Performance exhaust systems for tractors

[denmansoft]

back when I was 'improving' car performance we would put headers and glass pack mufflers on. The increase in performance was easy to feel.
This would be when we were now running rpm's between 80-140% of stock usages rpm's.
(Small block chevy sounds real sweet at 7000).

The comments about factory engineers are almost right. They designed these for a variety of constraints. 2 of those that people reading this are probably not concerned with are:
1) noise level of the final package.
2) manufacturing cost of cast manifold vs. tuned tubular headers.

Since my kubota is loud enough at 2600 and I try and run slower than that most of the time because of the noise level, I don't think I would see any performance increase if it was there!
A Nice 3 inch chrome stack would look good though, and it would keep the startup carbon off my FEL!

 

[oliver28472]

Don't think I would notice an increase in power on my little critters cause they don't run out of power as they are. I have spent enough time on tractors with straight pipes growing up on the farm that my hearing is not what it should be. Most of the time I think the only reason we had a straight pipe was because of the cost of a new muffler.

 

[Richard]

Here's a twist... since (as I understand) you need SOME backpressure in an automobile for it to run efficiently, does the same hold true for a tractor?

We've got an International 444. The muffler was under the seat/axel but rusted/ripped off decades ago and it's been running with a straight pipe ever since.

Just last summer, the existing exhaust pipe has rotted out at the manifold so today, if I start the tractor up, virtually all the exhaust is blowing out the exhaust manifold. The bolts holding the pipe to the manifold are rusted/rotted and since technically, the tractor isn't mine (wifes uncle owns it) I'm not going to spend $$ to fix his machine.

Would this tractor run any better with SOME form of muffler/exhaust pipe or is an open manifold the lowest restriction, best way to run it?

Note: Regardless of the true answer, I'll still let them worry about it which means, it's never going to get fixed!!