Buying a full cat-back exhaust

Guni_GuGu · Post by **Guni_GuGu** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:38 am

Hey there, I love my FTO to bits, and I don't ever want to hear her struggle, EVER

So I was thinking of a few mods to make her breather better, nothing drastic, like turbo or anything, just simple mods, that will let her breather better, and makr everything more trouble free, plus I get a few bonus +KW

I do give my car a bit of stick, so I've been thinking, of ordering the CAI full kit from UNique, as I can't think of a better induction setup, and it seems pretty cheap? Any other suggestions for air intake?

I'm also planing on ordering the strut bar, as I know how much these help...

But where i'm most lost is the exhaust setup... I'm going to go to an exhaust workshoop in the next few days, and don't want to sound like a complete moron.... What are some of the things I should be looking for? WHats a resonable price? I'm hoping this guy gives me "mates rates" as i'm good friends, with one of his other friends,... but whats the difference between a mandrell bend and a non? Is the difference in price worth the justification? As i've been told by some no.

Would it be wise to add a hi-flow cat as well? Whats the price on these?
Any other suggestions ideas? Stuff, so I don't look like an idiot?

Also with these afformentions mods, is an AFC wise addition to take the most performance out of this? Can they hurt the engine a bit? Any recomendations on AFC?

Thanks, I'm really lost rite now, but the exhaust and air filter, are things I want to take care of soon... i'm not made of money either... but I can spend if it makes enough sence...

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 12:11 pm

Mandrell bend is using a special machine to bend the piping, which supose to give u better perforumance then the mill formed bends (welded).

The trick is if the exhaust place/guy did a bad job on mandrell bend, it actually reduce the diameter of the pipe & resticted the air flow.

I wouldn't recomend mandrell bend as its cost more, & you won't notice any different on a N/A.

Theres already another post on exhaust system, so u can find out more from there. And u also may find someone actually admit he is talking sh*t on that post ahahahaha

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:23 am

You're on a good start with the CAI system from Unique already.

If you are truly serious about performance, cost is something that is very hard to skimp on because ultimately it comes down to quality...

mandrel bend means the piping diameter remains the same throughout, whereas non-mandrel or better known as press-bent looks nasty and can cause a lot of restriction on the exhaust path...

having said that i would strongly suggest you go for a custom mild-steel (at least) 2.5" mandrel bend system from the cat-back incl a muffler of your choice. Then get the UAS front-pipe as well - believe me, you will love it, esp during throttle lift off... ;)8)

I wouldn't bother too much with a high-flow cat because the difference they make on NA cars in general is SFA imo...

as for AFC, I think you will reap more benefits from it once you have extractors / FPR / custom cams fitted... but that's just my 2c.

hope that helps...

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:09 pm

GPXXX wrote:having said that i would strongly suggest you go for a custom mild-steel (at least) 2.5" mandrel bend system from the cat-back incl a muffler of your choice.

I'm currently researching all my exhaust options, particularly the advantages/disadvantages of various materials.

My understanding so far is that in terms of weight, this is the order from heaviest to lightest:
1. stainless steel
2. mild steel
3. titanium
4. carbon fibre

Cost from least expensive to most expensive:
1. mild steel
2. stainless steel
3. titanium
4. carbon firbre

Resiliency to degradation from least to most:
1. mild steel
2. stainless steel
3. titanium
4. carbon fibre

Please correct me if I'm wrong

So for the piping from the cat back where appearance is not that important, I would assume that mild steel or stainless steel would be a good choice. But the muffler and tip (where looks are more important), then stainless steel, titanium or even carbon fibre would suit.

Any thoughts

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:57 pm

i am yet to come across a true carbon fibre exhaust system because i don't think the material is resilient enough to withstand such high-temps in the exhaust... the lightest exhaust system i've come across is titanium.

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 1:32 pm

afaik only the muffler barrell is ever constructed from carbon fibre, eg Hypertech Racing Craft muffler (with cf barrell and titanium tip). Isn't this the one you have Mikey?

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 2:31 pm

the barrel on my muffler is essentially stainless steel but wrapped in carbonfibre sheet with a titanium tip... (purely for looks)

Guni_GuGu · Post by **Guni_GuGu** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 8:06 am

I went to vist a friend of a friend who owns an exhaust workshop in the city, and I was quoted $340, for a cat-back exhausr 2.5inch press-bend, with mild steel muffler and stainless steel tip...

I think I mite ask for a stainless steel muffler, i'll see what the difference is in price, but what do you guys think?

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:24 am

Sounds like a good price, & yeah go for the stainless steel muff, not just for the bling factor but it does last longer.

EURO · Post by **EURO** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:39 am

$340........isnt that extremely cheap??? some people pay that just for a muffler?

I think i was quoted about $800 for a mandrel bent cat back exhaust, high flow cat, muffler etc from performance exhaust in ringwood who apparently have a very good rep.

Guni_GuGu · Post by **Guni_GuGu** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 1:14 pm

Lol... well it was like $340, with just the mild steel muffler, but yeah, I thought it was dirt cheap too...

But then again, it was mate rates..

I'd like a mandrel bent exhaust, but, I really can't be stuffed shelling out that much money really....

bozhu001 · Post by **bozhu001** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:28 pm

Guni

Can you get that "mates rate" for some of us?
I would be interested to get that exhaust from cat back with stainless steel muffler.

I bet many other who needs an exhaust would love to get it done, check if your mate can do a good rate for members of the FTO forum.

Guni_GuGu · Post by **Guni_GuGu** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:28 pm

I can ask.... maybe, I feel bad, as his like my best friends, dad's friend... so i think i'm stetching it rite now... but, would you be willing to pony up a bit more? maybe like $400 or something?

I think the quote was $340 (abouts), with a mild steel muffler, and SS TIP, so the SS muffler, will be more expensive...

bozhu001 · Post by **bozhu001** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 4:00 pm

Guni

Actually, I don't mind paying in the $400.

All i need is a catback system with good sounding muffler, stainless steel "canon back" straight through style.

i love the "angled out' look with good low tone sounds.... goes well with my new subs.

Daz_FTO · Post by **Daz_FTO** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 4:25 pm

I spent $430 recently on my Cat-Back system - retail price.

I got 2.5" through a resonator (it needed it!!!) and then through a sports muffler to a stainless steel tip. The system is mild steel apart from the above mentioned tip (i miust post a pic - it is angled out to the right of the car a little looks nice

)

Guni_GuGu · Post by **Guni_GuGu** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 3:16 pm

OK I got my exhaust done... and now I have to ask....

WHY would anyone add a 2.5inch from the cat-back? when it's already 2.5inch straight tru from the cat?

All I did was add a nice clean stainless steel 2.5 inch cannon/muffler, i'll throw up some pics, but, why have so many people bothered with an exhaust from the cat-back? it's already 2.5".

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 4:30 pm

Simple, that mean the previous owner already change the piping, & you are lucky.

From memory the standard one is 2 inches

Guni_GuGu · Post by **Guni_GuGu** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:32 am

FTO338 wrote:Simple, that mean the previous owner already change the piping, & you are lucky.

From memory the standard one is 2 inches

Thats what I thought as well, but, it looked very very stock...

Whats it stock like?

D-TRAIN · Post by **D-TRAIN** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:47 am

Just had a quick squiz at the tech info manual and the cat-back is measured at 60.5 mm which is 2.38 inches. This is for a GPX.

The stock piping is already mandrel bent, with a pre-muffler and then a sub-muffler between the cat and the main muffler.

If you want to refer to the manual, there's a diagram in the "Engine - intake and exhaust" section on page 1-4.

Guni_GuGu · Post by **Guni_GuGu** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 4:34 pm

D-TRAIN wrote:Just had a quick squiz at the tech info manual and the cat-back is measured at 60.5 mm which is 2.38 inches. This is for a GPX.

The stock piping is already mandrel bent, with a pre-muffler and then a sub-muffler between the cat and the main muffler.

If you want to refer to the manual, there's a diagram in the "Engine - intake and exhaust" section on page 1-4.

So whats the point in changing this to 2.5? or going for a new catback exhaust?

The muffler I can understand.... but the main piping? Is there any point?