Change Exhaust?

[Mikyel]

its Xforce varex.. u control it wif remote control, retail for $499

Sorri bout pic but u get the idea..

[GTR Power]

woulkd this be similar to that flap thing inside the exhaust, when u open it up ist less restrictive there fore louder?

[GTR Power]

ive got no idea wat the pic is trying to show?

[Mikyel]

Yup it got the flap inside.. the pic is the motor outside the exhaust.. i take beta pic 2molo..

[HolyEvil]

Hi there.. just read up on alot of stuff on the forums, read up about exhaust n stuff..

just a quick question..since we are running n/a engines.. does it matter what 2 1/2 inch catback exhaust we get?

like would a brand name exhaust change the performance of the car differently from a cheaper 300 bucks catback exhaust from any exhaust shop?

any good recommedations of brands? when i was doing my car tyre alignment and there was a exhaust shop right beside it sharing it's premises.. and it told me for exhaust he can change it to a supercat (whatever this is) 2 1/2 inch catback exhaust for 300 bucks..

dun wanna sound cheap but if there's not much difference in performance (being n/a engines) etc.. should i just go for the cheap ones?

thanks

edit: oh yeah wat's the diff between sports exhaust n normal exhaust? and what do they do differently..cheers

Edited November 15, 2006 by HolyEvil

[TokyoTaxi]

When it comes to an exhaust system, there's a bit more to consider than just price IMO. I learned the hard way as I started modding cars back in the late 80's that it's all a balancing act that's easy to get wrong.

The system has to be made of good quality materials ( I prefer heavy gauge Stainless Steel ) and has to be well built, have good flow properties, livable ( no big drone ) and legal ( for most ).

Any Exhaust Shop can knock up a cheap cat-back for you but in one way or another you'll find out why it was cheap. Whatever it is about this cheap system may even be a novelty for a while but soon enough, the problem / fault will drive you nuts !!

Hi-Tech has a great reputation for systems that cover all the good categories but the "only" complaint I've heard, is about the note / sound and they are sometimes too quiet for some people ( usually on nissan turbo's ).

Getting a 2.5" cat-back from Hi-Tech for $400 - $700 installed sounds like an awesome deal to me so long as it's a complete Stainless Steel system. Otherwise that is an "OK" price. No I don't work for Hi-Tech, nor have in the past, nor have a mate who works there, nor am I getting kick-backs

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents.

[HolyEvil]

I just got a stainless steel 2.5inch catback installed today at hi tech for 850.. i tried bringing it down.. but the guy will only go as low as 850..damn i'm bad at haggling..

driving my car around feels about the same as my previous exhaust.. none of the extra lowend torque that pple talk about (but hoping the fuel economy thing is true tho).. maybe it's just cuz the FREAKING exhaust is so loud during acceleration about up to about 2500 rpm and it's distracting me "slightly".. man i swear i'll go deaf with this sound.. the guy told me to give it a month for the glass(or whatever stuff that's inside) in the muffler to settle, then if it's still killing my ear drums, he'll stick this pipe thing into the muffler or exhaust or something to make it quieter.... man i hate loud exhausts.. it's a round muffler not a oval muffler..

hmm i didn't get my stock exhaust back.. is this the way it's suppose to be? i was thinking maybe i should have taken the muffler back.. hmm

hopefully the sound would go down soon.. tell u guys how it is.. =)

When it comes to an exhaust system, there's a bit more to consider than just price IMO. I learned the hard way as I started modding cars back in the late 80's that it's all a balancing act that's easy to get wrong.

The system has to be made of good quality materials ( I prefer heavy gauge Stainless Steel ) and has to be well built, have good flow properties, livable ( no big drone ) and legal ( for most ).

Any Exhaust Shop can knock up a cheap cat-back for you but in one way or another you'll find out why it was cheap. Whatever it is about this cheap system may even be a novelty for a while but soon enough, the problem / fault will drive you nuts !!

Hi-Tech has a great reputation for systems that cover all the good categories but the "only" complaint I've heard, is about the note / sound and they are sometimes too quiet for some people ( usually on nissan turbo's ).

Getting a 2.5" cat-back from Hi-Tech for $400 - $700 installed sounds like an awesome deal to me so long as it's a complete Stainless Steel system. Otherwise that is an "OK" price. No I don't work for Hi-Tech, nor have in the past, nor have a mate who works there, nor am I getting kick-backs

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents.

[TokyoTaxi]

I just got a stainless steel 2.5inch catback installed today at hi tech for 850.. i tried bringing it down.. but the guy will only go as low as 850..damn i'm bad at haggling..

driving my car around feels about the same as my previous exhaust.. none of the extra lowend torque that pple talk about (but hoping the fuel economy thing is true tho).. maybe it's just cuz the FREAKING exhaust is so loud during acceleration about up to about 2500 rpm and it's distracting me "slightly".. man i swear i'll go deaf with this sound.. the guy told me to give it a month for the glass(or whatever stuff that's inside) in the muffler to settle, then if it's still killing my ear drums, he'll stick this pipe thing into the muffler or exhaust or something to make it quieter.... man i hate loud exhausts.. it's a round muffler not a oval muffler..

hmm i didn't get my stock exhaust back.. is this the way it's suppose to be? i was thinking maybe i should have taken the muffler back.. hmm

hopefully the sound would go down soon.. tell u guys how it is.. =)

Hmmm..... That doesn't sound good.

I guess you could give it a month or 2 and see if it's what you want or not. Usually an exhaust will change it's note a little bit ( but not much ) as it gets some carbon buildup inside. But if it's way too loud for you right now ( it's prol illegal too if it's that loud ), you should give it back and nicely say "Not Happy" and get it fixed. If their solution is to install a silencer in the tip, don't accept it as it might put you back to square one ( being restrictive ). Another "Hmmmmm" is the round stainless muffler........... I've only ever seen an "oval" stainless muffler come out of Hi-Tech ( but I could be wrong ). Anyway, go get a strong magnet and if it sticks to any part of your new system, it ain't stainless !!

As for performance, you prol won't feel any major difference since your factory system should not have been that bad to start with. In an N/A car the improvement is much less than in a turbo ( IMO ). The proof would be in a dyno run before and after but you'd have to be pretty good to honestly pick the difference by the seat of your pants.

Um, if you wanted your original exhaust back you prol should have told them before they started because they will often hack / gas axe it to bits on removal since it's quicker. If you say you want to keep it they'll remove it properly.

[HolyEvil]

Hi there just chceking other than adding the silencer in the tip, what other solutions can i get off them? thanks cuz i need to know my optinos when i go back down to speak to them tomorrow morning.

would they change the round muffler to the oval muffler? would i have to pay for it? i already spent 850 bucks on it and i dun wanna spend anymore cuz it's just a no brand they make it themselves stuff..

thanks guys..any reply asap would help heaps..cuz i'm going down in sat morning about 10 or something.

cuz i'm no longer enjoy driving my car at all.. the sound is giving me headaches, making me put my auto car into neutral and i don't wanna step on the accelerater at all..

and if i ask for my old exhaust back on my car..how much would they charge me for putting it back?

thanks

Hmmm..... That doesn't sound good.

I guess you could give it a month or 2 and see if it's what you want or not. Usually an exhaust will change it's note a little bit ( but not much ) as it gets some carbon buildup inside. But if it's way too loud for you right now ( it's prol illegal too if it's that loud ), you should give it back and nicely say "Not Happy" and get it fixed. If their solution is to install a silencer in the tip, don't accept it as it might put you back to square one ( being restrictive ). Another "Hmmmmm" is the round stainless muffler........... I've only ever seen an "oval" stainless muffler come out of Hi-Tech ( but I could be wrong ). Anyway, go get a strong magnet and if it sticks to any part of your new system, it ain't stainless !!

As for performance, you prol won't feel any major difference since your factory system should not have been that bad to start with. In an N/A car the improvement is much less than in a turbo ( IMO ). The proof would be in a dyno run before and after but you'd have to be pretty good to honestly pick the difference by the seat of your pants.

Um, if you wanted your original exhaust back you prol should have told them before they started because they will often hack / gas axe it to bits on removal since it's quicker. If you say you want to keep it they'll remove it properly.

[TokyoTaxi]

Just call them up and tell them that you're not happy at all with what's been done and you're getting a headache from it etc etc and you'd like it fixed !! ( not by shoving a silencer in the tip ). More than likely they'll put a big resonator in the pipe shortly after the cat to quiet it down. And no, yopu should not have to pay any more $'s for whatever is needed to fix the problem "properly".

If you don't get any joy from that, PM me.

[Eug]

yeah buddy, sounds like you got the raw end of the deal.

take it back and ask them to fix it till your happy, and yes you should also get your stock one back (never know when you'll need it)

with regards to low end torque, what exhaust did you have on previously?

[HolyEvil]

just called them..just told them that it was too loud..and i'm taking it back on saturday morning.. so see how it'll go... will keep u guys informed.. thanks for all de advice.. i wonder whether my old exhaust would still be lying around or not.. hopefully it'll be..

anymore advice..just keep posting!!!

thanks guys

[HolyEvil]

with regards to low end torque, what exhaust did you have on previously?

hi there..sorry i missed the question when i was at work. the original exhaust was stock.. the hitech guy told me it looks like a 7/8..no idea what diameter it that in the metric system..

so would my 2.5" make much of a diff?

hard to feel with just me bum =)

cheers

[HolyEvil]

Hi there guys just came back from the hitech mufflers place.. when i got there today, first thing they told me was that 2.5" was too big for a non turbo therefore the sound was v loud. I didn't understand this cuz i thought 2.5" was 'perfect' for a non turbo skyline. they put another resonator behind the cat.. is the resonator's functionality based on it's size? cuz they put 1 kinda tiny one in.. imagine the 2.5" tube having a second skin over it.. that's how thick the new resonator is. was told it's unpolished stainless steel but it looks kinda yellowish browninsh colour..

the sound.. the sound has very slightly gone down.. i won't say it has gone down by alot.. altho the sound isn't as long in some of the revs now.. it was very very bad from 2200 rpm to /25002600 rpm.. now it's about 2200 rpm to about 2400 rpm.. will keep going at it for another 2-3 days and see how it goes..

the guy at the shop told me that the only other resort they can do for me is to shove a 2 inch pipe in the rear muffler.. he said that having a 2" within a 2.5" would effectively slow the speed the exhaust is removed from the car.. so will be softer.. and he said that it wun affect the performance of the car at all.. is this true?

another weird thing is that the last 2 times i filled up i got about 180-230km on 24L of petrol.. this last time i filled up..i only got 107km out of 24L of petrol.. u guys think is this due to the change of exhaust or is this just a freaky one of thing

thanks for all your help =)

thanks guy

[TokyoTaxi]

I've got to say, I think you're getting screwed around !! I find it a bit hard to believe that Hi-Tech is doing this to you but it sure seems like it !!

At a guess, the resonator they put in sounds like it is a "hot dog" which will do very little to quiet the system down. The better resonators are usually oval shaped.

As for the 2.5 inch being too big on an N/A thing...... I don't agree.

My car makes 80db at 4600rpm at the moment ( no drone ) with the factory system on a non-turbo.

I have a Fujitsubo Legalis R cat back system on order and Fujitsubo states that the sound will increase from 80db to 84db and the main pipe section is mandrel bent stainless in 70mm diameter which is "2.7 inch" diameter. Now this is yet to be proven but being Fujitsubo, I believe that it will be close to that.

Also, I used to have a 2.75 inch mild steels, press bent system on my Escort ( many years ago ) and the engine was wild but the exhaust note was tough and deep but very livable so I'm a firm believer that it can be done.

And again, get a magnet and if it sticks to any part of the system, It's not stainless steel !! If any part of the system is NOT stainless ( and you were told it was a full stainless system ) go back and get them to build the system again, and properly or give you your money back. If you do get your money back ( unlikely ), save a bit more and get a proper Jap Cat back system to suit your car. If you don't, then you might have to get an engineers report on what you've got fitted and seek legal advice or just keep going back until you're happy.

Oh, and shoving pipes inside pipes is only going to restrict the system and take you back to where you were.

And I'd just like to say that I'm NOT the guru of exhausts !! "But" I've learned that with imports, its heaps better to save a bit longer and spending a bit more to get a proven, quality made Jap system. Considering that they do all the R & D, you know that you're going to get what you want / paid for.

Anyway, good luck !

[Eug]

well put scott.

on a side note, how much was the fujitsubo catback?

i'll be redoing my entire system from extractor back, and currently looking into hiflow cats, resonator and a catback to add to it.

[HolyEvil]

I've got to say, I think you're getting screwed around !! I find it a bit hard to believe that Hi-Tech is doing this to you but it sure seems like it !!

At a guess, the resonator they put in sounds like it is a "hot dog" which will do very little to quiet the system down. The better resonators are usually oval shaped.

As for the 2.5 inch being too big on an N/A thing...... I don't agree.

My car makes 80db at 4600rpm at the moment ( no drone ) with the factory system on a non-turbo.

I have a Fujitsubo Legalis R cat back system on order and Fujitsubo states that the sound will increase from 80db to 84db and the main pipe section is mandrel bent stainless in 70mm diameter which is "2.7 inch" diameter. Now this is yet to be proven but being Fujitsubo, I believe that it will be close to that.

Also, I used to have a 2.75 inch mild steels, press bent system on my Escort ( many years ago ) and the engine was wild but the exhaust note was tough and deep but very livable so I'm a firm believer that it can be done.

And again, get a magnet and if it sticks to any part of the system, It's not stainless steel !! If any part of the system is NOT stainless ( and you were told it was a full stainless system ) go back and get them to build the system again, and properly or give you your money back. If you do get your money back ( unlikely ), save a bit more and get a proper Jap Cat back system to suit your car. If you don't, then you might have to get an engineers report on what you've got fitted and seek legal advice or just keep going back until you're happy.

Oh, and shoving pipes inside pipes is only going to restrict the system and take you back to where you were.

And I'd just like to say that I'm NOT the guru of exhausts !! "But" I've learned that with imports, its heaps better to save a bit longer and spending a bit more to get a proven, quality made Jap system. Considering that they do all the R & D, you know that you're going to get what you want / paid for.

Anyway, good luck !

thanks mate, i'm going to do that magnet thing, and if it stick..man i'm going to go back and tell them what I think.. I got my friend to drive my car, it isn't terribly loud on the outside.. but i think it's the drone inside that makes me unhappy.. i'll give it a few more go and see wat happens.. if the new resonator they fitted on isn't stainless steel and it should be.. they would have to change the whole thing or just the resonater..

on another note, after the guy put in the new resonator he actually said there's nothing more we can do except for putting in a smaller pipe, you should be smiling for getting these for 750. and i told him you actually charged me 850 and he said oh and walked away.

p/s- anyone know where i can buy a strong magnet? a hardware store?

edit:put up some photos of the exhaust without the new resonator, would take a photo of the new resonator today.

Edited November 26, 2006 by HolyEvil

[bakitup]

im looking into redoing my exhaust, i currently have a 2.5" catback apexi exhaust with a apexi resonator thats 6" wide with a 4.5" tip. its illegaly loud and ear splitting when the revs are up so im thinking of redoing the whole exhaust. not sure how a 2.5" catback is so loud but i havent herd many other cars that sound quite as good, but it hurts when the windows are down.

ive herd alot about magic cats. does anyone have one that can acctually say from experience that they are a step above the other highflow cats around? i just hear from friends that theyr good value, around $300 so ive been told, and that they add a good 30kw of power.

[Eug]

the standard catylic convertor is known to be a source of restriction in most exhaust systems... i'm currently looking into cats as well, and have narrowed my selection to as you say a magic cat or a magnaflow, they've both been pretty well rated. don't expect a 30kw gain on an NA motor though, your looking around 5-10kw (just a general guideline)

i believe that an exhaust note is partly due to the size, as well as the materials, along with the design - a thin tin can style exhaust is going to "rattle" much louder than a thick dense solid well designed exhaust.

it just comes down to what you prefer? weight? sound? etc... its really a factor of alot of things

would be good if everyone could post up their specs here, and we'll all try to seperate the good from the bad.

[GTshortie]

Holyevil: If your after a VERY Very strong magnet goto JAYCAR Electronics i got my magnet to fix my oil temp guage from them,

CAUTION: its very very strong if you put your finger between the two of them it will break bones - no joke around $15 for two.