i read that its not really a performance upgrade so much but a sound and looks upgrade, is that true? why not just get a muffler?

 

Some say alot, some say not much. Do a search and formulate your own opinions. Been discussed alot in the past.

 

It is a performance gain. The more you open it the more your engine can breathe. Therefor your able to gain more power and also the engine works better since there are less resrtictions.

Figure it this way. Run down your street about a mile breathing through a straw only. See how far you get and how easily.

Now run the same street but this time breathe through your mouth and nose. Easier right? Better? More efficient?

SuDZ

 

SuDZ...thats a good analogy, I never thaught of it that way

 

Not necessarily. It depends.

 

should i only get a muffler, i mean 2-300 dollars isnt worth 2-3 hp IMHO.

 

Exactly

2-3 hp isnt worth 200-300 dollars...

 

Yeah like everything else there are variables from car to car. But I was just trying to sum up a general explanation.

SuDZ

 

As a general explaination, it's false.

 

please explain.

 

Justin you just did the ypipe didn't you? I haven't done any exhaust mods on my car yet but figure I'll get a ypipe and new cat and probably leave the rest stock for now (cat back). I've read various threads and magazine articles and it would seem that the exhuast (except ypipe) doesn't do much for our cars. I do love the sound, but for the money..... Good luck w/ whatever you decide.

 

I think its Real true to a point... The y-pipe has been proven to make major hp gains. In my mind thats well worth it. $225-15hp-1/2second gain 1/4 mile is pretty good...but on the other hand a cat-back is mostly for looks (looks good) and alittle increase in sound...$450-3hp-maybe .2 sec off...my .02$

 

"The more you open the exhaust, the better it breathes". Is more false then true considering how open you can truely make an exhaust.

Clear?

 

Its true to a point but not as fas as opening up completely with nothing from the manifold back, then it would run like sh**

 

I see your point. Like as in if you just removed everything after the manifold it would be more "open" but produce less helpfull gains. That kind of idea what you mean? Just trying to think of if it comes up again how to explain it better. (cause you know they wont search)

SuDZ

 

when i was installing y pipe, just wanted to hear how itd sound, like ****. especially when it backfired.

 

You did not like the sound?

SuDZ

 

Well if I explained it too clearly, no one would search.

 

but i felt like i was killing her somehow.

 

Ahh the irony.

SuDZ

 

Im confused...

 

What you mean you felt like you were killing your car? How so?

SuDZ

 

What is confusing you?

SuDZ

 

that you can blow seals etc... so i was a little reluctant and then she backfired, made me nervous.

 

Ive never heard that...Blow seals ? How did it backfire ?? How loud was it ?

 

Heard wrong

 

just to make sure ya know thats what i did. it was just a really loud POP!!! i gave her a little gas and thats when it backfired. has anybody heard of no backpressure breaking seals?

 

I have not heard of anyone really having problems caused directyl by an aftermarket Y pipe. It seems that it pretty much works fine in place of the stock one. Did you change anything else on the exhaust? What kind of gas do you use when you fill your tank?

SuDZ

 

yeah I think I damaged the muffler bearing and the blinker fluid container seal busted. But I got it fixed

 

The muffler bearing is one thing but I know when I told my mechanic the blinker was not working he had to do a complete flush of blinker fluid and fix that seal. He used to work at Jiffy Lube so I know he knew what he was talking about. Now I wonder if after having that done for $300 made the y pipe worth it at all. I hope somday Nissan makes a recall for the blinker fluid resevoir to fix this problem.

SuDZ

 

Did you see the Nissan TSB for it??

 

HA HA HA hes a funny guy just kidding, i didnt even know my blinkers had fluid, ill have to make sure they arent low. but to SuDZ, it backfired when there was no exhaust what soever on the car. everything was off. since i put the pipe on it sounds fine.

 

oh ok, so you had removed the Y pipe and what not and ran the car while it was basicly just coming out from the intake? Yeah that could be your problem. Where the MAF's just hagning or somethign when you did this? Because they talk to the ECU to control the right mixtures. When they were not connected the readings probably went nuts and thats what caused it. Did you get a Check Engine Light from doing this?

SuDZ

 

but i only did this for a second and the car was still cold at that point so it should have been running in closed loop mode if my understanding of closed loop mode is correct.

 

i duno i got the budget y pipe and a custom 2.5 inch going back to a straight through muffler, and i do get pops in between gear changes and downshifts, i duno if its backfiring though, but there is definly some little pops going on

 

Are they loud?

SuDZ

 

i know these pops you are talking about. they arent loud

 

nah they arent that loud, but def noticebale

on ur subject part what do u mean ur muffler wont go back on???

 

so i cannot make it go all the way back. and i have a nice leak between the muffler and the b pipe.

 

Bigger is not always better Some people aren't doing a good job of explaining themselves. The true goal of a good flowing exhaust is to keep exhaust velocity to the maximum. Exhaust velocity has a lot to do with heat. The more heat you have in the exhaust, the better the flow will be (to a point). If the exhaust is allowed to cool too much (low velocity), a turbulence occurs in the pipe (kinda like in weather when a cold front meets a warm front). Pipe diameter is related to this goal of keeping in the heat, but bigger pipes won't always yield the best gains. If the pipe is too big, the exhaust velocity slows down, therefore the motor can't breath as well. NA cars can make do with smaller pipes because they don't move a lot of air. A turbo charged car will move lots of air under boost therefore you see some of the biggest diameter pipes on a relatively small turbo motor. The VQ Max does fine with a good mandrel 2.5" exhaust. No more than that will be needed. A strong running 2.0 liter turbo Talon/Eclipse can make full use of a 3" system, possibly even a 3.5" system depending on mods. If you understand the basic function of "pie", you'd know a 3.5" system will flow gobs more air than a 2.5" system.

The "popping" people hear is mostly due to a lack of velocity. Usually this popping occurs on engine deceleration. The popping is the combustion of air/fuel in the exhaust pipe. I'm not exactly clear on the concept, but the air/fuel mixture coming in contact with the hot/cold spots in the exhaust causes a kind of detonation in exhaust pipe therefore you get the popping.


Dave