Where to start w/ exhaust mods?
#1
Where to start w/ exhaust mods?
Hi,
Ok I tried the search and I know what I like( I think )
But where do I start ? I just ordered a Berk/Apexi intake and was wondering where to start w/ the exhaust mods.
Y pipe, High Flow Cat, or Cat back.
I have a 2k Auto w' 60 k miles and am not sure how long I should expect to get out of my stock stuff.
I drive both higway and local. I want more sound than stock but not obnoxious at idol.
Any help or suggestions would be great thanks. Mike
Ok I tried the search and I know what I like( I think )
But where do I start ? I just ordered a Berk/Apexi intake and was wondering where to start w/ the exhaust mods.
Y pipe, High Flow Cat, or Cat back.
I have a 2k Auto w' 60 k miles and am not sure how long I should expect to get out of my stock stuff.
I drive both higway and local. I want more sound than stock but not obnoxious at idol.
Any help or suggestions would be great thanks. Mike
#2
Get the y-pipe first. You will see the greatest performance gain out of all the exhaust components that can be modded. The high flow cat doesn't really give you much HP, maybe 1 or 2. The cat back is really more for sound than HP, you might get 3 or 4 HP out of the cat back at most.
Personally I'd save the money and only get the y-pipe, spend the rest of the money on other mods like suspension.
Personally I'd save the money and only get the y-pipe, spend the rest of the money on other mods like suspension.
#4
I was thinking of doing the same, but all i'm really interested in is a nicer sounding exaust. I was thinking of doing catman catback. Will this be too loud? Will I get a loud droning sound at highway cruising speed like I did with my mustang running offroad exaust to flow master mufflers? Man that was painful...
Thanks,
Cabowabo
Thanks,
Cabowabo
#5
I got droning w/just a straight thru muffler installed. Once I got a catback, the whole RPM range got louder but the actual droning got better... too loud for my tastes though. Keep your stock muffler and do the y-pipe for a 2000 Max, you'll see the most gains there from what everyone says. Different story with the 2k2/3, but that doesnt apply to ya.
#6
I have the Cattman Y-pipe and B-pipe w/resonator and kept the stock muffler. Has a nice growl but not loud. With FC intake, I can definitely hear it when I stomp on it. Seems to have more mid range power, but only gained .1 sec at the track. I still love it.
#7
Get the y-pipe first to check the sound. If you like it, stay as is, if you want more sound (louder) then get the cat-back. Beware with the cat-back you will get a droning sound. I don't care what anybody says, you will get the droning sound when cruising especially at highway speeds.
#11
Best Ypipe is Cattman, 2nd best is StIllen. A b-pipe is the section after the Cat, and before the rear section exhaust. If you get a catback exhaust you dont have to worry about the B pipe!
#16
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Originally Posted by Cevin
Arn't the headers strickly for racing? My max is an everyday driver.
I'm so glad I found this place.. thanks for the help all!
I'm so glad I found this place.. thanks for the help all!
Headers are a PERFORMANCE part. As are aftermarket Y-Pipes. The headers will give you more horsepower than a Y-pipe would, but not a huge difference unless you're super/turbo charged.
Think of it this way, the Y-pipe gives you approx 10 horsepower more than stock and the headers give you approx 15 more than stock.
There's only a 5 hp difference between the Y-pipe and headers... which probably isn't enough to feel on the butt-dyno.
It's really up to you whether or not you want to pay approx $300-$400 more for the extra 5 hp...
However, for us hardcore folks, 5 hp is 5 hp more.
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#17
Ok.. gotcha. I was just reading on CE that the catman headers are meant more for racing, so it drew a concern for me. I'm just an every day driver that likes to take it to the civics now and then
.
Thanks for the info/knowledge. I've got the Y pipe on my list of things to get.
![Smilie](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Thanks for the info/knowledge. I've got the Y pipe on my list of things to get.
#18
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iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Fernando Valley CALI
Posts: 2,129
Originally Posted by Cevin
Ok.. gotcha. I was just reading on CE that the catman headers are meant more for racing, so it drew a concern for me. I'm just an every day driver that likes to take it to the civics now and then
.
Thanks for the info/knowledge. I've got the Y pipe on my list of things to get.
![Smilie](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Thanks for the info/knowledge. I've got the Y pipe on my list of things to get.
![GrinNo](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/grin_no.gif)
#21
From what I remember, the Y-pipe on 02-03's gives very minimal gains. The difference in hp gains with the headers are much greater with the 5.5 gens, compared with previous years. Right?
#22
A few more questions
Thanks for everyones help.
I am hearing a droning exhaust sound from the front of the car while cruising around @ low idles. like between 1200 and 1700. It's at the worst around 1500
It doesn't matter what gear or if it's in neutral However it's much more noticable in 2nd @ 1500. As soon as I give it enough gas to break 2k it's gone.
It sounds like the exhaust is not even making it to the pipe.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
How can I check to se if the cat is functioning ? I am so paranoid now that I think I smell rotten eggs @ times when sitting in local traffic.
Thanks again , Mike
I am hearing a droning exhaust sound from the front of the car while cruising around @ low idles. like between 1200 and 1700. It's at the worst around 1500
It doesn't matter what gear or if it's in neutral However it's much more noticable in 2nd @ 1500. As soon as I give it enough gas to break 2k it's gone.
It sounds like the exhaust is not even making it to the pipe.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
How can I check to se if the cat is functioning ? I am so paranoid now that I think I smell rotten eggs @ times when sitting in local traffic.
Thanks again , Mike
#23
Originally Posted by Triple8Sol
From what I remember, the Y-pipe on 02-03's gives very minimal gains. The difference in hp gains with the headers are much greater with the 5.5 gens, compared with previous years. Right?
#24
Originally Posted by ICULookN
I heard the samething also.
Are you reffering to me? Or the guy you auto quoted?
If me did yours go away or can you still hear it. I am so obsessed w/ this noise that it's all I hear now.
#25
Where to get Cattman Y pipe.
Ok .
So where is the best place to get the "Y" pipe
And everything else under there is pretty rusty as well. So what pipe combo works best ?
A little more growl but I drive about 50 miles highway round trip everyday.
Thanks, Mike
So where is the best place to get the "Y" pipe
And everything else under there is pretty rusty as well. So what pipe combo works best ?
A little more growl but I drive about 50 miles highway round trip everyday.
Thanks, Mike
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