Other then sound, would spending $700 to $1,200 on a new exhaust be worth 2-3 hp to you?

 

I usually change the exhaust on my cars, but haven't started my research.
Where did you find the 2,3 hp increase and what kind of system cat back, turbo back or full custom?

Thanks

 

I can't imagine doing such a thing on a Kona, it's not the type of car for it if you ask me.

 

I myself think it is that type of car, IF it was a 2.0 liter slow Kona maybe then I would agree with you, but he has a 1.6T. Once you start to lower it, add new rims and tires, add a piggyback tune, it will be a semi-fast well handling hot hatch that will took tough with it's cladding. I am leaving my exhaust alone since I want to be able to accelerate fast without having everyone looking at me. I am past loud at 56. I want stealth, and $800-$1,200 for 2 hp is not worth it, at least for my pocket book.

 

Mainia1 said it well.. I agree.. do it for the sound, looks...
I prefer the lack of an exhaust note on this type of car...

 

Thanks to everyone for the comments. Was not really looking for sound but rather improved performance. The comments really help.

 

Jun-BL has an axle back for the Kona but it's around $700+ shipped.

Added performance is another matter. Removing the resonator will just increase sound and may cause droning at particular speeds. There is no aftermarket down pipe available from anyone at the moment. So, until there is one available, you're stuck with the OEM diameter exhaust piping. It doesn't promote improved exhaust scavenging from the turbo back to the muffler.

To get more performance correctly, you have to increase intake pressures by adding a free flowing intake and also improve scavenging from the exhaust, as well as reduce back-pressure. This also necessitates the possibility of a tune, to optimize and adjust the increase requirement for air/fuel flow for the two mods.

Patients is a virtue here. You'll just have to be patient until companies introduce aftermarket exhaust systems, intakes and other performance adders. No one has really picked up the yoke so to speak, at this time. They will develop when performance companies see viable interest and dollars for their efforts.

Your best bet at this moment is a piggyback tuner from DTUK. They have the Tuner, TCU Trans Re-flash, and Power Pedal Plus available for the Kona. For under $1200 you can have all three and it will net you the biggest gains in performance that are available for this amount of expenditure. https://www.diesel-performance.co.u...k/tuning/car/hyundai/kona-from-2017-onwards/1-6-t-gdi-177ps130kw-1591-ccm-2/#go This is a direct page for the 1.6T Kona FWD.

At this time it will be the biggest bang for your buck, so to speak. Make sure you go to the home page. https://www.diesel-performance.co.uk/ , use the drop down list for you particular engine application.

They fun part is; it's about as stealthy as you can go.:grin: It's not detectable by your dealer as it doesn't modify the OEM ECU and keeps the safety parameter intact in the ECU. It's easy to reverse, by simply removing it before you take it in for service. The TCU Trans Re-flash doesn't add a re-flash to the ECU flash counter in the OEM ECU either. So it's not detectable.

For those who have been thinking about re-flashing the ECU, don't. I did speak to the dealer service manager and his words were, "I didn't hear what you said, (with a big :grin as it's not approved by Hyundai." However, he's a performance nut like some of us. So what he doesn't know about won't effect anything, as he stated.

Enjoy and have fun.

Blessings and Peace

 

The noisy aftermarket cans are so annoying. They never sound tuned like they did in the 1960s and 70s. 4-bangers with new cans sound more like loud weed eaters than a car.

 

If you want to go for performance, don't focus on the exhaust (expensive inefficient investment performance wise).
Instead go for (one of) the below:
- better spark plugs;
- an ECU mod and/ or a modded turbo;
- cold air intake;
- larger throttle body and injectors;
- increased compression (max +- 10.0:1);
- install a velocity stack;
- swap the cylinder heads.

If you do one or multiple things, don't forget to rewire the fuel line as it might become a bottleneck...

I have no experience with doing such things on a Kona, but I did have a Volvo (2.0 biturbo) which I took from 245 hp to 315 hp with a relatively low budget (+- 2.500 euro). I could've gone further, but in here you have to get your car retested if you mod >30% of initial power so most people stick to 25-30%. I drove 250.000 km in 5 years with the car and sold it to a guy who appreciated the mods and actually paid a premium for it

 

No increase needed in compression on the Kona. It's already at 11:1. Larger throttle body isn't available at this time and no one is boring them either. There are only two intakes available for the Kona at this time. One is a short ram and the other is either Cold Air in 2.5" or 3 ". There are no performance cylinder heads available. You can have the OEM head cleaned up then port and polish it.

Intake and Exhaust modifications are always the first modifications made, along with a tune. Everything else is secondary to these. These three modifications will net the largest increase in horsepower for the lowest dollar. Internal modification combinations are time consuming and need to be well thought out. Every thing needs to be tuned properly also.
@DJkona; Dyno pulls in OEM trim vs modified trim, are are the only way to see if such modifications actually benefit the engine. A certain amount of back pressure is required. Remove too much and you'll hurt performance. Seat of the pants impressions are not a good indicators of performance gains.lain: One high flow cat is enough for any application.:wink:

Blessings and Peace

 

A lengthy explanation is due here;

You don't need two Catalytic converters. The only reason Hyundai utilizes two, is to meet ULEV standards. Catalytic converters are strictly to meet hydrocarbon emission standards and are a bottle neck to any exhaust system. This is why most engine builders omit them as quickly as they can. Yes there are high flow cats but they are still a restriction to the overall exhaust system.

Sorry, but I totally disagree with your assessment regarding back pressure. All turbos produce back pressure. On non-turbo engines back pressure is a single issue, the pressure in the exhaust system, but on a turbo engine its actually two issues, pressure in the post-turbo exhaust system, and pre-turbine back pressure in the exhaust manifold. The best exhaust for a turbo is no exhaust, Simply an exhaust dump as is use on many turbo applications including motorcycles. A larger down pipe is a must to provide enough scavenging and exhaust pulse which comes from the combustion chamber.

Pre-turbine back pressure is one of the biggest, yet totally invisible, killers of tuned turbo engines, and is also a massive reason certain engine setups don't make the power they're hoped to either. Pre-turbine back pressure is inevitable, it's just a turbo engine thing, one of the things that spools your turbo, and a worthwhile exchange for acceptably fast spool up for your application. Unfortunately, too small a turbine, be it the wheel, housing, or both, can cause too much back pressure, which in turn means exhaust gas struggles to leave the cylinders, huge EGTs, higher cylinder temps, diluted fuel/air mix in the cylinders, and so on, which in turns means hugely more susceptible to engine-killing detonation , not to mention general reliability issues and power restriction.

Turbos have come along way from the past but smaller turbo applications in todays engines with less spool up time, are now becoming a in issue in other ways. There are very few engines today that utilize 11:1 compression ratios and small turbo setup. The Kona 1.6Tis one of these and is primarily to reduce spool up times and produce more useable torque much lower in the RPM range for everyday driving.

In the real world, most engines can be expected to have up to twice the back pressure as boost, but more than that, and some engines do have a LOT more than that due to peoples obsessions with tiny turbine housings (and a great many badly specced turbos with overly small turbine wheels compared to compressor size), which causes a lot of reliability and performance issues, and with no way to know what back pressure they've got, most don't even realize this is the main culprit!

You often find that if your pre-turbine back pressure is more than about twice what the boost pressure is (and some engine setups can be 3 times or more!), changing to a bigger turbine housing, or ideally a bigger turbine wheel, will not only drop the back pressure, but hugely increases power and reliability per psi boost, and actually not slowing your spool up at all despite the bigger turbine; in fact in some situations it speeds it up as it was so strangled beforehand.

The only way to optimize back pressure, is to go with a bigger turbo and use a back pressure gauge to see how much your application is actually strangling your engine. This is why you have to direct your attention to both aspects of the intake and exhaust first and dyno tune, tune, tune.! However, there is only so much you can do with the tiny OEM turbo the Kona 1.6T Gamma engine has. So it's always going to be a limiting factor for the engine until you change that puppy out for a larger one. There is only one larger kit available right now which produces well over 350 whp. Don't recommend it unless you; gut the con rods and pistons for lower compression and stronger units, mill the heads for a copper o-ring seal for higher boost pressures, which will amount to well over 35 psi.

Been dealing with turbos for decades in all types of applications from; MB4-2 aircraft tow tractors, semi tractors, cars, motorcycles etc. There's nothing like a big turbo to optimize back pressure. without some back pressure a turbo application just doesn't work well.:wink::smile:

Blessings and Peace

 

Just in case anyone is wondering, your post is nearly word for word a copy from exhaust backpressure on turbo engines- Never good! - STAV-TECH.

Personally not a fan of plagiarism, but i suppose it gets the job done.

 

On a side note, here is another of hundreds of forums that come up on the subject. https://forums.mightycarmods.com/fo...ods.com/forum/technical/tech-talk/3416-backpressure-the-myth-and-why-it-s-wrong

 

We all plagiarize to some extent through our own studies or applications, personal experiences, learning and life in general. There is nothing new under the sun. Never has, never will be. Everything you or I spout, is either a learned experience, research or hands on. Mine is all three.

The above reigns true, in any case. Back pressure is needed and you can't eliminate it all; not in Compressors, Supercharger, Turbocharger, or naturally aspirated applications. It's a simple by product of the combustion power pulse. The more efficient scavenging the cylinder has, thru reduction of back pressure made before and after the turbo, the higher power developed. It's simple physics and engine dynamics. If you don't have experience with such modifications, just don't do it or have someone who knows how to do it for you. Bolts on's are easy and most backyard mechanics can handle them. However that doesn't mean they know what is actually happening good or bad. It's allot like monkey see, monkey do!

Intakes and Exhaust systems will always net bigger increases for the dollar. However they must be paired in proper application. Tuning is always a must with any alteration to both, fuel systems, larger bores, etc. If you don't tune, you don't optimize and have no idea what the engine is doing or not!

As I stated, "seat of the pants impressions are generally false and more detrimental than they do good. Relying upon a manufacture to make the decisions for you, with a particular product they offer, can cause even more problems if it's not thought out carefully. Not all offered performance part are equal or work alike on each application. Some not at all!! Combinations of such parts need to used and tuned accordingly to ensure they are actually reaching the presumed goal of more power.

It takes time money and experience, your's or someone else's who you know, can trust, possesses excellent working knowledge and understanding. There are allot of tuners and then there are; real tuners. It's like the difference between a semi-professional football player and a real one. They're few and far between and not all actually know what they're doing. They claim too and talk a good story but lack the overall knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to do the job correctly. It cost money to make horsepower, no doubt about it. If you're not prepared to spend it, simply don't go down the road. It will benefit you more, to just leave it alone.

Blessings and Peace

 

Plagiarizing as you call it, can be true or false. In this case; it's simply the truth, in a good effort to stifle falsehood and misunderstanding. Truth is truth, no matter who wrote, spoke it or thought it and expressed it. Reality, is always genuine & certain truth. It omits; falsehoods, opinions, imaginations, fictions, and deceptions as well. Thisis whatlife is made of, nothing more or less. Anything anyone tells you that isn't, it's one of the five above.

Blessings and Peace

 

Try giving credit to the source when you “copy” someone else’s information intact.. less sermons and all knowing attitude
Would also be welcomed.. just sayin .. :angel:

 

I don't know everything, thanks be to the Lord. What I don't know, is vast. . What I do know, comes from experience and the confidence of knowing. What was printed above is factual and truthful.

Note; If I was sermonizing or felt the need too, you'd hear about nothing but Gods Word, solely. I'm not here to do this. Keeping in mind, I'm not offended by Gods Word or his understanding either.

Suggestion, if you don't care for or like the information they way it's being presented, then I might suggest you take different perspective from the one you presently engaged in. That is; being receptive, instead of judging. I can't do this for you, you're in charge of your own thoughts and actions. You are welcome to be who you are. I will gratefully recognize and celebrate who you are, and for who you are. Please allow me to be as I am, without your personal judgement. or personal innuendoes.

If, I believe I need to change something about me, I'll do so within my personal understanding. This is simply common sense, with a bit of understood physiology mixed in.:wink: Peace!:smile:

Now can we set aside the personal digs and keep the discussion on and comments on topic?

Blessings and Peace

 

Just want to thank everyone, again, for all the helpful information. Had a long talk yesterday with a senior Hyundai tech at my local Hyundai dealer. He's done serious performance upgrades to his Genesis 4.6L and his wife's Sonata, including exhaust system upgrades. His bottom-line advice for me (an average day-to-day driver); do nothing, yet. He could only find one cat-back system supposedly designed specifically for a Kona and said the design looked less than desirable (a muffler that appears to hang down in clear sight from the back of the vehicle, and dual exhaust tips that, he said, either means a new body piece or bending the tips down which in his opinion would look cheap). In short, he said to just wait to see if any reputable company would offer an acceptable cat-back specifically for the Kona. And, like some others here, he wondered if the probable cost ($700-$1,000+ plus labor) would be worth the return.

Regardless, I am amazed and really pleased with the interest that people on this forum have for fellow posters.

 

Earlier post referenced two cold air intakes for the Kona Ultimate. Anybody got any information on company or companies where these are available? Any information is much appreciated.

 

I'm waiting for the N Line to come out. I want Hyundai parts, check on Australia and Canada for some options we don't have in the states. Bull or "nudge" bars are available in Australia, we got a Hyundai bug shield and exhaust from Canada for our Veloster. Some dealers will tell you to pull off the cold air intake if you have any engine problems, factory parts will save some headaches.

 

Has anyone looked into or done the axle back dual exhaust? Been thinking of grabbing that and the rear skirt to show the tips (Like in the photos on hyundai canada), but wondering if the exhaust note is changed. The car sounds pretty good (Quiet, but it has some sound to it) when in sport so I'm looking for a bit deeper. Plus the back looks awesome in the photos they show, compared to stock. Surprised no one has it yet here.

 

Has a very deep tone but is not too loud due to the amount of exhaust components before the muffler.
2.5in straight through resonator that is 12in long.
2.5in to 3.5in tip 5in long
More or less copied this:

 

Has a very deep tone but is not too loud due to the amount of exhaust components before the muffler.
2.5in straight through resonator that is 12in long.
2.5in to 3.5in tip 5in long

Great.. thanks for posting.. A sound clip would be most appreciated by all ...

 

Try to get a sound clip after a month as the resonator burns in. Sound is going to change.

 

Well, how did it change the personality of the power through out the power curve? Thanks for the video, and all the different use scenarios.

 

I did the SXTH intake pipe thing and the exhaust basically at the same time so it is hard to tell what did what.
I think any difference I am feeling is due to the intake not exhaust. I would say it holds onto power slightly better in the high rpm and coming into boost from vacuum is a bit quicker/smoother.
Nothing major though just drives smooth and makes fun noises. I have the Intake barb capped with the stock bov recirc hose hanging near the airbox.
Can't really hear it in the video since its not that loud but it does blow off. The wot dct shifts sound pretty awesome if you ask me.
I can't believe how hard this thing goes from a dig through 1 2 3. I noticed from these mods that going flat out from a stop was improved.

 

@h4vok . Awesome exhaust sound video ! Thanks again for posting !
I think it sounds great.. Was surprised it sounded so good.. Any "droning" exhaust
noises at speed?

 

Around 2000 rpm low throttle has some resonance going on. Its not that bad though. You could maybe fit a bit longer resonator on the axle back portion as mine is 12in. I kind of like it because you can hear it a bit when casually accelerating but the resonance is basically gone when you hit 3k+.



I have not noticed increased drag from a lack of muffler but I don't go more than about 75 99% of the time.

 

what do you think the difference would between a shorter glasspack vs a shorter one?

 

My theory is if you could fit a 14 or 16 inch one it would have more surface area to absorb the longer wavelengths of sound to help reduce the resonance.

 

h4vok, do you think 16" will fit?

 

I think that will fit. 12 to 16 would be the ideal sizes to use to replicate what I did if you are just going to use a resonator.

 

thx??

 

Also it will get louder with time when the fiberglass gets degraded with GDI soot.