Technical Features
Project 854 Part IV: A Sport Exhaust for Increased Power
By By:George Achorn
Feb 3, 2002, 23:26

In the last installment of our 854R project car, we upgraded the car's ECU, adding some additional horsepower. While happy with the result, one of the findings of our research was that the original programmer of the ECU, a Swedish company known as TME, strongly recommends the use of a sport exhaust. Further, we wanted to push the car closer to a power goal just below 300hp, so adding the exhaust seemed like the perfect way to address these needs.

Sport exhausts, like ECUs come in all shapes and sizes. They also come with a wide variance in sound levels. Ranging from the subtle and quiet factory exhaust to some of the more aggressive, loud and burbling racing exhausts, there is something to be found for everyone.

As with our ECU choice, our exhaust upgrade criteria hinged around refinement and something that could pass as a subtly aggressive note that might still have come straight from the factory. Our 854R is used in the professional environment and a solution was required that would not offend those passengers who may not share the same level of fanaticism that we do for things high performance.

Bearing all this in mind, the obvious choice for Project 854R seemed to be the cat-back (everything aft the catalytic converter) sport exhaust offered by ipd and developed by TME to work specifically with the Motronic+ ECU we'd installed previously. This less restrictive exhaust was specifically designed to work with Motronic+ and is actually more optimal, especially in cases of sustained full throttle or towing where the hotter Motronic+ programming can overheat the turbo or the catalytic converter if an owner is not careful.



From a noise standpoint, TME designed the exhaust to be throatier in sound than stock, though it had to meet European noise level regulations. Outside noise levels are claimed to be 74 dB, an amount arrived at through EN 45001 test procedures by TME.

Outwardly, this translates to a throatier, sexier sound that isn't obnoxious or droning. Fire up the motor, and you are greeted by the familiar 5-cylinder tone, yet with a more rich lower resonance that is more befitting of the R's more sporting nature.

The new piping is 63.5mm in diameter and of a free flow design and made of 409 quality stainless steel while the tip and cans are polished 308 quality. As the catalytic converters already restrict the exhaust, the larger diameter of the new ipd system helps to compensate for this. This allows gases to escape more easily. Less resistance for the exhaust gases translates into increased horsepower and torque in the mid and upper rpm range.

The silencers used by TME in the muffler work on the principal of absorption. Rather than use of power-sucking baffles, TME makes use of stainless steel wool and EWG-approved basalt wool. As a result, backpressure is minimized.

The power breaks down on the car now as such:
The stock 850 R weighs in at 236 HP stock and 220 lbs / ft of torque. With the Motronic+ ECU programming that we added in our last installment, power was raised to 265 HP and 263 lbs / ft of torque. Once the sport exhaust was fitted to the car, power levels of 275 HP and 273 lbs ft of torque are claimed.



The system is capped off on the end by a polished stainless steel chrome exhaust tip engraved with the ipd logo. Its appearance will make most looking for the racer look quite happy. The overall result is a bit flashier than we would have preferred, though the tip is attractive so we've left it on the car and have received compliments regarding it.


Installing a Sport Exhaust System
The TME exhaust arrived in several segments, including ipd's chrome exhaust tip. Fitment is quite good for an aftermarket system. The larger diameter means that it doesn't fit as snugly as a stock Volvo piece, though the system is not plagued with poor measurement and fitment that is a common side effect for substandard aftermarket exhausts.

One particular spot we were concerned about is where the exhaust passes the rear lower control arm. Unlike the stock system, the TME system did not have an indentation for clearance of the suspension arm. While this contributes to the free-flowing quality of the system, we were wary that we might have problems when the suspension is fully compressed. However, since installation, we've driven the car on a range of road quality levels, making use of the suspension's range and have experienced no clearance problems with the exhaust.

Installation of the system is not a very complicated task. For an owner with moderate ability and all the proper tools, the process is fairly straightforward. We had neither the space necessary nor the lift equipment needed to remove and install an exhaust, so we took the car to Skandinavian Import Service Center in Rockville, MD for a little assistance.

Our technician at Skandinavian had never installed an ipd system before, so we were curious to hear their evaluative reaction. Besides the aforementioned clearance questions, we experienced no difficulties either removing the Volvo system or installing the new ipd system.



Results
In addition to a slight increase in power, the car seems to exhibit slightly better boost levels at lower rpm and also offers better throttle response. Horsepower levels are now just shy of 300hp. While the 854 was no slouch before, it can now hold its own with newer cars in its competitive range such as the Audi S4 or the BMW M3 (E36). The performance difference is noticeable, but not as obvious as the gains provided by the ECU upgrade.

Our largest concern, the tone of the exhaust, is attractive but not obnoxious. We've come to love it's throaty tone, and have noticed that casual passengers of the 854 are totally unaware of its existence.

While the exhaust tip is a bit flashier than we were hoping for, we've learned to live with it. It is not unattractive and it looks much better than the rusting tip that our stock Volvo exhaust had displayed just weeks ago.

While this upgrade did not provide the performance gains of the ECU, it has added to the visual and audible appeal of the car. Further, it provides proper flow for extended use of the hotter ECU upgrade we'd recently performed.

This new system, designed to work hand in hand with ipd's Motronic+, is a welcome addition to our 854R. It is not the cheapest exhaust alternative out there, though it is our opinion that you get what you pay for. IPD and TME have developed this system that fits the car almost as well as the factory system and they've optimized it work with Motronic+. It provides a mature yet sexy exhaust note that will not alienate the more conservative Volvo owners.

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