My friend and I are having a slight argument over what produces more power. He ordered a "y" pipe thing from jc whitney that completly cuts out the cat and mufflers. The way this thing works is you put it right after the headers it looks like a y and has a flap on the inside, when you pull a lever it closes of the exhust path to the muffler and cat and sends the exhaust straight out from the headers. I was telling him that he could get more power (low end for sure) if he got a exhaust system. Please help me settle this and post you remarks here.
Sure the jc whitney thing cost only 24.99 but it is really gonna be loud plus it will cost 50-100 dollars to install. Did I say this piece is going on an Acura Legend.

 

Well dunno why this post is in this forum, and I've never heard of anything like that, but technically,

If it's cutting the entire exhaust system out, you should be gaining more power because it gets the air out quicker. It'd be crazy illegal though because there's no air being cleaned.

 

I realize overall on the dyno the he will in fact get a better gain (hp) than a exhaust system. But in a race which would you rather have, the straight header or exhaust system. I was told in an earlier post that exhaust air flow is good to a certian point then it starts to get bad. To much flow is what is bad, because there is no back pressure whatsoever. For low end power you need back pressure not alot butthe right amount. Thats why more people have exhaust systems then they do valve things. Plus if he gets caught, can you say "major money for the ticket". Anyways he still has a long way to go before he wil be able to keep up with a stock maxima se 5spd.