pls help - exhaust system reccomendations
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 598
pls help - exhaust system reccomendations
Just had my car in for regular service (and to have the stock wheels with the snow tires put on!)
and asked them to look at the exhaust because I heard a rattle.
Thought they'd just need to weld on a couple of hangers...
WRONG
They told me that the whole system was so rusted that they couldn't do anything.
They said it might possibly last until spring. They also said that it would cost as much
as $1,700 for parts and $600 labor. They said I needed everything from the manifold back
- except for the Cat. And if the OX sensor was still good I'd save about $200 (whoo-hoo!).
OUCH
So, what should I do?
Take it to a Mineky or similar?
Take it to the service station across the street from work?
I was thinking of buying the parts myself, but not sure what to get.
I wouldn't mind more HP, but I'm not interested in a Y-pipe and I use the car for biz,
so don't want a loud exhaust sound. If this means no HP gains, then so be it.
Also wondering about Stainless Steel. I figure it would have to cost more
(compared to the same part in "regular" metal), but if it's SS it will last forever. Is that right?.
My budget is very tight. (Non-existant really...)
So given all the above, what parts from which companies would you reccomend?
Also - the car is a 97 with just 57K on it. I live in S/W CT.
Do y'all think that 5 1/2 > 6 years is a reasonable amount of time for an exhaust system to last,
or was this unusually quick?
Thanks in advance for your help.
and asked them to look at the exhaust because I heard a rattle.
Thought they'd just need to weld on a couple of hangers...
WRONG
They told me that the whole system was so rusted that they couldn't do anything.
They said it might possibly last until spring. They also said that it would cost as much
as $1,700 for parts and $600 labor. They said I needed everything from the manifold back
- except for the Cat. And if the OX sensor was still good I'd save about $200 (whoo-hoo!).
OUCH
So, what should I do?
Take it to a Mineky or similar?
Take it to the service station across the street from work?
I was thinking of buying the parts myself, but not sure what to get.
I wouldn't mind more HP, but I'm not interested in a Y-pipe and I use the car for biz,
so don't want a loud exhaust sound. If this means no HP gains, then so be it.
Also wondering about Stainless Steel. I figure it would have to cost more
(compared to the same part in "regular" metal), but if it's SS it will last forever. Is that right?.
My budget is very tight. (Non-existant really...)
So given all the above, what parts from which companies would you reccomend?
Also - the car is a 97 with just 57K on it. I live in S/W CT.
Do y'all think that 5 1/2 > 6 years is a reasonable amount of time for an exhaust system to last,
or was this unusually quick?
Thanks in advance for your help.
ummm get a different opinion. i really doubt its all shot to hell. and i highly doubt your manifold is cracked. take it somewhere else...you probably should use this as a good excuse to buy a new performace catback...
Sounds like someone should get an aftermarket setup!! If you would pay that much for stock crap that's crazy. You can get a full SS setup, Stillen Y, SS test pipe, and a SS cat back for less than $1200 installed. But I guess it's up to you.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 598
phatmax: no, no. no way I'd pay that much. That's why I posted - it seemed much too high.
cyrus: thanks but even cheap, I don't think it would be worth it.
PoePoe: so, how hard is it to do yourself - especially putting the Y-pipe in - would I need a lift? I imagine it would be hard to reach they nuts right next to the motor. (I have no garage and it's too cold to work in my driveway - too cold and either snowing or raining.)
torgus: nah, they didn't say the manifold was cracked, just that I needed everything from the manifold back (except for the Cat).
So, will the Y pipe add any HP if I have a stock muffler?
Has anybody ever had a problem passing inspection with a Y-pipe (with the motor warmed-up)?
Is there a muffler that is less restricted than OEM, but still on the quiet side?
Other than Stillen, any reccomendations? I know Stillen has a good quality rep, but they are also the most expensive.
cyrus: thanks but even cheap, I don't think it would be worth it.
PoePoe: so, how hard is it to do yourself - especially putting the Y-pipe in - would I need a lift? I imagine it would be hard to reach they nuts right next to the motor. (I have no garage and it's too cold to work in my driveway - too cold and either snowing or raining.)
torgus: nah, they didn't say the manifold was cracked, just that I needed everything from the manifold back (except for the Cat).
So, will the Y pipe add any HP if I have a stock muffler?
Has anybody ever had a problem passing inspection with a Y-pipe (with the motor warmed-up)?
Is there a muffler that is less restricted than OEM, but still on the quiet side?
Other than Stillen, any reccomendations? I know Stillen has a good quality rep, but they are also the most expensive.
I would recommend you get the following:
budget y-pipe... $160
2k+ muffler.... ~$100
Then find a local exhaust shop, not a big chain. They should be able to bend you a cat-back for pretty cheap. I paid $150 for 2.5" cat-back and they threw on the 2k muffler while they were up there.
The y-pipe is pretty easy to install. I don't have much experience working on cars, but a friend and I were able to do it in about an hour or so. You only need a jack and jackstands, but if you don't have access to a heated garage, I'd just have the muffler shop put on the y-pipe when they do the catback.
Y-pipe will give you around 15hp, and supposedly the 2K+ mufflers add a few as well. This is what I have and it's damn near silent at idle/part throttle. Even when you get on it the intake drowns out the exhaust.
All said and done, you should be able to get a whole new exhaust for under $500.
budget y-pipe... $160
2k+ muffler.... ~$100
Then find a local exhaust shop, not a big chain. They should be able to bend you a cat-back for pretty cheap. I paid $150 for 2.5" cat-back and they threw on the 2k muffler while they were up there.
The y-pipe is pretty easy to install. I don't have much experience working on cars, but a friend and I were able to do it in about an hour or so. You only need a jack and jackstands, but if you don't have access to a heated garage, I'd just have the muffler shop put on the y-pipe when they do the catback.
Y-pipe will give you around 15hp, and supposedly the 2K+ mufflers add a few as well. This is what I have and it's damn near silent at idle/part throttle. Even when you get on it the intake drowns out the exhaust.
All said and done, you should be able to get a whole new exhaust for under $500.
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,430
You don't need a lift, but you will need some swivel exensions for some of the hard to get to bolts. Also, if the system is really that rusted, it's likely that the bolts will be very rusted too. That takes some patience, some WD40, a small propane torch, or other tricks. I'd do what others stated. Get a budget y-pipe (budgetexhaust.com, you are Fed Spec), and get some random catback (OBX, Stillen, Greddy, etc) or get a Courtesy/Cattman/Whatever B-pipe and some random 4th or 5th gen muffler.
Just so you know, the exhaust system goes:
Headers -> y-pipe -> cat(alytic converter) -> b-pipe -> muffler. On a 97 there are three o2 sensors, two in the ypipe (for each bank of headers), and one behind the cat. Those should be fine and you can clean them with brake cleaner. Be careful not to strip the threads on them.
Since you dont have a garage or somewhere you can take it, I would post up in your local forums (NE) to see if anyone can help you with a y-pipe install. The rest is a piece of cake. Perhaps SprintMax can help haha
Just so you know, the exhaust system goes:
Headers -> y-pipe -> cat(alytic converter) -> b-pipe -> muffler. On a 97 there are three o2 sensors, two in the ypipe (for each bank of headers), and one behind the cat. Those should be fine and you can clean them with brake cleaner. Be careful not to strip the threads on them.
Since you dont have a garage or somewhere you can take it, I would post up in your local forums (NE) to see if anyone can help you with a y-pipe install. The rest is a piece of cake. Perhaps SprintMax can help haha
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,430
BTW, a lot of people have found this useful. When I installed my y-pipe, I used a friend's lift and I took a bunch of pictures of the exhaust system and documented each piece. I am a 97 also. Take a look:
http://hakker.org/gallery/maxinstall0303
http://hakker.org/gallery/maxinstall0303
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 424
From: Huntsville, Alabama
I hate to ***** it up, but if you need a OEM y-pipe or full exhaust I have one. PM me...
fastmax97se, GET A SECOND OPINION. I highly doubt that the whole exhaust top to bottom is rusted out. That sounds like a plan to get you to buy shyt from them. If you really think that you need an new exhaust, you should just wait and try to save up for an aftermarket exhaust. There are a couple of exhausts on ebay for cheap. The budget exhaust is fairly cheap as well(190). The install is fairly easy, all it requires is you to do is find all the screws to loosen each pipe with. There is nothing to hard to uninstall in the exhaust. Hope you find what you are looking for and remember my OEM set up is for sale if you want it. PM me...
fastmax97se, GET A SECOND OPINION. I highly doubt that the whole exhaust top to bottom is rusted out. That sounds like a plan to get you to buy shyt from them. If you really think that you need an new exhaust, you should just wait and try to save up for an aftermarket exhaust. There are a couple of exhausts on ebay for cheap. The budget exhaust is fairly cheap as well(190). The install is fairly easy, all it requires is you to do is find all the screws to loosen each pipe with. There is nothing to hard to uninstall in the exhaust. Hope you find what you are looking for and remember my OEM set up is for sale if you want it. PM me...
I hate to ***** it up, but if you need a OEM y-pipe or full exhaust I have one. PM me...
fastmax97se, GET A SECOND OPINION. I highly doubt that the whole exhaust top to bottom is rusted out. That sounds like a plan to get you to buy shyt from them.
If you really think that you need an new exhaust, you should just wait and try to save up for an aftermarket exhaust. There are a couple of exhausts on ebay for cheap. The budget exhaust is fairly cheap as well(190).
The install is fairly easy, all it requires is you to do is find all the screws and unsrew to loosen each pipe with. There is nothing too hard to uninstall in the exhaust. Hope you find what you are looking for and remember my OEM set up is for sale if you want it. PM me...
fastmax97se, GET A SECOND OPINION. I highly doubt that the whole exhaust top to bottom is rusted out. That sounds like a plan to get you to buy shyt from them.
If you really think that you need an new exhaust, you should just wait and try to save up for an aftermarket exhaust. There are a couple of exhausts on ebay for cheap. The budget exhaust is fairly cheap as well(190).
The install is fairly easy, all it requires is you to do is find all the screws and unsrew to loosen each pipe with. There is nothing too hard to uninstall in the exhaust. Hope you find what you are looking for and remember my OEM set up is for sale if you want it. PM me...
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