The current obsession with popping exhausts

Soldato
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It's particularly prevalent with the Focus ST lot as the OP says, mine would let out a gunshot when I had a decat & atmospheric dump valve fitted, it would flame occasionally too. It certainly wouldn't do it on the overrrun though, that would annoy the hell out of me!

Switching to a diesel is a bit of a difference in noise levels :p
 
Sgarrista
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Was driving through town today and let off and the lambo did the biggest bang its done to date, narrow high street, tall buildings. Sounded like a 12 gauge going off :D
 
Soldato
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If I let of the throttle at high revs my Astra estate pops and gurgles a bit..... Luckily I very rarely let of the throttle at high revs so it does not happen much...
 
Associate
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Interestingly the Focus ST225 does quite easily although it is subtle and not really any use for it. The Monaro might do, I don't know, the exhaust note is so loud that it probably drowns out any pops and bangs.

Not something that would make me want to buy a car, I don't get why a manufacturers performance variant has to go to the extent of having a button to press for it, but then again, I don't get why cars such as the Focus RS need a drift mode. A drift mode can't be used on the road, and I doubt car parks would want people drifting round also with some liability issue for all parties if there is public access which then limits the usability further to track days (which are fun for a couple of hundred ££) and the marshals probably don't like it being done there, along with the fact you damage the clutch in the process.

Still, it's a selling point I suppose, and if there wasn't the demand for it then a manufacturer wouldn't bother developing it.
 
Man of Honour
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So why didn't the previous generation S3 do it?


In what way?

Mine doesn't do it


Could be a combination of things as to why some do and don't.

Theres inevitably some sound engineering involved, but the noise is mainly a function of the torque reduction needed for upshifts. The parpy upshifts are using heavy ignition retard, the cars that don't they may use throttle closure instead
 
Soldato
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So looks like the general consensus in here is it's only cool if it happens without mapping and timing/ignition tweaks. Sounds about right...

Couldn't really help it in my Evo.

Could be a combination of things as to why some do and don't.

Theres inevitably some sound engineering involved, but the noise is mainly a function of the torque reduction needed for upshifts. The parpy upshifts are using heavy ignition retard, the cars that don't they may use throttle closure instead

The DCT in the A45 is silent in comfort mode. Only when you change drive modes does it start parping like a labrador that's eaten a can of beans.
 
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Soldato
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Could be a combination of things as to why some do and don't.

Theres inevitably some sound engineering involved, but the noise is mainly a function of the torque reduction needed for upshifts. The parpy upshifts are using heavy ignition retard, the cars that don't they may use throttle closure instead
Well, I'm running the same engine and gearbox as the Golf GTI in my vRS. That farts, mine doesn't (much to the disappointment of many fart loving vRS owners).

I suspect its more to do with the exhaust system than anything and whether they choose to amplify said noise, or reduce it...
 
Associate
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It's particularly prevalent with the Focus ST lot as the OP says, mine would let out a gunshot when I had a decat & atmospheric dump valve fitted, it would flame occasionally too. It certainly wouldn't do it on the overrrun though, that would annoy the hell out of me!

Switching to a diesel is a bit of a difference in noise levels :p

It's the atmospheric BOV that will be causing that. When the BOV vents to atmosphere, it is releasing air that has already been metered by the MAF, and the ECU will have fuelled accordingly as the stock ECU was set up with a recirculating system in mind. Most of that air never makes it to the cylinders so you get a momentary super rich condition causing the "gunshot" sound as all that unburnt fuel goes into the hot turbo / exhaust system.
 
Soldato
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I'd rather hear someone dragging their fingernails down a blackboard than an S54 engine to be fair. If I wanted to hear a bag of nails then I'd just put a load of nails in a bag.

Hmmm, that explains a lot...


I think I speak for us all when I say - you can keep your naff sounding exhaust pops :p
 
Soldato
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I think I speak for us all when I say - you can keep your naff sounding exhaust pops :p
I guess I've been spoilt over the years, as that sounds awful to me. Obviously the X3 popping is a joke, although does make me laugh. But I really don't like the sound of that e46 and never have. I have owned e36 M3s and did like the sound of those. But in all honesty my favourite sounding cars I've owned have been my mk1 Ford Escort 1.7 crossflow with twin 40s, followed closely by my old 3.0S Capri. I guess it's horses for courses.
 
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