Cat Back Exhaust... Literally?!

StealBlueSHO

StealBlueSHO

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Staff member
Sooo I picked up a set of catted DPs... I decided to go ahead and start the removal of the existing pipes so when the new ones showed up I could slap them in.....

It appears the previous owner literally ran the Borla exhaust and had some custom work right up the mid pipe connector behind the cats (not mandrel bent either)... I took some pictures.. doesn't look like any of the stock flex pipe or bends from what I have seen from other posters...

Not sure what to do at this point?! Opinions?
 
Well that kinda sucks...what about taking your new dp's to an exhaust shop and seeing if they can get a set of flanges to match or call sw and maybe they can send you some then you can get flanges back on the cat back so your exhaust is removable again
 
It looks like you may need a 3rd Cat in order to connect/align with your NEW DP to keep down the Rasp=Rice.....Definitely need a good shop to do some cutting and welding + Install new gasket X2 and new bolts x4 by flange pipe .Pics of my 3rd cat below with 3k on her.  Z
jnYI54Eh.jpg
 
 
Yea... I don't weld... Not sure how much extra HP I can free up.. I have 2.5in piping right up to the cats... I know high flow cats work well... But the bigger piping off the cats to the exhaust make a difference too... Not sure if the newly discovered costs are going to be worth it...

I have a good shop down the road...I can swing out there tomorrow to have them give me a estimate... Fml...

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Do you have rasp with that set up?  I'd think that it would already be raspy without a crossover or the third cat acting as a crossover.

Not sure how much you want to invest in the set up, but ideally I think you'd want to get an x pipe and the proper flanges so that you can install the new downpipes then connect with flanges and add an x pipe.

Those pipes might be 2.5", but being crush bent they are probably flowing at a 2.25" rate at best. 

I'm guessing that you will see a gain by redoing the system, but it won't be cheap or easy.
 
The crush bent is a killer... I had better look under it this morning...  Not only is it crush bent, but they used reducers on the connections to the cats as well so it lined it up... From the Borla mid muffler forward they could have used a better setup... But what kills me is that the welding is flawless from what I can see.. so it wasn't done by an amateur..

I am thinking about trashing everything from the mid muffler forward.. unfortunately...

Anyone make an X pipe for our cars?

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sholxgt said:
Do you have rasp with that set up?  I'd think that it would already be raspy without a crossover or the third cat acting as a crossover.

Not sure how much you want to invest in the set up, but ideally I think you'd want to get an x pipe and the proper flanges so that you can install the new downpipes then connect with flanges and add an x pipe.

Those pipes might be 2.5", but being crush bent they are probably flowing at a 2.25" rate at best. 

I'm guessing that you will see a gain by redoing the system, but it won't be cheap or easy.
Click to expand...
Yes, I do get rasp with low RPMs and decent throttle..think about going up a hill.. and a terrible drone at 2K rpms..I just thought it was the Borla setup..

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Good welds with crush bent piping is pretty normal.  Very few muffler shops do mandrel bending, but they all employ people that weld every day.

There is not a bolt in x pipe that I'm aware of.  Just have to buy one and have it added in...

http://www.dynomax.com/universal-aluminized-x-pipe-88327.html

That rasp and drone is very likely from not having a crossover.  V6's inherently do not sound good to my ear.  They need crossovers and resonators for my ears.
 
So... just got back from the shop and waiting on a phone call for the official quote...but the verbal was...

$200 to pull/Cut the existing piping out to the mid muffler and weld in the new DP's with a straight pipe. No X-Pipe with that setup, just welding everything right up to that mid muffler. This would also get rid of any crush bends in the setup. No exahust leaks etc... but a MAJOR PIA if I have to do any work that requires removal of the exhaust system..

$250-$300 To do all of the above but with an X-Pipe to cut back on the drone MAYBE...

$350+ to fab an X-Pipe with the correct flanges, gaskets, etc.. but then I can remove the pieces of exhaust as needed for any work that requires it without having to cut and weld...

Those prices are not bad at all... probably just going to have them make right by putting the flanges and gaskets back in play.

I have installed quite few DP's and exhaust stuff over the years, and $200 or even $350 to not deal with frozen bolts, laying on my back, frozen O2 sensors, and sharp heat shields is pretty cheap.. these guys do good work too...  I was truly expecting several hundred dollars more than what they are quoting...
 
Coming from someone that did lay on his back and fight with bolts that seemed to be tightened to 1 million lb/ft, that sounds like money well spent!

If you plan on keeping the car long term, I'd go for the flange/x pipe method.  Having exhaust that can bolt on/off could be money well spent if you ever have to mess with it again. 

If you ever need a new turbo or have to drop the exhaust, having it all welded straight back would make it a PITA.
 
sholxgt said:
Coming from someone that did lay on his back and fight with bolts that seemed to be tightened to 1 million lb/ft, that sounds like money well spent!

If you plan on keeping the car long term, I'd go for the flange/x pipe method.  Having exhaust that can bolt on/off could be money well spent if you ever have to mess with it again. 

If you ever need a new turbo or have to drop the exhaust, having it all welded straight back would make it a PITA.
Click to expand...

Very true! And since I refuse to buy a creeper since I am not that old yet (LOLOLOLOL) its even more incentive for me not to deal with it... besides.. ever rounded out a wideband because it was frozen on there? or sheared off a stud because the nut was torqued on there by King Kong? At those prices totally worth it to have someone else deal with it...

My frustrations yesterday have lead me to possibility a much better solution...
 
Sooo got the official quote today on paper... cars going in tomorrow morning for the work...

$225 for the Down pipes installed, Custom X-Pipe, new flanges welded on, and gaskets.... and Darn Right I signed that work order. I would pay that much for someone to replace the down pipes without all the welding that is going to happen.

He did say that with the x-pipe being so close to the third muffler that its probably not going to make a big difference in the drone, but he said that in theory it also helps with low end torque from the increased back pressure... he kinda through it in for next to nothing...
 
sholxgt said:
Wow!  That price quote is soooo cheap!  Good job turning a negative into a positive!
Click to expand...

Yea, they are a good group of guys over there at Murphy's Motorsports. They are more of a diesel shop but Brian likes working on new things and enjoys working on more performance oriented stuff I believe. Out here in the sticks where I live any shop with performance or Motorsports in the title is going to be a truck place since that is the majority of people drive who are modifying their stuff. 

I think bringing in something different helps with the price in this case LOL... And I defer to his judgment and don't mind him running with things..hes a smart dude.
 
Shops supplier sent the wrong flanges... wont be ready until tomorrow after lunch time.. good thing its not my daily driver..lol He did say that the O2 sensor is being very difficult.. I am not surprised...
 
I can imagine.  My car is 3 years newer and the O2 sensors were fairly tough to remove.  I pulled the factory pipes out with the sensors still in and then used PB Blaster and a BIG wrench.
 
Yea, when I was troubleshooting a non existing fuel pressure problem I swapped the widebands out just to verify... What a PIA... Even with a offset wrench, breakerbar, and PB blaster...I told him not to worry, if for some reason he can't get the front wideband out I have an extra one..he said at this point its a more of a personal challenge to get it out without damaging it lol...

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