Best exhaut upgrade for Performance

[ultimate007]

Best exhaust upgrade for Performance

I like the sound of the stock exhaust. I am not interested in making my car more noisy. I just would like to know what is the best upgrade I could do for my exhaust: Catback, X/H pipe or headers. Also, can someone explain the difference between short and long headers when it comes to performance.

I am not sure if the stock pipes are 2 1/4" or 2.5". Most aftermarket pipes are 2.5" so that should increase the flow.

Some dyno figures would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Magius231]

I've heard a lot of good things about the magnapack cat back/magnaflow off road X combination as far as power goes. It will make your car a lot louder (as will any off road midpipe)

As far as pipe size, stock is 2 1/4", most aftermarket are 2 1/2", and you can get 3" if you want. The stock pipes are enough to support a mildly modded motor though, so there won't be much difference between the stock tailpipes and 2 1/2" pipes.

 

[jeff1414]

magnapacks are perfect imo but there are other exhausts out there that are good.

 

[ultimate007]

How about the Magnaflow catback? Is it the same or are the Magnapacks louder?

I do drive my car daily and would like to keep it according to emissions. So a catted x pipe is in order.

 

[pdl2flr]

I would suggest the MRT H-pipe with cats, it sounds very similar to stock but much better (a little deeper & louder). I also feel you will get a bigger performance boost with the mid-pipe than a cat-back. Check out my dyno #'s as my car was stock with the MRT pipe as my only performance mod at the time.

 

[twogts4us]

If you want performance and want to stay relatively quiet, get long tube headers and a catted mid pipe. Then the catback is up to you, some are loud as hell, others can be fairly quiet. The noise maker is this whole combo will be losing the cats. That's why I suggest getting a catted mid pipe, 2.5" over the 2.25 stock pipes, with only 2 high flow cats. You'll have to compromise some sound, but you'll gain lots of power with LTs and a good midpipe. Headers themselves are not really a noise maker, but a major power maker (with relatively open exhaust behind it - again, you'll have to make some sound compromises to make some good power out of this combo, but it can be done without waking the whole neighborhood.)

 

[UVBNHAD]

Most people already know about this site but check out this site. They have tons of different brands and various combinations therein.

 

[ultimate007]

Thanks for the link. I had forgotten about it.

So far, I understood that most power gains come from the Catback and Midpipe. The H-pipe has the low-end torque advantage over the X-pipe.

So I shouldn't consider headers?
Also, nobody answered my questions about the difference between Magnapacks and Mangnflow Catback... Are they the same??
Thanks

 

[ONYX]

Hello,

I been going thru the same process. Ive narrowed it down to magnaflow catback exhaust. I called magnaflow today and asked them about the standard catback and the magnapacks. I knew that the packs were louder, but and I quote " the maganpacks are illegal" " they are over 100 db's!!That was a magnaflow sales rep. I want a nice deep aggressive sound, but don't want to be really loud or offensive (not to say that the packs are) but i'm going with the standard exhasut. Plus I can get the whole system for $325 brand new shipped. PM if you need more info.


Onyx

P.S Im just going with the factory H pipe. (im on a tight budget)

 

[Purebred]

Thanks for the link. I had forgotten about it.

So far, I understood that most power gains come from the Catback and Midpipe. The H-pipe has the low-end torque advantage over the X-pipe.

So I shouldn't consider headers?
Also, nobody answered my questions about the difference between Magnapacks and Mangnflow Catback... Are they the same??
Thanks

Magnapacks = loud
Magnaflow = quiet unless you really get on it

 

[1992 2.3LX]

if you want the most performance, i think the full SLP exhaust supplies the most. but it is wicked loud even with the catted pipe.

 

[Mega-Man]

I recently got the Magnaflow catted-X and Magnaflow catback installed. You'll be happy.

 

[spikeGT_99]

a good rule is the closer u get to the engine the more power you will make, headers make the most but are real expensive, midpipe makes good power and is fairly cheap, catback makes the least power but has the most effect on the sound of the car. from what i can gather a high quality exhaust system from headers to tips can get u around 40 rwhp. Dynomax and borla are both straight through mufflers and flow extremely well, and are among the quietest on the market, not to mention the dynomax is my favorite sounding exhaust. dynomax actually claims they flow almost 3x as much cfm as flowmaster, not sure how much u can trust a company's claims like that. anyway good luck whatever u decide to do.

 

[70stangcoupe]

A catted X pipe, in most cases, will still not pass emissions. Exhaust offers many performance gains, but it's going to be hard to stay quiet and enjoy the fullest of the gains.

LONGTUBE headers, an off-road pipe, and the catback exhaust of your choice will yield the greatest horsepower gains. However, you're going to be loud, and not pass emissions.

 

[Mega-Man]

A catted X pipe, in most cases, will still not pass emissions.

Say it ain't so, Joe! Seriously, you don't think I'll be able to pass emissions? Man, that's the only reason why I went with a catted-X. What in the world can I do to make sure I won't have to worry about getting a failing grade when my number is up?

 

[spikeGT_99]

i think that i read on mustangworld.com that some stangs have passed emissions with a prochamber on , it may just vary from car to car

 

[Mega-Man]

I sure hope so... I just went through emissions hell before I got rid of my '92 Civic HB. I failed 4-years in a row, spent a ton of money, wasted a lot of time to be "legal" here on WA State. I definitely don't want to do that again or you might see me on the 11 o'clock news.

 

[1992 2.3LX]

I sure hope so... I just went through emissions hell before I got rid of my '92 Civic HB. I failed 4-years in a row, spent a ton of money, wasted a lot of time to be "legal" here on WA State. I definitely don't want to do that again or you might see me on the 11 o'clock news.

just bolt your stock H back on when testing time comes. or if your test is like Ohio and they don't use the sniffer anymore the MIL's will suffice to keep you passing.

 

[Magius231]

well, with a catted x-pipe you should be able to pass the sniffer, but NO xpipe made that I am aware of would pass a visual test (if your state/county has them). Any movement of the stock cats or their location constitutes an instant fail of a visual inspection.

Personally I think a visual inspection is BS...if my car can pass the sniffer running a blown 460 carbed big block, who cares if it still has the stock cats...