Diesel engines are noisy. It's the price we pay for all that torque. It might sound cool when you pull away from a signal, but out on the highway, when you're in cruise control at 70 mph and trying to relax, listen to your favorite CD, or have a conversation in a normal voice, there's that exasperating background drone. It's nothing less than annoying.
Finally, technology has come to the rescue. Corsa Performance Exhausts has developed a straight-through, nonrestrictive system for the Ford F-250 and F-350 pickup with the Power Stroke engine. The company's 100-percent stainless steel after-cat exhausts are tuned to each vehicle to eliminate passenger cabin resonance and to produce just the right sound. Using 304 stainless steel, 4-inch-diameter, mandrel-bent tubes, the Corsa provides a 47-percent gain in exhaust flow over stock. That means lower exhaust gas temperatures and improved horsepower and torque. Sure, that's nice, but what really makes Corsa truly different is its RSC (Reflective Sound Cancellation) technology, which allows for tuning out the undesirably low frequencies that cause droning.
The Corsa Performance exhaust comes with all necessary parts, including the hydroformed, 4
Most aftermarket companies use perforated tubes with packing material to muffle noise and achieve the desired sound. Others use baffles, which can sacrifice the benefits of a straight-through design. Corsa's patented RSC technology reflects sound pressure waves within the muffler case to produce the same 180-degree out-of-phase wave cancellation effect that the prohibitively expensive electronic devices being experimented with achieve. RSC was developed by an aeronautical engineer, and years of fluid flow, gas dynamics, thermodynamics, and acoustics experience were adapted to these automotive mufflers.
Initially, the muffler design is calculated using exacting acoustic and thermodynamic formulas. Final design specs are determined using real-time spectrum analysis equipment to analyze actual interior sound at idle, acceleration, and cruise. By adjusting the size of the 360-degree air gap and the length of the pulse channels within the muffler, Corsa engineers can fine-tune each exhaust system to the specific vehicle.
The unique hydroformed 4-inch oval stainless steel tip leaves no doubt to passersby just w
Rudy Antonucci was very familiar with the Corsa concept. He has Corsa Performance exhaust on his Cadillac and Corsa Indy Pace Car Performance exhaust on his Corvette, which he races. When he took delivery of his '06 Ford F-350 Amarillo 4x4 with the Power Stroke diesel, he knew in the first 500 miles that the drone at highway speeds was going to drive him up the wall. Installing a Platinum Juice With Attitude only raised the drone level, albeit along with increased horsepower and torque. Could a Corsa Performance exhaust make the difference? Rudy sought the answer at Browns Valley Truck & RV Performance Center in Browns Valley, California.
The folks at Browns Valley Truck & RV Performance Center are experts in performance and aftermarket exhaust systems. Shawn Maxey is one of the shop's most experienced technicians, but he had never installed a Corsa. He was immediately impressed with the cookbook instructions - in color no less! With the Amarillo up on the rack, a little WD-40 made pushing out the OEM exhaust hangers easy. Rather than battle with the spare tire, a plasma cutter made quick work of getting the factory pipes out of the way.