DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

Hey everyone -

Well, I'm trying to get some recomendations and ideas for a cat-back. Here's the story -

Currently, I have a 3" Ebay downpipe (came with the car, but it fits/works well), an SMB metal high-flow cat (which is KILLER) and an HKS Hiper cat-back. I am running sequential.

As far as how loud an FD can get, this is FAR from it. But, it is on the annoying side. Power is great, and sound at full throttle is amazing. But, it's just a bit too obnoxious.

So, I swapped out my HKS Hiper with my spare exhaust in the attic . It's a Fujitsubo Legalis-R from Japan - VERY conservative exhaust. Oval muffler, single plain tip, JASMA certified.

With that exhaust on, I went to too QUIET. The car is WHISPER quiet. And, according to my Blitz Powermeter, I lost around 20-30 horse. Wow! I didn't know you could lose that much with a cat-back!

So, the HKS is the Papa Bear - too loud. The Fujisubo is the Mama Bear - too quiet. I need JUST RIGHT.

I know most of you will say "Racing Beat". I like their products, and have installed a few of their exhausts. My beef is you have to use the stock rear muffler hanger - I hate that thing . The one that attaches with 2 10mm bolts. Yeah, it's a dumb gripe, but no RB for me.

I am starting to like the oval muffler style exhaust, like the Greddy SP. Lots more ground clearance. Man, I'm getting old .

Anyhow, ideas? Current candidates are the Greddy SP or maybe something from Tanabe - they have a number of FD exhausts that are low DB.

BTW, one good thing with the quiet exhaust is it makes the car seem much "smoother". The car doesn't shake and resonate with the exhaust, and the car feels really smooth and clean - didn't expect that .

Anyhow, that's my newb-ish post . First hand experiences and comparisons are welcome. I'm not looking to build monster power - low 300's and I'm happy.

Thanks,
Dale

DamonB

You'll probably never find one but I still love my M2 dual tip. Very similar to the RB but with a distinctive whooshing howl when the second turbo comes on. It doesn't attract attention unless you get on it really hard and doesn't use the stock hanger either

My completely stock motor and turbos made 239 to the wheels through it.

TurboTagTeam

I'm pretty picky with my exhausts too. At first I ran an Apexi N1. It was DEATHLY loud. BUT, then I put a silencer in it. Wisper quiet. But them I crunched it on a chuck of asphault on the highway one day. So then I decided to go with the bigboy..Apexi GT Spec. OMG it was like driving around in a 67 chevelle.

After a week long headache I put the silencer in it...Wisper quiet again. It's pretty cool because you can drive around with the silencer in when your in "Cruise Mode(girls hate loud exhausts)" but then when your prowling the street at night you take the silencer out. The silencer makes a HUGE difference in my car. With the silencer in it will get traction at the beginning of 3rd gear. With it out, it will spin all the way to fourth if I let it. But the silencer only comes out when I'm running 110 octane or higher, cause the boost holds at 20psi with it out.

Matt Hey

Forget about the oval style and get a GReddy Ti. With sequential turbos, downpipe and metal cat it's just the "perfect" loudness and sounds sweet. No need to run a silencer that kills performance. The only knock is a tip that's a little large but it's not bad looking.

caredden

iTrader: (148)

Dale,

I know this might be "out of the box", but have you thought about cutting the stock hanger off of the RB? I just installed mine about three weeks ago, and I did not have my stock bracket. So, I had everything attached/secure except the stock bracket at the end of the exhaust. I had to order one from Malloy and I installed it the next day. Even without the bracket, the exhaust did not move at all. I really doubt that it would move all that much on you...

Just my $.02

Charlie

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

My HKS Hiper can take a silencer, but that's still not getting me where I want. The silencer robs around *50* horsepower - someone dyno tested it once . No thanks! Not bad for a long car trip or something, but I'm mainly looking for something that flows better than my current exhaust while still being relatively quiet.

Damon, I've seen an M2 dual tip once, and I wasn't impressed with the fit. Could have been something else on that car that wasn't right, but it was pushed up against the rear bumper plastic. I do like a single tip over a dual, too.

Like I said, I'm picky .

I could never roll without the hanger on there. Installation/removal isn't a big deal, it's seeing that dumb bracket from behind the car. It's nitpicky, but it bugs me enough.

Greddy TI - Probably similar in loudness to my HKS Hiper. It's not SUPER loud like the car can be, but it's loud enough to be not what I want.

Anyone have any experiences with the Greddy SP or Tanabe exhausts?

BTW, this is the Tanabe Super Medallion -



Rated at 95 DB.

Greddy SP -



Dale

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Dale,

The Greddy EVO (replacement of the Power Extreme) and the SP exhausts have a very nice tone. Not too loud and great flow. I think you would be happy with either.

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

Thanks! I'm not a fan of the Power Extreme - just too big for my tastes. I'll have to look up the Evo and see how it compares.

Dale

fdeeznutz

I purchased an old school HKS Super Drager and it is quite as hell. I'm looking for something like you. Not to loud and not whisper quiet.

Rxmfn7

iTrader: (4)

I think youd be very happy with an SP, the tip is a classy rolled construction, and tone is mellow at cruise but a nice growl at WOT. I like the aggressiveness of my HKS Carbon Ti, but the Greddy SP is nice for you older guys

Tim Benton

iTrader: (1)

I'm going old school on you Dale. I have had only 1 exhaust on the car since I started modding it back in 95. The PFS cat-back. Oval, tip isn't the size of a grape fruit, and doesn't drone at constant interstate speeds. I have a dp, resonated mp, and the PFS exhaust and haven't looked back. I bought the Greddy TI and the Blitz SUS cat-back and sold both after I got them. Just didn't look right to me.

Tim

jsplit

I agree, PFS Catback is the way to go

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

I'm not a fan of the PFS exhaust look - too, well, American looking . It's just VERY plain. Yes, I am still being picky .

Dale

afterburn27

iTrader: (5)

I have the older style Greddy SP and it has a nice, deep tone to it. Not high and raspy like many other exhausts. My only beef is the big tip, I would prefer something a little less 'coffee-can'.

KaiFD3S

iTrader: (37)

have you tried taking the smb cat..dont know if that would be an option but maybe without the cat and the other exaust it might sound the way you want it..

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

I agree on the size. However, I've heard a lot of exhausts on the FD and the Power Extreme had the best tone IMO (SP coming in a very close second). I only got rid of mine because I was wanting an angled exhaust (yea, for looks only ).

Narfle

iTrader: (16)

Dude, I got the SP2 and I havent heard it yet. But, the build quality is nuts. The flanges are about an inch wide and are as sharp as razors. I love it already.

SP2 +1

edit: heres some pics of the actual FD unit

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

I have a local friend who has the PFS exhaust...I'm def. not a fan of the tone, I'll tell ya that much.

Dale, if you're gonna pay for somethin, I say go all out. Get somethin fancy...like an RE dolphin tail

Matt Hey

In Japan the Greddy Ti is the Greddy PE (Power Extreme) Ti. GReddy also has a Greddy PE II. Here are the dB's they list on the http://www.trust-power.com site...

PEII 99 dB
PE Ti 94 dB
PE Ti-R 91 dB

Not sure if the testing is with the silencer but the mufflers look identical to the U.S. version. Anyone read Japanese . My point is the Ti exhausts aren't necessarily any louder than stainless and may be quieter. Plus everything else the same, the Ti exhaust is going to sound better. You like the sound of the PE in stainless then your going to love the sound of the PE in Ti.

Hey Tim Benton? Did you do any decibal testing like you were talking about doing back in 2004? You had the exhausts and the sound meter and setup dates to do it and everything and then the thread just ended. Even without dyno numbers, comparable dB numbers would be handy.

plaguepunx

iTrader: (8)

Those numbers are definitely with the silencer installed. My Greddy Ti was at 97db with the cat and was about 95 with the silencer installed. I love my Ti. I have dp mp and the Ti and it is fairly queit until the second turbo then it screams...and I love it

John Magnuson

I had a custome rear muffler made for Laguna Seca (92 decible limit) and used a straight through Borla muffler (the XR1 I believe). Fairly quiet.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Dale,
FWIW.....over-all, I'm happy with my Greddy SP. It came with the car and as mentioned above, the materials and construction are first rate. It also sounds great at idle and I love the sound while on throttle. I actually like it's sound better than the RB DT in those circumstances. My two biggest gripes are:
1. The HUGE tip which IMO, looks out of place on the car.
2. It drones while cruising.

afterburn27

iTrader: (5)

Yeah, I guess mine drones a bit too, but it wasn't bad at all while I was still running a cat.

Tim Benton

iTrader: (1)

Matt,

I actually had bought 3 exhausts, the PFS that was/is on the car. The Greddy TI and the Blitz Nur spec. Had the decibal meter, had a dyno day set up to test everything...then I got called into work and I really never had a chance or the "get off my *** and do it" mentality to get back to the dyno. So I ended up seling both the Greddy and Blitz without them ever being put on the car. I really wanted to like the Greddy TI, so damn light but like Dale, I'm picky and didn't like the angled can/tip pointing to the side.

It was just an whim when I bought the other 2 exhaust to test them and see the differences. I think it was the fact that RX-7 magazine from Japan did the test in one of their issues concerning dB, weight and power and I thought I'd try it too. Sorry I didn't get the second chance to try it. I had those 2 exhaust down in my storage building for almost a year or so before I sold them.

Tim

YoshiFD3S

iTrader: (19)

I like my exhaust.

N1-style





With a Greddy 3" down-pipe, stock cat, then the N1-style catback it's not "loud" in my opinion. Just a nice deep rotary-like growl, and it sounds great on the road. I was following my brother while he drove my car and the whole time I was like "Oh my God my car looks and sounds amazing."

lol