Just received my BRM 3" exhaust today and my question is this......Should I put a test pipe or HFC on the car?


I've heard the HFC's are a little quieter and that the test pipes stink. Is this true?


Any input on this?

 

yes and yes. I would go with the HFC personally, but that's just me.

 

Test pipes don't stink. Cold startup will smell like fuel since it's running rich (but obviously only when the engine is cold). I don't know where people get this stink idea from unless you're standing right behind the car and someone is revving the **** out of it
You will never smell any of it when inside the car.

 

The cop behind you will, and he will love it.
Smell of money. for the city. because you took the cat off.

 

Very interesting topic! Who cares about the smell tbh, what I'd like to know is whether the extra gains from a test pipe vs. the hfc is worth it?

 

He's in TN, test pipe. I have a fast-cat because of where I live.

 

Gains? No

Slight sound difference? Yes.

And besides that just depends on where you live for emissions and personal preference.

EDIT: People who say there is no smell don't know what they're talking about, plain and simple. The main cat helps remove the smell, you will notice it when you beat on it. With a cat in place, the smell will be absorbed, without it will just be let out and yes you wont smell much of it in the car but your car will smell like **** when driven hard and yes people behind you will smell it. Not sure which is better, the smell of rotten eggs from a HFC or the smell of raw unburnt fuels right in the air. Also depends on how your car is running IE. lean/rich. The smell is even more noticeable with headers/gutted pre-cats since the HFC has to do much more work, mine usually smells lovely after a good bit of hard driving.

 

Gains, yes. Come on people I post this about 2x a month.

 

^

LOL @ 2x a month. Sorry bout that dude, learn something new every day. 10HP gain? WOW

Looks like it gains across the power band too, which is awesome. Looks like, time for test pipe.

Question for you Nmex (if you dont mind), what if I gutted my Hi-flo cat also, would that be anywhere similar to a test pipe? I know it's not the same but...I could easily do it since I already cut the whole flange part off completely I can just unbolt the exhaust and pull out the insides.

 

IDK, logic would have it that sleeving the gutted unit would be fine/similar. As we all know, logic really doesn’t apply to these cars.

But, srsly … what’s a 35$ test pipe though?
I myself had a FastCat, then got a TP because it was cheap, dyno’d, and sold my FastCat.

 

Test pipe on mine!

Op if you have the dough to splurge on a hfc go for it...

But if you're state don't bring out the emission sniffing dawgs , put straighpipe ... Just save the cat in case you need it down the road or sell it...

 

Or, get a TP for non testing days and an HFC for others. TP's are ridiculously cheap.

 

There are no emissions testing here in TN.
What about the sound difference? Im not into drone or rasp, at least as much as I can eliminate with a 3" exhaust.

Wow I have never seen a test pipe give 10 more hp than a hfc

 

Who cares the people behind you?

And since when do piggies patrol?

 

Why not have it flanged so you can install your cat for inspection time and remove it and reinstall the test pipe! I hate the way people chop their exhaust system up and throw stuff together....Now if you had to change your E-brake cables you would have too remove a hell of alot instead of one little section...

 

I'll just charge myself a couple extra hrs of shop time ,no biggie...
I had it done for the free so i can't complain,he was so close to making me the y pipe but he had to cut up the oem to use the flanges so i said no...

 

Damn i wish i had seen this like 2 weeks ago since i just put on a HFC fml lol

 

Won't test pipe stink up the car? And big fine?

 

I thought would have said something like "It's a synergy of mods that make the difference. A test pipe mod by itself may not make a 10 HP gain, but when added to a car that already has an intake, 4" mid-pipe, headers, and a catback, the addition of the test pipe will enhance the whole system."

 

^ Oh yeah, that 10HP will only be seen on a fully modded Maxima, clearly.

Nmex you're right dude, about the logic thing and our cars with the gutting. Not worth it like you said, when a test pipe is so cheap.

I was thinking about ordering the Megan test pipe, to match my catback. But IDK, I heard the test pipe is shorter than the cat and it makes the exhaust not come out to the bumper opening? Any recommendations for where to get a good test pipe?

 

May have to try this. It just so happens the donor car I bought for the trans had a new cat laying in the trunk. Time to start gutting.

 

3" 240sx test pipe. Buy naow.

 

Is there a difference between the megan test pipe http://www.ebay.com/itm/261003752321...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

and the regular one for $35?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Performance-...a995b6&vxp=mtr

 

IIRC people complained that the Megan was too short.

 

i have a cattman 3 inch high flow cat if youre interested. i definitely noticed a sound change with it on, it sounded awesome on the car, lemme know

 

Can anyone attest to that?

 

Think they were too long not to short...

 

/\ that's what she said...

 

LOL but really, IIRC they really were too short, or so I heard.

I actually wouldnt mind if it was a bit longer (thats what she said)

 

Megan are too long.

 

ill just go with the $35 pipe then

 

Thanks for all the info guys.

BRM quoted me 165 shipped for a 3" magnaflow hfc, I might just go that route for now. Might do the test pipe when I do the engine swap and boost

 

 

Among some of the members here there is the believe that the test pipe does nothing for performance and that our 15-20yo Catalytic converter is of very high flow. Meanwhile on all other forums it is widely understood that the cat is a restriction in the car's exhuast system and removing it and or installing high flow units leads to a boost in performance Yea our stock cats flow good theory just went out the window.

 

btw there was no 5gen 15-20 years ago.

 

Indeed ^

 

Yup, the Maegan is too long, I bought one and had to sell it because it didn't fit. The cheap ones are from that company in Canada I forget the name of the company. But yeah a 240SX 3" will also work. That's what I have now, pricier, but the dyno is with the 2.5" Canadian /35$ unit.

 

Test pipe= greatest gain and good sound. Actually seemed like my car smelled more with just my cat back before the test pipe. Maybe my cat was bad already

 

Im gonna go ahead and get that test pipe, hopefully im not overcharged for installation.

 

Install is 4 nuts, takes 12-15 minutes.