1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Custom Exhaust

Old Feb 3, 2008 | 11:56 PM
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Question Custom Exhaust

I know alot of guys on here goto muffler/exhaust shops or otherwise and get their exhaust fabbed up for cheap. Well...'cheaper' than from RB or any other place.

I was thinking of doing this or just using my MIG wielder and buying some stainless from a supplier, along with a muffler.

How much did your exhaust setup run you? Did you fabircate it? If so, how much was the cost of the project?

Thanks.


- Post pics of your custom exhaust...show it off. =]
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 12:00 AM
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Cant give input yet, but just make sure you get the right thickness/temp capable steel cuz these cars burn through exhausts easily if you use standard exhaust pipe
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 12:06 AM
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Yes i know that the exhaust temps are considerably higher than a normal recipocating engine's exhaust temps. I believe about 200 degrees higher? How thick should the wall thickness be on the SS piping?
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 12:22 AM
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Don't use stainless. Get all your piping from Racing Beat, it's enexpensive and will hold up. It's 1/8" thick mild steel. If you're going to run mufflers that aren't RB, go Borla, you can find them relatively cheap in various places. My setup is RB header straight piped to the RB muffler
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 12:27 AM
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Why not use SS?

I was going to use 2.25" That should be pretty free-flowing for a stock port correct?
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 12:29 AM
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The heat will get to the stainless and you will get a metallic pingy noise from the thin walls. 2 1/4" is fine on stock ports
EDIT: Here's a clip of my set up. In the future I will have thickwalled piping welded in cause there's still a pinging from underneath the car
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vy4W3E8rzuo

Last edited by FirebirdSlayer666; Feb 4, 2008 at 12:39 AM.
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 12:46 AM
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Okay i'll go with mild steel then. =]

Thanks for the input.


For future reference...2.5" would be fine for a streetport correct? and a 2.75" would be for a Bridge and 3" for a PP correct?
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 12:54 AM
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I think 2 1/2" might actually be a bit overkill for a streetport. 2 1/4" is a bit much for stock port too but it works. I'd use 2 1/2" for a bridge a 3" for Peripheral or Turbo
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 01:00 AM
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K thanks. =]

Do you know what the ID for the stock exhaust is? I'm thinking 1"..

Also how loud is your setup when you're just cruising? Is it annoying? And is it loud under WOT?
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 01:12 AM
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i was pretty sure it was 2"... 1" is rediculously small and the pipe is pretty beefy inside and out
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 01:15 AM
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Hmmm...true. Well i will run a straight 2.25" pipe all the way back i suppose. Get a shop to bend the pipe to go over the axle. o.o

Anyone going to post their cost for their setups?
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 01:29 AM
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Stock ID is like 1 3/4" or something like that. It definitely sings a nice tune at WOT but it's very tame under normal driving. Highway cruising is a little different for me since my SA is a 4 Speed and I haven't really done much freeway cruising to make proper judgement
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 01:57 AM
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Well since RB only sells 2" and 2.5" i'm going with 2". =/

Sticking with a Borla Muffler. And looking for a used RB header.
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 02:01 AM
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Awesome. 2" is perfect for a stockport. If you go the straight thru muffler route you'll need multiple mufflers or it will be very loud
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 02:06 AM
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How loud is "very loud"? Like..annoying loud? Should i buy a resonator for the DP?

Does yours have a Resonator on it?
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 02:11 AM
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check this out...he put a resinator in his set up...

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-general-discussion-207/got-some-stuff-mail-sorry-neighbors-722405/
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 02:14 AM
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I have no resonators or presilencers of any sort but I'm using the RB muffler which does an extremely good job at muffling the exhaust dB while giving great performance. Just 1 straight thru muffler wont be much better than open header which is god aweful loud and annoying doesn't describe it. I DD my FB for about 3 weeks on open header, trust me you don't want that. If I were you I would run 2 Borla ProXs mufflers. I *Think* that may be enough to keep it at a decent level
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 02:31 AM
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Hmmm...well i would rather just run one muffler. RB FTW. =]

So my new setup shall be:

RB Header
2" Mild Steel all the way to the
RB Muffler
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 07:48 PM
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do the search i put a thread with pics of the 3" ex I made of my car but don't use the hooker muffler I used
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Old Feb 4, 2008 | 08:05 PM
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I run 2.5 on my stock port. Muffler shop special from the front Borla ProXS muffler to the rear MazdaSpeed muffler. No pinging sound from the thinwall piping. Probably because it is loud.
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Old Feb 5, 2008 | 12:01 AM
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How much for that setup Jeezus?
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Old Feb 5, 2008 | 12:26 AM
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Theres nothing wrong with stainless,its superior in almost every category.
Its way lighter,it can be much thinner without burning up,and itll last forever.

Im not bagging on the mild steel RB stuff,its hell for stout and I used to run it and I still run a RB muffler,but its HEAVY and pricey....compared to SS if you fab yourself.
However,the cost of SS is more, and it can be quite tricky to weld.Youll need 308 stainless wire if workng with standard 304 SS materia,l and youll need Argon gas.You should also Argon back-purge any time you weld SS pipe to prevent inclusions.If back purging is not an option,then you can apply brush on flux to the backside,like SolarFlux Type B.
TIG is preffered,but you can do a fine job with a MIG machine if your an experienced welder.

My 3" mandrel bend SS system cost about 500 bucks.Its light.......very light, and Ive not had any problems with burn through,crystaline breakdown or header "ping" in the last 6-7 years.It regularly glows red hot and it gets driven in all conditions.Yes,my car is turbocharged,but its still very loud after the turbo,trust me.Header ping is not a big deal unless your really trying to make a stock sounding car.If you dont run a quiet muffler like RB,then the exhaust note is going to drown out any header ping that is present from the thinwall SS anyways.





http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...evepics014.flv
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Old Feb 5, 2008 | 01:13 AM
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That's all very true Steve but that turbo does alot to help quiet the exhaust vs NA and also helps reduce the ping. Oh and we're still waiting on in car video of your exhaust Steve
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Old Feb 5, 2008 | 04:11 PM
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Hmmm thanks for the input steve. Really enlightening. =] I will stick with the mild though since it will reduce the pinging. I might actually sell my FB soon. How's the market these days? lol
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Old Feb 5, 2008 | 05:03 PM
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The market is best for a stock FB, or one with tasteful mods.
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