Invidia Q300 Catback + Berk High Flow Cats installed.. disappointed..

Diversion · 07-11-2009, 08:06 AM

Nothing is loose guys.. it's how the exhaust sounds.. I crawled underneath and re-torqued all bolts and checked all gaskets for any blow-by. Nothing, looks clean..

While driving I know the rasp is definately coming out of the tailpipes only, no weird sounds from anywhere else on the car..

I'm going to give it about 2 weeks and i'll repost a video and see if there's a difference.

Also, I was remembering there were a lot of packing peanuts that got inside the HFCs during shipping, I hope I didn't accidently leave 1 inside one of the HFCs! Could be the horrible smell i'm still getting! Lol.. oh well, it'll burn out.

Diversion · 07-11-2009, 08:31 AM

Watch/listen to this vid.. my car pretty much sounds the same under load YouTube - INVIDIA EXHAUST FOR INFINITI G37 from AMPLIFIED MOTORSPORT part 2

You can hear the rasp, it's just not very mean sounding I guess.

m4a1mustang · 07-11-2009, 08:48 AM

Yeah, it's just a very crappy sounding exhaust to begin with (though some people like it.) It has a lot of rasp with stock cats so HFCs or test pipes are just going to amplify that effect.

Usually the cat-backs that do the best with HFCs or test pipes are the ones that sound the smoothest on the stock cats... take for instance the Stillen, FI, and most likely Berk CBEs. Those systems are very smooth and refined when bolted to the stock cats. If you want to be more aggressive while still sounding very good you add the HFCs or test pipes to that setup.

But if the CBE is raspy to begin with... no dice. It will probably sound like ***.

Your best bet would be just to swap the CBE out with something better.

Diversion · 07-11-2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

Yeah, it's just a very crappy sounding exhaust to begin with (though some people like it.) It has a lot of rasp with stock cats so HFCs or test pipes are just going to amplify that effect.

Usually the cat-backs that do the best with HFCs or test pipes are the ones that sound the smoothest on the stock cats... take for instance the Stillen, FI, and most likely Berk CBEs. Those systems are very smooth and refined when bolted to the stock cats. If you want to be more aggressive while still sounding very good you add the HFCs or test pipes to that setup.

But if the CBE is raspy to begin with... no dice. It will probably sound like ***.

Your best bet would be just to swap the CBE out with something better.

Yeah, you're right, it's very raspy on it's own. If I hadn't gotten such a insanely killer deal on the Invidia it obviously wouldn't have been my first choice.. I was holding out for the Berk catback until the Invidia landed in my lap! Still gonna give it a week or two and see if the rasp chills out.. To be honest, it's only raspy when you're about 60% or more throttle.. it's very quiet otherwise.

m4a1mustang · 07-11-2009, 08:50 AM

If I were in your shoes I'd reinstall the stock CBE to the HFCs. That will actually sound pretty good. Then you can sell the Invidia and buy something else.

wstar · 07-11-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

If I were in your shoes I'd reinstall the stock CBE to the HFCs. That will actually sound pretty good. Then you can sell the Invidia and buy something else.

I had HFCs with a stock CBE for a little while (but also with Stillen's headers), and the sound wasn't great (although it wasn't bad either). It sounded very... I donno, restricted?

njlakeshoreg · 07-11-2009, 08:59 AM

invidia sounds like crapola on these cars...as most exhaust systems do...

gnarf · 07-11-2009, 03:01 PM

def not diggin the sound...invidia's sound better on Honda's..you need a quality exhaust for a quality car..take off the cat back..sell it and buy berks

Phimosis · 07-11-2009, 06:31 PM

It actually sounds like me stillen exhaust when I removed the rear muffler section. It makes me think invidia should have went with two mufflers in back like Stillen did.

Diversion · 07-12-2009, 10:36 AM

Day 3 so far.. exhaust might actually be improving.. sounds more smooth, and less raspy while driving around. Still a bit rasptastic under load.

kevr6 · 07-13-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diversion

Day 3 so far.. exhaust might actually be improving.. sounds more smooth, and less raspy while driving around. Still a bit rasptastic under load.

Thanks for keeping us updated!! I was hoping it would get better!

Diversion · 07-24-2009, 08:44 AM

Still raspy over 2 weeks later.. don't hold your breath on it getting better

Oh well, not like I drive the Z everyday now.

nogoodname · 07-24-2009, 08:59 AM

like this i guess, that is rattle-tastic!!

nightfire · 07-24-2009, 09:53 AM

^I like the sound of that but when the Berk HFC's were installed it doesn't sound the same. Hey Diversion any way you can tape a fly by to compare to the video above? It's hard to hear your exhaust just revving in the garage.

nogoodname · 07-24-2009, 10:07 AM

that would be a good compare

07-11-2009, 08:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6963	Yeah, it's just a very crappy sounding exhaust to begin with (though some people like it.) It has a lot of rasp with stock cats so HFCs or test pipes are just going to amplify that effect. Usually the cat-backs that do the best with HFCs or test pipes are the ones that sound the smoothest on the stock cats... take for instance the Stillen, FI, and most likely Berk CBEs. Those systems are very smooth and refined when bolted to the stock cats. If you want to be more aggressive while still sounding very good you add the HFCs or test pipes to that setup. But if the CBE is raspy to begin with... no dice. It will probably sound like *. Your best bet would be just to swap the CBE out with something better. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!**

07-11-2009, 08:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6963	If I were in your shoes I'd reinstall the stock CBE to the HFCs. That will actually sound pretty good. Then you can sell the Invidia and buy something else. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

07-12-2009, 10:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
Diversion Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 393 Drives: 09 370Z Silver/Persi Rep Power: 285	Day 3 so far.. exhaust might actually be improving.. sounds more smooth, and less raspy while driving around. Still a bit rasptastic under load. __________________ 09 370Z Touring + Sport + Nav (Status Elite Intakes) (Berk HFCs) (Invidia Q300 CBE) (Nismo Swaybars) 99 Civic Si (Daily Driver, completely unmolested stock rarity)

07-24-2009, 08:44 AM	#12 (permalink)
Diversion Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 393 Drives: 09 370Z Silver/Persi Rep Power: 285	Still raspy over 2 weeks later.. don't hold your breath on it getting better Oh well, not like I drive the Z everyday now. __________________ 09 370Z Touring + Sport + Nav (Status Elite Intakes) (Berk HFCs) (Invidia Q300 CBE) (Nismo Swaybars) 99 Civic Si (Daily Driver, completely unmolested stock rarity)

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07-11-2009, 08:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
Diversion Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 393 Drives: 09 370Z Silver/Persi Rep Power: 285	Nothing is loose guys.. it's how the exhaust sounds.. I crawled underneath and re-torqued all bolts and checked all gaskets for any blow-by. Nothing, looks clean.. While driving I know the rasp is definately coming out of the tailpipes only, no weird sounds from anywhere else on the car.. I'm going to give it about 2 weeks and i'll repost a video and see if there's a difference. Also, I was remembering there were a lot of packing peanuts that got inside the HFCs during shipping, I hope I didn't accidently leave 1 inside one of the HFCs! Could be the horrible smell i'm still getting! Lol.. oh well, it'll burn out.

07-11-2009, 08:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
Diversion Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 393 Drives: 09 370Z Silver/Persi Rep Power: 285	Watch/listen to this vid.. my car pretty much sounds the same under load YouTube - INVIDIA EXHAUST FOR INFINITI G37 from AMPLIFIED MOTORSPORT part 2 You can hear the rasp, it's just not very mean sounding I guess.

07-11-2009, 08:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
njlakeshoreg Base Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: nergen cnty, NJ Posts: 16 Drives: 08 INF G37S 6mt IP Rep Power: 17	invidia sounds like crapola on these cars...as most exhaust systems do...

07-11-2009, 03:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
gnarf Base Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Jersey Posts: 160 Drives: G37 Rep Power: 17	def not diggin the sound...invidia's sound better on Honda's..you need a quality exhaust for a quality car..take off the cat back..sell it and buy berks

07-11-2009, 06:31 PM	#9 (permalink)
Phimosis Enthusiast Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Oildale, CA Posts: 412 Drives: 2013 911 4S Rep Power: 417	It actually sounds like me stillen exhaust when I removed the rear muffler section. It makes me think invidia should have went with two mufflers in back like Stillen did.

07-24-2009, 08:59 AM	#13 (permalink)
nogoodname Lifetime Premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 22,357 Drives: E46 M3 Rep Power: 1765	like this i guess, that is rattle-tastic!!

07-24-2009, 09:53 AM	#14 (permalink)
nightfire Base Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Posts: 178 Drives: Mk IV Jetta turbo Rep Power: 268	^I like the sound of that but when the Berk HFC's were installed it doesn't sound the same. Hey Diversion any way you can tape a fly by to compare to the video above? It's hard to hear your exhaust just revving in the garage.

07-24-2009, 10:07 AM	#15 (permalink)
nogoodname Lifetime Premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 22,357 Drives: E46 M3 Rep Power: 1765	that would be a good compare