what does it mean when a car has two exhaust pipes?

Answer 1

two muffler pipes running out the back of your car. Either duel exhaust or a single exhaust with a "Y" shaped pipe splitting into two pipes out the back of your car.
Most of the time it's for looks. If you have a high performance car it's for performance. The faster the exhaust leaves the motor the better.

Answer 2

The first gent posting has the best & most accurate answer. To summarize, some cars employ a 'Y' connection just ahead of the mufflers, but downstream from the catalytic converter & header(s). This arrangement actually does reduce 'back pressure' somewhat & contributes to enhanced performance over a single exhaust system.

High performance engines are found among the full range of cylinder configurations...4, 5, 6, 8 ,10, 12 cylinders. One can find dual exhaust systems for all of these. However, there are additional gains from engines having two banks of cylinders, the V6s, V8s, etc. Certain of these designs on high performance vehicles plumb them with completely separate/isolated exhaust systems, one per cylinder row...a true 'dual exhaust' system.

Indeed, the best strategy is to evacuate the exhaust gases quickly before they can cool significantly...cooling of exhaust increases density which increases back-pressure (a bad thing). On the other hand, running too little back-pressure can damage an engine's exhaust valves. Exhaust design is a science that automotive engineers attend to in their efforts to optimize performance (i.e., HP) with 'drivability' (i.e., making the vehicle quiet & sedate for everyday driving).

Also, adding performance exhaust systems, either of the 'axle-back', or 'cat-back' kind will increase engine output by reducing back-pressure. Typically, the best gains are realized by simultaneously opening-up the intake flow by use of a good 'cold air intake' system. The two combined can easily add 10% or greater horsepower gains...often fuel economy will increase too, but at the expense of more noise.

Answer 3

It means that there are two sides of the engine that exhaust from combustion escapes out of. The exhaust system channels it to the back of the car. Mostly 8 cylinder engines have dual exhaust pipes.

Answer 4

Two exhaust pipes lower the back pressure on the engine and boost the actual horsepower you get.
It also mean you have separate exhaust systems for each head.

Answer 5

On most newer cars and trucks two tail pipes are for looks only.

Answer 6

it has one more then one pipe and one less then 3

Answer 7

it's a dual exhaust.

Answer 8

its called dual exhaust,this is mostly done on v-6 ,and mainly on v-8 engines ,its done for performance reasons,and sound also,but that's what it is dual exhaust good luck.

Answer 9

nothing it just makes it look nice