Anyone Running Dual Exhuast on V6?

[Toy4x4Guy]

I was climing under the 2002s on the lot the other day and noticed how easy it would be to run dual exhaust off this motor. The cats are up front and it already has two of those as well as two O2 sensors. I ran dual pipes on my V6 Tacoma with a Flowmaster muffler and it sounded really nice (akin to a GT Mustang), but I had to run a single in dual out muffler as Toyota joins the pipes at the back of the engine and has one cat.

With the Nissan already having dual pipes all the way to the muffler, I'm suprised I don't see more of you guys running dual exhaust. SMOG would still be legal, and you're bound to pick up a few ponies. Anyone done this or seen it done?

[ToeJam]

I haven't seen or heard of anyone doing a dual exhaust.

It is set up right for a dual system, but is there room for two mufflers?

[Toy4x4Guy]

Two mufflers would be tight. You could probably fit two Flowmaster style muffler side by side and mounted vertically in the spot the stock muffler is located as the Flowmaster style are smaller (alot smaller). The dual pipes could then run straight out the back side by side (sort of European looking I guess).

Another option would be to get a dual in dual out muffler. This would allow both pipes to flow through one performance muffler.

[Goliath the X]

I won't even consider going to dual exhaust until I see some dyno results that prove a HP gain worth the cost of a dual exhaust setup. Running 2 mufflers would be tight, but might be possible if the mufflers are skinny enough. Since I now live in a state that has inspections, I can't take the cats off... I miss Florida.

[Toy4x4Guy]

I was the president of the TN Chapter of our Tacoma club. We took up a collection from members to pay for dyno tests on my truck. To see how I did it goto www.tn-tacomas.com and click on the "Maintenance and Modifications" link. I wrote most of the articles at that site and was the test mule in the Dyno tests. I tested various air filters (K&N, Amsoil, and stock) and had my Flowmaster on as well.

Maybe we could do a similar collection here for someone willing to run dual pipes.

BTW I picked up my 2002 X tonight and am thoroughly impressed. Whoever said it rides like a truck has obviously not ridden in a "real" truck. This thing rides like a caddy compared to my Tacoma.

[Kerensky97]

The people that say it rides like a truck are used to cars.
Like the writers at Motor Trend, Car and Driver....

[Toy4x4Guy]

Originally posted by Kerensky97
The people that say it rides like a truck are used to cars.
Like the writers at Motor Trend, Car and Driver....

That figures. Their opinions never have meant much to me.

[Goliath the X]

ToyGuy, congrats on the new toy. I agree with you about the ride, it felt very smooth to me when I first bought my X, I was used to my stang that was very stiff and an F250 SuperDuty (huge turning radius!!!) that I drove for work. I'll be checking out your link soon, gotta make sure the boss isn't around

I would definetly be interested in seeing some dyno results for the Xterra with various exhaust systems and air filter. I'm not very familiar with HP/Torque curves for engines like the Xterra. I was pretty good at estimating the affects of various mods on my stang. With the Xterra I'm not that interested in better acceleration, however more torque at the low end of the curve is always good.

[ToeJam]

Man, I'd be all over a dyno for at least the air filters. We've had multiple conversations about the actual benefits received from the K&N, so running an actual test on a X would be great.

Keep me in the loop.

[Toy4x4Guy]

Originally posted by Goliath the X
ToyGuy, congrats on the new toy. I agree with you about the ride, it felt very smooth to me when I first bought my X, I was used to my stang that was very stiff and an F250 SuperDuty (huge turning radius!!!) that I drove for work. I'll be checking out your link soon, gotta make sure the boss isn't around

I would definetly be interested in seeing some dyno results for the Xterra with various exhaust systems and air filter. I'm not very familiar with HP/Torque curves for engines like the Xterra. I was pretty good at estimating the affects of various mods on my stang. With the Xterra I'm not that interested in better acceleration, however more torque at the low end of the curve is always good.

I agree on the low end torque. That'll really help you off road types.

The test mule would need to be a 5speed. Autos produce dyno curves that are harder to interpret. With a 5 speed you just get it into 4th gear at 2000 RPMS and let her rip. This is something we can look into.

[Toy4x4Guy]

Originally posted by ToeJam
Man, I'd be all over a dyno for at least the air filters. We've had multiple conversations about the actual benefits received from the K&N, so running an actual test on a X would be great.

Keep me in the loop.

In the Tacoma club we had TONS of debates on air filters. Amsoil is also an excellent choice although I'm not sure if they make one for the X yet. The big debate on the Taco board was whether or not the K&N allowed dirt to pass. We hashed that to death. I finally got sick of all the debate and decided to test it myself. I ran my K&N for 5,000 miles on conventional oil then had the oil tested. It came back perfectly clean. I had 13 ppm (parts per million) of silicone content in the oil. I had actually started an Oil Analysis Database on my old website and we could also do one here. The recommended oil change interval on the Tacoma was 7500 miles. I usually changed mine at 5,000 and was going to test the 7500 but sold the truck before I had the chance. I have two oil test kits at home just waiting to be used on the X.

The test kits are great. A comapny called Oil Analyzers sends them out. I have a connection that can get us tons of parts and he's a great guy (was the webmaster of the TN Chapter of the Tacoma club). I told him I bought and X when I resigned from TTORA and he said he could get Xterra stuff too. He gets the test kits for ~$20. They come mailed to your house and it's a small box with a bottle and a label. You start the engine and let a little oil warm up to operating temp, then drain. Let a little drain before catching some in the bottle. Mail the bottle off (postage paid by Oil Analyzers) and in about a week they send you back a report on the oil. They analyze viscosity, contamination, and metal content. At the end they make a recomendation as to whether the oil is suitable for continued use, or if it should be changed. Again, take a look at my old site to view some reports I had already collected.

Let me know if you're interested in this and I'll get us hooked up with some test kits.

I plan on changing my oil at 2500 miles (new) and again at 5,000 miles for break in. Then after that doing a test at 5,000 miles on conventional oil, and another at 7500 miles on the oil. That will give us a good idea of how often to change the oil in these vehicles.

Sorry for the long post. Once I get settled in with the new X I'll start a new thread about oil testing a air filter tests.

[Goliath the X]

Very Cool!!! I'd be interested in seeing that data on the oil after certain intervals of milage.

Maybe the moderators of these boards could get together and design a sticker and all sales of the stickers go to a fund for dyno testing the effects of certain mods.
Air Filters
Exhaust setups
Synthetic fluids vs. Organic fluids
Tire sizes

What do you moderators say? Everyone loves stickers and this would put fact inplace of fiction and speculation.

Oh', BTW great site ToyGuy, good dyno info for the Taco.

[Toy4x4Guy]

Originally posted by Goliath the X
Very Cool!!! I'd be interested in seeing that data on the oil after certain intervals of milage.

Maybe the moderators of these boards could get together and design a sticker and all sales of the stickers go to a fund for dyno testing the effects of certain mods.
Air Filters
Exhaust setups
Synthetic fluids vs. Organic fluids
Tire sizes

What do you moderators say? Everyone loves stickers and this would put fact inplace of fiction and speculation.

Oh', BTW great site ToyGuy, good dyno info for the Taco.

Thanks, I put a lot of work into that site. I plan on starting the same type of info for the Xterra. I've been around this kind of stuff for a pretty long time and feel I have quite a bit of knowledge to share. This is my first Nissan, but most priciples I've learned will still apply.

Once I get settled in I'll start into some things.

One thing I did notice that you may want to take a look at if you go off road much is putting some type of protection around the rear diff drain plug. The Tacoma had a 1/4" thick steel ring welded to the diff around the plug to protect it from rocks. It would be a good idea to implement something like this on the X as well. I noticed the drain plug is just hanging out there waiting for a rock to bang it up.

[ScottG]

Originally posted by Toy4x4Guy


Thanks, I put a lot of work into that site. I plan on starting the same type of info for the Xterra. I've been around this kind of stuff for a pretty long time and feel I have quite a bit of knowledge to share. This is my first Nissan, but most priciples I've learned will still apply.

Once I get settled in I'll start into some things.

One thing I did notice that you may want to take a look at if you go off road much is putting some type of protection around the rear diff drain plug. The Tacoma had a 1/4" thick steel ring welded to the diff around the plug to protect it from rocks. It would be a good idea to implement something like this on the X as well. I noticed the drain plug is just hanging out there waiting for a rock to bang it up.

You have all kinds of great ideas! I think we could use a guy like you around here I would like to see the results on the oil, as I've seen wide ranging opinions on when it should be changed.

I read your Tacoma dyno tests. Do you think that your exhaust could have actually lowered your torque? That maybe why your torque numbers were lower than Toyota's.

[Toy4x4Guy]

Originally posted by ScottG


You have all kinds of great ideas! I think we could use a guy like you around here I would like to see the results on the oil, as I've seen wide ranging opinions on when it should be changed.

I read your Tacoma dyno tests. Do you think that your exhaust could have actually lowered your torque? That maybe why your torque numbers were lower than Toyota's.

I wondered about that. There was another guy who was going to do before and after exhaust Dynos to compare to mine, but he never ended up doing it. I'll stay in contact with him and see if he ever gets around to it.

I really think Toyota's torque number was a bit inflated. If the exhaust lowered the torque, it couldn't have been by that much. The HP did go up 7HP though. I'll be in contact with the guy doing the runs and I'll let ya'll know when he does it.