When most people think of car exhaust modifications, the first thing that comes to mind is a louder exhaust. While this is certainly one of the reasons for exhaust modification, it’s not the only one.
Another reason car enthusiasts start to change up parts of their exhaust is due to the factory exhaust system on their car not performing as well as it should and deciding to upgrade in order to improve overall performance. There are a number of benefits to modifying your exhaust system, whether you’re looking for better sound, improved fuel economy, or increased power.
One extreme modification that you don’t hear about too often unless you are deep into performance tuning is a screamer pipe.
In this article, we will discuss screamer pipes and what they are, and give a rundown of the pros and the cons of running this type of setup on a car.
What is a Screamer Pipe?
A screamer pipe setup( or waste-gate pipe as they are sometimes known) is a type of exhaust configuration that can be achieved only on turbocharged vehicles.
On a normal turbo, the wastegate gasses exit into the normal exhaust flow down and out of the end of your exhaust pipe at the back of the car.
An external wastegate setup eliminates the wastegate on the turbo itself and moves it upstream between the manifold and the turbo which essentially makes it its own self contained unit. When the gasses reach the desired pressure coming out of the exhaust ports on the engine, the wastegate opens and vents the excess exhaust gasses away from the turbo to stop over spooling.
A screamer pipe is effectively a dump pipe that vents these excess gasses straight out into the atmosphere (usually just out of the bottom of the car, but sometimes out of the bonnet) instead of into the normal exhaust flow(through the catalytic converter and the silencer).
What are the Benefits of a Screamer Pipe?
There a some key reasons why enthusiasts choose to run a screamer pipe setup on their car
Performance benefits
Screamer pipes are particularly helpful when running high levels of boost or there’s too much exhaust gas running through the turbo that the internal wastegate cant cope with it and starts over boosting, as it cants let the gases out quick enough.
Screamer pipes can help to keep the turbo spinning a little longer and allow for a faster back on the throttle response helping to eliminate turbo lag – which ultimately results in greater performance gains.
Sound Enhancement
A screamer pipe is instantly recognizable from the sound that it generates ( hence the name ) and can make a car sound like a jet engine when it is on full boost.
Apart from it’s distinctive sound , it also increases the volume A LOT. A screamer pipe can run at about 120db which will automatically exclude you from running in any track days which have noise limitations.
Screamer pipes are one of the most extreme sounding exhaust mods you can do , so before you you commit to installing one , you need to understand what you will be committing to!
An example of a screamer pipe sound can be heard in the video below.
Are Screamer Pipe Setups Legal?
In most countries in the world, a screamer pipe for street use is technically Illegal, this is due to emissions issues ( As the gases don’t get passed through the catalytic converter ) and of course the noise issues.
If you pass a cop on full boost with a screamer pipe, you can be guaranteed you are going to be pulled over and handed a ticket or a hefty fine.
Just because they are not technically legal, doesn’t necessarily turn a lot of people off from running this setup.
How Much Is a Screamer Pipe Setup?
For the part itself you are usually talking about less than $200 in most cases, depending on the car. The real cost comes down to the other hardware and labour involved in achieving the setup
For Example ( Rough Estimates )
- A Wastegate – $450-$600
- Welding up/removal of factory gate – $100-$250
- Labour (remove/refit turbo, dump, screamer pipe etc) – $400
Then there are other variables about how you attach the gate, either via a new manifold or off the exhaust housing itself.
The prices above are only a rough guess based on normal workshop pricing. You might be able to get it done cheaper if you are lucky.
Are Screamer Pipes Worth It?
The main reason people tend to run these types of setups is down the the “Coolness” factor. For everyday use they are certainly not practical (Or legal) but for extremely tuned cars, this type of setup can be desirable for some enthusiasts and that’s why people go down this route
Before committing to running this type of setup you should weigh up the pro’s and con’s for yourself and decide whether it’s worth it for you.
