When Ford was developing the Ti-VCT Coyote, engineers focused their energy on heads, cams, and valvetrain. However, after engine development was on the home stretch, their attention turned to improved exhaust scavenging. Exhaust system research and development was one of the toughest duties that Ford engineers had before them. Exhaust manifolds had to be shorty tubular headers and they had to be packaged to capitalize not only on horsepower, but also on low- to mid-range torque.

On the left-hand (driver) side you can see a similarity to the right-hand (passenger) side. It is all about the scavenging of hot gasses and the velocity necessary to draw four exhaust pulses into the collector at high speed. When you have the right amount of valve overlap you get good scavenging and the resulting torque.

Here’s a closer look at the right-hand (passenger) header being installed at Performance Assembly Solutions in Livonia, Michigan. These shorty headers are included with your Ford Performance Racing Aluminator crate engine, which demonstrates just how effective these scavengers are.

Catalytic converters were once considered stifling to performance, but not anymore. Ford engineers looked at every aspect of the Coyote’s exhaust system. The end result is low-restriction single-stage cats with two O2 sensors. One O2 sensor is ahead of the cat while the other is in the cat. This enables the system to keep an eye on catalytic converter and engine function.

I decided to look in at GAS where technician Daniel Torres is installing Ford Performance Racing Parts’ Power Pack for the 2011–2014 Mustang GT. The Power Pack promises 16 hp and 60 ft-lbs of torque along with a throaty sound at the tips. Installation begins with installation of the K&N/ FPRP air filter and Pro Cal tune package. Ford Performance also includes a new oil filter. Unlike many of its competitors, the Ford Racing Power Pack is 50-state emissions legal under CARB EO D598-12. If it can pass tough California emission requirements, it can pass anywhere.

Ford’s introduction of the 2005 S197 Mustang made exhaust tuning easier because you don’t need a muffler shop to replace mufflers and pipes. Mufflers bolt on the end of the exhaust system at the tailpipe, which makes muffler tuning easier. The stock muffler is held on with an aerospace clamp. For a quick replacement, you simply loosen the clamp to free the muffler.

The S197 Mustang’s mufflers are secured with aerospace clamps and mounted on soft rubber hangers with easy-to-access hardware. This is a new 2014 Mustang GT brought in to GAS for the Ford Performance Racing Parts Power Pack. The low restriction K&N/FPRP serviceable air filter has already been installed and the Pro Cal tune dialed in.

For 2011–2014 the Mustang GT has these resonators, which soften the Coyote’s aggressive bark. They reduce and even eliminate resonance. These must be disconnected to replace the stock Mustang mufflers.

Back in the day, you had to visit a muffler shop to do an exhaust swap. Not anymore. Mustang GT has these simple aerospace exhaust clamps that make it easy to replace mufflers and pipes. One of the greatest S197 innovations has been these easy-to-service clamps, mufflers, and pipes. You can swap mufflers all day and listen to different exhaust symphonies. It’s that easy.

Soft rubber and steel hangers are unbolted from the frame rails, which frees up the mufflers. These brackets can be tricky to get to because it gets tight. Overall, access is straightforward.

Daniel Torres disconnects the resonators long enough to free up mufflers and tailpipes. This is easy to do.

Constructed from durable mandrel-bent aluminized 409 stainless steel for superior corrosion resistance and improved exhaust flow, the FR GT500 axle-back exhaust system features the same chambered muffler design found on the brute Shelby GT500s. These mufflers are finished with dual 4.000-inch-diameter polished 304 stainless-steel tips for a deep, throaty exhaust burble.

After mufflers are installed and clamps secured, these GT500–born and bred mufflers look and sound sharp. When Daniel fired this GT’s Coyote it delivered a bark you could hear for blocks. GAS offers a complete inventory of Ford Performance Racing Parts for Coyote-powered Fords along with installation.

Marlo’s Frame & Alignment/ Fly-Ford Racing provided a close look at the Corsa’s 3.0-inch Sport Cat-Back stainless exhaust system that they were about to install on a customer’s 2015 Mustang GT. This system is considerably lighter than the factory dual exhaust system because the heavy resonator is deleted.

Look at this huge factory resonator on the 2015–2016 Mustang GT. The S550 Mustang’s factory exhaust system is one gigantic system consisting of this huge resonator, pipes, and mufflers. The factory system is heavy and takes two people to remove.

When you get past resonator disconnection at the catalytic converters it’s time to look at muffler and tailpipe security and how these guys are mounted. What makes the S550 Mustang different is the fully independent suspension and exhaust plumbing routed underneath the differential and axle shafts. Mufflers have hangers, as do the tailpipes.

Mufflers are secured with two soft-mount brackets each, like this. It’s a good idea to take pictures of your system before removal. It is easy to get these brackets backward when it’s time to reinstall. Mufflers and pipes do not line up if you install these brackets backward.

It is remarkable how easy these mufflers are to remove. As with the Ford Performance 2011–2014 exhaust system just mentioned, aerospace pipe clamps make it easy to disconnect mufflers and pipes and install new.

Tailpipes are secured at this central mount at the differential. When you consider the Mustang GT’s dual exhaust system on the S550, it makes you wonder why this approach wasn’t adopted earlier. Much of the reason for this change comes from the new S550 Mustang’s independent rear suspension, which was a good change.

It takes two people to remove the S550 Mustang’s dual exhaust system because it is all one huge assembly from the resonator amidships to the mufflers in back. Much of the weight can be credited to the resonator, which is very heavy.

These 21⁄2- to 3-inch adaptors are fitted to the catalytic converter pipes. The aerospace exhaust clamps secure the adaptors and are easily removed should maintenance be required. Pipes sized 21⁄2 to 3 inches allow exhaust gas expansion and improved scavenging.

The S197 and S550 Mustangs employ state-of-the-art exhaust hangers, which take noise and vibration isolation to new heights. Where it gets tricky is forgetting how these hangers were installed to begin with. It’s a good idea to mark them or take photos before disassembly.

Exhaust clamps are fitted to the pipe ends as shown. What makes Corsa different is the hourglass balance pipe between the cats and tailpipes. It eliminates the weight of the stock resonator, along with unwanted resonance.

The Corsa RSC mufflers and pipes are installed as shown. Corsa delivers outstanding quality when you look beyond drone cancellation technology. These good-looking stainless pieces will outlast your S197/S550 Mustang.

The first place to hang these pipes is the central mount. This takes the stress out of labor because the pipes are in place and you only have to add mufflers.

Polished exhaust tips are among the last installation steps and are fully adjustable. These tips are also available in black.

Here’s the hourglass X-pipe balance assembly that blends exhaust pulses, eliminates resonance, and improves power.

The Corsa RSC system is installed and adjusted. Check it out. The Corsa difference is all about throat; the raw throat sound of these stainless mufflers and the exhaust plumbing that feeds them. This is a sound you can hear when you crack the throttle.

The complete Corsa system is not only an improvement in performance, but also a weight loss program that eliminates the heavy factory resonator. There’s a lot more room underneath now.

Cool Corsa polished tips or black. The choice is yours. These 4.000-inch tips amplify the Coyote’s bark, yet they’re not bothersome in the cabin. This is the 14332 single polished tip system. You may opt for quad tips in polished or black. You can even order the tips alone.

Stainless BBK long-tube headers are used for this exercise because they yield horsepower over torque. And horsepower is what we’re going for.

These BBK “L” pipes transition into the factory resonator from long-tubes for off-road use. Note the proper location of the oxygen sensors.

The factory resonator can be eliminated for this BBK Performance hourglass-shaped X-pipe, which mixes up the exhaust pulses and improves scavenging, giving the BBK system a nice bark.

This is the BBK Performance Vari-Tune muffler, which enables you to custom tune the mufflers without swapping mufflers. You can tune both flow and noise levels with this feature, then dyno tune.