Exhaust Question

[mathman]

OK... I'm after a new exhaust setup, but I want to keep things fairly quiet and fairly inexpensive. My thought is to get a high flow cat, and have a local shop run 2.25" pipe from the header to the stock muffler (no resonator). This should accomplish a few things...

1) The high flow cat. I won't need to mess with an 02 sensor simulator, and it should flow better than OEM.
2) I'll get the 2.25" midpipe. This seems to be a good mod for the money.
3) If it's not enough, I can wait a while and get an axleback setup installed. So, it's upgradeable, if that's a word.

The shop is very reputable, willing to work with (put up with) guys like me, and they will mandrel bend. I forgot to ask if they will do a stainless setup, but that would be nice.

The questions:

a) Does this seem like a reasonable idea? I understand this won't deliver the best hp gains, but I want to keep the sound at a reasonable level.
b) Anybody know a good brand of cat to get, and where to buy one?
c) Any other thoughts/ideas?

Mathman.

[2k2ep]

I would not replace the cat, if you were going to do anything just get rid of it. It can be more troublesome than you think. I'd stick with a 2.25 pipe from the cat to the stock muffler and buy a header. Thats my current setup and I love it all you really hear is the cai growl.

[MiLkBiZzY]

I was just wondering, do you plan to keep the stock muffler on with that setup or are you going to slap one on sometime?

[mathman]

Originally posted by 2k2ep
I would not replace the cat, if you were going to do anything just get rid of it. It can be more troublesome than you think. I'd stick with a 2.25 pipe from the cat to the stock muffler and buy a header. Thats my current setup and I love it all you really hear is the cai growl.

Troublesome how? Do you think I might still have problems with the CEL coming on, or maybe a fitment issue? RoBear has a Random Tech high flow cat with 2.25" in and out, so I wanted to use 2.25" pipe from the header to the muffler.

Mathman.

[mathman]

Originally posted by MiLkBiZzY
I was just wondering, do you plan to keep the stock muffler on with that setup or are you going to slap one on sometime?

Initially, I thought I would just put new pipe in from the header to the stock muffler with a bigger cat and no resonator. I wanted to gauge the noise level and power gains there before moving on. Further down the road, maybe do an axleback of some sort.

Mathman.

[Peking]

Originally posted by mathman
The questions:
a) Does this seem like a reasonable idea? I understand this won't deliver the bet hp gains, but I want to keep the sound at a reasonable level.
b) Anybody know a good brand of cat to get, and where to buy one?
c) Any other thoughts/ideas?
Mathman.

This is a reasonable idea, your sound will improve. When it comes to the cat, I don't know. I can't do a search right now. I had a custom exhaust before my HKS. I was very happy with it, 2.25" no resonator. Welded directly to a Skun2 Mega Power universal muffler. Great sound, noticable gas gains, and looked cool. To bad the muffler shop did a shitty job on the placement. You watch them and make sure they have a aggresive enought bend over the rear sway, and if you ever go with a after market muffler. Make sure they have the rear tip far from the rear bumper. I watched them make these mistakes, but was too itimated to say anything. I really wish I had now, but oh well. Live and learn.


Originally posted by 2k2ep
I would not replace the cat, if you were going to do anything just get rid of it. It can be more troublesome than you think. I'd stick with a 2.25 pipe from the cat to the stock muffler and buy a header. Thats my current setup and I love it all you really hear is the cai growl.

Don't get rid of the cat, unless you are boosting (why set yourself up for problems if it isn't needed. Like if I was running boost, I wouldn't care for not having a cat and throwing a cel. Untill I found a o2 sim that worked). Upgrading the header is always a great idea.

[mathman]

Originally posted by Peking
This is a reasonable idea, your sound will improve. When it comes to the cat, I don't know. I can't do a search right now. I had a custom exhaust before my HKS. I was very happy with it, 2.25" no resonator. Welded directly to a Skun2 Mega Power universal muffler. Great sound, noticable gas gains, and looked cool. To bad the muffler shop did a shitty job on the placement. You watch them and make sure they have a aggresive enought bend over the rear sway, and if you ever go with a after market muffler. Make sure they have the rear tip far from the rear bumper. I watched them make these mistakes, but was too itimated to say anything. I really wish I had now, but oh well. Live and learn.



Don't get rid of the cat, unless you are boosting (why set yourself up for problems if it isn't needed. Like if I was running boost, I wouldn't care for not having a cat and throwing a cel. Untill I found a o2 sim that worked). Upgrading the header is always a great idea.

Thanks for the advice, Peking!

How does the HKS compare to your previous setup, in terms of sound (both volume and tone) and performance?

I wasn't planning on getting rid of the cat, but rather replacing it with a high flow unit. My plan was to get a 2.25" in/out cat, and have a shop run 2.25" pipe down from the header, through the new cat, and back to the axle. The idea was to get some decent gains, not throw a CEL, keep the noise down, and leave the option of an axleback setup open, probably very similar to what you had.

Mathman.

[Peking]

Originally posted by mathman
Thanks for the advice, Peking!
How does the HKS compare to your previous setup, in terms of sound (both volume and tone) and performance?
I wasn't planning on getting rid of the cat, but rather replacing it with a high flow unit. My plan was to get a 2.25" in/out cat, and have a shop run 2.25" pipe down from the header, through the new cat, and back to the axle. The idea was to get some decent gains, not throw a CEL, keep the noise down, and leave the option of an axleback setup open, probably very similar to what you had.
Mathman.

No problem, I like it very much (got it used from an old member). Sound is not as loud, but is still deep. Performance is slighty better, and since it is. My gas numbers are not as good as before. Your plain sounds good, very similar except for the replacing of the OEM down-pipe and cat.

I can do a search now, megan high flow cat. Has been used by a member here. http://www.meganracing.com/

Also give this a read... http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24097&highlight=high+flow+cat%2A

Jon

[mathman]

Originally posted by Peking
No problem, I like it very much (got it used from an old member). Sound is not as loud, but is still deep. Performance is slighty better, and since it is. My gas numbers are not as good as before. Your plain sounds good, very similar except for the replacing of the OEM down-pipe and cat.

I can do a search now, megan high flow cat. Has been used by a member here. http://www.meganracing.com/

Also give this a read... http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24097&highlight=high+flow+cat%2A

Jon

Looks like I'm not the only one working the night shift on this site, Peking! The night time is the right time...

I thought the Megan piece was a 'test pipe' rather than a high flow cat. If it is, my options are:

1) replace cat with test pipe and get an 02 sim
2) replace cat with high flow cat

So, I was going to get the high flow cat. It would probably be about the same price either way, and if I keep a cat of some sort I can still meet emissions, should that ever be an issue. And maybe this way, I can get that tasty Spoon axleback.

Mathman.

[Peking]

Originally posted by mathman
Looks like I'm not the only one working the night shift on this site, Peking! The night time is the right time...
I thought the Megan piece was a 'test pipe' rather than a high flow cat. If it is, my options are:
1) replace cat with test pipe and get an 02 sim
2) replace cat with high flow cat
So, I was going to get the high flow cat. It would probably be about the same price either way, and if I keep a cat of some sort I can still meet emissions, should that ever be an issue. And maybe this way, I can get that tasty Spoon axleback.

Haha, best time to post IMO. I don't know if it is a test pipe or cat, from what I read it is a high-flow cat. You could get the test pipe and the o2 sim. Except that the o2 sim's out there now are not reliable, not worth the money IMO. So I would say just replace the OEM cat with a high-flow cat. Did you read the link, I think that was another kind of high-flow cat. I think if there is a cat (high-flow) you will pass. Spoon axleback is nice, one of the members here, who lives down the street from me has it.

[SiRman]

get that tasty Spoon axleback

Yummy...Spoon!....MMMMMM...Yummy..arghhh.:banana:: tongue:








Sorry, I have a Spoon fetish. :smilem:

[mathman]

Originally posted by Peking
Haha, best time to post IMO. I don't know if it is a test pipe or cat, from what I read it is a high-flow cat. You could get the test pipe and the o2 sim. Except that the o2 sim's out there now are not reliable, not worth the money IMO. So I would say just replace the OEM cat with a high-flow cat. Did you read the link, I think that was another kind of high-flow cat. I think if there is a cat (high-flow) you will pass. Spoon axleback is nice, one of the members here, who lives down the street from me has it.

Oops! I did read both links. The item referred to in the other link is the Random Technologies cat, and looks to be a 'universal fit' high flow cat. Basically, I think it's just a standard cat with 2.25" in/out, and looks to be about what I want. I understand your point on the 02 sims. We should be getting more feedback on the Casper sim soon...

In the meantime, I'll start looking around at high flow cats and what-not.

Mathman.

[2k2ep]

Sorry I just got back on the computer this morning. The trouble I spoke about is mostly from one of my own experiences and plenty of friends probs too. All I was trying to get across is I personally would not spend the cash on a high flow cat because you wont make as much power as just replacing it with pipe. And you still might have problems with it anyway including throwing a cel and you still might not pass emissions with one.

[Peking]

Originally posted by 2k2ep
Sorry I just got back on the computer this morning. The trouble I spoke about is mostly from one of my own experiences and plenty of friends probs too. All I was trying to get across is I personally would not spend the cash on a high flow cat because you wont make as much power as just replacing it with pipe. And you still might have problems with it anyway including throwing a cel and you still might not pass emissions with one.

Yeah it is a given that you will not pass emissons with a test pipe.

[2k2ep]

The high flow cat, I was not talking about the test pipe.

[2k2ep]

I was talking about the high flow cat not the testpipe. Yes you will not pass emissions and you will have a cel with a test pipe, and you might have the same prob with a high flow cat.

[mathman]

Originally posted by 2k2ep
I was talking about the high flow cat not the testpipe. Yes you will not pass emissions and you will have a cel with a test pipe, and you might have the same prob with a high flow cat.

Have you (or anyone else) had a CEL problem with a high flow cat? There was a post a while back on getting the CEL with a test pipe, which isn't surprising. If the high flow cats don't take care of that, maybe we'll get some good news on the 02 sims.

Anyone got a good recommendation on which high flow cat to get if I go this route?

I'll try to give the shop a call to see what their opinion is on the matter. Hopefully, they've dealt with this sort of thing before, and can shed some light on a solution.

Besides this issue, anybody else got any thoughts on whether this is a good or bad idea? Like I said, I just want to see some decent hp gains while keeping noise levels and cost down a little. If it doesn't get me where I want, I can play around with an axleback setup later.

Thanks for all the info, guys.

Mathman.