RonKMiller

So...... we all know the stock exhaust sucks big time.

I put on an N1 single and it flowed like a ***** but it was loud, sounded "tinny" and I felt a little low end loss. I also hated the single "fart tube" look.

I then bought a ricer chrome muffler and welded that to the stock "cat back" portion of the stock exhaust, but the huge bend in the stock exhaust is very constricting, the chrome starting flaking in two weeks, and it sounded like ****, WAY too loud. What a piece of junk, for $140.00. Got my money back. It had a lifetime guarantee. Maybe on a Honda.

I wanted a deep sound, with a little authority under acceleration, that looks stock, but without the droning most open exhausts have. The RB dual is the answer, but I can't wait three months and part with $500 easily for what is essentially:

1. a tube

2. a muffler

3. dual tips

My solution?

1. Flexible "accordian" type tube for $12.00. It comes
in different diameters, eliminates the need for special
bends, and comes with different size couplers that
you clamp in place, eliminating welding. You can
essentially bring it straight back from the cat to the
muffler. And straight is good for flow.

2. A Dynomax Ultra Flo muffler, with one end offset and
the other end in the middle. You can buy them in
stainless or aluminized. I went cheap (of course)
and got one for $79 at my local hot rod shop, minus
a $20 Internet rebate, for a total of $59.00. I queried
the owner if the fiberglass packing would hold up to
the heat of the turbos, and he said his 800
horsepower dragster had not blown one out yet,
shooting 10 foot flames. OK, good enough for me.

3. Dynomax stainless steel dual slash tips. $75.00.
With 2&1/2 diameter openings they look
(IMHO) "right" for the car. They needed to be welded
on. A couple pieces of round 3/8" stock from Ace for
a few bucks, along with some bending and welding,
and voila, hangers that fit in the existing rubber
mounts.

4. Grand total $150.00 and a couple hours of my time
welding and fitting.

How does it sound and look? To me - just great, it has a much deeper bass "wet" sound than I thought possible without being obnoxious, and the dual stainless tips look much more aggressive than stock, but not garrish. I can definitely feel more midrange with this setup, and that works for me.

If you're not mechanically inclined, you could have a muffler shop fit this whole thing for an hour's worth of labor.

Call me ghetto. (thanks for the compliment).

poss

iTrader: (5)

got any pics?

ninetyfourfd3s

Sounds cool... Have you noticed any increase in power via the infamous butt-dyno? Also do you have any pics of this latest project?

This sounds very tempting, but unfortunately I dont know how to weld. Keep up the good work!

saxyman990

haha! Ron, I love your ghetto mods! I've considered doing many of your mods on my car, as I kinda feel that doing it yourself makes everything all that much more fun, and gratifying (not to mention less expensive).

Just a quick question though, doesn't that accordian style pipe hamper flow due to the fact that it isn't smooth inside? Would it maybe be better to only put the accordian stuff where you need a bend, and try to attach some straight pipes in between, in an effort to minimize the amount of non-smooth pipe? I dunno, just a thought.

Rob

skunks

I really doubt that that little bit of restriction that the accordian style pipe does anything if your pipe is big enuf.

Mr. Stock

Pretty soon your FD3S is going to look like the car in your avatar.

rfreeman27

iTrader: (5)

The tube is ok with the heat?

BlackR1

Can't wait to see the pics

I've been lagging on my intake mod, since i have to relocate my battery and overflow tank to get the most flow

mike172rg

I was thinking about doing almost the same thing. However, I saved a little money and I think I'm going to buy blitz cat back... or should I bust out the welder?

Chameleon

Great idea...very resourceful and no one will really look under the car. Pics would be interesting.

RonKMiller

I'll try to get some pics in the next day or so and post 'em, but it ain't pretty! (at least from underneath)

Sure, there is some loss of flow with the accordian type tube, but is is incredibly small and I guarantee it could not be measured without extremely sensitive test equipment. You more than make up for any loss with the more straight line from the cat to the muffler.

I always get a kick out of anyone saying that there is a loss of flow in crimped vs. mandrel bent tubing - unless you are running 1500 (seriously) horsepower it does not make ANY difference. The mandrel bent stuff does look nicer.

The accordian stuff is just fine with the heat, the cat absorbs and dissapates all the really not stuff.
I did find higher quality on www.McMasterCarr.com. It is crimped tighter and is thicker and in a pressurized system that would be very important. It I did it again I would get the higher quality pipe just because it would be worth a few extra dollars to have more metal there. The one issue is that it may not be as flexible.

BTW, this whole system is VERY light.

RonKMiller

HAHAHA! That's what the name of "the car" in my avatar is: "THE CAR". It's from a 1972 movie about a car with a VERY bad attitude! And btw, it was a VERY bad movie.

Aristo

iTrader: (8)

Yeah..pretty whacky movie.

Benjaminaco

haha, nice work

SpeedyRotary

Pics!