better fuel economy … all in one simple bolt-on package.

For this and our whole line of TDI performance parts, visit us at Parley’s Diesel Performance.

Choosing the Right Diesel Performance Exhaust System for Your Diesel Truck (part 1 of 2)

It’s widely known that upgrading your factory system to a performance diesel exhaust is a great way to increase your engine’s power and fuel economy.   Because of all the changes to stock emissions systems over the past few years, there now exists some confusion and questions among diesel owners as to which exhaust upgrade is the best option for them.   Parleys Diesel Performance wants to help you make an informed and educated choice, so let’s start by reviewing the basics.

Traditionally, light duty diesel truck factory exhaust systems were 3 inches or 3.5 inches in diameter, with crimped spots along the diesel exhaust system that hampered flow and robbed your vehicle of its true potential.   Installing a performance system to increase the diameter of your exhaust allowed your engine to expel exhaust gasses more efficiently, and mandrel bends gave your exhaust a true 4″ diameter.  Diesel trucks today come from the factory with catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, even urea injection systems (also called SCR or selective catalytic reduction).  And 4 inch stock exhausts are commonplace.

Late Model Exhaust Diagram

So which exhaust should you choose for your truck?

If you have a “pre-DPF” diesel pickup (anything before the 2007.5 6.7L Cummins, 2008 6.4L Powerstroke, or 2007.5 Duramax LMM) the most common diesel exhaust upgrade is a four inch turbo back exhaust system.  The standard 4″ diameter will meet most people’s needs; however, if it’s your intention to upgrade your vehicle to a high horsepower level (think over 550HP), we recommend you invest in a 5″ diesel performance exhaust system. This will allow the larger amount of exhaust your high horsepower diesel creates to flow properly and keeping temperatures down.

AFE 5″ Stainless Steel Turbo Back Exhaust System for 2004.5-2007 Dodge 5.9L Cummins

In addition to figuring out the diameter of the exhaust system you want for your truck, there are also some other important choices to make.  Diesel exhaust systems come in four main materials: T-304 Stainless Steel (high-polish show finish quality), 409 Stainless Steel , Aluminized Steel (similar to your original stock exhaust), and different variations of Black Stainless or Black Aluminized Steel.   You also need to decide whether you want to have a muffler or not, and if you do choose a muffler, do you want one that is a high flow performance muffler or one that keeps your exhaust volume low.  The majority of Turbo-Back Exhausts come with high flow performance mufflers.  If you want a “straight pipe” exhaust, meaning no muffler, a popular choice is the no-muffler series from MBRP Performance Exhaust.  Their stainless steel SLM (Stainless Less Muffler) and PLM (Performance Less Muffler – this is aluminized steel)  are very competitively priced and work great.

MBRP Installer Series 5″ Turbo-Back Exhaust For 2003-2007 Ford 6.0L Powerstroke

Although less popular, catalytic converter or Cat-Back Diesel Exhausts allow you to upgrade the sound and flow of your exhaust and in some areas are necessary to keep your diesel street legal.

Magnaflow XL Series Stainless Steel 4 Inch CAT-Back Exhaust for 1999-2007 Ford 6.0L & 7.3L Powerstroke

With exhaust systems from all the best manufacturers, Parley’s Diesel Performance can help you choose the proper diesel exhaust system for your truck.  Whether you choose to install a Cat-Back or a Turbo-Back diesel exhaust, or if you just aren’t sure and would like help deciding, contact us and we’ll help you make the right decision.  In part 2, we’ll help you choose the right exhaust system if you own a DPF-equipped diesel truck.

Aero Exhaust 2525XL Muffler Install Video: 2004 VW Jetta TDI

The Aero Exhaust Turbine Performance Muffler increases performance and fuel economy on your Volkswagen TDI.

Visit Parley’s Diesel Performance for all your diesel performance parts needs.

2011 2.0L VW Jetta TDI Exhaust System Upgrade

Parley’s Diesel Performance is pleased to announce that AFE has released their stainless steel Catalytic Converter-Back exhaust system for the 2011 Jetta TDI.  AFE had previously made available the same style system for the 2011 Golf 2.0L TDI exhaust and all the early reviews on that system have been positive, so we expect good things for 2011 Jetta TDI owners who choose this system to upgrade their cars.

The exhaust note is a bit throatier than stock, and the dual 3 inch double-walled polished T-304 Stainless steel tips look really clean and aggressive.  The exhaust system is fully mandrel-bent as you would expect, and the hangers line up well for a good clean installation.

2011 Jetta TDI Exhaust System AFE49-46401

Many cat-back diesel exhaust systems don’t require any cutting of the stock pipes for installation, but this kit does.   It’s impossible to clear the rear axle when removing the OEM exhaust without making the cut.  We just wanted you to know.  If you’re interested in upgrading the performance of your 2011 Jetta TDI (including Sportwagens), we recommend pairing this TDI exhaust upgrade with AFE’s 2.0L Jetta TDI Intake system and a 2011 TDI Performance Module from Diesel Power.

One last note – this exhaust system is legal in all 50 U.S. states because it retains all of your emissions control equipment.

VW TDI Performance – Building The Beast

As with building up any vehicle for power, Volkswagen TDI performance starts with making the basic modifications first.  The VW TDI will get its biggest two gains out of a TDI performance chip or module and out of upgraded injectors. Your average chip or module upgrade will give about a 20% power increase. A tdi injector upgrade usually yields about a 20% gain as well.  If the right combination of TDI chip/module and injectors are used, even more will be gained, i.e. (Van Aaken Smartbox & Van Aaken Smart Power Nozzles). Those are the most basic VW TDI performance upgrades.

Another basic VW TDI performance modification is the TDI performance exhaust. If you are going to increase fueling you will in turn increase EGT’s (exhaust gas temperatures). So to keep temperatures lower and to help increase performance of the VW TDI even more, one of two things can be done; first, a mufflerectomy can be performed, in which the muffler and resonator are removed and a straight pipe is put in their place. This opens things up a little and removes the baffling of the muffler so that the exhaust can flow more freely. The second TDI exhaust option is the Aero Exhaust turbine muffler. The inner design of Aero Exhaust’s performance muffler works the same as a jet engine to increase the flow of exhaust even more than what a mufflerectomy does. The inner design splits the air via an air foil. The faster air moves through the center and the slower air moves around the outside of the air foil, the slower moving air then re-enters the main air stream through inlets that go down the sides of the mufflers inner cylinder. This recombining creates a vortex that lowers the tone of the exhaust and dramatically reduces back pressure by increasing the flow of all the exhaust that moves through it.

Increasing air flow into the engine will help more of the fuel to be combusted and to help extract more power out of each molecule of fuel. Most diesel cold air intakes have a large cone air filter that is able to move up to 300% more air than the stock air intake system. This makes the cold air intake an important part of any VW TDI performance package, sadly though, cold air intakes are not currently made for all the vw tdi models. Another modification that helps with air intake and exhaust is water methanol injection. Water methanol injection is also known as chemical intercooling. It has a three fold effect on the diesel engine. First, it cools the intake charge which provides for more available air intake and the benefits of a higher positive pressure ratio (more power giving fuel can be utilized safely without high combustion temperatures). Two, the combustion of water also adds power.  Third, methanol is also a high octane fuel that adds more power. Water methanol injection typically lowers EGT’s by about 200 to 250 degrees on bigger diesels and is slightly under that for the VW TDI.

So in conclusion, to be able to build a real beast, the modifications must be made from the ground up.  After these mods are made then a bigger turbo and intercooler could be added as well as upgrading the clutch and other components to help hold the added power.

The TDI Chip and TDI Exhaust are the beginning of any VW TDI Performance upgrade. – Nathan Young

Visit Parleys Diesel Performance for all your diesel performance part needs.