The Nissan 350z is a great car for people looking for an entry point into the world of tuning and drifting. It is an accessible option due to its low price and adaptability to all kinds of mods, including advanced aftermarket exhaust systems. To help you pick a great exhaust for your Nissan 350z, we have put together a shortlist of all the best systems.
Figure 1: The Nissan 350z is a killer, low-profile car that has a lot of options for customizing. Source: Wikipedia.com.
While the stock exhaust on a Nissan 350z is perfectly functional, that is rarely acceptable for most car enthusiasts. If you are looking to get the maximum horsepower and the beefiest sound from your car, you are going to want an aftermarket exhaust.
With a huge variety of systems available, it can be tough to find the one that is going to get you the performance you’re looking for. Luckily, that’s what today’s post is all about.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO ON CHOOSING THE BEST EXHAUST FOR A NISSAN 350Z
Sources: VividRacing.com; LowOffset.com.
What Makes a Great Exhaust for a Nissan 350z?
The stock exhaust system on a Nissan 350z has a diameter of just 2.25”. This small opening is enough to create quite a bit of back pressure into the engine. Although many people say that backpressure helps maintain horsepower, the actual science shows that a more open exhaust will always facilitate power and torque.
The truth of exhaust systems is that the more efficiently exhausted gasses are allowed to leave the engine, the more efficiently the engine will run. Because of this, the best exhaust for a Nissan 350z will have piping that is at least 2.5” in diameter. This will prevent too much back pressure and ensure an even distribution of exhaust.
Figure 2: The 350z has a sleek profile that is extremely well suited for all kinds of mods. Source: AutoEvolution.com.
We spoke to an exhaust specialist at Johnny Franklin Muffler who told us that “basically, the wider the piping is, the deeper the sound is going to be. It’ll be more resonant and give you that rumbly sound. You want a little bit of that back pressure, but not so much that it starts polluting the air and fuel mixture in the engine itself.”
The best exhaust for a Nissan 350z will have a solid build quality and a deep, resonant sound. The OEM exhaust on the 350z is adequate for most types of drivers, but will not give you the same growl as a modded exhaust with a wider pipe diameter.
A great exhaust also has a high flow velocity. The flow velocity is the force with which the exhaust is expelled out of the pipes. The benefit of this is that the car is more likely to expel all of the burnt off gasses and leave nothing behind in the actual engine.
An exhaust system with piping that is too wide will not have enough force to facilitate a high flow velocity. This is why exhaust piping can not be too wide. It is important to find a healthy middle ground that is open enough to not have too much back pressure while still maintaining enough force velocity.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO ON THE BEST SOUNDING EXHAUST SYSTEMS FOR A NISSAN 350Z
Sources: My350z.com; ScienceDirect.com; ExhuastVideos.com; Interview with Johnny Franklin muffler specialist conducted 10/24/20.
How Did We Pick the Best Exhaust for a Nissan 350z?
There are many options available for aftermarket exhaust systems for the Nissan 350z. It can be difficult to navigate which ones are actually going to improve your car’s performance and which ones are all show. Our shortlist has been thoroughly vetted to ensure that any one of them will be in the running for best exhaust for a Nissan 350z.
Figure 3: There are many options for customizing your 350z’s exhaust system due to its dual rear pipe vents. Source: LowOffset.com.
All of the exhaust systems listed here have a piping diameter of at least 2.5”. This will ensure that you will get more horsepower and torque from each of them. Even if the difference is only a few horsepower, they are still more efficient systems than the 350z’s stock exhaust.
One of the more desirable effects of these exhaust systems is that they are only louder at high RPMs. This gives your car the ability to be quiet on surface streets and in the driveway, but really growl when you open it up at freeway speeds. This is achieved by using high-flow mufflers to dampen the sound with the least amount of bends in the piping.
All of the exhaust systems listed below feature just the right amount of back pressure. They are all designed to give a good middle ground that will not pollute the engine and will also give enough flow velocity to give the system an efficient exhaust cycle.
By making sure that your exhaust system is leaving the right amount of pressure behind in the combustion chamber, you can be certain that you are not wasting your engine’s fuel and air combination.
When searching for the best exhaust for a Nissan 350z, you should also take style into consideration. A tuner or drifter car should be sleek and low-profile as well as high performance. All the exhaust systems on our shortlist are made of polished stainless steel for a custom look that is as sporty as possible.
Sources: TDotPerformance.ca; RoadAndTrack.com.
1. Revel Medallion Touring Y-Pipe Back Exhaust
Figure 4: The Medallion Touring system is both durable and high-performance. Source: Z1Motorsports.com.
The Medallion Touring back exhaust system by Revel is one of the best exhausts for a Nissan 350z. It features a relatively narrow 2.75” pipe diameter. This allows the system to maintain a high velocity flow while still keeping back pressure regulated.
This exhaust features the ADVANTEX single-strand fiberglass packing. This technology allows the packing inside the muffler and piping to withstand more use. This makes them more efficient and gives them more longevity over the course of your 350z’s life.
The Medallion exhaust also has a very deep, low-frequency tone that is well suited for street-level driving. It maintains a tone that is lower than the legal limit of 96db even at high speeds. Because of this, you can achieve that high-performance tone without risking getting needlessly pulled over for noise pollution violations.
With big, 4.5” exhaust tips, you can get the low rumble and sputter that is so desirable in modern drifter cars. By keeping the exhaust tips wide and the rest of the piping relatively small, the flow is slightly restricted until it is ready to be expelled. This is one of the reasons the Medallion system is able to maintain pressure so efficiently.
The single canister design gives the Medallion exhaust system its signature tone. By running the exhaust through a single muffler and splitting it into a y-configuration after that, you get dual exhaust sound and performance without sacrificing the high flow velocity.
Sources: HKSPower.js.co; ConceptZPerformance.com.
2. Megan Racing Drift Spec Exhaust
Figure 5: The deep tone of this Megan Racing exhaust is exactly what a drifter like the 350z needs. Source: RedLine360.com.
This set of exhaust pipes from Megan Racing are designed specifically to give you the best possible flow in the least amount of space. One of the most important things to look for in a high performance exhaust is the fewest bends. This system is a straight, single canister design to achieve just that.
The piping of this system is a rather large 3”. This gives you a ton of exhaust flow without too much back pressure going back into the combustion chamber and polluting the air mixture. It also gives a deep, resonant tone that has become synonymous with modern drifter and tuner cars.
The CNC machined flanges give the system extra strength and durability. These flanges are some of the most high-impact points in your exhaust system and it is imperative that they are strong and able to take a lot of shaking and rattling.
The 4” tips are close enough to the diameter of the rest of the piping that it gives an even tone throughout the whole system. By keeping all the fittings and tips the same relative size, you will not get the sputtering sound that is so common with larger exhaust tips.
Sources: AliBaba.com; RedLine360.com.
3. Invidia N1
Figure 6: The Invidia N1 is a dual canister system that is able to maintain a high flow velocity. Source: Z1Motorsports.com.
The Invidia N1 exhaust system is the only dual canister system on our list. This also makes it one of the quietest. Because of this, it might be the best choice for drivers who want high performance without making their exhaust any louder.
The dual canisters allow this system to maintain an efficient back pressure without restricting the flow. By splitting up the exhaust points, it is able to keep a high flow velocity without polluting the combustion chamber.
The dual canister design restricts the flow without choking the engine. This is how this system is able to completely clean the air and fuel chamber by keeping a large amount of force present throughout the exhaust.
The polished stainless steel design is extra slick looking and the two mufflers are a classic style that looks especially sweet on a modern drifter car with a custom effect. Dual exhaust is an homage to the classic American muscle without adding needless bends and twists that can impede the exhaust flow.
Source: Z1Motorsports.com.
