Borla Exhaust System

From Schaffter

Why I needed to change my exhaust system

Thanks old buddy for the work you did. You did your best, that's for sure. But now you're in the heaven for exhaust systems. Rest in peace.

My old exhaust system started to become rotten. The muffler was getting it's first hole. And I had an obligatory technical control coming up within a few months...

Choosing a new exhaust system

Having decided to change the exhaust, the question was if I would go for another original Toyota system, or an after-market system. The Toyota exhausts are not extremely cheap, and they do rust quite a bit.

Since Borla produces a "cat-back" system for the 4Runner in stainless steel, and since I will most likely keep this truck for another good few years, I opted for the investment in a Borla system.

The new exhaust system

I ordered my system from Performance Products. I had compared prices from different providers and they seem to keep an eye on each other, so that no one of them will underprice anyone else. When it showed that Performance Products would send me a K&N Air Filter for the same price, I chose to order it from there.

When I received the box, I was impressed with the quality of the tubes. High quality T-304 stainless steel from the catalytic converter and back. It really feels that this is good stuff, just by picking it up in your hands.

The package consisted of:

• One tube going from the existing catalytic converter to the muffler.
• The muffler.
• One tube going from the muffler to the end of the truck, with a fixed tailpipe tip.
• Two muffler clamps, also stainless.
• The K&N air filter.

I had also ordered the gasket between the catalytic converter and the first tube. Finally, I had bought the three rubber hangings that hold the exhaust system to the frame. These, I bought directly from Toyota. This way, I could just cut off the old rubber hangings with a knife, plus that I now have new, fresh, hangings mounted.

Installation

The first thing I did was to install the Air Filter.

I used Holts Firegum, which is made specifically for this use. (Holts Gungum, which might look almost the same, is made for reparations, and it's not recommended for mounting purposes.)

Two weeks later I started the installation of the new exhaust system. It's important to use a gasket paste between the different pieces, if it's to be leak-proof. Especially on this system, where the pieces will not rust(!) together.

It's beautiful, don't you think?

The mounting should normally be done within an hour or two.

For me, it took longer than that. The system doesn't fit a European truck without some modifications. The primary reason for this is that in US, the exhaust system on a Toyota 4Runner exits on the side of the truck, behind the rear wheel, while in Europe, this is not allowed in most countries. In Europe, the exhaust normally must exit on the rear of the truck. And my truck was bought in Sweden...

I had asked at Performance Products when I ordered the system, but they said that it would fit my Swedish 4Runner. If it wasn't for the fact that I wanted the system so badly, I would have sent it back.

It also seems that the muffler is either shorter, or differently placed, on an American 4Runner than on the European version.

If you have a European 4Runner, then do not despair! It's still possible to use the Borla system on your truck.

Modifications required

• The tube from the catalytic converter to the new muffler had to be shortened. I cut it about four inches. It's important not to let the tube enter the inside of the muffler. That would destroy the internal flows in the muffler. At the same time, it must be long enough to attach securely.
• The rear tube was to short. It means that the muffler must be mounted as much to the rear as possible.
• The rear exhaust system hanger had to be rotated 180 degrees, so that it goes forward instead of rearward, thereby gaining about four inches.
• The rear tube most be twisted, so that it reaches as far out under the side of the truck as possible. This means that the system will still end under the truck and pointing to the side on a European truck. This should not give too many problems in France, which is where I live, but it might be impossible to get it through the technical control in some European countries.

Impressions

• The power. Well, the truck does feel much more alive. It's hard to tell how much, since I also did some other changes to the engine, and since I didn't have any means of measuring the horsepower.
• The sound. It really sounds different. The sound gives an impression of power. Still, inside the truck there is almost no difference at all.
• The look. It looks good. Not that you see it a lot, but what is visible looks good.