i am considering buying one, what is the best one out there? is the CM Racing Straight Pipe good?. I just ordered a Warpspeed y pipe so i figured id put both on at the same time. thanx

 

custom maxima would be the best one i guess. i have it on right now.. not much gain .. we'll see what happens when i get my ypipe

 

If you bought aluminized steel you didn't buy the best Y-Pipe why would you want the best straight pipe?

If you bought a Stainless Steel one I take that back.

 

I like my CM straight pipe. Not much gain without additional exhaust mods, but it looks great.

 

I also have the CM straight pipe (even thought the co. sucks). I like it over the other straight pipes b/c it's resonated. The other co.'s just make a test pipe basically...

 

what does it matter?, i would just get it for the gains, not the looks

 

Sounds like Dallas sunk his teeth into your neck. You don't buy Stainless Steel for the looks? You buy its because its quality and it lasts forever.

Its somewhat like buying a Maxima vs a North American car.

You buy aluminized mild steel because you are cheap and don't care about quality or how long it lasts.

Anyone who would buy an aluminized pipe to save 20 or 30 dollars over a Stainless Steel pipe should also save a whole bundle by buying a North American POS over a quality Japanese car.

 

ya stainless is the best. I also have the CM straight pipe. It sounds the same basically, so if you're worried about noise, the resonated one is essentiall noise free. Gains are minimal if any

 

OMG...you sound like such a pompous idiot. Before you start talking down to peeps, post some pictures of YOUR ride. Let's see all the amazing high quality stuff you've got on yours.

Yes, SS looks nicer. Yes, SS will last longer. But unless you live in some climate where they salt the streets alot during winter, aluminized steel will last long enough. Probably longer than you keep the damn car. Oh, and it's lighter than SS too. That with the cost savings of $100+ on the WSP Y's makes it a pretty good proposition.

Don't think I'm biased just cuz I have a WSP aluminized Y b/c it was an informed and calculated decision. Because of some fitment issues and nonexistent customer service from Warpspeed, if I went back I probably wouldn't buy it again.

 

see i thought that they all do the same thing and the only dif is that SS would only last longer and look nicer, so do they both put out the same amount of gained hp or not?

 

I'm sorry if I sound pompous but PearWhite was the one that started a thread saying he wanted the BEST, usually that means QUALITY or PERFORMANCE not CHEAP.

There are a couple of pics of my car in this thread. And yes there is some cheap sheit on it but I am into performance not looks.

https://maxima.org/forums/showthread...ified+magazine

Well I do live in a climate like that but thats not why I have SS. Also if you scratch or wear any of that aluminized stuff off it will rust real fast.

Aluminized steel also sheds heat much faster and that is not what you want for performance. Stainless Steel retains heat better and exhaust gases exit faster. Thats why racers use header wrap, to retain the heat and increase exit speed. An alternative if you are using mild steel is to ceramic coat which retains heat even better than SS.

The Budget Y-Pipe is T-304 Stainless Steel Mandrel Bent and is $190 delivered if you want a real deal for a 3.0L.

Your informed and calculated decision must have also been a fast one, if you have a 2k2 and bought a Y, the gains without removing the precats are minimal. Headers are more money but at least the gains are there. On a 3.0L its a whole different ballgame because the precats are removed with the Y.

 

so shouldi still go w/the warpspeed y, and cm straight pipe, or will the cm pipe not give me much gains?

 

the straight pipe will not give much of any gains. it might give a little gain tho, so that is better than nothing right? no bolt ons give real big gains anyways, its just combining them all to create a significant gain

 

waste of $$$$

 

might as well stay with the stock cat since it won't make much of a difference.

but if I had to get one, i'd get a custom made one or the CM one

 

I bought the WSP Y when they were the only ones that made one for our car. Bottom line is, aluminized steel will work just fine. If you want to spend the money, then get SS. I will be getting the HS headers if dyno results are positive.

 

ok thanx alot guys, so i think that ill just stay w/the y-pipe, and keep the stock cat, since there wont be much gains from a new one.

 

Hey, everybody,
Just got my CM straight pipe for my 2k2 this weekend. Went to several muffler shops, they all refused to install it, stating that:
a)It's illegal to remove the cat due to EPA and state regulations
b)If I do it myself and get caught, it's a $2500 fine
c)Even if I don't put in a pipe, but a high-flow cat, just to replace the factory cat with a new one, the car has to be over 5yrs/50k and then I have to have written inspection statement, saying that the cat needed to be replaced.
So, my question is, how do y'all manage your straight pipes? Do you change it back to original cat just for the inspection? Or do you tell them it's a high-flow cat and keep you fingers crossed that you pass emissions test? I am very eager to hear what y'all have to say, since I have 14 days to return this pipe to CM. Thanks in advance.

On a side note, I tried removing the cat myself; those rusted nuts are a *****--almost stripped two of them with a vise-grip. WD-40 didn't work, someone suggested PB Blaster or similar high-tech penetrating compound. Another trip to the shop ...

 

Change it yourself and put it back for the inspection. Only way you will get a shop to do it is if they know you because they can get in deep sheit for doing it.

Sounds like you are in trouble with the bolts if you are already resorting to vice-grips. Keep trying, you may have to go to a shop and tell them its leaking and you want new gaskets but you can't get it off. They will probably heat it up, put in new bolts and gaskets, then take it home and put in the straight pipe.

Thats about all I can suggest. A better penetrating oil may do it but sometimes the only way is a torch.

 

i am glad i don't have to worry about all those inspections like you all from the east and west coast do...and they have those inspections in Texas????

 

use a breaker bar to take the bolts off they will come right off

 

Thanks for the advice, Jime. I'll leave those nuts soaked in PB Blaster overnight and then try again in the morning. If that doesn't work, then I'll do what you suggested--take it to Meineke and tell them I need gaskets changed. Then I'll make sure to put a lot of anti-seize on new bolts in case I have to change back to factory cat for the inspection.

 

I have the CM straight pipe. Its resonated, and if a POPO was to do a visual inspection on it, it would look like an aftermarket cat......

Basically for performance gains, I dont think it does much. The stock Cat on the new Maxes flows well enough.

I have an aluminum B pipe from Warpspeed. I dont need SS, since my car sees rain probably 5 times a year here in Southern Cali.