suds1

After debating on what I wanted to do to my exhaust, I decided to try this first.

1. I took the car to a local muffler shop and had them cut off the stock resonator and replace it with a piece of straight pipe. I am fairly pleased with the results. The exhaust now has a little more "growl" but isn't so loud that it is annoying. You really only hear it inside the car at lower speeds and RPM's. Sounds very good at idle. The best part is it only cost me $40. I know that I did not gain any HP with this mod but I did get a unique sound from the stock components.

2. While I was there, I had him replace the fugly oval SE tip with 2 chrome tips. Its not too gawdy and it looks very clean. See pic below. This cost $30.

Let me know what you think!

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

Looks nice. I just ordered a POWERTECH Muffler with Dual 4 inch tips....I might try replacing that piece you did, Im trying to acheive a not too annoying, but menacing sound...NO RICE !

TellschMax02

iTrader: (2)

I really like what you did. The tips look much better. Also, isn't what you replaced called the B Pipe?

kloogy, isn't dual 4" tips kinda ricey? Just asking...no flame, nothing but love . I really like the look of your white max...smooth.

Brian

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

There's another member , I think its Big Dog, that has them. He has pictures of it . It doesnt look too big. I actually think they are not 4 inches big. I would say they are more like 3-31/2 . I'll take pictures when I get them. If I dont like it, I'll take it off....

MaximaZero

i'll buy your old oval tip off you! email me: kcyan@ucdavis.edu

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

Damn I love that car in your signature. Is that an actual kit thats available for the 5th gen. ? or is it a cut and paste think. I looked at those wheels, I think they are Volk wheels..Not sure of the price. I'd like them in 18's or 19's

MaximaZero

it thinks it's a porsche 911 gt2 rolling on 17" volk te-37's

02MaXiMa_GLE

Hey kloogy, how much & where from? I was thinking about the same exhaust! I think I saw it for $125 (maybe?) I think the pix of the 4' tips are awesome!

G

suds1

Sorry man, I wish I had known somebody would want it. It got bent up pretty good when he was taking it off so I told him I didn't want it. Those things are attached really well. He had to use a crowbar to slowly pry it off.

suds1

Yeah, I think that is what it is called. I didn't replace the whole B-Pipe though, I just had the resonator cut off on each side of it and put a "patch" of straight pipe in its place. Therefore he didn't have to make any bends.

doublea

iTrader: (7)

Hi Kloogy, I have a POWERTECH Muffler with Dual 4 inch tips, along with the Cattman Y-Pipe it make the car much louder but still acceptable and not too anoying, but I would not recommend removing the resonator on top of it, otherwise I think it will be very loud, enough to attract attention of the popo. The PowerTech make a nice growl, Imagine I had the PowerTech muffler with Y-Pipe and Berk Tech intake installed at once, when my wife took the car the first time, I though she had an heart attack.

Cheers

AA

maximillus

iTrader: (1)

does taking the resonator off make da car sound a lot better or no?

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

Thanks for the suggestion. The wife already warned me about "TOO LOUD".. ...I will post pictures after I get it put on this weekend...

zman187

sudz, How loud did it get with just replacing the resonator. Is it a real noticible diffrence when outside the car or no. I know you wrote how it sounds up top, but just want to hear any more details on what it sounds like...

suds1

When I got home I got my wife to sit in the car and rev it up to about 4000 RPM so I could hear what it sounded like from outside the car. It sounded good to me. It has basically the same tone as it did before it just doesn't sound as muffled now. Its hard to describe, its kinda like a grrrr sound.

Also I DONT have an intake system or Y-Pipe, which would probably make a difference in the sound of the tone if you have these already.

I not one that likes like loud exhausts that you can hear a mile away and the setup I have now does not get on my nerves.

Hope this helps.

zman187

Thanks man, it definatly helps out a lot. I sort of have the same problem but with my parents. They don't want to hear it a mile away so this sounds like something easy I can do. I have a really good muffler shop close to my house so they should be able to cut the resinator off and just weld a straight pipe right on there. Thanks for the idea.

Anachronism

Sounds like they same thing the Warpspeed B-Pipe fix will do and that removes the crushed area behind the resonator and that S section behind the cat. Horsepower gains will be small if any but I like the idea of removing anything that looks that restrictive in the exhaust. Of course the B-pipe fix has been due 'any time now' for a couple months.

I plan on getting the no reonator B-pipe fix when it is available, I am glad to here your impressions on the sound change without the resonator because that is exactly what I am looking for.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

Just as I suspected. If your purpose is to slightly increase exhaust sound inside the cabin, this is undoubtedly the cheapest and easiest modification that anyone can make to a 5th Gen exhaust system. And if I had it to do all over again, it's the FIRST modification I would have made to my exhaust system. But it's far too late for that now!

Enjoy the ride!

GuZo

iTrader: (6)

Will the car pass inspection without the resonator?

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

In a word, yes! In fact, nothing you do to your exhaust system rearward of the main catalytic convertor will affect your emissions.

Greg's2kGLE

Only the catalytic convertor and pre-cats (on some cars) deal with emissions. You could probably run without a cat back exhaust (meaning, no piping after the cat) and still pass emissions.

zman187

Suds one more question what size piping did you use. Length and Diameter. and was it aluminized piping or stainless steel piping??

suds1

They used 2" piping (that is what comes on the car). They use a machine to spread the ends so that it slides on to the existing pipe and then they welded it on. I believe he used stainless steel. I am not positive though. It was the same length as the resonator (about 24"?)

ssiperko

Is that 2" inside or outside diameter? I wonna buy the pipe and have a tech at work install it.

Thanks -- SS
l8tr

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

That shouldn't be an issue ssiperko. The pipe itself isn't that thick. I'd just go to your local muffler shop and buy about 30" of 2" piping.

ssiperko

I just want to be able to slip on the new piece after I cut the resonator off, I figure should take maybe 15mins. I I know the od of the exsisting then I can get a piece that size id. (od=outside diameter & id=inside diameter)
Thanks again y2kse -- SS

suds1

I'm really not sure. I just remember the guy that put it on said it was 2" pipe. As far as just slipping the new pipe on, the ends will have to be expanded in order to fit onto the existing pipe. I think you can buy pieces of pipe that already have expanded ends, but you might have a hard time finding exactly the right length. I also noticed when they were putting it on that the back end of the new pipe falls just before a curve in the pipe and the stock pipe is kinda crimped where it is mounted to the car. The guy had to do some pretty serious welding to fill in the gap.

I should have thought to take some pictures while the car was up in the air so this would be easier to describe. Tommorrow I will see if I can get a decent picture of my setup so I can post it.

zman187

that would be sweet because I'm having second thoughts about cutting up stock piping

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

I'd recommend you follow suds1's example, ssiperko. You definitely want the installation to be done professionally.

ssiperko

My techs are professionals, we fix cars not just replace parts. They average 8yrs of dealer experience. I will have them weld it on I just want it to be as clean a fit as possible. I don't want to have to expand a pipe when I can get one that will slide over the exsisting piece, it'll make for a better fit/look. I am kinda wierd this way.

Thanks -- SS
l8tr

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

It's standard practice to expand the end of a piece of pipe slightly to slide it over another piece of pipe before the pieces are welded together, SS. And of course, if you REALLY want to be weird, you'll have to rip out your entire exhaust system because the piping was crushed when it was bent. Nothing but a mandrel-bent exhaust system could ever satisfy the mind of the truly obsessed individual.

Nick Exxon

I'm a little ignorant here - but eager to learn! Can you 'splain just where the stock resonator "is" in the exhaust system?

Buzz

Anachronism

It is just behind the cat and I think it is not much more than an additional muffler.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

You're right on both counts.

suds1

Ok, Here's the pics of my setup. They are not very good but it is harder than I thought to take a picture of the underside of your car while it is still on the ground!

The rear end of the pipe just before the curve in the stock pipe.


The front end of the pipe.


Hope this helps.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

Perfect, suds1. Looks good and sounds good too, I'll bet.

zman187

hmm now i'm starting to want to do this again

ms.thicknes

I am going to the muffler shop tomorrow to get my resonator removed (quoted price of $25) and buy tips to have them welded on (which they also sell)

I will take pics of the process and post asap I will also record the sound with the help of a friend and my laptop and post on my website

yippeee...i'm so excited

suds1

I forgot to put this in my post from the other thread. The addition of a Berk Intake really makes this sound even better. It sounds good without it too, but the Berk even adds a little more growl, without being annoying.

00MaxSE

iTrader: (25)

Does anyone know what the GReddy EVO sounds like? When mine gets installed should I have the resonator taken out and have straight pipe put in it's place?