2 1/2" shop built exhaust sounds great

[rossiz]

there are dozens of exhaust posts out there, but i couldn't resist adding to the mix...

just finished rebuilding a good portion of my motor (n42 head, shaved intake, new injectors, etc. new cam chain/sprockets) and put on an msa 6-2-1 header. after reading up on other peoples experience i decided to have a local shop build a 2 1/2" system for me.

we put her up on the lift and mapped out the routing - these cars are sooooo simple, just one run back and a couple of bends - but it's the little details that make or break it for me.

went with alumanized steel piping to an 18" sst ansa resonator in the tunnel and a nice compact can at the back and a polished sst tip with a turndown and a bit of extension to get the fumes out of the vortex. he welded a flare right up to the header adapter flange so we have a nice seal there.

the only tricky part was getting a hanger support behind the resonator - didn't want to drill into or weld onto the body. so we came up with a slightly unorthodox approach and welded a stud onto the head of the bolt that holds the diff strap and used that as a hanger support. a little goofy, but it's sturdy and doesn't affect the ability to remove/replace the strap since he was careful and didn't weld past the flats of the bolt head.

the engine breathes so nicely now, and the sound is really intoxicating - makes me want to do bad things, even on a grocery run...
the sound is low and throaty at idle, almost sbc-ish, but it picks up an awesome growl and really sings out above 4K but it's mellow off the gas so it's still pleasant to drive around as my dd. overall very happy and would highly recommend this approach. the whole thing was just over $400 and i learned a lot listening to his experience and it was fun to be able to lay out every bend for clearances and a perfect fit.

i will try and get a decent video recording (need a second person) and will post for those who care to listen.

view from header back


resonator in the tunnel


looking back towards header


hanger attachment


muffler


view from rear


tailpipe extension


on the ground

[Blue]

very nice workmanship!

[Captain Obvious]

Beautiful. I'm going to have to redo mine in the (hopefully) near future as well.

Hope mine turns out that well!

[Oiluj]

Nice!

[FastWoman]

Very nice job! And you got a good deal on the work!

[madkaw]

Very nicely done. I do think the right exhaust on these motors makes for the best sounding engines out there.

[TomoHawk]

It looks nice.

I'm surprised that he installed the muffler flat-ways. None of the exhaust guys I know will do that because they all claim it's too close to the fuel tank, and the heat will boil the fuel.

[Blue]

Flat is probably good for "quiet", I had one stuffed way up as high as the tail pipe would go and it was loud. Even dropping it a couple of inches made a difference so flat would be even better.

[rossiz]

took her out on a small, inclined straight down the street (blue knows this little drag strip) and had my buddy record a couple of runs as well as one revving at the curb.

i'd love to post but can't seem to figure out how to load mp3 files - anyone know the trick??

[Blue]

You have to hide the mp3 in a zip file then upload as an attachment (using advanced edit mode). there is also a size limit on the zip.

It may be better to save as a video on youtube or maybe save in a video format (movie maker built in windows can do this) and use this site to upload the video.

[TomoHawk]

Just don't video your tailpipe, please! Why do people make videos of the tailpipe?

[rossiz]

test links - let me know if this works (best listened to with headphones or good speakers):

Comparison Control Sample (lexus going by)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5o...it?usp=sharing

Revving at the curb
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5o...it?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5o...it?usp=sharing

Flyby #1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5o...it?usp=sharing

Flyby #2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5o...it?usp=sharing

[TomoHawk]

I was able to hear the files, but I had to save them (using the download control at the top) to the hard drive first.

It sounds good. I would like mine to sound that way. It sounds more like an outboard engine.

[Blue]

Sounds great! Sure whizzes by fast!

[rossiz]

all done on a closed course, with professional drivers.
obey all posted traffic regulations at all time.
not responsible for accident or injury caused when used for un-intended purposes
your results may vary..........

[Patcon]

Love it! Sounds great...
C

[TomoHawk]

How come mine never sounds like that? Are you using a special resonator?

[Sean240Z]

Rossiz - I have a similar set-up and I love the sound. If you find that the transmission tunnel gets hot with the resonator close to the driver side, I'd suggest you install a Thermo-Tec Heat Shield as per followng post:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/e...d-exhaust.html

For me, the heat shield greatly reduced the trans tunnel temps.

[rossiz]

Thanks Sean - I saw your post a while back and the heat shield looks pretty cool (pun intended).

I'm actually getting ready to replace the clutch, so I'll have the tranny out and that would be a great time to do a heat shield. The tunnel itself only gets warm on my car, except for the ashtray, which gets HOT inside. I only use it for a cup-holder and to hold my iphone while driving, and melts ice and roasts the phone. I think this is because the ashtray sits metal-to-metal on the tunnel and so transmits the heat. the rest of the tunnel is covered in sound insulation mat, which has a foil component (radiant barrier) and a thick felt under my carpet, which also has a heavy rubber backing. All this helps the tunnel heat from entering the cabin, but I'm not excited about the heat cooking my carpet and sound mat over time... always best to stop the heat BEFORE it gets through the body metal

I'm actually going to be revising my exhaust system a little - the original design had the muffler in the tunnel lying flat and the resonator at the end, and my home-made trial worked really well with zero drone. The new system reversed that, which necessitated a short muffler and there is some drone between 2K and 2,500 which is starting to bug me. I'm going to get a longer muffler and a shorter resonator and do the swap. The resonator is also polished SST, so it should look good with the tip welded right to it, and it will show a lot less in the rear wheel well.