2002 w/ 101k

Trying to see if it's in my best interest to put money into the car. So far I noticed that I need a new muffler, b-pipe, and cat. I did not check further up to the manifold yet. I don't need performance but I would like to hear some ideas about prices. Keep in mind I want to pass emissions.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Mine was running fine when it was totaled with 194,595 miles on it. If you take care of the regular maintenance, you should get another 100-150k miles out of it.

Any good muffler shop ought to be able to build you an exhaust for $350 or so and keep the car quiet. Some aftermarket exhausts are cheaper than that, not sure about the quality though. Cattman makes good exhausts, not sure if it would be louder than you want.

 

Yeah if you don't care about performance go to a custom shop and have them make you 2.5" aluminum exhaust...cheap and lightweight

if you do care

then 3" custom stainless is the ONLY way to go for price/quality

 

Hey thanks for the quick response. Sorry to hear about your car. I've been reading your thread and insurance is a pain haha.

I have a feeling I need to replace all if not most the exhaust. Cattman would be a great upgrade but I am already trying to afford the simple factory parts. The catback and cat would only be $350ish at an exhaust place? That seems cheap.

The y-pipe and exhaust manifold much more?

With that said I know a couple mechanics but its not like they will do it for free. This seems like it will take quite the amount of time no?

edit: I also want to ensure durability. I know its like I want the best of both worlds. Cheap and durable

 

Durable will be stainless, less expensive would be aluminum
cheaper would be 2.5" than 3" though 3" is better performance

a CUSTOM shop, not like meinke or whatever can get it done in a few hours

 

alright thanks.

Will find a custom shop somewhere around here and call them tomorrow. If I have anymore questions I know where to go. Appreciate the quick help

 

I just ordered a 2.5" Megan cat back for 323 shipped tonight.

Great bang for the buck

https://www.upscaleautomotive.com/p-...an-maxima.aspx

 

Not a bad price....

 

Thanks for the replys to the OP. I think I may be getting myself a megan exhaust now. I have a hole in mine so this should fix the problem

 

Post up your impressions after you get it. Wouldn't mind going aftermarket but I don't want a loud exhaust.

 

I ordered the same exhaust from upscale automotive on December 23rd 2010 and I am still waiting. First they told me middle of January 2011 then middle of February 2011 and now end of February 2011 because Megan has them back ordered. From what I read on past post in this forum a lot of people waited up to 2-3 months to recieve their Megan exhaust. Lets keep the fingers crossed. There are only 3 more days in February.

 

Damn that's messed up got mine pretty quick from Cattman actually to quick didn't have no leaks or problems with my stock exhaust....Good Luck though...

 

Stormz, i have read all the stuff on the 3" exhaust but would that further kill bottom end and shift it to the higher rpm level? My exhaust is on its last toe so i was gonna have one customed this spring. Was thinking on the 3" but didnt want to make the stop and go drive feel like im driving a yugo. All i have right now for exhaust mods is test pipe, gutted precats and resonator delete and flowmaster muffler.... def feel a diff from just that stuff. So im curious if going 3" vs 2.5 or 2.75" would be a big difference (or actually going bigger than stock at all). and no headers are not on my list anytime soon unfortunately

 

No. A reduction in backpressure is always a good thing. It translates into less work for the gas exchange which in turn increases the net work output. In the figure below, decreasing the back pressure reduces the area of the lower loop. Upper loop minus lower loop equals net output.
http://web.mit.edu/16.unified/www/FA...toReal_web.jpg

The idea that engine "need" a certain amount of backpressure is a total myth. It stems from an earlier time when fuel delivery systems could not adjust to deliver a constant AFR. See this explanation:
http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/html_pr...torquemyth.htm

 

I've got the answer for you! But also would like to state that the catback has nothing to do with emissions.....Cattman exhaust components have been installed and passing since 2004, on my 03 Max.....(Cattman Headers, 2.5" Catback, Now the 3" Catback + a Warpspeed Metallic Cat) If performance isn't your interest than NAPA's BOSAL complete catback should be your 1st choice......
http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Det...+50090+2090038

http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Det...+50090+2090038

Your choice for a cat should be a Warpspeed flanged CarSound(Magnaflow) high Flow Cat.....about $100 and 100% street legal....

Your 2nd choice should be checking the Classifieds....

 

ya dude let us know the results. I was thinking of megan for the longest time, but I didnt know if it was going to be to loud so I just left the exhaust stock. Congrats on the purchase man shes gonna purrrrrrrrrrrr down the street now.

 

Just got an E-mail from Upscale Automotive. Megan is saying new ETA on the exhaust is middle of March. Waiting almost 2 and a half months now and counting.....

 

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...s-exhaust.html

i have my old 2.5" for sale actually....

 

Got it 450 shipped to Canada with duties and all. Great exhaust, some drone at lower rpm's though but still sounds amazing.

 

Great bang! The 2.5" Megan is louder than my 3" Cattman believe it or not!!!!!

 

ok just got back from a shop. The guy was pretty good and walked me through the car for the most part. Basically the cat-back is toast. The guy says the main cat is probably not what causes the smell. He based this off of tapping the cat and assuming it sounds hollow-ish. He cannot really test the pre-cats without taking much apart he says. Then he said that any computer test on those pre-cats might be less accurate until I replace the cat-back.

He gave me a price of just the catback and I politely said thank you and left.

Walker Resonators - $189.49 + $99.99 labor

Muffler-SoundFX - $147.55 + $49.98 labor

2 Gaskets - $29.98

Exhaust Labor - $49.98

Total Miscellaneous - $8.99

Shop Supplies - $28.83

Total with tax - $641.08

So I'm obvious not doing that. However, I do need a catback and need to figure out which cat to replace. I did replace an 02 sensor that connected to the rear pre-cat. Is that most likely the one that I need to replace? Any help from here would be great.


p.s. sorry I'm not getting a full custom exhaust for you to hear.

 

thats fine lol ive had 2 different custom set ups

go ebay and do it yourself and get a new muffler welded in then

 

Cool. Any advice on how to find out which precat I should replace? No codes, just smell.

He said the computers don't always accurately test the precat

 

remove the ypipe and inspect them or just remove the manifolds and ypipe and visually inspect

 

Since you live in the northeast I would highly recommend AGAINST an aluminum exhaust, unless you just want to replace it again in a short amount of time. A quality stainless steel piece will last MUCH longer.

As stated just above me, you can inspect the precats visually by removing the flex pipe/j pipe/y pipe or whatever else you want to call it, and look at the screens. Sometimes you will see it damaged.