What the???
Excuse me if I am wrong but isn't back pressure BAD. The engine has to work harder to expell the exhaust gases. The engine wants to get rid of exhaust gas doesn't it? Then why are you trying to stop the gasses from expelling? You want the engine to work harder to try and over come back pressure? Don't think so!
And what would happen if your engine has a longer period cam (overlap)? When one cylinder is still closing and removing exhaust gases, and the next cylinder is opening for intake, with back pressure there is a good chance that the exhast gasses will enter the new intake cylinder. Not good!
What would be ideal is an exhaust system that actually "pulls" the exhaust gases out of the cylinder and system. The whole exhaust system needs to be tuned to help with this. Extractors being a part of this. Example: a cylinder fires, gases flow into the extractors, and make to to the point on the extractors where the pipes all meet. Then the next cylinder fires, and gases flow into extractors, the gases from the first firing have made it past the point when the pipes join and are heading out to the silencer (mufler). This first group of exhaust gases has a pulling effect which the second set of exhaust gases then joins. Then the third set of gases join, then the forth, etc... This would be an ideal setup where the exhaust system extracts the gases from the engine allowing more power produced from the engine to be used to drive the wheels.
Why do you think they call them extractors?
Two other bits are required for them to work correctly. One being a decent silencer. This is the first thing the exhast pipes go into from the extactors. Like what Tinkz said, you want a silencer that doesn't have baffles and allows the exhast gases to flow relatively freely through to the other side. If it's retrictive, then it is like having a lid on a coke bottle and trying to pour the coke out. It just ain't going to work. This creates "Back Pressure"....
And the other thing that helps an exhaust system flow is pipe size. Small is not good as it is to restrictive. Like trying to blow up a baloon through a straw. Big is also *not good*. You often see people with huge exhaust systems on little cars. The gases do not flow effectively from this type of system. It all comes down to "gas speed". As I mentioned earlier you want an exhaust system that pulls the exhaust gases out. This effect is caused by "gas speed". When your pipes are too large then the gas speed is low and the exhaust doesn't leave the system efficiently.
But I could be wrong above. I am new to this. I just read a book and now think I am an expert!
