Stillen Headers + Berk HFCs self-install report

wstar

Ok I'm re-hijacking my thread back for a bit.

Just got the Stillen cat-back installed. I raised the "center" section at the spot indicated in the instructions with a floor jack to try to get the system clear of the chassis crossmember, but in the end after I torqued everything down, it still dropped in a bit and came to rest on that crossmember. So clearly, I'll have to go back and loosen all the bolts and tweak this some more to get it to sit right.

However, I went ahead and fired it up for a short test drive. Words cannot describe how awesome the full exhaust setup sounds, and when I make an audio recording later, I'm sure it won't do justice to the live thing. Whoever was worried about the headers making it too high-pitched, I don't think you have anything to worry about. It's a really nice low growl (at low rpms), and changes predictably with load and rpms.

All that said, on the test drive I still had an odd rasp/buzz/whatever sound at certain RPMs under acceleration load on the road. Although the sound characteristics of the exhaust have completely changed, I recognize this as a sound that was bothering me before, ever since the cats/headers went in. I'm starting to think I must have a leak issue somewhere up in the area of the cats/headers still, which I'll also have to sort out. I may just run down to an exhaust shop sometime tomorrow and have someone who looks at this stuff every day listen around under the car and try to find it.

Anyways, minor install issues that are undoubtedly my fault aside, it's awesome. I think the catback really let loose a lot of pent-up gains from the headers and cats, I could definitely feel a real difference on the road. And the sound is amazing, although it borders on the territory of too loud, in a "My neighbors are all going to hate me now" sort of way. Not loud like a fart can on a civic, loud like standing in the pits at a NASCAR event.

Audio soon...

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