Reserved exhaust setup

Ok, I know that with an N/A getting an exhaust is pretty much just for being loud as it doesn't do much to performance. HOWEVER, I would actually like to keep a moderate exhaust setup even if there is minimal power gains. Honestly, I like the idea of freeing up some of the restriction to maybe help with mpg (minimal, I know).

Sorry to ramble. Here's what I am thinking, I just want to know if that will achieve my goals. I want slightly louder than stock and thats it. I also would love to keep the stock look as I love the quad tips. Right now I own a test pipe, but I literally just bought the car last week and havent started driving it yet. I was thinking of just doing the test pipe and leaving the rest as is, but I have heard that sounds pretty crappy. I want slightly louder, and deep without being obnoxious in the cabin or from outside. I'm in FL, so no trouble with emissions. I had thought stock DP, test pipe, and change to maybe a single borla muffler where the stock goes, and just leave the tips on there for show... I don't know if that is feasible with what I am looking for.

I'll take positive/negative feedback. I don't get offended easily..lol.

Aftermarket downpipe, test pipe and stock catback. Testpipe sounds okay as long as you keep a resonator in the catback.

THIS ^^^^^

The downpipe and testpipe should be all you need to get what you are looking for. Leave the stock mufflers alone and it will sound great.

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Originally Posted by stealthee

Aftermarket downpipe, test pipe and stock catback. Testpipe sounds okay as long as you keep a resonator in the catback.

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Originally Posted by R/T93

THIS ^^^^^

The downpipe and testpipe should be all you need to get what you are looking for. Leave the stock mufflers alone and it will sound great.

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Thanks for the reply and input. Would I be better off having a custom DP built that replaces the cat? I could just sell the test pipe...

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Originally Posted by Tballer25

Ok, I know that with an N/A getting an exhaust is pretty much just for being loud as it doesn't do much to performance. HOWEVER, I would actually like to keep a moderate exhaust setup even if there is minimal power gains. Honestly, I like the idea of freeing up some of the restriction to maybe help with mpg (minimal, I know).

Sorry to ramble. Here's what I am thinking, I just want to know if that will achieve my goals. I want slightly louder than stock and thats it. I also would love to keep the stock look as I love the quad tips. Right now I own a test pipe, but I literally just bought the car last week and havent started driving it yet. I was thinking of just doing the test pipe and leaving the rest as is, but I have heard that sounds pretty crappy. I want slightly louder, and deep without being obnoxious in the cabin or from outside. I'm in FL, so no trouble with emissions. I had thought stock DP, test pipe, and change to maybe a single borla muffler where the stock goes, and just leave the tips on there for show... I don't know if that is feasible with what I am looking for.

I'll take positive/negative feedback. I don't get offended easily..lol.

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Not sure where you got that an exhaust doesnt help performance on NA cars, because it does. You might not see as big of a gain as you do on turbo cars but you will see advantages not just sounds.

I would keep the test pipe. I eliminated mine with a custom "downpipe-back" exhaust and I can tell you it is just enabling yourself for more work if you want to add different exhaust parts in the future. Get the downpipe from 3SX. They will have a sale comming up soon, Im sure. For black friday or if not then, for sure the 25 days of christmas sale. It comes with all new gaskets. You may want to see if you can get a gasket from them for the "test pipe to cat back" joint. And yes you will see gains in performance from exhaust. I want to say its like 25 hp gain at the crank with a full exhuast on the NA. I noticed a big gain around 4500-5000 rpm +.

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Originally Posted by MeTarzan

Not sure where you got that an exhaust doesnt help performance on NA cars, because it does. You might not see as big of a gain as you do on turbo cars but you will see advantages not just sounds.

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I should have been more clear on that. I am not necessarily interested in the HP aspect of it. I want to keep this car running for 10 years. My "racing" days are over. lol.

thanks for the help and quick responses all. I'll be doing the 3sx DP with test pipe. Hopefully I can find a good local shop to polish the stock tips, as mine are a little dingy.

For the tips, maybe somebody else has a better idea. I tried to use very fine steel wool (0000) to get the black off the tips along with other metal cleanders and no matter what I did it wouldn't fully come off. I have a friend that used extremely fine sand paper to clean his stock tips and it looks great and came completely clean.

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Originally Posted by license to ill

For the tips, maybe somebody else has a better idea. I tried to use very fine steel wool (0000) to get the black off the tips along with other metal cleanders and no matter what I did it wouldn't fully come off. I have a friend that used extremely fine sand paper to clean his stock tips and it looks great and came completely clean.

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I was thinking of trying to get them powder coated or cleaned and painted. I have the 97 sl wheels that a previous owner had chromed, but they are peeling terribly. I figure if I pay a shop for the rims, they'll chrome the tips for me for little to nothing.