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Kolak Exhaust for the WJ
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| Waking the Beast | Short Cuts | ||||
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By: Anton Cabellon - 8/2000
Edited by: Randy Halvorsen
Giving the Grand Cherokee V-8 a New Sound
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| The 2.5" Y-pipe, as it comes from the factory.
photo by: Anton Cabellon |
When I was in college, I had a friend with a heavily modified Mustang GT. One of his favorite modifications to his heavy breathing 5 liter V8 was a full Borla exhaust system, from the headers, all the way to the tail pipe. He always referred to starting up his Mustang as, "waking up the beast". And waking up the beast it was, because as soon as he fired up the engine, a deep, melodious throaty growl reverberated through the interior. As impressive as the Borla system was at idle, one could imagine the power and exhaust sounds flowing from the Mustang at full throttle. The Borla exhaust system really captured the essence of the American V8 and its muscle car heritage. I promised myself from that point on, that if I ever got a V8, I would open it up, and unleash the power and melodious, deep tones with an aftermarket exhaust system.
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| The new 3" Y-pipe.
photo by: Anton Cabellon |
Well, I finally got the opportunity to own an American V8, but the exterior packaging was not that of a muscle car. It was a SUV. One of the first things that I noticed about my 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s 4.7 liter V8 was that it didn’t really sound like a V8. It sounded more like a 6 cylinder. The exhaust had been tuned for the grocery getter crowd, and full throttle starts barely garnered a whimper from the 235 hp V8. I started searching for aftermarket systems soon after I got the Grand Cherokee, to replace it's stock 2.5” exhaust. I was looking at several “cat-back” prepackaged exhaust systems, when I happened to stumble upon a custom system offered by Nick Ianuzzi (Kolak) at Multitronics, Inc.
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| CarSound converter installed.
photo by: Anton Cabellon |
The 3” Kolak system for the V8, that I chose, includes a Car Sound high-flow catalytic converter, a Flowmaster 70 Series muffler, and a Mike Leach mandrel bent exhaust pipe. What sets this system apart from other prepackaged “cat-back” systems is that it also replaces the catalytic converter, in addition to the muffler and the exhaust pipe. The other “cat-back” systems do not offer this. And the best thing is, that the Kolak system offers a more complete, exceptional performance exhaust system, with high quality components at a lower price than other prepackaged “cat-back” systems do. The Car Sound converters offer 16 gauge, 409 stainless steel construction, special 1/2” lap-joint construction, a high flow honeycomb catalyst, quad-ribbed body design, aluminized OEM style ribbed heat shield, and seam welding. The Flowmaster Muffler combines sturdy 16 gauge aluminized steel construction with a unique, baffled chamber design, which improves exhaust flow and fuel economy. The design also produces the famous Flowmaster sound. The Mike Leach exhaust pipe is mandrel bent, ensuring a true 3” diameter flow, all the way to the tail pipe. I finished off the exhaust with a polished stainless steel exhaust tip from Angelus Plating. All the parts are sturdy and well constructed enough to take a beating on the trail.
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| Angelus Plating exhaust tip.
photo by: Anton Cabellon |
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| Flowmaster muffler and tail-pipe.
photo by: Anton Cabellon |
After the full install, there was an immediate change in exhaust character that conjured up images of 60’s and 70’s muscle cars. A melodious grumble flows from the exhaust pipe at idle. Full throttle starts are impressive and the V8 feels more punchy. While at cruising speeds, there is no interior resonance or drone, and the exhaust quickly fades into the background. One thing I have really noticed is an increase in fuel economy. Overall, I, as well as several other Jeep owners, are very happy with the Kolak “cat and back” system. It provides a complete exhaust system from the y-pipe back, at a price that beats other prepackaged “cat-back” systems. Custom tailored exhaust systems for the 6 and 8 cylinder engines of the Grand Cherokee and other Jeeps are offered by Nick (Kolak) at Multitronics, Inc. .
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