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  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

Mid pipe with stock Catback???

  • Thread starter Thread starter ToplessStang
  • Start date Start date Jun 10, 2005

ToplessStang

Member
Mar 7, 2004
591
0
17
Montreal, Canada
Jun 10, 2005
#1
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #1
I'm not really in the position to buy a new mid pipe and a new catback. Would I get any benefits from installing just an O/R mide pipe on the stock catback??? Would it sound like crap??? I kind of like the stock exhaust sound but don't like having 4 cats . Thanks for the opinions.
 

TL1000S

New Member
Oct 2, 2004
69
0
0
South Florida
Jun 10, 2005
#2
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #2
It actually doesn't sound too bad, it just makes the stock system louder. You'll still benefit from the o/r pipe, just not as much as you would with having a catback system.
 

300bhp/ton

New Member
Apr 4, 2005
530
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0
England
Jun 10, 2005
#3
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #3
an arguable point this.

Gains - yes
How much - well....

Best bet decide how much money you have to spend and buy what ever bit matches the price. Chuck it in the corner of your garage and save up for the the other bit (this way the money you already have won't get spent on other non-car items, lol). Then slap em both on together.

Means only 1 install needed and maximum gains rather than peacemeal.
 

pdl2flr

New Member
Dec 17, 2003
154
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0
Leesburg, VA
Jun 10, 2005
#4
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #4
Its fine. The first mod I did was install a MRT catted-H pipe with my stock catback. It made the car sound much better and gave a very nice SOTP gain.
 

Pughman

Member
Dec 25, 2004
295
2
18
in a galaxy far far away"MISSOURI"
Jun 10, 2005
#5
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #5
all i have is a upr off-road x-pipe ... and frome stock , it sounds kick ass ! and it just keep's geting louder ! and lots more top end...it pulls all the way to 6000 rpm's now...
 

CanadaStang

New Member
Sep 7, 2003
2,093
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Mb
Jun 10, 2005
#6
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #6
pdl2flr said:
Its fine. The first mod I did was install a MRT catted-H pipe with my stock catback. It made the car sound much better and gave a very nice SOTP gain.
Click to expand...

Did you notice any drone after the H-pipe install?
 

road rage

New Member
Dec 14, 2003
433
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R.I.
Jun 10, 2005
#7
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #7
Go with the catback first
 

pdl2flr

New Member
Dec 17, 2003
154
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0
Leesburg, VA
Jun 10, 2005
#8
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #8
CanadaStang said:
Did you notice any drone after the H-pipe install?
Click to expand...

No...there was absolutely no drone with the MRT and stock catback. Eventually I installed a Magnaflow catback and I did experience severe drone around 2000rpm's. It was annoying enough to me that I removed the Magnaflow and installed the FRPP catback. With the FRPP there is no drone but it also does not sound much different from the stock catback.
 

pdl2flr

New Member
Dec 17, 2003
154
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0
Leesburg, VA
Jun 10, 2005
#9
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #9
road rage said:
Go with the catback first
Click to expand...

If you are just looking for sound than yes, get the catback first. But if your looking for performance, get a quality, high flow mid-pipe. The stock mid-pipe with all the cats is very restrictive.
 
G

GNN60GT500

Founding Member
Jun 18, 2002
1,218
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5 car lengths in front of you!
Jun 10, 2005
#10
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #10
When modifying an exhaust system, you should always start from the back and work your way forward-

When planning an exhaust system, you should always start at the front, and work your way back-

Giving your car better lungs does nothing if it is still breathing through a straw-
 
T

The Screwdriver

New Member
Jan 14, 2003
76
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0
Seattle, Washington
Jun 10, 2005
#11
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #11
I have a 99 GT with 6 cats and I've been wondering the exact same thing about replacing the midpipe first. Definitely looking at the MRT H pipe. Going to 2 high flow cats must have some performance gains than sticking with 6 stock cats. But will it be noticable if the headers and catback are still stock? Or will it be only top end increase and low rpm performance will suffer. Guess I'll go digging through dyno sheets now.
 

PlatinumDevil

Member
Jul 1, 2003
0
0
16
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Jun 10, 2005
#12
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #12
would there be a drone or would i be annoyed with the o/r mrt midpipe (no cats)... we dont have emissions testing here and i can't afford the extra 100 for cats.
 

CanadaStang

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Sep 7, 2003
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Mb
Jun 10, 2005
#13
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #13
pdl2flr said:
No...there was absolutely no drone with the MRT and stock catback. Eventually I installed a Magnaflow catback and I did experience severe drone around 2000rpm's. It was annoying enough to me that I removed the Magnaflow and installed the FRPP catback. With the FRPP there is no drone but it also does not sound much different from the stock catback.
Click to expand...
Thanks!! That's great to know! I find the drone annoying but the g/f really hates it. I didn't want to do the H-pipe incase it was pretty bad, I'd be getting b****** at till I took it off
 

pdl2flr

New Member
Dec 17, 2003
154
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Leesburg, VA
Jun 10, 2005
#14
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #14
The Screwdriver said:
I have a 99 GT with 6 cats and I've been wondering the exact same thing about replacing the midpipe first. Definitely looking at the MRT H pipe. Going to 2 high flow cats must have some performance gains than sticking with 6 stock cats. But will it be noticable if the headers and catback are still stock? Or will it be only top end increase and low rpm performance will suffer. Guess I'll go digging through dyno sheets now.
Click to expand...

I don't have any facts, but in my opinion the stock mid-pipe is more restrictive than the stock catback or headers. Adding a high flow catback will help with sound, but you are still choking at the mid-pipe.

I felt good mid-range power with my MRT, especially from 3000rpm and up and did not feel any loss down low. My first dyno was when I was completely stock with only the MRT mid-pipe. My numbers were 237/278 SAE. This was at a Mustang Performance shop and the tech stated that stock GT's are usually somewhere in the 220's on their dyno. So I think it definitely added some power.
 

Pughman

Member
Dec 25, 2004
295
2
18
in a galaxy far far away"MISSOURI"
Jun 10, 2005
#15
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #15
the stock cat sounds "GOOD" !!! after the off-road mid pipe !!! + you get a big gain in the top end !!!
http://www.excelsiornews.com/pics/chris/MVI_0938.avi
CLICK TO SEE VID OF MY CAR !!! " might load slow "
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
3,125
81
99
Canada
Jun 10, 2005
#16
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #16
When I put an MRT catted H on my GT I gained 8.1rwHP and 6 ft-lbs and that was with the factory cat-back.

http://home.golden.net/~trinity

check out the Modifications and Dynos page for info on it.

The thing sounded great (for a factory catback.) Definitely louder but nowhere near obnoxiously so. A bit more "stecatto", a bit lower in frequency and no drone at all.

In my car's case about the only "issue" was that the passenger side seemed a smidgen short (like maybe 3/4") and this made fitment of everything down the line on that side a bit tricker. No worries though...still an awesome pipe worthy of praise.
 
P

pieromj3

New Member
Apr 9, 2005
35
0
0
Central PA
Jun 10, 2005
#17
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #17
I have a bassani catted X with the stock catback and it makes it a bit louder and deeper.. It sounds good. You can tell there is something done to the exhaust other than stock. NEXT: SLP loudmouth
 
G

GNN60GT500

Founding Member
Jun 18, 2002
1,218
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48
5 car lengths in front of you!
Jun 10, 2005
#18
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #18
trinity_gt said:
When I put an MRT catted H on my GT I gained 8.1rwHP and 6 ft-lbs and that was with the factory cat-back.

http://home.golden.net/~trinity

check out the Modifications and Dynos page for info on it.

The thing sounded great (for a factory catback.) Definitely louder but nowhere near obnoxiously so. A bit more "stecatto", a bit lower in frequency and no drone at all.

.
Click to expand...

Average gains for a Magnaflow catback with stock midpipe are 12-14rwhp-

Midpipes offer good gains, but will give you an even greater gain if you have a catback in place- as I said before-

you can increase lung capacity all you want, but if you are breathing through a straw, you are breathing through a straw-
 

Jackie Chan

I didn't read this.
Founding Member
Oct 17, 2002
2,507
4
48
Orlando, FL
Jun 10, 2005
#19
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #19
what on an 03 cobra?

i had dumped magnaflows that replaced welded in flows on a stock catback with a bbk xpipe and it didnt gain anything performance wise. Mufflers are for sound, midpipes make the power.
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
3,125
81
99
Canada
Jun 10, 2005
#20
  • Jun 10, 2005
  • #20
GNN60GT500 said:
Average gains for a Magnaflow catback with stock midpipe are 12-14rwhp-

Midpipes offer good gains, but will give you an even greater gain if you have a catback in place- as I said before-

you can increase lung capacity all you want, but if you are breathing through a straw, you are breathing through a straw-
Click to expand...

Well, as I said, the gains I posted were for the MRT catted H with the factory catback. The addition of the Steeda catback on there now it went from 255.6 to 264rwHP and from 296.9 to 306.4 ft-lbs. Taken together then, the MRT pipe and Steeda catback combo were good for 16.6rwHP and 15.8 ft-lbs.

It's tough to buy that just a catback is good for 12-14rwHP with the factory 4-cat, 2-1/4" midpipe still in place but if you've got repeatable dyno proof I'm all eyes.
 
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