EugThinks

Over the past couple of weekends (it took more than one because of the timing in which parts arrived via FedEx/UPS), my friend Ryan and I swapped out the car's y-pipe and catalytic converter for the Warpspeed y-pipe and Carsound cat that I got in the group deal a little while back... we also changed all four brake pads and switched all four brake rotors for Brembo slotted rotors. We're both pretty extreme amateurs; all I've ever done before was change the oil/oil filter and the head/foglight bulbs, so it was a lot of work for us, and a lot of fun. Quite the learning experience. The bolts on the exhaust were a little hard to get off, as expected from reading threads on the .org, but with a little PB Blaster and a longer socket wrench for leverage, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Both of us feel pretty proud of ourselves for having done all this with no prior experience, some .org and motorvate.ca reading, and a Hayne's and a Chilton's, and I feel pretty good now that I've finally done something to Max besides light bulbs.

The car is definitely more responsive with the stuff on, more willing to go, but I don't feel the big jump in power that everyone talks about with aftermarket y-pipes. Is this because the ECU needs to adjust or something to that effect? I'm pretty happy with the difference, I'm just wondering why it didn't make me go "WHOA!" like I heard it should have. Then again, we all know that butt dyno is the most accurate gauge... :P The car also sounds a bit growlier, and a little gurgly on occasion. This brings me to my next question... sometimes there's a rattling sound that comes from underneath the car, audible from both inside and outside the car. It happens most of the time at about 2000rpm, as if on cue, and sometimes does it when I'm idling at a light. It's not loose parts, because we checked and made sure everything underneath the car was as tight as could be. This sounds like it might be the "bees in a can" noise that I've read about with the y-pipe, but I'm not completely sure. Anyone know how to make it stop? I think I remember something about thermal exhaust wrap on the flex pipe section.... And finally, there was a thin little washer on a woven thread on one of the bolts on the catalytic converter. We didn't know what it was, and had new washers to go with the new cat, so we left it dangling, since it wasn't too low and I didn't want to actually cut it off the car. My dad took a look and thought it might be like a grounding strip type of thing, and that it might affect O2 sensor readings in the cat or something. Was he right? Should I put that thing back on? If not, what is it, and what does it do?

Anyways, yes. I'm really happy that I'm finally modded. I was so sad that the .org was down, so that I couldn't post about my elation. My friend and I are high off our success, and thinking about silly, crazy ideas like taking the turbocharger off his old Volvo 760 Turbo and trying to make it work on Max. :P In seriousness, though, I think the next step might be a CAI, or lightweight wheels, or maybe something like camber plates. Go Maxima!

EDIT - Oh, man, I totally forgot to mention... the day after I put the y-pipe and cat on, I got mail saying I needed to renew my registration... and get a smog check! Oh no! California emissions... whee. Anyways, the cat is CARB-certified, so no worries there, I think, and I know most people are of the opinion that the y-pipe will be fine as long as I warm up the car before it's tested... I just want to see if anyone has any other tips to help me ensure passage. Thanks!

laylow1988

iTrader: (2)

y-pipe and a cat will not do that much to make you say whoa. the next step you should do is get an air intake cold or short ram either or and a catback exhaust 2 1/2 inches thick put on your seatbelt and then say whoa for now. I started off putting a stillen y-pipe and a greddy catback exhaust on my car and i said whoop dee do, then i put the air intake on thats when i said whoaaa nelly now im trying to get a mevi and ecu upgrade then the bigger stuff like supercharger. ohh yeah i just put on a light weight underdrive pulley and my car accelerates quicker so thats another option havent dynoed yet but will soon look out for my name to see if you like those numbers than you can base your choice on that. my y-pipe makes a hissing sound also but with the power i get plus my radio is always up who cares

EugThinks

Thanks for the suggestions... yea, I actually was thinking about an underdrive pulley, so I'll be interested in those numbers. I do think a CAI is the next step for me, as far as power goes... what're the practical differences between a CAI and a short ram intake? I've read up a bit on CAIs, but I don't know anything about short rams.

killcrap

iTrader: (3)

i have a 95 max with a wsp y-pipe. the thing rattles all the time.(i do the 0-60 all the time) but under light acceleration, you cant notice it. soloution is to lower the cross brace by 4 washers on each bolt, or strap on some rubber between the y-pipe and cross brace member. y-pipe by itself will help a little. ive soon relized that after i got my frankencar intake that the power was really there. so Frankencar paired up with a wsp y-pipe. is where i went to. you should get an intake.

Tyrexx

iTrader: (23)

My SS Warpspeed is fully wrapped and it's great.



Get a CAI not the injen.