I just got my 99 Max SE for my b-day and I am already modding it!! I don't have a whole lotta $$$ to spend since I'm only 16... but I was wondering what I should do for my exhaust setup..

I want the sporty sound and I want to be street legal....I'm thinking Stillen muffler, stillen b-pipe, random cat convert, and stock y pipe since its illegal I think for other y pipes... Any changes, suggestions?

 

if you don't have a lot of cash, i would definetly stay away from the stillen stuff...go with a greddy if you want a bit of sound or an apex-i World sport if you want near stock sound...

 

First, stay away from Stillen...it's grossly expensive and most of their stuff sucks. Not to mention most of their stuff is OEM from other manufacturers. I'd go Greddy Exhaust...although Greddy can be pretty expensive as well.

Second, As far as a Y-pipe is concerned...it's only illegal do to emission regulations. When you install a y-pipe, you loose all your pre-cats. Just make sure to drive 20 miles or so so the engine is nice and hot. Then your car will read normal when you get your emissions done. I'd go with a Warp Speed Y-pipe. However, I would never endorse or encourage illegal activity...

Also, don't forget one of the greatest mods out there...the Cold Air Intake....it's cheap (~130-$150) and gives you the best bang for the buck next to the y-pipe. I would also go with Warp Speed....although Jim Wolfe Technologies makes a good one too....there's also Place Racing.

 

Get the Y.

You might start with just that first to see how you like the sound - many people are happy with their exhaust sound after only that mod + it gets you the most HP of any bolt-on for the Max (except forced air induction or Nitrous)

I, also would go w/ Warpspeed's aluminized mandrel-bent Y-pipe.

As for intake, you'll quickly learn there are two camps on this board: in one, the "pop-charger" or "pop" crew; in the other, the "cold-air-intake" or "CAI" crew. Which is better? It depends on who you ask. Personally, I think if you're an automatic, CAI is the right choice. If you're a manual/5-speed, then the pop-charger may be for you.

(only my opinion: [I'm not looking to beat this dead horse with anyone, so don't start, please] - I would suggest doing a search on this board to fully research any topic of interest - It's ALL been covered somewhere in here. . .)

P.S: Don't forget your Jerry Fallwell/Jim Bakker fuzzy dice. . .

P.P.S: Welcome to the jungle. . .er, I mean, the .org

 

ok look...


if you buy USED Stillen stuff it is cheap..


i got the ss Stillen muffler and a stillen b pipe for $260
you can get a used Stillen y-pipe for $250

and you can get a used rt cat for $120-$150


get the y-pipe.. you will like it..

there is a wav. file on my homepage in the profile section..
that is what a full stillen exhust sounds like..

 

congrads on the new max. like the guys were saying, get the mandrel bent ypipe(warpspeed is excellent w/ product and customer service) and cai (place racing sold me, very nice deep sound at wot) and see how you like the sound. the hp gains will be 15-25 hp (correct me if i'm wrong anyone). if you want more sound then get a stillen muffler and b-pipe or there's always courtesy parts for a quieter ride. greddy catbacks increase sound a bunch also, but i've heard of an annoying droning noise. if you've got a bunch of $$$ to spend, then i'd look at some cattman max mods at cattman.com.

 

pacesetter.the cheapest one. cant comment on the quality though.

 

got a used stillen y pipe for 200, love it. you can get one from warpspeed for 225. As far as exhaust, screw that. heh heh. i've decided id rather not lose the torque and gain 3 hp for that amount of money. instead i am gonna just clean it up with a chrome, not stainless muffler from a local shop. they are also gonna remove the resonator. total cost for exhaust, 150 installed. well see how it works out.

also, pacesetter has a catback for 200 dollars, though i have heard it sucks. can someone tell me why it sucks?

 

Ok so the overall consensus is get a new intake and y pipe..will save...

But I still want the exhaust to look good in the back and have a good sound so the stupid civcs at my school won't outdo me as far as sound!....would a stillen muffler do the job to top off my new setup, since they are only like 200 bucks used?

 

i found a lot of neat ones for under 200 dollars. some stainless steel, others were chrome. ill take the chrome, because its a lot cheaper. plus some stainless cans only actually have 10% stainless to be considered stainless steel.

why does pacesetter suck?

 

don't go stillen. one, it's too expensive, and two, their products aren't any better than other aftermarket ones. i'd go with the GReddy cat back so i wouldn't have to worry about the B pipe. As for the Y pipe, go Warpspeed. Cattman is alright too, but i think it's a little more expensive.

 

i think i read in posts that the pacesetter rusts or is jus plain crappy.
people on this site are cooler than say speedmagazine.com , where all 16 yr olds get shi++ed on-
oh yeah BTW someone tell me why its such a big deal to have a y pipe (NO pre cats) cuz a lot of cars dont even have precats right? how does this work out?

 

I recommend going to your local Performance shop. They did my cat-back with 2.25inch piping for $275. Looks and sounds good, not too much in the gains department, but you won't get more then like 5-7 hp Peak from the cat-back. Do a search for my name, I did a write up on my cat-back that no one cared about. Gains are in the y-pipe, which I have now ordered And is coming to me and I am happy for that reason.

 

actually if no one has an answer for the question ill probably post it -
if a lot of other cars dont have pre cats -why is it a big deal for us to remove them?
i guess every car is different but whats the problem?

 

Not sure about other cars, but on the Maxima, the pre-cats reduce emissions to an acceptable level only before the engine is warmed-up to normal operating temperature. This is why if your state requires emissions testing, you'll be fine as long as your car is tested after it has been running (preferably hard) for a spell.

 

Would any auto parts store be able to install a CAI pretty cheaply? And where's the best place to get a CAI, warpspeedperformance.com?

 

right that is known to be true but what do other cars have during warm up periods if they dont have pre's like us? i dont get that

 

Some other cars DO have pre-cats. The Maxima's not the only one with this design. Those that don't, have cats that are designed to keep emissions levels within the law during all operating conditions.

But do we really care about "other" cars???

 

I just got the stillen y-pipe and apex ws catback installed on my 97 se last week. Sounds exactly how I wanted my car to sound. e.i., not too loud like those damn hondas you can here from a mile away but goes 0-60 in 5 minutes The combo I got working with the JWT intake gives it nice deep tone.

Love it!!!

 

one thing you've got to realize about local performance shops... most don't sell maxima parts. i get all my parts from the internet. as for the CAI, my buddy has the warpspeed CAI and he loves it. and now that they have K&N filters with their CAIs, i'd suggest getting it. before warpspeed started carrying the K&N filters, Place Racing was the way to go.

 

spend 150 bucks and get the WSP cai........kOOL NOISE! - but for exhaust.... i say get a WSP y pipe (aluminized) and then get a universal muffler

 

my advice = get a warpspeed y-pipe and cold air intake. figure out if you like how loud it is at that point. You're going to get enuf noise to scare the civics from your intake alone. If you then decide that you want more sound I recommend getting an apexi WS vatback because they are much cheaper than the stillen and the greddy but just as nice.

here is a picture of the apexi:

 

Installing a CAI is pretty simple...you can do it yourself. Just remember to take your time and be patient. All you need is a phillips screwdriver and a 3" hole saw bit for a drill. If you live in the Seattle area, I could recommend a shop for the install. Alsom as far as which CAI to buy....I'd go JWT or Warp Speed....even Pace Setter is okay.

Good Luck man...

 

To my knowledege, all "beefy" cars are required to be equiped with pre-cats. When you have a little P.O.S. 4-banger..ie: Honda Civic/Accord...whatever, they don't consume enough air and fuel to need pre-cats. It's when a car is manufactured at a certain peformance level that the restrictive pre-cat is required in order to reduce low-temp emissions.

 

Thanks for the advice man. I'm gonna get the warpspeed y-pipe and cold air intake and see how it sounds...

How much is the apexi and how does it sound?

 

Your gonna love the Ypipe and CAI. They work very nice together and will give you some very nice performance.

SuDZ

 

the apexi can be found for a little under $400. The sounds depends on what other mods you have on your car. If its the only mod then it will be a little louder than stock, but still tame. Once you add an intake and y-pipe then it starts to get loud (in a good deep throughty way just like a V8)

 

Cheap??? You can get a used stillen muffler for 200.... man why do mufflers hafta be soo high.... greddys are 500+, stillens new are 380, now apexis are 400! All that money and your not gaining any performance..just looks and sound...

 

Ahhhhh. . . You're catching on quick! Very impressive, young grasshoppah. The force is strong in you.

(Ok, ok, I know - that's a "Karate Kid/Star Wars" combo reference, but wth, I'm feelin' experimental)

y-pipe = for power & sound
*cat-back = for looks & sound


*It's worth doing "at some point," but many other mods make the list ahead of this one, imho

 

I dont get how the Y-pipe itself could make your car sound beefy if i gut out the precats myself would it be the same ?

 

The OEM Y-pipe is quieter than the aftermarket y-pipes because a) the pre-cats restrict exhaust flow & b) it is a heavy, cast piece, as opposed to the thinner, lighter aftermarket pipes which allow greater exhaust flow & resonate a bit more loudly.

Gut those pre-cats, sure, I'd like to hear how that goes for you. Get under your car & have a look at that OEM y-pipe. You might change your mind on that.

(Save up & just buy the y)

 

So the different material used on the y-pipe makes the flow better?
and why do u guys dont think gutting the precats be worth it i have a Greddy catback exhaust and want to know if would it improve on the sound if i gut the pre cats thanks guys for your help

 

bump

 

can sombody anser my question above ? i really want to know what makes the y-pipe so loud and all it's just like stock right ? but witout pre-cats i just dont understand cuz i want to be able to gut them

 

No. Not like stock. Much thinner. Much lighter. Much free-er flowing. All these things translate to more noise. Gutting the pre-cats on a stock Y-pipe will not net you the gains of a good quality aftermarket y-pipe, but if you're looking for a project to kill a Saturday, let us know how it goes.

 

I wouldn't gut them, just so you can keep it in case you go back to stock in the future, besides, that thing is very heavy, and if you ever get a y-pipe and install it yourself, don't let the OEM one hit you in the forehead, bad stuff.

 

i take it u learned that one the hard way huh

::stockin y pipe comin off ::oo s*it

 

I pretty much want to do the same as you 1)RT Cat 2)Stillen B-pipe 3)Stillen exhaust. I've already got the Cattman Y, the RT Cat is in my closet, waiting for my money order to find its way to a guy on ebay who used his stillen SS muffler for 5 hours and I scored it for 220 shipped, so the one thing left is the B-pipe. One question though, I was going to order the WSP stage 1 and 2 SFC's and they said I need a straight connection between the cat and the b-pipe as opposed to the s-section. Do I need to get that extra piece if I get a Stillen B-pipe? I believe redmaxpa007 had the setup I want. If anyone has anything to add, it'd be appreciated. And yeah, I found out the hard way with the y-pipe install...

 

 

This is for a Reasonably Priced Cat-back Exhaust & Near Stock sound

Apexi World Sport, Maxima 95-99
APX-104KH01
Price: $349.00 shipped at:
www.groupbuycenter.com

Good Luck...