Who makes the best exhaust for a 2000 i30 I’ll be dammed if I want my car sounding like a $*#ing rice burner, but a clean exhaust and a boost on HP would be nice. I would prefer it to sound like the new G35 coupes, (damn those sound nice) any suggestions?
And by the way the fact that I can come on here and ask all my little stupid questions is GREAT; thanks to everybody that helps out I really enjoy it!

 

Wish I had an I35 coupe..

 

You and me both ... maybe next

 

You missed the sarcasm. It's G - 35.

 

O I got ya, ok so I want it to sound like a G35, lol

 

ill prolly choose the new ss magnaflow mufflers for my exhaust setup and hopefully i can find a 2.5in one

 

i have a question...the new CE ypipes....are they legal in cALI?

 

Cattman has the best exhaust IMHO! Sounds similiar to the G35 coupe. Price is kind of up there though. If you get the full cat-back exhaust, the y-pipe is included which is our real power adder for the exhaust.

I will let you know how it sounds in about a week. I am ordering the headers and full catback-exhaust as a packaged deal $$$$$.

Oh and Magnaflow mufflers are way too loud! I have had three magnaflow mufflers before two SS mufflers, and 1 high flow race series. Once you start adding CAI,headers, and pulleys to the engine they sounded like some straight-rice-coffecan-drowning-civic exhaust. TERRIBLE! I had them on my G20t and my Qx4. For each application i resorted into finding other exhaust.

 

Is the cattman cat-back catalytic converter effective enough to pass emissions?

 

It should be effective. The exhaust and headers both past emissions. I don't see why they would make a catalytic converter that doesn't pass. I think (don't quote me) cattman's cat is just a replacement catalytic converter. I doubt it has any power gains. Catalytic converters rarely give you any horsepower, it's only when you remove them. I had two free flowing race cats (adelco) on my qx4 and i didn't notice any difference in power. If so it was probably 1-2hp at most.

 

NO aftermarket y pipe will pass emissions in California, because it removes the two pre-cats. Aftermarket y pipes will only pass FED (the other 49 states). You can of couse keep your stock y pipe and bolt it on every two years for emissions, and then switch it back.

CARB is cali gayness in all of its glory ! Which by the way is going nationwide in 2007 for cars, 2009 for trucks. BYE BYE LEGAL MODS!

 

You would probably get 5 hp out of an aftermarket cat on our cars. My friend dynoed out an extra 15 hp on his 99 Civic Si when he replaced his stock Honda cat with one from random tech... It would take a gain of at least 20 to feel while driving.

 

You sure? CARB is a California board...I assume you mean CARB type regulations being made into federal regs? Not that I don't believe you...it's just the first I've heard about it...and was wondering where you learned of it.

 

Custom Enterprise said that their pipes WOULD pass the Cali emmissions test...so are they lying to me?wtf?

 

It would be carb regulations going nation wide. I read about it in a April or May issue of Car & Driver. They were doing a comparasion between different diesel engine cars, and they wrote about the CARB regulations going national as well. Apprearently diesels are illegal under CARB, so they were discussing the impact on the diesel market when CARB regulations become national, and diesels will be illegal in the U.S.

 

Well then forget what I said.... I was under the impression that replacing the y pipe would not pass emissions in CA. Perhaps it will "pass", but if the inspector saw that you were no longer running the factory three-way catalytic system, you could fail. I doubt that would happen though.

Go with what CE told you, but KEEP your original y pipe just in case.

 

If you let the main cat fire up before you get it tested you should be fine.

 

well...shouldnt the drive to the place warm up the cat?MMEEEOOWW!!

 

Hence why you should be fine.

 

(mr burns)excellent....

 

I can't believe you guys are complaining or wondering about exhaust upgrades. Besides installing a CAI, exhaust (not headers) is like the most easiest bolt on mod to put on. My father-in-law and I have put on countless exhaust on all my cars and whenever the DMV or MVA sends a notice for me to check my emissions, I replace whatever piping in about 15-20 minutes depending how severe my exhaust mods are. When I get back home from the emissions place, park my car in the garage, roll it up on some floor ramps, slide underneath the car, get out my wrench and ratchet and disassemble-reassemble (well after the car cools down . Easy.

Point that i am making. I wouldn't let emissions steer you away from getting mods done to your car. I have modded every car i have owned and never had a problem with cops or emissions or state. (and that depends on how overboard you go with cosmetics and sound!)

 

I have a Cattman Y pipe for 2 years and I have never put it on because (from what I have read) its hard to remove bolts from firewall header. Is it true? Do you really have to be a strech-armstrong to get threre? Also, arent there any issues from missing heat shields? Doesnt AC compressor get damaged from heat?

Any info would be greatly appretiated.

regards, Bart.

 

No more harder to reach than the front manifold nuts. The hard thing is the rusted @ss cat bolts!

 

Arent there any issues with heat because of missing heat shields?

regards, Bart

 

I think the heat shields were mainly there because of the pre cats. If you look at the system, the only parts with heat shields are the pre cats and main cat.

Since you are removing the pre cats, I guess there is no need for the shields anymore.

The installation is not bad at all. Just make sure that you have one of those swivel adaptors for your sockets. And like i30ds said, look out for rusted bolts. I sheared off a bolt at the front manafold. WD-40 is your friend.

 

I don't think so but don't quote me. Most tuner rides have their heatshields removed anyway. I know for every header application that is not OEM, the heatshield is removed. I have been driving my g20t for a good 7 months and the whole exhaust w/headers has been replaced, thus removing all heatshields. I have had no problems at all. I think it also depends on the quality of the metal. Some companies use cheap stuff and the welding can be terrible ***COUGH*****COUGH****** OBX *****COUGH***** and you may end up damaging stuff, long story, don't ask! However, you have to pay to play. Cattman stuff is $$$$$ and you can tell by the quality.

 

None at all.....

 

Thank You for all your input, Ill try to get it on asap, when the weather will be nicer

regards, Bart.

 

No problem at all....

 

if you let the car warm up, it will pass.

 

How much are you paying for all that? if you don't mind me asking

 

I already have them installed for about two months now. The price was 800s for the headers and exhaust was 599.00. Since, I ordered both exhaust and headers I got a discount of about 200.00 including shipping came around to 1300.00 which is not bad for a V6 car and trust me it's WELL WORTH IT!

 

leeI35,

Those cattmans are sweet! I have been thinking about getting a full system as well.

Did you install the exhaust yourself or did you have it done?

If you had it done, how much was it?

If you installed it yourself, how long did it take and was it tough?

 

Sup cmuehlenb..I had my shop install my exhaust because of the fitment issues with my rear lip spoiler. My shop had to extend the exhaust pipes out longer inorder for me to have everything fit correct. Otherwise, it should be straight forward if you don't have the rear kit. I say, I would have installed it myself but with some help of WD-40 or some type of lubricant on the bolts the night before. It took my shop about 15 minutes to put the exhaust on, and another 15 for the welding of a 4 inch pipe. Some have installed the exhaust themselves but the exhaust tips touch the rear bumper. You either have to get new muffler tips or extend the piping like I did.

 

Thanks leeI35!

 

Anyone doing the install themselves should allow conciderably more time than 15 min. Those headers dont look like they are too easy to get to.

When i installed my y-pipe it took me prolly an hour, and that is doin a lot less work than installing a complete system from the block back. Ive never done this actual install, but cant imagine it would be a quick 15min job.

Anyway, leeI35,

Would it be possible to get a sound clip of your exhaust setup? I hear the equal-length headers produce a sweet sound.

TIA

 

A catback can be installed by a shop with a lift and air tools in 15min. A DIY'er with a floor jack and regular tools will take an hour or two.

Headers are a whole different story. Took me about 2 days for the headers including removing the intake manifold to get to the rear bank.

 

I didn't install the headers myself neither. It took my shop 2.5 days to put on the headers. Not to mention after the header install, the catback exhaust had this annoying rattle under my car. I had my shop bend the metal piece under the exhaust pipes to eliminate the idle rattle of banging metal. I wouldn't dare tell anyone to put on the headers by themselves without jack ramps, proper tools, and 1+ friends. I had four guys working on my car at my shop and they said my I35 was by far their hardest header install and the shop owner has installed headers on practically every JDM car.

Most definitely, I need someone to host the files though, so if someone can give me an email address to mail them too, I will get my camera and take some sound clips. And about the sound, It's becoming annoying now to me, after picking up the G35 I kinda want to be un-noticed when it comes to my mods and driving at low speeds, the drowning humming sound has got to go now. You guys might like it, but I am not into all of that Vrroomm vrroomm mustang noise. My cousin loves the sound of my car, but anytime I can floor it my car and you can hear me BLOCKS & BLOCKS away, Houston we have a problem! This weekend I am going to see if I can change the exhaust tips and add resonated rolled edged tips to mute the sound. Otherwise, I am going back to stock muffler soon.

 

If no one can host the file, do you think you could e-mail it to me? Id love to hear this.

I know what you mean about the noise though. Ive been a bit worried about that too, but I guess Ill cross that bridge when i get to it. Let us know if those resonated tips make a difference.

Also, what does the ol butt dyno think about the headers? They are supposed to be a great mod. You lose any noticeable amount of low-end?

BTW e-mail is treyf84@simla.colostate.edu I think you can send big files there.