Custom Exhaust Help

jumbosrule

jumbosrule

Fully FX Invested
Premium
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
Car
2003 FX35T
Name
Brad
I've been reading all these threads about exhaust and I have come to the conclusion that I can get a much more robust job done if I just get the entire thing custom built. Several local shops have quoted around $800 for everything behind the headers (mid, cats, resonators, 3" all the way - high flow everything with zero restrictions. Not sure what brand cats he will use, but I'll make sure any peice parts are common choices in the FX community. Does anybody have any advice? Does this price sound good or too good to be true?

This is in preparation for the Jim Wolf TT Kit, which is supposed to boost to around 400 HP. I do NOT plan on building out my engine beyond the kit - but will consider fuel system management and a better set of brakes. Is my plan for a 3" exhaust good enough?
 
I'm assuming you mean 3" dual? that's overkill for sure... the largest exhausts commonly used, even with FI is either a 3" single or a 2.5" dual...., although with the TT the 3" shouldn't really hurt too much, without FI a dual 3" would murder bottom end torque. remember, there is only 3.5L of displacement here, even with a pair of twins...


800 sounds cheap, I'm sure your not talking about a full mandrel bent ss system, that would be unheard of... so, either your getting crush bends, or you getting cut & weld pieced togeather from straight & mandrel bent pipes (not so bad)... & probably not in stainless either...

my thoughts are you don't need or even want a 3" dual system, add to this that cats behind a pair of twins should be metallic cores, ceramic is not a great choice for FI apps & are damaged much easier with excessive heat...
 
3" is pretty big piping, and oh yeah it will kill your low end torque until you're boosted.

I started my TT with cats and stock exhaust. Upgraded to a Stillen, and than to test pipes a few weeks later. The different with the test pipes was big. After that I searched for a larger diameter exhaust and ended up with a Greddy EVOTT which is 2.75".

The JWT internal wastegates and small diameter downpipe will be the bigger restrictions down the road. For 400ish HP target I think you're better off with 2.5" piping.
 
Single 3"

I meant single 3" - essentially replacing the stock exhaust from the headers back. Good info on the metallic cores though - I hadn't realized that. Noted. So if it is single, assume mandrell bent - is $800 off the mark?
 
jumbosrule said:
I meant single 3" - essentially replacing the stock exhaust from the headers back. Good info on the metallic cores though - I hadn't realized that. Noted. So if it is single, assume mandrell bent - is $800 off the mark?
Click to expand...

If you buy madrel bent pieces and get them welded, it's on/around the mark. If you want the exhaust shop do the bends, it's way below the mark. A full custom mandrel bent one should cost you more than $1200..

Also, for a single setup you need to use a Y-pipe. I think it's better to get an aftermarket Y and then get the rest custom. That way you don't need to worry much about mandrel bends as well.. You can pretty much run a straightish pipe from that point on..
 
As far as turbo cars go when you're talking about exhaust bigger is usually better, but there will always have to be a compromise somewhere. There will be a limiting factor be it space on the vehicle (3" pipes will fit but 4" or 3.5" will not) or budget, so the "best" exhaust is the biggest that will fit and that you can afford. As previously stated a "turbo" exhaust on a non-turbo car will significantly hurt performance.

Another design consideration is the muffler, whatever you get DO NOT get a chambered muffler, make sure it is a straight-through design. Any backpressure in the exhaust (catalytic converters, poor merge section, chambered muffler) will take away from the efficiency of the turbo(s) and hurt performance including spool time and power.

A "header-back" exhaust for $800 sounds cheap. You have to keep in mind the cost of high-flow catalytic converters, flex sections, flanges (bolt-on or v-band), muffler, hangers, and tips all in stainless steel with fabrication time on top of that so either they're going to skimp on the quality of the parts or the quality of the work. Or both.
 
Went with the Stillen about a year ago. This thread has been collecting dust since then because the point was for a custom job which I did not end up doing, so I guess I might as well update with pix...

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It's understood the that Stillen is one of the more expensive options for the FX, but since day one I have loved it and would do it again.
 

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It seems like A LOT of old topics get brought back up quite a bit, I'm gonna check the date before I post a reply to anything again. Thank you for sharing the pics though.
 
Yes - I love the sound! There was a big change from stock to Stillen exhaust sounds.

Of course, different mods you do changes the tone a bit. The intake and the plenum spacer, plus the exhaust and the transmission mods all changed the exhaust note. It's much more agressive than stock when you punch it. At normal driving speeds and with the windows up, you won't notice a difference. With the windows down you can hear what I consider to be more of a race tone.

I have also been planning on going FI, and the Stillen has a larger volume than any of the single exhaust path options. It still works well for an NA set-up, but should transition to FI just fine.
 
That's different from the older Stillens. Mine didn't have extra clamps at the tips, I'm gonna go out on limb and say they changed the materials from before as well as the jig or non use of a FX specific muffler section. It looks like the muffler sections is from a G, with flared flange to insert the tip difference between the 2 cars.
 
I noticed differences between mine & pictures from berts as far as more seams & clamps, but I figured they break the exhaust down smaller for more distant shipping... I was expecting huge boxes but when the stillen stuff came but the boxes were so small that I was surprised... broken down like this theres way to many seams & clamps... I always intended to drop mine after & weld all the seams & get rid of the clamps, but now it's so rusted not gonna even bother...
 
Mine came in 3 boxes. Box for muffler section, box for x pipe section, and box the re mid pipe stuff. Mine is welded up at the X. But it never came with clamps at the tips like that.
 
the clamps at the tips are pretty bad... did not look or feel like a real high quality piece from day one to me just because of all the clamps... the one at the y is pretty stupid too...
 
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