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      08-28-2018, 12:58 PM   #1
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Exhaust Dilemma - Want Quiet as Stock

Sorry to add to the zillion exhaust threads but I have something not frequently asked.

I actually love the stock exhaust. I like that it's quiet so I can drive aggressively on the street without much fuss and making a bunch of noise. Doesn't wake the family or neighbors either. I leave my house really early many mornings.

My dilemma is that I will occasionally track the car in pretty brutal 100 deg F and up conditions and on sustained 30 minutes sessions, the primary cats can risk potential engine damage (lots of discussion in the Track subforum).

So. I would like an option that is as quiet as the stock system yet removes the primary cats.

Any thoughts?

I have had the Akra Evo and that thing is too loud. Most would say the Akra Evo system is actually on the quiet side of the sound spectrum but that's what I'm dealing with. How about pairing the Akra catted X pipe with the stock or M performance mufflers? Or a valved exhaust system?
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      08-28-2018, 01:06 PM   #2
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Just run test pipes, have a competant exhaust shop add a flange to the back of the pipe, and to the back of the primary cats after cutting them off. that way you can swap out the test pipes on track days. seems to be the only solution it you want oem sound levels outside the track...
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      08-28-2018, 01:34 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SFCM3 View Post
Just run test pipes, have a competant exhaust shop add a flange to the back of the pipe, and to the back of the primary cats after cutting them off. that way you can swap out the test pipes on track days. seems to be the only solution it you want oem sound levels outside the track...
Agreed. V Band clamps for the front cats and test pipes would be your best option.
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      08-28-2018, 01:43 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SFCM3 View Post
Just run test pipes, have a competant exhaust shop add a flange to the back of the pipe, and to the back of the primary cats after cutting them off. that way you can swap out the test pipes on track days. seems to be the only solution it you want oem sound levels outside the track...
That's interesting...didn't know the primary cats could be swapped out for a track day.

There's another thread in here that I was reading that says it can't be done (once the primaries are removed they cannot be reinstalled).
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      08-28-2018, 01:45 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3ANMACHINE View Post
Agreed. V Band clamps for the front cats and test pipes would be your best option.
Thx. I'm in OC as well. Do you know of a local shop that can do this?
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      08-28-2018, 02:05 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
That's interesting...didn't know the primary cats could be swapped out for a track day.

There's another thread in here that I was reading that says it can't be done (once the primaries are removed they cannot be reinstalled).
definitely can be swapped out if they have some V-band clamps welded on. wouldn't take very long to swap them on and off either, as there is no shielding to remove for access.
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      08-28-2018, 02:57 PM   #7
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I know I keep saying this, but we'll have to meet up for you to drive my car.
I have the AFE 300 cell cat, resonated mid pipe. Right now I'm running the oem rear section because I'm daily driving the car. It passes sound at laguna and is very quiet with normal driving conditions. It does rasp a tiny bit between 3,500 and 4,000 rpms, but that's only at about 50% throttle.
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      08-28-2018, 03:29 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by M3ANMACHINE View Post
Agreed. V Band clamps for the front cats and test pipes would be your best option.
Thx. I'm in OC as well. Do you know of a local shop that can do this?
There's an exhaust shop I've used in Lake Forest that's quite competent called "Big B's."

They do good work at decent prices. I'm sure they could get it done.
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      08-28-2018, 05:32 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3ANMACHINE View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by M3ANMACHINE View Post
Agreed. V Band clamps for the front cats and test pipes would be your best option.
Thx. I'm in OC as well. Do you know of a local shop that can do this?
There's an exhaust shop I've used in Lake Forest that's quite competent called "Big B's."

They do good work at decent prices. I'm sure they could get it done.
Awesome. Just down the street from MRF too.
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      08-28-2018, 05:36 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roastbeef View Post
I know I keep saying this, but we'll have to meet up for you to drive my car.
I have the AFE 300 cell cat, resonated mid pipe. Right now I'm running the oem rear section because I'm daily driving the car. It passes sound at laguna and is very quiet with normal driving conditions. It does rasp a tiny bit between 3,500 and 4,000 rpms, but that's only at about 50% throttle.
That would be better than having to swap out cats every time I track (even tho I don't track that much) and dealing with check engine light.

Yeah I'd love to check out how your car sounds vs stock. So you have 300 cel in the primary position and resonators in the secondary position? Wonder if I could do something like 100 cel FJS primary and stock cat secondary to elim rasp altogether.
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      08-28-2018, 06:04 PM   #11
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What you're wanting will need to be custom. You can have a good fabricator cut off your OEM cats and weld V-bands onto them as well as onto a set of High Flow Cats. V-Band the X-pipe to match and then you've got a reversible track pipe setup. I've done this on several cars. You'll need to replace the header donuts every time you swap though. Not a big deal for once-a-year emission testing. You can also V-band the headers to cats if you want to eliminate those donuts.
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      08-28-2018, 06:10 PM   #12
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Does anyone produce a set of HFC "test pipes"?

I know RE has the resonated test pipes...

I guess, in the end, the easiest thing to do is buy straight test pipes, HFCs, and a pair of v-bands...the already jigged test pipes should make adding HFCs that much easier...assuming they are a decent fitting pair of pipes.

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      08-28-2018, 07:33 PM   #13
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Wait for my valved exhaust
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      08-28-2018, 09:32 PM   #14
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Just get a valvetronic exhaust. Closed its quiet as a cat, when you have it opened its like all hell breaks loose. I'm sure newer remotes have like a 50% valve setting too.
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      08-28-2018, 09:46 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
That would be better than having to swap out cats every time I track (even tho I don't track that much) and dealing with check engine light.

Yeah I'd love to check out how your car sounds vs stock. So you have 300 cel in the primary position and resonators in the secondary position? Wonder if I could do something like 100 cel FJS primary and stock cat secondary to elim rasp altogether.
this is the version i have;
https://afepower.com/afe-power-49-36...ith-resonators

the race version without resonators has 200 cel cats. just something to be aware of.

Richbot has this same version and does't have a check engine light. i have a check engine light, but i believe it is unrelated and i haven't reset it yet after a recent temperature sensor repair.

my only complaint- it is a little lower than oem. i'm on oem zcp suspension and it has a few tiny contact marks from more aggressive speed bumps.
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      08-28-2018, 09:51 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by M3ANMACHINE View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by M3ANMACHINE View Post
Agreed. V Band clamps for the front cats and test pipes would be your best option.
Thx. I'm in OC as well. Do you know of a local shop that can do this?
There's an exhaust shop I've used in Lake Forest that's quite competent called "Big B's."

They do good work at decent prices. I'm sure they could get it done.
Awesome. Just down the street from MRF too.
Exactly!
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      08-29-2018, 08:06 AM   #17
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I run catless front~mid pipe and rear OEM exhaust.

As long as you are sensible with your throttle, it is as quiet as stock.

CEL is coded out, of course.

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      08-29-2018, 08:27 AM   #18
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You could get an Evolve HFC X-pipe with HFC's and resonators, then add resonated test pipes from Rogue to the front of it. I'd guess that combined with the stock muffler will be pretty quiet.
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      08-29-2018, 09:12 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roastbeef View Post
I know I keep saying this, but we'll have to meet up for you to drive my car.
I have the AFE 300 cell cat, resonated mid pipe. Right now I'm running the oem rear section because I'm daily driving the car. It passes sound at laguna and is very quiet with normal driving conditions. It does rasp a tiny bit between 3,500 and 4,000 rpms, but that's only at about 50% throttle.
So the rasp goes away after about 4,000 rpm? I figured once you're into rasp it stays and grows with more throttle.

What are your thoughts about how it might work with an MPE (OP did mention it as a possibility as well).
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      08-29-2018, 12:51 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kyrix1st View Post
I run catless front~mid pipe and rear OEM exhaust.

As long as you are sensible with your throttle, it is as quiet as stock.

CEL is coded out, of course.

Thanks - it's hard to get a true sense of how a car sounds from a recording.

Sounds throaty and perhaps a little rasp to this setup. Most probably don't mind but my tolerance is 0.0%
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      08-29-2018, 12:52 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GORDON.M3 View Post
Just get a valvetronic exhaust. Closed its quiet as a cat, when you have it opened its like all hell breaks loose. I'm sure newer remotes have like a 50% valve setting too.
Thx. What is the spec of your mid pipe? If you drive aggressive with the valves closed is it as quiet as stock?
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      08-29-2018, 01:09 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by L4ces View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by roastbeef View Post
I know I keep saying this, but we'll have to meet up for you to drive my car.
I have the AFE 300 cell cat, resonated mid pipe. Right now I'm running the oem rear section because I'm daily driving the car. It passes sound at laguna and is very quiet with normal driving conditions. It does rasp a tiny bit between 3,500 and 4,000 rpms, but that's only at about 50% throttle.
So the rasp goes away after about 4,000 rpm? I figured once you're into rasp it stays and grows with more throttle.

What are your thoughts about how it might work with an MPE (OP did mention it as a possibility as well).
Yes, it only shows up for a tiny window of rpm/throttle input. Very controllable. More of a grunt than a metallic rasp like zero cats produces.
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