[dc]

I've taken the plunge and had the centre box on my Brera 2.2 removed and replaced with a straight-through exhaust. The back boxes are still standard.

The result? A great improvement both to sound and performance. It's not noticeably noisier at idle or with normal driving but there is a glorious throaty, popping sound on the overrun a bit reminiscent of my old Alfasud. It sounds great under hard acceleration as well.

It really feels like the engine is able to breathe a bit now. I had the work done at my local Alfa specialist ProAlfa. My Brera has previously been remapped by them and I was concerned the exhaust work might mess things up a bit but not a bit of it.

I had a look at the removed silencer and what I didn't realise was that the box itself is straight-through with the silencing material around the centre pipe to absorb the sound waves. As somebody else has said, it is a big old heavy thing and as far as I can tell it shouldn't have been on there in the first place..

 

[dc]

Here's a link to what it sounds like, complete with my daughter becoming embarrassed by the noise and stopping videoing..

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4781940560630&notif_t=video_processed

 

[markr129]

Sounds great the overrun popping is very good, any effect on the emissions?

 

[dc]

Apparently not.

 

[thedonnmeister]

Very good! I think I'll be getting this done! How much did it cost in total? Guess they just welded a nice piece of pipe in?

 

[dc]

I paid £150 which sounds a lot for a bit of pipe but I think there might have been a bit more going on than a cut and shut. Whatever, I am happy with the result..

 

[thedonnmeister]

What is it like at high speed? Is it bearable over long distances? Would be great to hear it whilst driving!

 

[Commanderfish]

That's a great result! I've always said that the stock induction and particularly exhaust are too restrictive for the 2.2 as they seem to have been designed for the 3.2

What I don't understand is, how can the air flow have been improved if the existing box was already straight through with silencing?

The effect you've described suggests that the airflow has greatly improved, i.e. a baffled box has been replaced wit a straight through pipe. Are you sure the stock box was straight through? When my stock exhaust was removed, we didn't cut the box open but it certainly looked like it was a mulit-baffled POS.

 

[dc]

That's what surprised me. It was completely straight through with the silencer stuff around it. I know because I looked through the hole in it. Big heavy lump of metal as well. Beats me how it has improved things but the car is definitely better without it. I haven't tried it on a motorway yet but the sound isn't at all intrusive in most situations. It's just when it's booted you get a real Alfa sound.

ProAlfa reckoned that's how it should have left the factory, along with the Eibach lowering springs.

Commanderfish, thanks for your help with these improvements.

 

[MarcG]

ProAlfa reckoned that's how it should have left the factory, along with the Eibach lowering springs.

Commanderfish, thanks for your help with these improvements.

What did ProAlfa charge for the remap?

And how significantly have the two changes made to the power of your car? (most interested in torque really).

 

[dc]

Can't remember how much the remap was, it was done at the same time as other work on my Brera. Give them a call. I don't think they are the cheapest but it is a remap just for your car and it takes a bit of time on the rolling road.

Difficult to say how both mods have increased the torque. I think it has made a big difference but it could be my heart ruling my head... I know it feels much better to me.

 

[swq4]

That's a great result! I've always said that the stock induction and particularly exhaust are too restrictive for the 2.2 as they seem to have been designed for the 3.2

I would have thought it the other way around as the 3.2 has even more gases to move

 

[phil-gtv6]

I would have thought it the other way around as the 3.2 has even more gases to move

true, although each pulse of exhaust gas from a cylinder firing will be about the same size

 

[GhostyDog]

Not sure I like that personally, it does sound a bit like a trials bike or a lawnmower, hard to tell when your just revving it, its how it sounds under load thats the important thing, you need to do some flybys

 

[lussoman]

Not sure I like that personally, it does sound a bit like a trials bike or a lawnmower, hard to tell when your just revving it, its how it sounds under load thats the important thing, you need to do some flybys

+1. Hardly a sports car sound is it? Prefer the bog standard set-up if I'm honest.

 

[alfacool]

I took mine into a specialist exhaust place and he also suggested to remove the centre box for a straight pipe.
Seems he was also right about giving it the Alfa rasp back aswell.
I agree with others, we need a flyby and in car noise vid.

 

[dc]

Anybody near to Watford, Herts is welcome to come around and have a look at the car..

 

[thedonnmeister]

I'm very tempted, but I think a few fly by clips would be great to hear! Or even record it whilst driving.

 

[dc]

The exhaust doesn't really sound like the video unless you give it plenty, which I obviously did and which so embarrassed my 12 year old daughter. I've done a bit of motorway driving this past week and the sound is not noticeably different at speed, there is certainly no annoying drone. If you have the windows open you can hear the much improved exhaust sound when accelerating but it is the real (or imagined) improvement in the performance of the car that has made it a worthwhile mod.

I'm serious about letting anybody come to Watford and have a test drive if they are interested. If you want a bit more info give Proalfa.com a call to see what they say.

 

[lussoman]

I'm serious about letting anybody come to Watford and have a test drive if they are interested. If you want a bit more info give Proalfa.com a call to see what they say.

Nice offer, and I'd take you up on it if I wasn't 200 miles away!

I'd like to do something with the exhaust on mine, but will probably wait until part of it needs replacing.
I really miss the sound my old 2 litre twin-spark made. The 2.2 is incredibly bland in comparison.

dc, if the sound & performance of your car now puts a smile on your face, then it's obviously been worth it