This question is for those who have this set up only:

Stillen y-pipe, Stillen b-pipe, Stillen rear section (muffler) and Random Tech cat.

If you don't have this set-up, please don't comment. No offense to anyone, but I have weeded my way through tons of "bees in a can", "loud exhaust", and "I heard that..." posts to no avail.

Does anyone WITH THIS SET-UP have a DEFINITIVE answer on how to eliminate the "bee" noise and how to quiet the exhaust system down?

Has anyone WITH THIS SET-UP tried adding a resonator or even put back the OEM resonator?

This set-up is on a '95 SE w/auto-tragic.

Thanks!

 

Ola?

 

Well, you've really limited yourself to a very small group of people who most likely aren't in this org. Until you want to hear comments from others with similar setups (y-pipe, B-pipe, aftermarket muffler, RT cat) we can't help you. Many of us know the answer and it's an easy fix.


Dave

 

What is the answer Dave? I've been reading y-pipe posts for a few days trying to figure out the best y-pipe/b-pipe/muffler combo. I've already got my intake setup the way I like it (JWT+Frankencar midpipe). I just want to do a catback that adds to the nice sound of the intake, rather than adding a "bee in a can" or "lawnmower" noise.

shaz

 

- Cattman has a new mid-pipe (B-Pipe in Stillen-ese) coming out. It has a resonator chamber, which will help to quiet things down and isolate the cool noises from the not-so-cool noises. I'm going to be purchasing mine as soon as it hits the market in a few weeks.
- Cattman also has a muffler to go with it - they really seem to like the sound it makes, noting that its "distinctive." Distinctive is probably good, because the GReddy sounds too much like a Ford 5.0/Chevy 5.7 V-8 hybrid beast to me. Not my cup o' tea.
- The quality of the Cattman parts is also superb, as is their customer service.

- My exhaust, when done, will consist of a Cattman Y-pipe and Mid-pipe, stock cat, and the HKS muffler. I think that this will provide a unique, relatively quiet exhaust note. I am very much looking forward to getting it on the car soon.

 

Dave, how about you tell the rest of us who want to know (like me )

 

You won't like the answer. It's your muffler. A y-pipe adds substainal noise because the precats are removed which seem to serve as a noise suppressor. When adding a Y-pipe with no precats and running an aftermarket muffler, the noise more than doubles. Team all this with a slightly louder aftermarket cat and a B-pipe with no resonator and you'll be loud. If your muffler is a straight-thru design (most are), the noise will be even worse. A Stillen Y-pipe with a RT cat, Stillen B-pipe, and Stillen muffler is probably the loudest setup out there.

I've had a lot of setups. My old setup was as follows:

Stillen Y-pipe, RT cat, Courtesy B-pipe, and a HKS muffler. This combo was fairly loud, sounded very good, but the 2200-2600rpm resonating irrated me after a while. I felt that a sedan shouldn't sound like a racecar. I pulled off the HKS muffler and put the stock muffler back on. The resonating was completely gone and the exhaust was far quieter and less raspy. It still had a slight burble and rumble, but it was nothing clearly obvious. At the track my timeslips showed no difference with and without the HKS muffler. Nissan must have known the VQ is an inherently loud motor because they went to great lengths to surpress the engine noise (large resonator, heavily baffled muffler).

Last year I bought a WSP non-mandrel Y-pipe because I had grown tired of the Stillen's bee's in the can hiss. The WSP y-pipe made for a cleaner sound and no hiss. I got rid of my Courtesy B-pipe because I had fitment issues making a 97 B-pipe work on a 96 Maxima. I bought a Stillen B-pipe. Since the Stillen B-pipe had no resonator, the exhaust was a bit louder and had a slightly harsh rasp at part throttle. This rasp was easily removed by adding a quality resonated 3.5" exhaust tip to the stock muffler. My cars current setup is a WSP non-madrel Y-pipe, RT cat, Stillen B-pipe, stock muffler, and resonated tip. The sound is awesome. It's not overally loud at all and doesn't resonate. At cruise, it's as quiet as stock. At WOT, it's got a heathly "BMW" turbine like sound.

The only thing that bothers me about running the stock muffler is that it has a small 2" inlet and a 1.8" outlet. Up to the muffler, I have a 2.5-2.4" exhaust. I'd like to keep this setup completely uniform. I've talked to Dallas with WSP and they are in the process of developing a 2.5" muffler with the stock internally baffled design. I hope to test this muffler out for them. I may also consider other factory mufflers that come in a 2.5" ID/OD. I looked at the IS300 muffler, but it's OD is ~2". The large tip gives the impression of a larger internal design. I'll post if I find anything.


Dave

 

Dave, thanks for the insight. I've run into the same problems as you with the current setup that I have. I have a stllen y-pipe, car sound cat, 2.5" cat back, and straight through MagnaFlow muffler. I took the y-pipe back off because I can't stand the sound. I also just ordered a resonator to put back in the b-pipe to quiet it down a bit.

I had planned on "modifying" the y-pipe and keeping the other stillen that I had on the car around for a while, but I just sold one of them. And the "modding" isn't taking place until spring. So thanks for the insight as to how you got your car a bit more quiet.

Justin

 

Thanks Dave...all very informative. I wonder though how the new B-pipe and muffler coming from Cattman will sound...

Also, why does it seem like nobody uses the cattman y-pipe?

shaz

 

You're right! I didn't like the answer! I love the look of the Stillen muff, but I hate the sound.

I think I'll put the oem muff back on and wait for the WSP 2.5 incher.

Please keep us posted on what you find out from WSP or other alternatives.

What/where did you get the "quality resonated 3.5" exhaust tip"?

Thanks for the great information.

 

The muffler makes some noise yes but with any installation of an aftermarket y-pipe there will be noise in the interior from the y. There really is no way to eliminate the noise. One thing.. I know for a fact that is you get the GREDDY exhaust this particular setup, the noise will be minimal.

 

Let me know how your set up sounds. I have a HKS muffler and planning on getting the Cattman set up also.

 

I have an HKS muffler and I love it. Although some fool cut the flanges off and sotered it to a non mandrel bent mid pipe leading to the cat. It sounds great especially when slowing down. It produces bass instead of treble if you know what I mean. It tends to burp somewhat.

 

Sotered it? Or soldered it? Or welded it?

 

How do you correctly spell sotered? Is it soldered? I guess I could have always used the word "welded" since its the same thing. All I know is that they wear that funky mask and sparks fly all over the place.

 

I'll second that. I love the way my HKS muffler sounds too, but only along with a stock b-pipe with resonator (I am also running a WSP y-pipe and a test pipe). When I installed a Stillen b-pipe, the exhaust was way too loud for my somewhat conservative tastes.

 

Sorry, I was just teasing you. It's spelled soldered, and it's not the same as welding. Soldering is used for electrical parts. Welding is what they do to attach your muffler as well as join other metal parts

 

I know you were teasing and that's fine. I would have done the same. However thanks for clarifying the definitions of each word including the diffrence. ENG 101 for today!

 

i had the exact system and have been through 6 different exhaust systems.-first- the complete stillen system with the rt cc. biggest problem, the stillen tip stuck out beyond the rear bumper.that sucks-so purchased pilot rear exhaust with twin canasters-huge mistake- got it all welded up, looked awesome, loud as hell. even with the windows up it was very loud. finally have put the stock y pipe back on and it sounds tolerable. (lost horseys but gained low rpm torque)-im going to toy around with glasspacks and the thrust inline mufflers- ill let you know how it all turns out.i may even try a side exit exhaust system. well see. anyways-your bee problem-weld a glasspack inline where your stock resonator was. you want lose that much horse power(2-3 tops) and will quiet the bee's.