How to Straight Pipe a Car

Ready to hear your engine roar? We’ve put together this step-by-step guide on how to straight pipe your car.
Written by Natalie Todoroff
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Installing a straight pipe exhaust system is the process of swapping out your vehicle’s catalytic converter, muffler, particle filter, and resonator and replacing them with a straight pipe that runs the exhaust gases from the exterior manifold to outside the car. If it’s legal in your state, we’ll walk you through how to do it! 
A straight pipe system is a great DIY project for car owners who want to increase their car’s performance and make it feel—and sound—more like a racecar. And
Jerry
can teach you how to do it yourself! 
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What is a straight pipe exhaust?

A straight pipe exhaust system is perfect for car enthusiasts that want to experience the full, uninhibited roar of their engine. Fresh off the factory floor, your car’s exhaust system comes equipped with several parts like a muffler, particle filter, resonator, and catalytic converter that reduce emissions, engine noise, and exhaust gases.
A straight pipe exhaust system removes these original parts and replaces them with a single, straight pipe that runs directly from the exhaust manifold to the exterior of your car.
Without the added curves and bends of a standard exhaust pipe system, a straight pipe exhaust reduces backpressure and increases airflow to make your exhaust system more efficient. The result? A loud, vroom-tastic engine sound with added horsepower, better fuel economy, and increased engine performance. 
Note that a straight pipe exhaust is not the same thing as a muffler delete. Installing a straight pipe exhaust system involves swapping out your car’s original parts, while a muffler delete is just the process of removing the muffler. 

How to straight pipe a car

Before we get into the step-by-step of how to straight pipe a car, we’d first encourage you to check if it’s legal to install one. Because of the significantly increased exhaust sound and harmful emissions, many states have completely outlawed straight pipe exhausts. So, before you commit to the idea of adding a straight pipe exhaust system to your vehicle, first double-check its legality in your state beforehand.
MORE: How to pass emissions testing

Measure your muffler size 

First, you’ll need to determine the size and type of your muffler. You’ll need to know this in order to know your muffler’s capacity to prevent backflow into the exhaust system. If you purchase a straight pipe exhaust kit, it should come with both a pre-silencer and a new straight-line muffler with a simpler flow-through design. 

Park the car and lift it 

Next, you’ll need to lift your car to access the exhaust system. We’d recommend you do this with a car lift as opposed to putting it on jack stands in order to better access the underside of your vehicle. 
MORE: How to put a car on jack stands

Plan out the new exhaust layout 

Once you’ve gotten familiar with your car’s existing exhaust system, grab a paper and pencil and map out your plan for your new exhaust system—and be sure you account for the necessary bends needed to work around the existing parts around your vehicle’s exhaust system. 

Remove the current exhaust system 

Now, with your plan in mind, go ahead and grab some silicone lubricant to loosen your current exhaust system. Remove the clamps to detach the exhaust system from your vehicle. 
This next part is important: you’ll need to disengage your catalytic converter, but do not remove it completely

Install a new exhaust system 

With your new pipes all mapped out and ready, it’s time to cut the mandrel bend sections for pipe installation. Check and make sure all the pieces fit beneath your car before you weld them together. Once they’re welded together, treat the new pipes with heat-resistant paint if they're not chrome or stainless steel. 
Lastly, mount your system to the underside of your vehicle and enjoy your new ride! 
Pro Tip To really take the sound of your car’s engine to the next level, try adding a sound-amplifying exhaust tip! 

Find hassle-free car insurance 

With this sweet modification to your car, you’ll have even more incentive to keep it protected with a great
car insurance
policy. And, if you want to do it the easy way and save a couple (or a lot) of bucks in the process, downloading
Jerry
is your best bet. 
Jerry is both the no.1 rated insurance comparison shopping app and a
licensed insurance broker
that presents you with competitive quotes from premium insurance providers in minutes! On average, Jerry users saved over $800 a year on their auto insurance policies when they shopped with the app, and signing up takes only 45 seconds.   
“A seamless process and a fantastic app!
Jerry
saved me over $2,000 on car insurance. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.” —Osvaldo B. 
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds
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