I ordered a Y from WSP over 2 months ago. None of my phone calls or emails are being returned. So I gave Budget a call this morning and here's where things get interesting.

I have a cali spec 99 SE-L. WSP refers to my car as the 99.5 model. I spoke to Bedget this morning regarding my car and was told to look under my car for a flang fitting on the down pipe from the front bank of cylinders. Sure enough I have that flange! Budget's "F" pipe as they refer to it, doest not replace or omit the front cylinders pre cat. The stock pre cat on the front bank is left on the car. I was told gains from this pipe for my car aren't as much as with other's. I will get mininal gains and a nice throaty sound.

So before I cancel my order with WSP due to very poor customer service, my question to any 1999 SE-L Cali spec owners is.... Does the WSP "Y" pipe omit both pre cats or did that pipe just tie into the front bank at that flang, keeping one pre cat as Budgets does?

This doesn't make any sense. I'd wind up with one bank of cylinders running through a pre cat and the other free flowing.

I'M NOT HAPPY

Tom

I ran into the same problem on my 99 i30. If you elimate the front precat your ECU will trip and give you a front precat malfunction. I can't remember, but I'm pretty sure I read in other posts/sites that even tho we still have one precat we will still see gains of up to around 17HP, so yes it does help still..i hope . I ordered mine last week and am just waiting for jeff to fabricate it. Remember you need the one for a 99-01 5th gen cali spec.

Thanks for your input here. It was Jeff who I spoke to today. You seem to be confident about 17HP gains? Jeff seemed to indicate to me that we would not see the same gains as non cali spec cars would.

My biggest concern is that I'll be running with uneven exhaust on front & rear cylinder banks due to the front pre cat. What do you think the effects on the engine could be running this way?

*Bump*

I need to know the answer to this too because I'm about to order a y!

Ahh yes, the wonderful world of 99 Cali spec Maximas.

Yes, the Y-pipe for 99 Cali spec will only remove 1 precat. The front 3 cylinders will be running through the precats as the rear 3 cylinders will not.

Stupid design in my opinion.

BTW-I was running Stillen's coated Y-pipe.

hmmm... so does anyone think this will effect the engine negatively?

no

I have a 99 SE-L cali also and I looked at the design of Cattman's y pipe, and it doesn't look to have that precat on the bank for the cali spec? maybe I"m wrong NJMax......

Thats it! Great pic. See where the one pipe ends straight out? That couples up to the flange on the existing pre cat assembly of the front cylinder bank. The OEM pre cat for the front cylinder bank stays on the car in that pictured pipe.

Why? F#$*ing Cali Spec.

BTW - That Cattman pipe looks like a POS with all those welds.

You're right,

that does look like Shiet. I see what you're talkin about. I guess we're just screwed

Hey Tom,

This might have been covered before....but why not get a manifold off a 95 or non cali spec from a junker or someone selling motor parts? You could eliminate that problem.

I didnt search so im not sure if this is possible....just tryin to cheer ya up.

BTW i have the budget y. No problems..and mated to the rt cat and apexi was...i love it now!

Aaron

i waill be doing this soon..


yes this can be done

You will still trip your check engine light. It's been done by few people before.

I have the same problem. I agree with running the exhaust from an older model. The only potential problem I can see (unless it doesn't physically fit) is oxygen sensor problems. How do the o2 sensors differ from 98 to 99.5? If they expect the same signal you could just use 98's sensors as well. On my 97 for example, the two up by the manifold control the fuel ratio, while the one farther back has no engine control responsibility, mainly just for monitoring and could be bypassed by fooling it if necessary.

Good idea Aaron, thanks! I just cancelled my order with WSP via email. I very politely explained my resaon as well. Over 8 weeks is more then enough time to wait for a product and their customer service simply wasn't there to support the wait.

Going with Budget will save me 50 bucks the pipe is SS, FREE SHIPPING, and they have been great on the phone so far today. Delivery may even be from stock.

I'm going to leave that cat in place, I suspect there's a good reason why it's left on cars with cali spec emissions. I will go over that with Jeff @ Budget as soon as he gets back from lunch.

OK I'm happy again!

I will give you $100 if gain close to 17hp. You will be lucky if you see 10hp.

Well I'm sure there has to be a work around......its worth a try

Aaron

Please let us know what he says... I'm going to call him this afternoon.

I had planned for a WSP pipe all this time, but I've heard too many 8+ week stories. After waiting that long for my frankencar, I don't have the patience to do it again.

add some o2 sensors bungs on the non cali spec manafold and you can add your o2 sensors..


gotta be creative...

All the 1999 cali-spec should just get a test pipe/race pipe. This way you make up for the lost HP from the precat. Aleast we have this one up on the rest of the 4th gen since we don't have an O2 sensor after the cat. The ECU would not have a clue if the car has a working main cat or just a pipe.

Yes, but Mr. Inspection Man would.

blah..hmm I think i'm going to cancel my order from budget.. :sigh: