SW Down Pipes. My Experience - Did I expect too much?

ClearwaterSHO

New member
Hi, Everyone!

  I would like to make a quick posts about my experience with the  Stainless Works DP's. (Cattless) 

I got to my friend's shop, I planned on using his lift, only to find that there was a car that was missing most of its suspension on the lift. Life has kicked me a bit lately, and every time I had the extra $$ to throw at DP's, life would come in and say, "NOT YET!". There was no way I was going to let the lack of lift access stop me from putting in my down pipes. I can tell you all that it isn't that bad of a job, if you have the tools. I started with jacking the car up and making sure it was stable. I then sprayed all the bolts that were to be taken out with PB Blaster. I suggest if you are going to do this yourself and the car has a good number of miles on it, has gone through Northern Winters (read rusty bolts here) that you will want an electric impact gun. I was very careful using the impact, but it made getting some of those rusted bolts off a lot easier. It took me about three hours from start to finish. The SW pipes went right in. I didn't have much issue at all with fitment and they slid right in. I did pre-install the O2's as well (except the top one, that one is easy to do from the top.) The one tool that was an absolute SAVIOR was a Crow's Foot O2 Sensor wrench. It made getting the O2's a breeze.  Over all, I would say it is a 2/5 difficulty rating for a Weekend Warrior.

Now, I have some questions. I read that people put Downpipes on and they decent improvements. Maybe I was expecting too much, or it could be that I haven't had my tune revised yet, but I am not that impressed with the increase of power. I guess the ET's will be the ultimate decider. I'm going to the track probably next Wednesday for some runs and then again on Saturday for Street Heat. Now, I will say the car seems to pull harder on the top end and it definitely has less lag time if you aren't brake boosting. 

My question to those that were running 93 OCT tune and installed DP's, how much did your ET's drop? I've read the estimated HP gains at the wheels in other threads, but those were mostly done with stock tunes. I understand there are other factors at play when it comes to ET's such as DA, Fuel, Tune, etc. I am just curious to other people's results.

Wrapping things up, to anyone that is interested in Downpipes, I say go for it. I can definitely hear my turbo's spool faster! I'm just not sure that they were worth the money at this time. Figured I could feel that 12-18 hp difference, but I can't.  Maybe my butt-dyno isn't sensitive enough, LOL! Also, the CEL from not having catts is annoying. I went with Cattless because there aren't emissions in FL and I wanted the extra power.

Finally, anyone that is installing OBX pipes or any pipes that need the O2 sensor extension, I have an extra for a 10-12 SHO. Just PM me your address and I'll send it to you.


Edit: Never mind. I understand now what the pipes do for you. I hadn't run the car in the upper gears much. They really give the car more top end. DEFINITELY worth the $$.
 
I would say another benefit of catless pipes besides the slight performance increase is the decrease in thermal load on the turbos and that should help with longevity when running higher than stock boost levels and lower egt’s should be recognized as well
 
AJP turbo said:
I would say another benefit of catless pipes besides the slight performance increase is the decrease in thermal load on the turbos and that should help with longevity when running higher than stock boost levels and lower egt’s should be recognized as well

Is there a way to monitor EGT's on the SHO? I haven't seen it in the logs that I know of.
 
ClearwaterSHO said:
AJP turbo said:
I would say another benefit of catless pipes besides the slight performance increase is the decrease in thermal load on the turbos and that should help with longevity when running higher than stock boost levels and lower egt’s should be recognized as well

Is there a way to monitor EGT's on the SHO? I haven't seen it in the logs that I know of.

You would have to look at livelink under DMR items and find exhaust flange temp or cat temp would probably be the best way
 
AJP turbo said:
ClearwaterSHO said:
AJP turbo said:
I would say another benefit of catless pipes besides the slight performance increase is the decrease in thermal load on the turbos and that should help with longevity when running higher than stock boost levels and lower egt’s should be recognized as well

Is there a way to monitor EGT's on the SHO? I haven't seen it in the logs that I know of.

You would have to look at livelink under DMR items and find exhaust flange temp or cat temp would probably be the best way


Thanks AJP! I'll take a look. You sir, are amazing.
 
I can't speak for catless, but with my catted pipes I did not notice any increase in total power output.  Maybe there was an increase, but it would be pretty minor.  Hypothetically, if it was 7, 8, or 9 whp, I don't think that would be felt in a 4,xxx pound car with 4xx hp.

What I did notice was that it comes into boost sooner.  It seems that I can now power brake it to a lower rpm and still launch in boost.  It also seems to come in sooner with a roll on.
 
Can always go 'old school' and pick up your own EGT gauges, plumb in your own sensors.... and WALLAH!

I've found it useful myself. Who needs to search through endless file folders, and PID's, etc.

Although I'm sure that's fun in some ways too.

Cheers to Bradley. Although I miss his poking, prodding, and all around jestering. Don't get soft on us now Brad. LOL.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 
bpd1151 said:
Cheers to Bradley. Although I miss his poking, prodding, and all around jestering. Don't get soft on us now Brad. LOL.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Hhmm perhaps I will summon the smart ass here and there as long as you lobby to allow me back if I get banned lol!...ill admit I miss the good fun before ...I can be a bit too crude and vulger fir this fine forum when I get carried away
 
AJP turbo said:
bpd1151 said:
Cheers to Bradley. Although I miss his poking, prodding, and all around jestering. Don't get soft on us now Brad. LOL.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Hhmm perhaps I will summon the smart ass here and there as long as you lobby to allow me back if I get banned lol!...ill admit I miss the good fun before ...I can be a bit too crude and vulger fir this fine forum when I get carried away
We all have our moments my friend. Myself included.

Let the lobbying commence!

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 
gtmorgan23 said:
Did you wrap your downpipes prior to installing them?

Yes, I wrapped them. Should I not have? It said to in the instructions to wrap anything that wouldn't have a 1/2 inch of clearance because it would melt.
 
ClearwaterSHO said:
gtmorgan23 said:
Did you wrap your downpipes prior to installing them?

Yes, I wrapped them. Should I not have? It said to in the instructions to wrap anything that wouldn't have a 1/2 inch of clearance because it would melt.

I was just curious what wrap you may have used. I plan to wrap mine as much as possible when i do DPs.
 
gtmorgan23 said:
ClearwaterSHO said:
gtmorgan23 said:
Did you wrap your downpipes prior to installing them?

Yes, I wrapped them. Should I not have? It said to in the instructions to wrap anything that wouldn't have a 1/2 inch of clearance because it would melt.

I was just curious what wrap you may have used. I plan to wrap mine as much as possible when i do DPs.

I don't know what the wrap was. My friend owns a shop that builds race cars and that's where I work on my car. He had some in the shop and did wrapped it before I installed them. Looks like just standard exhaust wrapping material. (don't know what it is called)
 
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