Within the next month, I will begin working on a new project car. The base car will be a 2 door, 95 neon with a SOHC 2.0 with a 5 speed.
One of the questions that I have been kicking around is exhaust temperature requirements. Is a cooler exhaust temp better? With a completely home made exhaust system (manifold and piping cut, bent and welded in the back yard garage), temp is one factor I am looking at now. I know in theory, the cooler the exhaust, the denser the volume of gases traveling through the piping.
I bit of history behind the project: The car is as mentioned, an stock 2 door 95 Dodge neon. The car currently has approx. 445,000km on it, with the body is considerably good shape ( two minor surface rust spots on hood and passenger door). Gross weight is approx. 2640lb with a full tank of gas, and 12" sub in an MDX box. The car IS still running and driven to this day, but will be replaced when the new Jeep comes in. The reason for using this Neon as a base is that I own it, owe nothing on it, and allows for the $1500 needed to buy another base car, to be spent on components and beer.
This project is currently in the planning stages, but this exhaust question has been kicking around in the back of my mind, so I figured that I would ask. The ultimate goal is to build a fast/light car, with as stock as possible appearance. (All replaced body panels will be painted to match the original color.
The major item on the block right now is the engine selection. The 2.0l is solid, but why work on a car, that will be, in the end, a Neon with bult-ons.
Any other considerations or ideas welcome as this is still in the planning stage.
Thank you, Mike mlawrenc(at)gmail.com