Today I got my 2k1 muffler installed on my 96 SE. It took the shop about 30 minutes to install the muffler. They left the 96 muffler flange on so I can remove the muffler and install the muffler on another 4th gen, when the time comes.

It's weird, but the 5th gen muffler sounds more "throaty", especially from idle to 3000rpms. The good news is I swear some of the midrange power I had lost with VIM has been restored because entry in to each successive gear feels more like it did when I had the USIM. Overall it feels better at all RPMs. I need to paint the muffler can flat black to lessen the odd looks of the round cut out on the bumper in relation to the oval tip.

I'll be posting new pics this weekend and I'll bump this thread when the pics are downloaded.


Dave

 

Did you just get it off an .orger? How much did you end up paying?

I'll probably be looking for a 5th gen muffler sometime soon for next year. Dunno though, if it stays a calm winter here in the midwest, maybe my oem muffler will make it one more year.

 

Cool! That is my next mod, B-pipe and 2K muffler.

Have you done any timed runs using the track or stop watch to see what the improvement it?

I got to know......

 

No timed runs, but I can definately feel some power from 3000-6500rpms. The VIM is loving it. I'm variable on both ends The tracks open in early February so I'll be able to test then.


Dave

 

Dave. I love my 2000 muffler on my 3-gen also. With the Y, cat, etc... it's ultra quiet w/ a nice rumble when you really want it. And dead quiet when you want it quiet. I truely believe this is where the aftermarket muffler tech is going to go. At some point people get sick and tired of droning/raspy sounding cars.

I hear there a few guys that have opened up the stock 2.25"ish opening to 2.5".

 

before i make a new post of how to do that, can someone tell me how to do that?

I just bought a 2k muffler which should be coming in some time next week and i have a custom b-pipe with 2.5 " opening...how do u open the muffler to 2.5? can the shop do that?

will it be louder that way or same sound but more hp?

 

Well look at where the pipe enters the muffler and figure it out. I would "assume" you have someone cut out the inlet pipe, make a bigge hole then weld in a new 2.5" inlet pipe. Not a diy unless you can weld.

So what's up with the tt motor thing? You should make some type of update.

 

I'm really happy with my 5th gen muffler on my 97, too. I had the B-pipe and 5th gen muffler installed at the same time, so I can't distinguish which gains are from which. But yeah, I love the sound and the power. Sounds a little more like my brother's 95 M3 (stock exhaust)...definitely more throaty than the 4th gen muffler. As for the bumper exhaust cut-out. I was thinking about shaving the semi-circle to a semi-oval to fit the muffler tip better.

 

Congrats on the upgrade Dave!

Told everyone there was power to be had. On the USIM I saw the best HP increases from 4400rpm up. Better TQ as early as 3300rpm.

If you got it mounted high enough the oval really doesn't look bad at all on the cutout.

P.S. Looking back I wish I had tried the 2.5" pipe idea

 

Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one "feeling" the extra power I've been driving my car a lot and there definately is a difference. The sound is just plain awesome. I've got a full tank of gas plus 25lbs worth of tools plus the stock 30lb muffler sitting in the trunk and my Max is accelerating like it does when the gas tank is nearly empty. The motor just doesn't feel as laggy from 2000-40000 anymore (a side effect of the VIM). I think the VIM really likes this setup.

I painted my muffler black and everything looks better. Instead of cutting my bumper, I think I'm going to fab and piece of sheet metal to cover the OEM cut. I'll paint the metal black and make it look like exhaust protectors some European car companies use to project the bumpers from heat and carbon build up.

Dave

 

Instead of cutting my bumper, I think I'm going to fab and piece of sheet metal to cover the OEM cut. I'll paint the metal black and make it look like exhaust protectors some European car companies use to project the bumpers from heat and carbon build up.

Dave [/B][/QUOTE]

Dave,

Do you think I could run a 5th gen muffler with a Sarona rear bumper? Do you have any measurements of the tip? I know it is pretty wide.
Thanks!!

 

I think there really is extra power to be had from a bpipe and freer flowing muffler.
I installed a bpipe and a hks muffler couple days ago, and I really could feel the extra power, from about 2800 and up.

 

hey jeff, is that the definite way of doing it or u just thinking of the most logical way? i'll ask (hoping its not too much work) but what are the adantages and disadvantages of having it 2.5 vs 2.25?

If its going to be louder i don't want 2.5 and if gains are very minimal, i dont' want it either (cost of doing it is probably gonna run a lot)....

oh and these guys with the TT are running from me...i'm trying to get more info but they r hard to reach and i dont want to give out their info without asking them first....

 

Yes. I definitly agree on a stock USIM. But if you have a MEVI you do loose low and mid range power. The 5th gen muffler was designed to work with the VI on the 5th gen's. It has like a flap in the muffler that stays closed below 5k then opens above 5k for good midrange and great top end.

 

Hey Dave, do you think there's enough room to cut the muffler tips off and weld a merge/ypipe to allow for a merged single exhaust tip (like a 3-3.5"er)? I really would like to install the 2000 muffler also but I just do not like the idea of the existing cut-out being vacant. Of course, I think another idea is to simply cut out a rectangular hole and have the dual tips reside in there. That might actually look best.

 

I measured the exhaust outlets and the initial outlet (primary outlet during driving) is ~1.7" OD (roughly the same size as the 4th gen outlet). The secondary outlet is 2.0" OD. To keep thing uniform, Nissan expands the smaller outlet tip to the same diameter as the secondary outlet tip so everything looks uniform, tip wise. You could "y" the outlets together where the tips start, but such a tight Y would most likely cause a more turbulent flow and negate some of the benefits of the muffler, IMO.

There are couple problems with the fitment of the 2k+ muffler on the 4th gen. First, the inlet is offset is ~1.5" further to the driver's side of the car therefore forcing the muffler tip to be ~.5" further over to the driver's side of the car in relation to the cutoff (ie it's not perfectly centered). The exhaust shop could have centered the muffler perfectly, but they feared (me too), that the muffler might end up hitting the tow hooks and/or the hanger mount when the exhaust was moving. Second, the 2K+ muffler hangs at the same exact angle and height as the 4th gen muffler, but the outlets sit slightly lower (~.5") therefore the tip hangs ~2" below the line of the bumper. This makes the factory bumer cutout appear even larger and out of place. I have seen pics of 2k+ mufflers mounted nearly flush with the 4th gen bumper, but this requires the bending of the muffler hangers. I didn't do this because I believe the muffler would end up putting undo stress on the muffler/b-pipe flange causing an exhaust leak and also the muffler can would be very close to underbody heat shield increasing the chances for clanks and clunks.

I plan on making the exhaust shield/cut out cover tonight and I'll take some pics tommorrow in the daylight.


Dave

 

Sweet. Yeah, I'm interested in what your car looks like with your "patch kit" I know where I can get ahold of 2000+ mufflers for dirt cheap, so if I can see that the car looks decent/non-rigged, I am totally game for this mod!

 

what about a simple tip?

 

I love the fact that some people are now running the 5th Gen muffler,and are happy with the Sweet sound and and mild increase of performance . I am no expert but I can certainly feel a more responsive car , using the 5th Gen muffler and drop-in K&N panel filter. The sound is more noticable at 3000-5000 RPMs. The best sound emits in the summer, droping the windows down,and down shifting to 3rd gear ,hearing the variable muffler opens to sing a tune of happiness!
I constantly get compliments form people in my area , regarding my chrome oval tip 5th Gen muffler . They ask where could they get one for their Max ? My friend with a 03 Max is envious of my oval tip(because he has the dual chrome tips). Oh I do not have to use Advils after a trip from NYC to Maryland,and I do not trip my neighbors car alarm or wake-up my household when I return form work at 4am.
Thanks for reading

 

Nice. Pretty sure the Aussie 5th Gens don't have the variable muffler so I need to find another locally available Nissan model with the same concept to try this out (R34?). Time to hit the wreckers.

The VIM is my only performance mod at the moment and the loss of low/mid wasn't half as bad as I expected. I'd like to keep it that way and exhaust is next on the list

 

OMG, i'm about to just go to my nearest dealer and see if they sell these chrome tips. WHERE CAN I GET ONE CHEAP GUYS??? a chrome tip that will fit a 2k-2k1 muffler???

 

Did you use the existing 2.25" inlet or did you have the 2K+ muffler expanded to have a 2.5" inlet?

DW

 

Pic #3 shows my flat black painted 2001 muffler along with the bumper "patch":

http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...=259675&page=3

The patch consisted of using a 7" X 3" piece of black painted sheet metal with electrical tape on the back as a cushion between the bumper and patch (reduce scratches). I then rounded edges of the metal to keep the corners from scratching the bumper. I formed the patch so that ~.75" of the metal went under the edge of the bumper for mounting. Finally I drilled holes in that edge and in the bottom the bumper and screwed it in. It's hardly noticeable, especially from 10'. If you didn't own a Maxima, you'd never know.


Dave

 

ahh, i'm too lazy, too much work, WHERE DID U ET THAT TIP??? let me knkow please!

 

That's the tip that comes on all 2000-2001 SE mufflers

Too much work? Try 10 minutes.


Dave

 

Hey Dave, I don't know if you missed my question, but did you use the existing 2.25" inlet or did you have the 2K+ muffler expanded to have a 2.5" inlet?

DW

 

Nope, I didn't see the point. Also, it's not a 2.25" ID pipe like many have been saying. It's a 2.20" OD pipe with a ~2.0" ID. Yes, the inside of the pipe is only 2". The stock 4th gen opening is roughly the same size ID. How do I know all this? The exhaust shop cut my 4th gen muffler off right at the inlet to the muffler. Then they cut off the pipe on the 2001 muffler and set it aside and simply welded up the 2001 muffler to the 4th gen pipe. They put my 4th gen muffler and 2001 pipe in my trunk and I measured them when I got home. I really don't see the point of expanding the pipe to 2.5" (I don't know how they'd do it) when the stock pipe is 2.0" throughout the entire muffler. It's going to be a bottleneck regardless if you expand the pipe at the muffler or at the muffler flange to fit it to a 2.2-2.5" B-pipe.


Dave

 

hey Dave, that tip doesn't come with all mufflers...when u buy car or osmething u have to say if u want it. Do u know anywhere i can probably get it? mine won't come with it

 

Ahh, OK. Thx.

By the way, Meccanoble, you have to get the 2K or 2K1 muffler from a Maximma SE to have the chrome tip, or finisher as they call it, with the muffler.

DW

 

hmmm, i think i got it from a guy with an SE but he said he didn't want the tip since it was like an extra 50 bucks...