Borla for the Sport | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Borla for the Sport

Fish18

Member
Joined
October 31, 2018
Messages
27
Reaction score
16
City, State
Troy, MI
Year, Model & Trim Level
2018 Ford Explorer sport
hey everyone. I couldn’t find any solid information regarding the Borla cat back for the newer sports. I seen that Borla just came out with a kit for the 2018 explorer sport. The videos out there look and sound great but does anyone have any personal background with the Borla kit on their explorer? I’m hearing both sides of the coin that a turboed V6 won’t sound good no matter what we do. However, I would like a little deeper/louder sound from my exhaust...with no drone. Would I be better off with just down pipes? Just a catback? Or both? Thanks all!
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





hey everyone. I couldn’t find any solid information regarding the Borla cat back for the newer sports. I seen that Borla just came out with a kit for the 2018 explorer sport. The videos out there look and sound great but does anyone have any personal background with the Borla kit on their explorer? I’m hearing both sides of the coin that a turboed V6 won’t sound good no matter what we do. However, I would like a little deeper/louder sound from my exhaust...with no drone. Would I be better off with just down pipes? Just a catback? Or both? Thanks all!

My IG (I have a cold start idle video on the page if you're interested, still working on some actual drive videos that turn out ok)
I've had my S-Type kit on for about a week now. I like it a lot, and was a little worried about it and hesitated a while, but I have no regrets at this point and wish I had done it sooner.

The Borla kits have no drone to the exhaust unless someone just did the install completely wrong. On most any exhaust kit, as long as you have a resonator on, you normally won't get drone - that's one of the reasons the resonator is there. Some people will just remove the resonator and keep the stock exhaust otherwise, but I'm not much of a fan of it personally. The sound just gets too raspy and annoying. Drone comes from the resonate frequency (at whatever RPMs trigger it) matching the vibrations of the car and it causes the whole car to vibrate.


TL : DR Mansplaining Stuff:
The general rule of thumb in exhaust note mods is to start at the rear of the car, and work forward to get it to sound like what you want. Changing the mufflers alone (axle back vs cat back), then seeing what you get. If you still want it to sound deeper, increase the diameter of the pipe and/or change the resonator. If you want it to be louder, remove the resonator (this is where you reach the term "catback" as you are replacing everything behind the catalytic converters). If none of those change it enough, change the down pipe. If you still want it to be louder, change the headers/exhaust manifold.

Of course the pipe diameter will play a part in the tone being deep enough, but even in the Borla 2 1/4 inch pipe, the sound is actually pretty deep on it.

One thing worth mentioning - with turbo engines, in particular, if you go taking off exhaust parts, you will lower the back pressure generated by the exhaust system. This will lower the torque of the engine. I know people who have pulled off the resonator on their F150 or Explorer, and it noticeably lowered the torque, so they put them back on again.

If you want to know the science between the sounds, and why people prefer the V8 over the V6 sound, a V6 doesn't sound the same as a V8 because of the irregular intervals between firing on a 90 degree crank rotation. It fires two cylinders at a 90 degree angle on each side, which makes the "rumble-y sound" really noticeable. This alternating pulse and almost randomly perceived firing order is really the key to the sound.

A V6 doesn't do this since it uses 180 degree crank rotation to fire and the cylinders fire alternating left to right the whole way. This creates a more evenly metered cadence to the cylinders without the irregular accent tone that the V8 has.

When you get into V10 and V12, or W engines, you get more options because you're adding more cylinders. Some fire like the V6 crankshaft above, some don't, which is why they all sound different.

Hope this helps!
 






Thanks for the information and video. Please let me know whenever you get a driving video or just reving up the motor. I would like to hear it at higher rpms. Thanks
 






Welcome to the Forum Darkschneidr.:wave:

Peter
 












Thanks for the information and video. Please let me know whenever you get a driving video or just reving up the motor. I would like to hear it at higher rpms. Thanks

I will post them on the page for sure when I get one finished.

Jon has some up on youtube. Jon Noriega
He is running without catalytic converters. Mine still have them on, and I did not replace the downpipe, just basically dropped in the catback Borla kit only. His doesn't sound exactly the same as mine, but similar.
 






Jon's setup and all his youtube videos are what have me itching to get the Borla for my 2018 platinum but theres two things holding me back right now:

1. The 2018-2019 Borla exhaust is more than twice the price as the one these guys have on their 2016s
2. If you compare the audio clips from Borla's site between the two models (since no one has the 2018-2019 installed to compare with yet), you'll notice the sound on the newer model is not quite as deep and just a bit different

The sound difference alone wouldn't be enough to deter me as it still sounds pretty good. BUT, a sound I like less, and a price twice as high, is enough for me to keep waiting for Magnaflow to finish development on theirs and see what it sounds like... for now.
 






Well, the big difference? You are paying the additional money for the tips on the end of the exhaust pipe. I don't have either of the tips, as the '16 Platinum has a cutout for the exhaust, it just terminates a basic tip in the shroud by design.

One thing that is not explained in any of the descriptions for any of the kits, and I found out when I actually got under there and looked at it - It is not going to run all the way to the cats (unless you make it). There is an X pipe that is in place behind the catalytic converters. Look under the passenger side, you will see the parts pretty easily, the exhaust will cross in an X (or H, whatever you want to call it), then go to a resonator that looks like a muffler in the center (both pipes will pass through it) and then each pipe will go up to a muffler. The core on the muffler is 2.5" on the '16 kit - the pipes are 2.25".

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg


On the '18/'19 specific kits, it also has the 2.25" pipe up to the mufflers, 2.5" muffler core, exit, and then the tips step from 2.5" to 3.5" carbon tips, or the rolled black chrome tips (I emailed Borla to confirm that this was, in fact, the design on the 18/19 kit, as well as the '16 kit).

Were it me? I would check the fit it for the '18, see how off it is, or if it needs to be adjusted. Then once you know for sure, buy the '16 kit and weld on whatever tips you want. It is much cheaper, and it will not really sound different. There is no performance advantage between the '16 and the later kits, and I would wager that the sound is going to be close to identical.

The '18/'19 Explorer, realistically, should have no difference in the design compared to the '16. The engines are still identical, the exhaust system is identical (except the tips). The transmissions are identical. I was going to consider updating to one of the newer models, until I saw that the drivetrain did not change until 2020, so I'm going to keep my '16 as long as I can.

This diagram will give you a comparison between the factory routing from the older model, if you want to compare to your own (you might be able to check a Haynes manual for the 2018 to confirm the exhaust mount points are all the same). I couldn't find a diagram for the 2018/19, but I'm going to guess that they are.
4.png


Not that it covers normal driving scenarios, etc, here's the 2018 Borla Kit in action on an Explorer Sport.
 






Well, the big difference? You are paying the additional money for the tips on the end of the exhaust pipe. I don't have either of the tips, as the '16 Platinum has a cutout for the exhaust, it just terminates a basic tip in the shroud by design.

One thing that is not explained in any of the descriptions for any of the kits, and I found out when I actually got under there and looked at it - It is not going to run all the way to the cats (unless you make it). There is an X pipe that is in place behind the catalytic converters. Look under the passenger side, you will see the parts pretty easily, the exhaust will cross in an X (or H, whatever you want to call it), then go to a resonator that looks like a muffler in the center (both pipes will pass through it) and then each pipe will go up to a muffler. The core on the muffler is 2.5" on the '16 kit - the pipes are 2.25".

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg


On the '18/'19 specific kits, it also has the 2.25" pipe up to the mufflers, 2.5" muffler core, exit, and then the tips step from 2.5" to 3.5" carbon tips, or the rolled black chrome tips (I emailed Borla to confirm that this was, in fact, the design on the 18/19 kit, as well as the '16 kit).

Were it me? I would check the fit it for the '18, see how off it is, or if it needs to be adjusted. Then once you know for sure, buy the '16 kit and weld on whatever tips you want. It is much cheaper, and it will not really sound different. There is no performance advantage between the '16 and the later kits, and I would wager that the sound is going to be close to identical.

The '18/'19 Explorer, realistically, should have no difference in the design compared to the '16. The engines are still identical, the exhaust system is identical (except the tips). The transmissions are identical. I was going to consider updating to one of the newer models, until I saw that the drivetrain did not change until 2020, so I'm going to keep my '16 as long as I can.

This diagram will give you a comparison between the factory routing from the older model, if you want to compare to your own (you might be able to check a Haynes manual for the 2018 to confirm the exhaust mount points are all the same). I couldn't find a diagram for the 2018/19, but I'm going to guess that they are.
4.png


Not that it covers normal driving scenarios, etc, here's the 2018 Borla Kit in action on an Explorer Sport.


You think there would be any issues with the mufflers though? The 16 is a dual exhaust with one pipe coming from each muffler and the 18 is a quad exhaust with two pipes coming from each muffler. I don’t know a whole lot about exhausts/mufflers but I assumed this was the main reason for the different exhaust systems being developed for these models.
 






I tried ordering a Borla kit for my 2018 Platinum, and was told they are on national backorder until middle of April. Once it becomes available, I will be ordering ASAP!
 






You think there would be any issues with the mufflers though? The 16 is a dual exhaust with one pipe coming from each muffler and the 18 is a quad exhaust with two pipes coming from each muffler. I don’t know a whole lot about exhausts/mufflers but I assumed this was the main reason for the different exhaust systems being developed for these models.

The 18 and 19' are not 2 pipes from each muffler. It's some cheesy 1 into 2 split after the single exit from the muffler. It's basically a double walled 1/2 tip.
 






The thing that bothers me about the Borla is that you are required to cut the oem exhaust to install it. Why they couldn't extend it up to the exit flange of the DP is beyond me.
 






The 18 and 19' are not 2 pipes from each muffler. It's some cheesy 1 into 2 split after the single exit from the muffler. It's basically a double walled 1/2 tip.

I see what you mean on the exhaust tips. So based on that I could just get the previous version borla exhaust and if I wanted quad exhaust tips I could have the stock ones or similar ones welded on I guess. Anybody foresee any issues with that approach?
 






I see what you mean on the exhaust tips. So based on that I could just get the previous version borla exhaust and if I wanted quad exhaust tips I could have the stock ones or similar ones welded on I guess. Anybody foresee any issues with that approach?

Yup. I'm still leaning toward the Livernois/Corsa, so that's what I'd have to do.

I just don't like that you are required to cut with the Borla system. The difference in pricing between the single tip <2017 Borla and the 2018/2019 Borla quad tip systems are plain stupid.
 






Yup. I'm still leaning toward the Livernois/Corsa, so that's what I'd have to do.

I just don't like that you are required to cut with the Borla system. The difference in pricing between the single tip <2017 Borla and the 2018/2019 Borla quad tip systems are plain stupid.
Hi - I'm actually selling a nearly brand new Livernois / Corsa exhaust. I had it on my 2017 Explorer Sport for a few days and loved it...they sound great....except my wife wasn't a huge fan. It was professionally installed and removed by a Ford dealer...everything is in perfect condition. Let me know if you're interested - my loss, your gain!
 












Hi - I'm actually selling a nearly brand new Livernois / Corsa exhaust. I had it on my 2017 Explorer Sport for a few days and loved it...they sound great....except my wife wasn't a huge fan. It was professionally installed and removed by a Ford dealer...everything is in perfect condition. Let me know if you're interested - my loss, your gain!

Have you sold this yet??
 















Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Corsa is another great sounding exhaust. My buddy has one and it has a loud tone that is not annoying.
 






Back
Top