Commonly asked questions are listed below, however, if you have one, please ask us and we will answer you.
Questions relating to High Performance Cars
Rather than answering general questions here we feel it would be better to answer questions relating to high performance cars by gaining as much information about your vehicle and modifications already done. We will be able to advise you on what to fit and the gains you can expect. We can put you in touch with exhaust services that have links to tuners. Please use the email box here to post your questions
tuning@vortex-performance-exhausts.co.uk
Questions relating to cars
Q. Will the vortex fit all cars? A. In nearly every case the Vortex ExhaustTM Resonator is smaller than the main muffler it replaces so there is no problem fitting.
Q. Do all cars of the same make and model have the same gain in power and torque? A. Yes, some cars do better than others. This will depend on the condition of your engine and the version of Engine management System (EMS). EMS is a field of continual development and manufacturers often modify EMS systems several times during the production life of a car. So two cars from the same year won’t necessarily have the same performance.
Q. Should I upgrade the size of my exhaust when fitting a vortex? A. Only if the pipe has a diameter less than 2” to begin with. Bigger is not necessarily better! Sometimes it can reduce your low down performance if you go for a bigger pipe size. The front pipe must not be bigger in diameter than the Vortex ExhaustTM Resonator inlet diameter and the diameter of the part of the exhaust system and tail pipe.
Q. Will a Vortex ExhaustTM Resonator work on an exhaust system that is bigger than 3” on high performance cars? A. Yes, but you need a specially constructed Vortex Sport Exhaust?.
Q. If I have a v-engine and two independent exhaust pipes do I need two vortex mufflers? A. Not necessarily. You could branch into a y-piece. Alternatively you can fit two mufflers in parallel.
Q. Will it work on a rotary engine? A. Yes, with results as good as other engines, if not better, because you may have very high backpressure initially.
Q. Will I get a fuel saving on a very high performance car? A. Yes, however, if you have an engine management system that does not change fuelling because it is not self-learning you will need to get the software remapped to save fuel, and have the engine running at its best.
Q. What if I have other modifications such as upgraded air filter, intercooler, new chip, new headers, or an enhanced turbo? A. The vortex muffler will complement and increase your performance further as these modifications will do nothing to alleviate backpressure.
Questions relating to 4x4s
Q. How will it affect the performance of my 4x4? A. You will benefit from more power torque and fuel saving. This applies to diesel and petrol 4x4s. Importantly it will reduce fuel consumption by up to 25% in the petrol 4x4s on cruising long distances.
Q. Will the vortex muffler give further economy and power on an LPG converted vehicle? A. Yes, the vortex will in all cases reduce backpressure and increase economy and power. This will allow you to use throttle less to maintain speed and gives you a much better running engine when running on gas or petrol.
Q. What performance can I expect from the turbo on my TDi? A. The turbo will deliver a much smoother performance than before because it will not be restricted by exhaust backpressure. It will start to function earlier (at lower revs) because exhaust gas be flows at a higher velocity in a Vortex ExhaustTM than in a conventional exhaust.
Q. What if I have modified my engine in other ways? A. Vortex complements all other modifications and increases performance further. However, if you have changed the fuel delivery from standard settings it would be best to set them back to standard because you do not need to overfuel once the vehicle is fitted with a Vortex Exhaust?.
Questions relating to Trucks
Q. Do you have a vortex to fit every type of truck? A. Yes. We make them to order.
Q. Will I get the same fuel saving as in cars? A. We have had between 8% and 24% improvements on vehicles tested for fuel savings. Drivers praise the new performance and comment on the torque increase resulting in better hill climbing and the ability to manoeuvre in traffic because their vehicle is much more responsive. They find it easier to change lanes because their vehicle is much more responsive with a vortex.
Q. Will it work with air traps in the exhaust to slow the vehicle on declines? A. Yes. Although depending on how the vehicle is being driven the fuel saving will vary. It will deliver more fuel savings on long runs.
Q. Will it work with other environmental modifications? A. Yes, but provided these modifications do not create a backpressure behind the Vortex ExhaustTM Resonator it will give the benefits of power, torque and fuel savings.
Q. If it reduces emissions can I get grants etc to fit them, or escape from pollution penalties? A. We are working on that. However, our emissions tests show a remarkable drop in particulate levels and fuel consumed, which means less of all polluting gases.
Q. How long will it take me to recover my outlay per truck if I have vortex exhausts fitted? A. This depends on the type of trucks and the mileage you cover. Most truck operators should recover their outlay on the vortex muffler within two months through the economy it brings.
Questions relating to Taxis and Hackney carriages
Q. What fuel saving can I make after fitting a vortex system on a Hackney carriage? A. This depends on where they are used. In city use in trials we got a14% reduction in diesel on daily back-to-back tests against the PCO standard exhaust on the same TX1 Fairway black cab. On a motorway test we got a gain of 80 miles extra on a full tank of diesel. Read the article on this site originally published by the taxi press.
Q. Will it work on all taxis? A. Yes.
Questions relating to Marine Vessels
Q. How can I get one fitted to my vessel? A. Contact us through the enquiry form on this site’s home page and we will get back to you?
Q. How long does it take? A. This will depend on what we have in stock and how quickly we can work on your boat. In most cases we will insist on our engineers doing the work. But with supervision you may be able to do some parts yourself. Whatever happens we will do it in such a way that your boat will not be laid up for longer than necessary.
Q. Can it harm my engine because I do not want to be stranded out at sea? A. No. On the contrary it will put less strain on your engine and reduce the chances of breaking down.
Q. How much fuel will I save? A. Can be up to 25%, so you will need to calculate what that means to you?
Q. How much will it cost to convert my boat engine exhaust system? A. This depends on what we have to do. But we will be happy to give you a free assessment before you decide.
General questions
Q. What happens if I fit a Vortex ExhaustTM to a vehicle with a turbocharged engine?
A. You will get a lower boost threshold and the turbo vanes it will accelerate faster. That will give much more boost and a smooth acceleration to you engine. You will know immediately that a major change has occurred.
Q. What happens if there is an Exhaust Gas Return valve fitted to the exhaust? A. This will not affect the function or any of the benefits of the Vortex Exhaust?.