Changing exhaust
 

For whatever reason my test pipes are getting worse. The smell from them seems to be getting stronger as it now smells like straight pollution even inside my car. I feel that it is only a matter of time before I get pulled over...So I've decided that I'm going to remove my test pipes and put back my catalytic converters. Don't care about the "gains" I'd just rather be able to drive my car without having mini heart attacks every time I see a cop. I am going to have a custom built exhaust now because I'm somewhat over the Stillen CBE tone. It's too low and too quiet for a car that is begging for attention ;) So what are some of your setups out there? There's no need for me to straight pipe it since I'm putting my cats back on, but what's another way to get some volume out of them? Besides a straight muffler delete?

F.I. non res CBE. Sounds great with stock cats all while not having smell or smog issues :tup:

or HFC+CBE

I already have test pipes on my car and if they get more airflow then HFC then I think the sound would be about the same, I'm just trying to get a little (a lot) more volume out of my exhaust I have now.

I have Gen 2 intakes, CNT test pipes, and Stillen dual CBE. And she's quiet as hell...I know that the Stillen CBE supposedly gives you the most gains but when I"m over the quiet car phase. Originally I wanted a "quiet" exhaust to stay under the radar mainly due to my test pipes, but I figure if I make my car "legal" (with cats) then I have a little more freedom when it comes to being loud

Actually it doesn't. There are a couple of others that give better gains, one of which was mentioned earlier ;)

Well then I guess it's good I want to upgrade, I'm most likely going with custom piping though and I'm trying to see if there's something else I can have the shop do besides just chop off my mufflers.

If u run 76 100 octane unleaded or VP 101 (R+M/2) octane unleaded, it will SMELL so, so sweeee+! (no cats of course!):D

Stillen makes a really quiet exhaust. I have heard numerous on 370z's and they are all great sounding but too quiet.

If you arent interested in the gains, sell the test pipes, put the stock cats back on and then just run 2.5 inch piping to the rear and add a set of resonators. Youll have the performance gains you want from getting bigger piping, youll have the sound you want from no muffler, and the resonators will help with the drone.

You can probably get $500-700 or whatever for your stillen exhaust, custom exhaust will cost $300 or so if done properly.. More sound, money saved.

I'll look into this setup. I'm going next week to talk to this muffler shop again and I'll ask them about doing something light this then. Thanks :tup: :tiphat:

If getting pulled over is what worries you, unless your car is spewing smoke or flame out of the back, technically in CA, what you need to worry about（reason for cops to pull you over) is actually noise. The CARB regulations (pollution) are enforced at the time of smog check.

Relevant V.C.

V C Section 27151 Modification of Exhaust Systems
V C Section 27153 Exhaust Products

I just don't want a cop to sniff me out and then have him try and find a reason to pull me over. If it came down to it, I'd rather get pulled over for a loud exhaust than for no cats. I'm just tired of the low tone exhaust I have now so I want to try something different I suppose

If you are dead set on having cats then BERK HFC + HKS Hipower catback sounds AMAZZZZZZZZIIIING and its not quiet at all but its def not loud enough for you to get pulled over....Downside is $$$....If you want to go stock cats and save money then AAM short tails sound pretty good IMO.

hey man I have an extra muffler. it can be modified at an exhaust shop to be like a 'muffler delete.' luigi90210 wanted to buy it off me to do this

I'm getting rid of my mufflers though, I don't need an extra one

going back to stock cats seems like a terrible solution as these vq's feel like tractor motors up top with them in...

why not just go HFC?

if you just want sound, it'd be easy and cheap to run the stock exhaust with just the muffler modified/baffles removed

you're paranoid about test pipes btw lol

btw, u would be the firs car in history pulled over for smelling like a race car... lol

I don't need another exhaust. I'm doing custom piping
And I know, that's why I was going to change it?

This is kind of like a trial and error situation. I'll have them do the exhaust piping, then see how it sounds then if needed I'll put the cats back on. I'll keep you guys updated

Question, How did you get your cat's off. I have been having trouble getting mine off.

Ask Critical, he did it himself. The steps are pretty simple, but theres 2 bolts that may give you a hard time. I payed a shop a couple hundred bucks to just do it for me.

From the stories I've read, it was well worth it

The demon bolts. Never in my life had i faced with a stubborn puny little bolts, i paid a shop to remove it and slapped test pipes. Couldn't even be more happier

Well I had my custom axle back exhaust put on yesterday.

God Damn. That's all I have to say.

Pics and videos or it didn't happen...

Was gonna post one last night, but didn't want to wake up the city. I'll post both later today

but didn't want to wake up the city:tup:

Hey everyone, I know that it's been far too long since I posted an update about my car/exhaust. I tried to take a few videos of my car when I first changed up my exhaust but my GoPro was giving me issues for awhile so I simply gave up trying for awhile. I don't really have a video of start up or anything really but I will post the few videos that I do have so that hopefully you have an idea of what it sounds like. The videos that you see are from after my tune which actually made the exhaust noticeably quieter then when I first got it.

But anyways here you go :tup:




Recorded on my iPhone

Here's a short video my friend sent me earlier tonight, I saw him at a stoplight on my way home from picking up dinner after work and I guess he wanted to record my car? Except I was in the turn lane so this is all he got :P Anyways I guess this is hearing it as it drives away or some shît :driving:

Sounds awesome! Whats your setup?

Wow! :tup:

FI non res carbon fiber cans w/ stock cats is a total ear-gasm. And looks sleek with the carbon fiber.

Stillen Gen 2 CAI/Stock Headers/Resonated Test pipes/Stillen Dual Cat-back midpipe/And custom straight pipe axle-back short tails with bridge resonator. My A/F ratios are pretty dialed in now so it's a lot quieter like I said before...

Unfortunately I don't have a video of when I first got this set up because my GoPro was being a bîtch :tup:

That sounds NASTY!

What were your dyno numbers

Baseline (not stock) was 292 hp with 253 torque. Final numbers were 310 on 4th gear/4th pull with 265 torque. All gains were in my mid-range which is perfect cause that's mainly where I'm driving at.

Sounds mean :tup:

cops wont smell anything and if they pull you over, turn off your car and it wont smell, just keep the test pipes and get a louder CBE

worse case you get a ref ticket and you pay the $850 to get the ticket taken care of without going to a ref

you're in SD as well, dont worry, cops around us are retarded when it comes to cars, this isnt LA or the bay area you know

Already swapped it out

Fück Yeah
 

:icon17:

Realized that it's hard to see, but I got a ticket today for noise violation. In my defense however the other cars on the freeway would no let me merge onto the freeway so I had to step of in...Oh well :tup:

Just a fix it ticket, but there are some perks to working with someone who is on the force ;)

Wow that's bull... How do they decide that?