I have saved a lot of posts on the topic of cat-back exhausts, and thought I would summarize them. I did not input any original material here, so don't flame me if you disagree with the comments. Just send me your input and I will add it to this summary. This was one of the first pages I did, and at that time I did not save everyone's names on their posts, as I did not know I was going to do a Web site.
I grouped everyone's comments by the exhaust vendors; I hope this doesn't upset the original posters. These included: John Duff, Chuck Brousard, Carlos Iglesias, Richard Thompson, Greg Lackey, Bill Geiger, Tosh Desai, Peter Hsieh, DeanCRacer, Carl Houseman, and Chris ??? (sorry if I left anyone out - let me know). I borrowed John Duff's format for the bottom line summary.
There was some discussion in these posts on whether removing the cats was good or bad, but you will need to keep yours if you need to worry about emissions. I bought an ASP, and will keep my current stock cat-back exhaust and cat for bolting back on for the test.
The air pump can then be disconnected once the main cat is gone. The Pettit, Rotary Peformance, or Greddy pulley kits can be used too, and a different belt will be required.
est. $480 34 lbs flow: poor tone: quiet (46 lbs including the cat - I weighed mine. --Steve)
John Duff writes:
The PFS system is the lightest, best flowing, and (even considering the
occasional heavy discounting of others) the least expensive cat-back
system available that is 3" mandrel bent from tip to tip and is ALL T304
stainless. It flowed flawlessly on the 3-rotor car, which was making over
500 horses and 400 lbs/ft. of torque.
________________
From: Tuck The PFS exhaust system looks beautiful, highly polished T304 stainless
steel, with a nicely sized tip at the end, that strikes a good balance
between being big without looking like you're driving a good looking Honda.
In terms of sound the PFS muffler sounds nice to me, not much louder, but a
little more throaty, compare the voice of Marilyn Monroe to the voice of
Jane Mansfield. Holding everything else the same, it's good for a noticable
horsepower increase and a pound of boost or so. The PFS induction system is
pretty nice, it consists of a two-piece black glossy fiberglass box with all
the necessary hookups for the air pump etc and a massive K&N filter element.
It also has a little scoop-like thing that pulls cool air directly from the
radiator inlet, overall I think it's good for something like 15 horsepower
or so as I recall (and I could be wrong, advice from the list is great, but
you ought to call PFS and Pettit to ask them too).
___________________
(someone else writes:) Comes in 4 flavors. Mild steel single 4" tip, mild steel dual 3" tip,
stainless steel single tip and stainless dual tip. According to the
catalog, the s/s systems are constructed completely of T304. Prices for
the s/s systems from MazdaTrix are $600 and $660 for the single and
dual tip, respectively. These are somewhat heavier than the PFS system
as they come in two pieces with an additional flanged joint. Supposedly
this system is a bit quieter than the PFS, with a higher pitched tone.
Someone with first hand experience (not me) should comment on the flow
and power characteristics.
It comes in two boxes--one with the muffler and one with the pipe.
The piping is 3" and the bends are a little more pronounced than
Pettit's(sent it back because it was too loud--droned). I have had no
cats and the stock exhaust in place while I waited for the racing beat
exhaust. The car is very quiet with the stock cat back and has no
droning. With 3" SS downpipe and midpipe, the car is not loud but
"tinney". Sounds like a whimpey 4 cylinder.
The racing beat exhaust is no louder than stock exept during
acceleration. Cruising speeds at 80 have absolutely no droning. Also,
it clears all beams nicely. As far as flow, I am not sure. I dont
think it flows quite as good as Pettit's(because of the bends), but
Pettit's also fit too tight and banged under the car.
>The RB system is not T304. It's lesser grade material.
I was out there all day working on a few CATs and was looking at the
RB SS stuff and the material is not T304. Maybe that's why there is
no life time warranty.
Peter Hsieh writes: The exhaust tips are rolled like the PFS unit and the sound is only
loud during WOT. No droning at all. I will say that the Racing Beat
exhaust probably does not flow as well as the Borla or ASP because it is
not as strait. I will say that the bends serve a purpose for clearing a
crossbar underneath the car because the borla fit too close to the
frame and would drone and rattle on the frame. I have no problems at
all with the Racing Beat. Hope that helps.
The RB has a very sporty rumble to it at start up and idle, but not loud
enough to make all the neighbors look to see what the h*ll is going on.
Interior noise is a little higher than stock.
On acceleration, the RB sounds much sportier than stock, more like other
expensive sports cars that I've heard.
At highway cruising, interior noise levels are about the same as stock.
Again this is my assessment after about a month of use.
I expected the exhaust to be louder than it is, but after living with it
for a month, I'm very happy with the noise levels. I think a louder
exhaust would become annoying on my 1/2 hour commute to work stuck
behind other cars. But when I open it up, the sound is nothing like the
stock exhaust could ever produce.
I went with the mild steel version instead of the SS for cost, figuring
if I liked the RB exhaust, when it's time to replace it I'd then go with
the SS version.
I should also mention that the install was a piece of cake. The two
piece design made getting the new exhaust on a lot easier than getting
the old one off. Took me about an hour total.
Racing Beat said there was no difference in flow between dual and
single tips.
_______________
From: "Houseman, Carl W. x1323" The RB SS exhaust is a piece of art. Fully polished, and with flanges
and bends that defy one to find defects. It comes in two pieces so you
can mount the main pipe first, and the muffler later. I had a little
trouble getting the main pipe's hanger hooked and ended up removing the
rubber hanger from the car, putting it on the exhaust, and then hooking
it back on the car. When mounting the muffler, it was amazing how
perfectly the muffler and main pipe flanges met with barely any
encouragement. Total install time was about 45 minutes. New gaskets for
both joints were included.
Appearance: I got the dual-outlet model. Off the car, the dual outlets
looked big compared to the stock exhaust. On the car the outlets look
like stock - to the untrained observer, this is a stock exhaust. I
wasn't really out for the stealth look - I was more interested in
avoiding the coffee-can/sewer-pipe look (yes even 4" single exhausts look
hokey to me).
Noise: a nice low rumble at idle. More interesting, but un-obtrusive
noises at high revs. In between there's a little bit of bassy drone when
maintaining level progress in 5th gear at about 75 - which vanishes by
85. My average speed on the interstate may be assisted by this
"feature"! Also I found that this minor droning seemed to vanish after
10 minutes or so - I think my brain eliminated it.
Performance: I have minimal intake mods - a K&N and a small 1.5" hose
supplying supplemental air from the passenger side oil cooler inlet to
the stock airbox. I still have both cats. With the stock exhaust I
could get 12 PSI before 4500 but after that barely 10 PSI, and then 8 PSI
after 6K. With the new exhaust, I'm hitting 11 PSI _easily_ from
4500-6000, after which it drops back to 9 and not to 8 until 7K. Seat of
the pants says it's a lot smoother during the turbo switchover and
definitely more interesting to get on the 2nd turbo now. How many HP is
1 to 1.5 PSI good for at the high revs?
Disappointments? I didn't receive any hardware to secure the rear hanger
to the muffler. However, I received twice as many bolt/nut pairs as
needed to connect the main pipe to the muffler.
______________
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 20:17:21 -0400 (EDT) Well once again I am blown away by a Racing Beat product! I purchased
the twin tip cat-back from Peter at Elitemotorsports, and installed it today, after
having admired it for 3 days...LONG story. I fired it off and loved the
sound IMMEDIATELY!! Very deep and purposeful. Install was a snap(did it on
the floor in my garage)with a floor jack/stand and simple tools, ya gotta
LOVE IT!
______________
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 01:06:51 -0800 >Racing Beat out of Anaheim California makes a Actually it's made by RS*R in Japan and their phone number is
714-779-8677. They also have a web site, but it's one of the
worst web pages I've ever seen , http://www.racingbeat.com/ .
_______________
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 20:45:05 -1000 (HST) > What? Are you sure? I always thought that RS*R was a RS*R is a Japan company that primarily makes exhaust systems. Racing Beat
is a US company that resells RS*R product; some rebadged under the Racing
Beat badge (i.e. 3" Racing Beat full exhaust is a RS*R unit rebadged).
All of Racing Beat's exhaust systems for 3g (FD's) are RS*R stuffs.
_______________
From: "Steven N. Burkett" (sburkett@ooi.com) On the exhaust upgrade page you list the Racing Beat (RSR) SS cat back
exhaust as "< 24" pounds. I think that whoever posted this was only
including the weight of the actual muffler, but the assembly is in two
parts, which, together, replace the stock catback. Mine weight in at
about 31 pounds total, only a few pounds lighter than stock. Yeah, I
know, picky, picky...
_________________
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 98 10:00:00 -0500 Pettit TKT exhaust is CATback only. 2 - 3 inch depending on which exhaust
you choose.
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 16:53:55 -0500 Quick run down. All T304 Stainless mandrel bent 3" tubing. Replaces both
the main cat and muffler section. It is the equivalent of a cat back and
midpipe in one. It is much lighter than any other combo out there weighing
in at 22 lbs with an Ultraflow attached. I have three RX7's locally using
them and have yet to hear about it banging on anything. My guess is when it
was installed it was twisted a little too far in one direction. These
normally sell for $700 which is a good deal compared to anything else that
replaces both. As I stated I have nine of them left that I want to get rid
of. With the muffler attached (Stainless Ultraflow 3" in and out) $550. If
you want it to be quieter you can buy the system without a muffler attached
and put on your own. Any gas station could weld the muffler to the pipe.
This is the entire system without the muffler, so all flanges and hangers
etc. are there for $450.
________________
I bought an ASP exhaust from Kevin and recently installed it. Here are my
comments:
1. It is loud. This is subjective, however - I don't mind it at all. It has
a nice deep tone to it. Others have said it is too loud on their cars. YMMV.
2. It does weigh 22 lbs for the entire unit. Compare with the stock unit's
46 lbs.
3. The hardest part about the installation is taking off the stock exhaust.
Installing the ASP is pretty easy.
4. Mine didn't come with any hardware, e.g.- gaskets, bolts, hangers. It sounds
like it should have from Kevin's note above. My box did have a hole in it, so
these items may have fallen out during shipment. Not a big deal - about $12 for
the gaskets and bolts.
5. It is not quite all SS. The flanges appear to be mild steel (I am sure Kevin
will correct me if I am wrong ;-)
6. Mine does bang against the body. Kevin said to loosen the bolts and rotate
it away from the body. I had to drill the holes in the flanges between the
mid-pipe and the catback section into slots so I could rotate it away from
the body. I also used a washer and small hose clamp to pull the back mounting
stud over to the left.
--Steve, Feb 16, 1998
________________
Date: Sat, 09 Aug 1997 00:17:15 -0400 I did a best stock 1/4 mi run 2.185 sec 60' ET, 14.06 sec @ 98.83 mph.
Then I installed the currently available ASP exhaust and did 2.182 sec
60' ET, 13.518 sec @ 105.24 mph. 0.4 sec quicker and 6.4 mph faster in
the 1/4 mi, on nearly identical short times with just the ASP
pre-cat-back system and an OEM-style K&N filter in the stock airbox, no
other modifications.
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 21:24:41 -0400 Hi all,
I returned from a weekend away from my PC (Internet withdrawal kicked
in) and got back to catching up on the digests I've missed in the past 5
days or so. Holy volumes of exhaust system flames (not out the
tailpipes either)...
Just to add my $0.02 and be done w/ it on my end, I have one of the 1st
ASP systems that was available for sale, so I know I've had it on my car
longer than most others. The car has been driven in the rain, it's been
washed and hosed off underneath, etc. Sure the flanges are slightly
discolored by surface corrosion and it is a bit louder than the
cat-backs I've heard. But I love the exhaust note, and all of my
car-nut friends seem to agree :) There is no rust on the pipe surfaces
or the muffler. I've never had a problem removing it from the car which
I do every year prior to emissions inspection, so anything at/near the
flanges that is corroding is obviously not corroding enough to impede
easy removal from the car. The 3 year old HKS exhaust I have on my
other car is aluminized steel, and it is still in very good shape. That
other car is my daily driver and sees rain, snow, you name it, and is
not garaged now that the RX7 occupies it. The way I look at is is if
the aluminized HKS system on my other car is still quite good
considering its exposure to the elements, the ASP system which may not
be 100% stainless in every detail will still last much longer than my
other car's HKS system. A friend of mine has an HKS system w/ a
polished stainless muffler and Drager stainless tip. It is already
exhibiting small (1mm dia) pits of surface rust at only 3 months of
usage, and that system cost quite a bit more than the ASP system.
The ASP system fits fine on my car, no banging, no rubbing. I took my
car out on the highway in bright sunlight with 2 of my friends following
me in another car a month ago, one with a camcorder zoomed in to the
exhaust tip. I then repeatedly downshifted from 4th to 2nd at 50 mph
and proceeded to rapidly upshift to 3rd at the buzzer and back up to
4th. The tip moves very little (max oscillation appears to be about
1-1.25" by looking at the movement of the tip in comparison to the 3.5"
OD).
Some may feel that the exhaust noise and inspection hassle is way too
much of a PITA to deal with, and would opt for a quality cat-back system
instead of the ASP. I have no argument against that decision. I've
knocked a consistently solid 0.4 sec off and gained a consistent 6.4 mph
in the 1/4 mi over stock with just the ASP exhaust and a K&N panel
filter in the OEM airbox (which isn't doing much for performance I'm
sure). Typical runs are 2.1-2.1 sec 60' ETs, 13.4x-13.5x @ 105.2-105.3
mph. My best stock runs were on the same 60' ETs, albeit at 14.06-14.1
sec @ 98.8x mph. I can't complain, and probably never will.
About a year ago I raced a guy w/ a 94 PEP late at night on the NJ
Turnpike N. I wasn't sure which exhaust he had on, but it was decidedly
aftermarket and I could hear it as he barelled past me. I gave chase,
managed to get behind him and then he'd take off on me at around 70 mph
in 3rd gear. I matched his speed by the buzzer in 3rd and walked past
him at 2-3 mph relative speed, got it up over 120 and promptly threw out
the anchor (no traffic, I was being as safe as one can be at those
speeds). He'd blow by me and we ended up repeating this scenario, with
him never letting me line up directly with him before taking off, 3 more
times before we reached a rest stop where we introduced ourselves. He
had the PFS intake, exhaust and PMC, and said he was starting in 3rd
gear and shifting at the buzzer, just as I was. I walked him each and
every time in 4th from a 1 carlength trailing position, with just my K&N
airbox filter and ASP exhaust. He couldn't believe it, I didn't know
what to think because back then I hadn't been to the strip w/ the new
exhaust yet and this was the *first* (believe it or not) 3rd gen who
actually *wanted* to race. Maybe something was wrong w/ his car, I
don't know. He said his boost gauge read 9.5-10psi across the rev band,
basically the same as what I see. Then again, he doesn't have as loud a
car and he doesn't have to worry about emissions fines or inspection
each year. But he loved the system and asked me for ASP contact info.
Unfortunately he wasn't/isn't on the RX7Net. The performance was what I
wanted first and foremost from the exhaust, and I feel I got just that.
Now, if some would lend me their cat-back or other midpipe exhaust
systems, I'd love to do a comprehensive dragstrip test with the other
systems. I just don't have enough $$ to go purchasing other systems to
test out, as much as I'd be interested in the results. I'm sure others
would love to see dragstrip and dyno runs on the same car at the same
strip on the same day, etc...
_________________
Someone else writes:
Though different than the others because it is a pre-cat back exhaust, I
think its an excellent system. All SS, light, and only the very nominal
restriction of an Ultraflow (SP?) muffler.
The ASP system is not what I (or many others seem to) consider to be
"streetable" due to its noise level and fitment concerns. As Rob had
stated in his evaluation (long before this recent incident with Kevin,
when everyone was more objective), the PFS system with a center
section performed as well, if not better than, the ASP system. It also
offered a better fit, a higher level of construction, AND a more desirable
noise level.
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 21:16:45 +0000 Tri-Point has a stainless steel downpipe available with or without a
pre-cat. They also have a midpipe which incorporates a high-flow cat.
Early feedback from customers indicates that the power loss with this
midpipe is minimal when compared to a similar straight pipe. As of
this writing Tri-Point has not verified this with its own testing. I
am not qualified to make comparisons from brand to brand, but I can
say that the flanges (milled mild steel, 1/2 inch thick) are
impressive, and the build quality seems excellent. I don't have a
price for these things, but I understand that they are significantly
less costly than stock Mazda replacement parts. They are working on a
cat back muffler system which will be in the catalog.
Pettit sells either the Borla or Greddy systems. The Greddy cat-back is a
good system, but is only 2.5 inches inside the muffler, and is NOT full T304
stainless.
_______________
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 11:27:10 -0700 I have a Greddy cat back on my 93 and I know for fact (I measured) that
the diameter inside the muffler is 3 inch. In your webpage some one
wrote it as 2.5 inch in the muffler...
Greddy is the North American subsidiary of Trust, but this was posted
specifically as a review of the Trust unit, so I kept it separate in this
summary.
3" pipe Trust Cat back exhaust with pre-cat and main cat in place:
Good power, (much better than stock), a bit louder especially at WOT.
I just dumped the Racing Beat mild steel unit in favor of the Trust
SS because it was too quiet, and there is no noticeable difference in flow,
but this is a seat of the pants evaluation. The noise level is greater, but
not by much and the exhaust doesn't "drone" as others have complained about.
The sound is much lower, but not any more metallic like I thought it would
be. In a nutshell it is louder but deeper. There should be no difference
in flow since both units are of 3 inch straight-through design.
The Borla is VERY restrictive and expensive, and uses a clamp to hold
the muffler to the cat-back pipe. Ask Dave Bell about his old unit. Pettit
sells either the Borla or Greddy systems.
The Pettit exhaust has not been made by Borla for some time. They do also
sell Greddy products, so if you wanted a Greddy exhaust they could get one.
_______________
Lazarus surveyed the folks on the mailing list to get impressions on the
Borla cat-back. He collected these and forwarded them to me. --Steve
(START: LAZARUS' SUMMARY)
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 1997 19:01:08 -0400 Here goes: I omitted some due to the sales pitches... :-)
From: "Drew" I have the Borla single tip exhaust...in fact, my R1 was the test car for
Borla (for design, install and field test)!
I have no complaints, looks good and is well made. They gave it to me free
to make up for the four days that they had my car.
It's hard to tell of a 8.6% increase of power (for any car)...but you can
sure hear it whoosh out of the exhaust under max boost.
____________
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 15:13:05 -0400 Unlike the offerings from PFS and Pettit, the Borla system is only 2.5"
whereas the others are 3". The PFS (and I think the Pettit) are full T304
stainless steel, so they effectively have a lifetime warranty. Any cat
back system will give you a little bit more grunt, but as long as the cat is
there and boost stays stock, it's not going to change much. The PFS one is
the best looking one I've seen. It's no secret that I don't get along with
Kevin Wyum, and as I understand it the piping and muffler in the system he
sells are stainless, but the flanges are mild steel so they can rust. PFS,
Pettit, and Borla are full stainless.
______________
From: "David Ieroncig" I've got a single tip on my 3rd gen and it's holding up terrifically.
Nice unit.
However, it is not a 3" dia pipe. As far as HP goes... I couldn't tell
you what the figures are in terms of increase.
I was pleased when I got the unit a few years back and I still am
today.
The sound however... I can comment on. It's wonderful. You can't go
wrong... just right. Not too loud and not too quiet.
As for cost... I bought it from a Canadian supplier and it is hard for
me to tell you what the US cost really turns out to be.
No matter what you end up paying for it... it will always seem like
quite a bit of cash for a pipe and muffler. You might want to have a
custom exhaust done up for you a reputable muffler shop at a fraction
of the cost.
In conclusion... I like the Borla.... even with the single 3.5"
tip... none of this Bazooka stuff. ;-)
_____________
(Editor's note: Trey works for (or owns?) Rotary Performance in Dallas,
and is a vendor. I just point this out so people know who is a vendor
and may have a vested interest - not saying he does. --Steve)
From: "Trey Cobb" We've tried the Borla system before and found it to be a bit
restrictive and our welder really didn't like the workmanship. We've
been using the GReddy cat back with much success. I should have
pics of it online shortly but if you are interested in it or anything
else we might have, please stop by at http://www.rx-7.com.
____________
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 17:10:44 -0400 I have Borla systems for both my 2nd and 3rd gen cars.
The Borla for the 3rd is a bit difficult to install (the stock exhaust
uses a removable hanger...the Borla system has the hanger welded to the
can). The tips stick out further than the stock system, but have a
slightly different shape. (I have the dual tip system).
It makes the car louder (deep bassy tone), but I haven't substantively
measured the performance increase yet.
______________
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 97 18:17:01 -0500
From: Brooks Weisblat I have had good experiences with Borla. I had the dual tipped version on
my car for a long time. It ran mid 12's with street tires with the
Borla... and some other mods...
(END: LAZARUS' SUMMARY)
Bob comments on the new SuperDragger. Comments on the older style below. --Steve
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 20:32:16 -0400 Hi guys, just wanted to let anyone know that may be interested that I
recieved my NEW HKS Super Drager exhaust. They exchanged it for the older 2
chamber (restrictive) design, which they said was "accidentally" shipped
over here instead of Japan(where they run no precat...just a down pipe I
believe). Who knows, anyway if this may affect you and your HKS, give em a
call.
Their turnaround was 1 day
and the exhaust looks just like the Super Dragers that I've seen on
Supras....straight-thru just like the Power extreme.....Hmmmm...I asked the
guy if there was a noticable difference between the old (Jap), design and he
said that it did.
______________
The HKS Superdragger doesn't flow any better than the stock
muffler and is very heavy (almost as much as stock). It is also very
expensive and is also only 2.5 inches in inside diameter. Ask Nathan
Freedenberg about his old muffler.
__________
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 07:28:14 -0700 Whatever you do, don't get the HKS Super Dragger. I switched to a plain
old Trust exhaust just a couple days ago because it is completely
straight through in the muffler. Not only do I get almost an extra pound
of boost, the car feels MUCH faster. If you ever get a chance to look at
a Super Dragger, take a look at the inside of the muffler. It's dual
chambered and not straight through. Inside those chambers are filled
with metal insulators to reduce noise. The only good thing about the
S.D. is that it is quite a bit quiter than a Trust but I'd rather just
keep the stock unit since the S.D. doesn't seem to perform no better
than stock. As for the normal HKS exhaust and not the Super Dragger or
Priest, I've heard good things about it but I've never actually tried
one to know. Perhaps a good idea is to wait for the Greddy Power
Extremes. Those look very good.
____________
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 18:53:54 -0500 (EST) Last April I had my car at Passen Motorsports in Columbus Ohio where they
were helping me diagnose a boost problem on my car. There was another 3rd
Gen there that was also having boost problems. My problems were vacuum line
related, but the other car's problems were finally traced to its Super
Dragger exhaust. I don't remember the exact numbers, but with the Super
Dragger the car could not make full boost and turned embarrassing numbers on
Passen's dyno. They removed the Super Dragger and the problem was solved.
With the Super Dragger off the car it turned similar dyno numbers to mine
(after being fixed) which turned 230 hp at the rear wheels. My car is
completely stock except for a Greddy/Trust cat-back. When I left they were
talking about opening up the Super Dragger and completely gutting it, since
the car wasn't too loud with it completely removed. I don't know if they
actually did it.
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 20:16:49 PST I have a SuperDragger exhaust on my car at this time.
I had a little "chat" (with a little voice raising on my part) with an
HKS rep. I asked him what the deal was with the Dragger and why it was
bad. He tells me that the exhaust is baffled because in Japan they do not have
cats (something about the emmissions) and that HKS needed to come up
with a way to lessen the sound coming from the exhaust tip. this is how
they decided to use the Baffle design. So, therefore would be a good
exhaust without the cat or precat and would kep the noise level to a
minimum. He also mentioned that they are in the works of making a US
version of the Dragger that will be straight through.
Note: The HKS Turbo was said to be 27.5 lbs - don't know if it's the
same as the Superdragger
This one sounds like it qualifies as a "RiceBoy" add-on. It may be
one of those "my tip is bigger than your tip" exhausts. Rudy's post
doesn't mention flow. --Steve
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 04:08:09 EST I have the Tanabe exhaust on my 93 Touring and all I can tell you is that
don't get it if you are trying to get past the insurance agents. It attracts
more attention than the GReddy and the HKS exhausts. I get Mitsu and Acura
racers asking about my exhaust all the time. It's a 5 inch oval tip with "G
Power Medallion" on the side. On the muffler itself, it says, "Tanabe Made in
USA". I've had it for 3 mo. now with 2000 miles on it. Still looks brand
new (polish it every time I wash my car, which is once a week). It performs
extremely well and sounds very nice. In conclusion, get it if you want looks
and performance, but you'll not get past the agents...
__________________
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 10:05:11 EST Just serfing on the net and found that my post regarding the Tanabe brand
exhaust was on it. I believe my original post was to answer whether a person
installing a Tanabe exhaust will get past an insurance agent's inspection or
not. No, the Tanabe doesn't look THAT rice boy-ish when compared to the
GReddy and the HKS units.
I purchased the Tanabe on December of 97 for $550. Reason being that I didn't
like the huge rounded tips found on the HKS Super Dragger or the GReddy
series. Also, I didn't want to have a catback system that every rice boy in
So Cal has on their Honda or Mitsu. Anyway, the catback system is made out of
stainless steel, 3 inch piping, and has a 110mm oval shaped tip. The catback
system weights a little bit lighter than the stock system, estimate weight of
about 38-40lbs. The flow is significantly better than the stock unit as I am
currently getting 11.5-9-11psi of boost with the catback along.
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 11:45:26 -0600 I have owned a 93 base for about 6 months and am beginning to feel the
need to upgrade. I recently installed a Blitz cat-back and noticed some
nice performance improvements over the pathetic glass pack the previous
owner installed. (snip)
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 19:41:15 -0500 (EST) SOUND: Very loud without silencer. Very quiet WITH silencer. The
difference is simply amazing. I can't tell the difference in power between
the two modes.
POWER: I'm not the right person to ask, too much interference between my
buttdyno and the seat:-) Actually, I have streetporting, downpipe, and GT
and I didn't notice a huge difference in power. I did get about a 1PSI
increase in boost after installing the beast.
NOTE: Me thinks an aftermarket air filter would help ALOT. Also, my main
cat, I suspect and have been told, is heavily clogged. I think after I fix
these two things, the power will increase dramatically, even more so
because of the exhaust.
I like the thing alot. Good build quality. Welds are ground in the flange
to the main cat and I don't like that. But everything else seems fine.
________________
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 17:18:37 -0600 ...However, I have a question about a different setup. The Apexi N1 dual
cat-back has a single pipe starting from the main cat flange and forks into
two smaller pipes with a dedicated straight thru muffler for each. Some say
this design provides more usable (low-end) torque. Is this true?
________________
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 12:33:08 -0500 WOOHOO! I received the APEX'i N1 dual tip cat-back yesterday evening. I
had it installed early this morning at a muffler shop. The install went
smoothly and they didn't have any problems with the fit. This is a very
nice system! What a great drive to work it was this morning! The exhaust
note is pronounced, but not overwhelming. I really love the way it
sounds, it's somewhat comparable to the GReddy Power Extreme. But the N1
will howl when the petal is to the metal. I'd have to play around more
with the car in acceleration, but it seems that mid-range torque is more
peppy.
It was hard to decide on which system to purchase, but I am pleased
with the workmanship, looks and exhaust note of the APEX'i N1.
________________
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999 12:41:12 -0500 I finally received mine (from the group deal) yesterday. Box was a bit
damaged, and there was a blemish on the side of one of the SS mufflers, but
it cleaned up pretty good. According to my digital bathroom scale, it
weighs 29.5 lbs. I'm not sure what the stock exhaust weighs.
My initial impression is consistent with all that I've heard. Good quality
welds, craftsmanship, etc. There was a plastic package that contained the
exhaust gasket, an N1 Muffler sticker, and instructions in Japanese. For
those who participated in this deal and received their unit, did you get
anything else in addition to what I just listed? Reason why I ask is b/c on
the hard plastic package that contains the instructions, sticker, and
gasket, there is a round, pre-formed area that bulges out of the backing
which looked like it may have contained something else (bolts??). That area
of the package was empty on mine.
As an xtra, with exhausts on all my cars, I spray painted a coat of bright
silver high heat paint over the piping part which was already coated with
some sort of dull gray paint. Much nicer looking IMHO.
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 09:25:41 -0400 Just wanted to let you know that JapTrix has one of the best values around
on a downpipe/midpipe kit. Tom Walsh directed me to David @ JapTrix where
I found out about the Applied Research & Technologies downpipe kit. The
"kit" is composed of a downpipe and midpipe for the 93+ RX-7. The pipes
are 3" diameter, T-304 Stainless Steel, and mandrel-bent. There is a
threaded receiver for the O2 sensor as well. The flanges are approximately
1/4 inch thick, maybe a little thicker. Fit was perfect, though I _did
not_ use the included bracket to secure the midpipe to the former catalytic
converter mounting point. The sound at WOT is full and loud (it'll be
louder when I'm running at 10-11psi, right Shane?), and at rest it's about
as quiet as a stock FD3S with cat-back only.
From what I gather, Applied Research & Technologies is primarily in
aftermarket exhausts. Their bread and butter was the (gasp) Grand National
crowd for some years, and they've spread out into other makes and models as
well. They also sell a cat-back exhaust for the FD3S, though all I know
about that is that it's really loud and also rumored to be the same thing
that Pettit sells. That's what I hear (and not from JapTrix either).
Specifics:
JapTrix: (561) 963-8700, ask for David You forgot what is arguably the best cat back exhaust made from a
performance and quality design point of view, no matter who resells it as
their own: Turbo-Tuff.
I did not include the Turbo Tuff and ASP systems for the following reasons.
The Turbo Tuff system is similar to the PFS one, yet is a bit heavier and
(unless discounted) costs more. It has a bigger tip, which as we all know,
has no influence on performance.
It has a nice sound slightly above stock however comes to life when the pedal
hits the metal...pops a little bit...not to bad...till you ad a mid pipe. I might
add looks great with the 5" tip... as far as weight I'm sure its got to be within
5 pounds of the PFS... It seems to be open all the way through..I think there a little
holes on the piece of tube going through the muffler?? At the time (Pre internet) that
I bought it, I liked the way it looked better than the PFS and the price was within
$50 and I figured perfomance wise it would be close(not very scientific eh).
I had my dual tip system made up custom. It's mandrel bent, aluminized
steel, 3" pipe, slp muffler, with two 2.5" tips. It was ~$350.
The shop where I had it made would have made up a set of all stainless
exhausts for me to sell for about $400. However, I don't have the time for
that sort of endeavor. But I'm sure that anyone who wants a new exhaust,
could find a local performance exhaust shop, who would be glad to
make up a system, and they would save $100s.
>Is it LEGAL to replace the cat-back system with a straight pipe? I saw
yes, it's legal (mufflers aren't emmisions devices), it's the thing to do
for SS..it's much cheaper than an aftermarket muffler, and the guy
at the local muffler shop should be able to do it for min. $$.
Whoa! I don't know what state you live in, Andy, but please be careful
in giving out legal advice.
When this discussion started the question was about whether it was legal in the
context of SCCA stock class Solo 2 rules to replace the muffler with a
cat back straight pipe. The "legality" in question was not about state laws.
And yes, in Solo 2 rules, in the stock class (or street prepared) you may
modify you exhaust from the cat back in any manor, includine a straight pipe.
My 3rd gen (primarily auto-crosser) has a straight pipe from the cat back.
Cost me $90 from a local muffler shop. Its cheap, flows better than any
muffler. The main cat provides more than enough muffling of sound.
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 14:10:35 -0800 Check out Random Technology.
As far as I have seen they make
the best hi-flow cats on the market (read in magazines, on the net, etc..). I
am not sure about their claims that the cats are better (higher flow) than a
straight pipe set up, perhaps under certain conditions. Sport Compact Car
installed one along with a full Racing Beat set up in their Project RX-7 (a '83
that they are street modding). Gain was somewhere around 6-7 HP from the stock
set up that they had (Random Technology has a quote about that SCC article on
their website).
________________
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 12:04:18 -0500 At around $300-$400 I have basically decided (the high-flow cat) wasn't worth it.
However, at $195 (for the AT&R cat), it's making me think it over again.
_________________
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 10:38:27 -0700 I got a 3" cat from Sumitt for my Talon TSi for like $95.
_________________
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 16:44:31 -0800 (PST) I know that both RandomTechnologies and RP sell very
good high-flow cats, but they are both $500. I talked
to Nick at N-tech yesterday who sells his drop-in high
flow cat for $310, which I'm almost ready to get. I
also saw that Pettit sells one for $299, but it
doesn't look like a drop-in one, and considering their
normal mark-up is pretty high, I'm not too crazy about
it. All of the fore-metioned cats are stainless steel
units. I know Dynomax makes a 3" one for ~$140, but
it's not stainless, don't know how long it would last.
___________________
I (Steve Cirian) am looking for a replacement cat for my
car. I have the ASP exhaust, which includes the catback and
midpipe. The midpipe is a custom piece (i.e.- not a direct
replacement for the stock cat). So I would need a custom
cat section if I want to bolt it in with the ASP catback
section. I will need just the cat, with no pipes or flanges,
so I can get a custom cat section made at a local shop.
* My email to Random Technology: *
I have a '95 Mazda RX-7. It came from the factory with an air pump that is
used in conjunction with the main cat. I would like to remove the air pump, to
free up the horsepower it is using to turn the pump. This would require the use
of a cat that does not require the air pump. From reading the tech section of
your site, it appears that your cats do not require an air pump. Could you
confirm?
If the car is equipped from the factory with an air pump, and you remove it
but at the same time replace it with a cat that does not need it, would the car
then be legal? (Note: there are two kinds of legal - Legal 1: I am sure it
would pass the sniff test w/o the air pump, but, Legal 2: I am pretty sure the
law prohibits the removal of the pump regardless of it doing anything or not.)
* Response from Random Technologies: *
Use of pumps to deliver air to a catalytic converter is a means of
increasing the oxygen available for the oxidation of hydrocarbons and carbon
monoxide. In most applications, a converter with no air tube provisions can
be used to successfully meet exhaust emissions requirements.
Technically it is illegal to disconnect the air pump. If the engine is well tuned
and/or you can alter air/fuel ratio, you can probably pass an emissions test with
no problem.
My recommendation would be to use our Super High Flow converter,
part number 903018, which does have air tubes. However, the converter is
supplied with plugs, so you can connect the air system or not, at your
discretion. By all means, leave the air pump in place. You'll need it if you
decide to sell the car. Whether or not you keep a belt installed to drive
the pump is another matter entirely. However, I don't think the pump
consumes enough power as you might think.
Another possibility is to install an electric air pump as used on some
vehicles.
* My follow-up: *
I will probably want the cat w/o the airpump tubes. I race it in autox, and
can run w/o the airpump and even the cat. I will need the cat for emissions
purposes when I get it inspected every two years, but in between that, it
really isn't driven on the street. I will keep all the old parts in case I ever
decide to sell the car, but have no plans on the immediate horizon for that.
Which part number do you recommend for no air tubes, 3", and no flanges? I
will need to have the cat welded into a mid-pipe section, i.e.- I will have to get
a custom pipe made for the cat to mate up with the downpipe and catback I
currently have. These are not stock parts, so I can't get an off-the-shelf
cat for it.
* Random's response: *
Part number 923000 is a 3" high flow converter with no air tube and no
flanges. It sells for $229. Just a suggestion-- if your stock converter is
at all close to bolting up, you may be better with our part number 903018.
It may wind up to be cheaper to modify that than to start from scratch with
a custom mid pipe.
* My follow-up: *
Do you sell these directly, or do I need to locate a distributor?
* Their response: *
We sell them directly. Just call us at 770/978-0264.
I also checked with Nick at N-Tech, and got his response. It sounds
like this is not the Random Tech piece, but a different vendor that should
also do the trick:
Yes, I sell the cat canister by itself. It is 3", and stainless. Price is
$150.00 for it. I believe it is a bit smaller than the Random unit. It flows
incredibly well. I verified this myself. It does not change how much noise
the car makes, really.
_________________
And a response to the note I sent to Rotary Performance:
I can sell you what we call a "blank" cat. It's a cat without flanges.
The Bonez 3" Blank runs $300. I'll let you know though, while it's easy to
make some cars pass the emissions test without the air pump, it's a bit
tricker on the rotaries. In some states, they put the car on a dyno which
will be VERY hard to make the car pass without the air pump. You'll need
to lean out the mixture alot to get the extra oxygen.
I don't know if this will answer your question of not but you can run the
Bonez cats without an airpump. It's will be difficult, however, to pass
some emissions tests with ANY cat without the air pump. This is simply
because of how the RX-7 is. The option I think would work best for you,
which the gentleman at Random suggested as well, is to use an electric air
pump. I believe some GMs come with this. If you're looking to have
something to pass emissions with, I think having the electric air pump
woudl be a requirement.
Anyway, I have these blanks in stock. They come with the air pump pipe
capped.
______________
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 17:55:39 -0500 After putting up with the vile smell and the noise of a straight-through
exhaust for months, I finally got around to replacing the midpipe with the
Rotary Performance's Bonez Performance Main Cat replacement(AKA hi-flo cat)
last night.
The RP hi-flo cat is priced at $495. I also purchased the optional $20 bolt
and gasket kit which includes the two gaskets and 4 each of the bolts,
washers and nuts needed to make the installation less painful.
As expected the hi-flo cat was not completely made of stainless steel.
There were two sections of the 3" pipe which passed the "magnet test". The
heat shields, the converter itself, the flanges and small sections of the 3"
pipe failed the "magnet test". The converter itself may have failed the
"magnet test" possibly because of the inner working components. The welds
were acceptable but very rough. It would be very easy to get an abrasion by
rubbing the welded areas. The inner surface of the 3" pipe was rougher
than the Tripoint midpipe which I was replacing. It weighes 16 lbs.
It took me 1 and 1/2 hour to complete the replacement from start to finish.
This includes looking for the right tools. In the future, if I decide to
put the midpipe on for a tracj event, it should take less than 1 hour to do
this. The most difficult part was in removing the main cat from the rubber
hanger thingie.
There were no problems with fitting. The only possible problem was that the
hi-flo cat is very close to the "tunnel" that runs down the middle of the
car. There was only about 1/4" clearance here.
In terms of suppression of noise and and the vile fumes from the exhaust, I
am very satisfied. My car is still LOUD but now it's tolerable. The
exhaust doesn't smell like perfume but now I can breathe inside and outside
the car without getting a headache.
Currently, I am not running the air pump but I plan to soon which I hope
will clean up the exhaust more.
As far as performance goes, it is unclear to me whether there is a decrease
in the HP. The car does feel slower only because it is not as loud. I am
planning to dyno the car in the next month with the hi-flo cat. Perhaps,
within another 2-3 months, I will put the midpipe back on to dyno it for
comparison.
I heartily recommend this de-modification to anyone who is tired of the
noise and the stink of a straight-through exhaust.
_____________
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 19:38:42 -0500 Lots of exh stuff is made from 409 ss, which is ferromagnetic.
Expect it to brown quickly, but not rust rapidly like carbon steel.
Even some 300 series stainless becomes magnetic if cold
worked enough.
________________
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 19:43:04 -0800 I have an N-Tech high flow cat and I am very happy with it. I took some
pics if
you want to look at one.
Some notes since I wrote the page:
Date: May 11, 2000 Well, a few days ago I brought up the question if it
was really necessary to ceramic coat a stainless
steel downpipe or not. After doing *alot* of research,
and talking to someone in the coating industry who
I deemed competent in his answers and apparent
research/testing, I have come to the conclusion that
yes, it is advantageous to ceramic coat a stainless
downpipe.
Now you have to understand that not all ceramic coatings,
and the process that is used to apply them, are all the
same. These two factors can make a big difference in how
a coated downpipe will perform.
Apparently, if the right coating and process is used, the
coating acts two fold. One as a heat barrier (it has a *very*
low conductivity) and two, as a lower radiative heat surface.
I was always under the impression that the thermal barrier
was negligible because it was so thin, but apparently some
of these coatings are thicker than others and can cut the
outside surface temperatures way down. One test shows
surface temp reduction from 1100 deg F to 450 deg F with
the same exhaust gas temp. It basically works like thermal
wrap in this respect.
This in turn, also cuts the radiation heat way down too (radiation
is a function of the temperature to the 4th power), but it sounds
like the thermal barrier aspect of the coating is doing the most.
See tests @
http://www.hpcoatings.com/hightemp.html.
I want to mention also that polished stainless steel has a pretty
low radiation emissivity (about 0.10), but after it has been
heat cycled alot, and oxidizes (turns that cool gold color), the
emissivity goes up to about 0.60 (six times). Plus the outside
surface of a non-coated DP will be at a much higher temperature
(no thermal barrier) which caused more radiation, and more
connective heat transfer off the tube than a coated one.
I believe a correctly coated downpipe will make the most difference
when driving around town in traffic when there is not much airflow
past the downpipe. So, based on my research and heat transfer
experience, I am definitely getting my SS downpipe coated.
___________________
Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 16:43:02 -0700 ...someone was asking about wrapping header tape on top of
the ceramic coated DP, and what that would do.
Essentially, that would be insulating the DP even more, since the
header tape would provide another layer of good insulation. In
this case the outside temperature of the header tape would be
even lower which would cut down even more natural convection
off the DP, plus it would cut the radiation heat leaving the surface
because the surface temperature would be cut way back again,
no matter what its surface emissivity properties where.
The actual surface temperature of the DP (or header tape, or whatever
is on it) has a biggest factor on the amount of convective and radiative
heat coming off the surface.
Let's just look at the radiation factor, and I'll show you how a big drop
in surface temperature help in two ways. The heat due to radiation
only is basically equal to:
where:
I will give you a couple of examples of how this can be used
to compare different conditions, related to DPs.
Case 1 Stainless steel DP, uncoated with many miles. The e factor
will be approx. 0.65 per a couple of references. Assume the
surface temperature is at 1200 deg F (1660 R). Therefore,
Now if the e value went to say 0.4 with the surface temp still at
1660 R, Q would decrease to 3037 (or basically cut by the ratio
of 0.4/0.7 = 57% of 5315).
But, even though a lower e has decreased the radiation, the surface
temp is still 1660 R, and it will be naturally convecting heat at the
same rate. The convective heat amount is still huge in this case.
Case 2 Stainless DP with hi-tech ceramic coating. Lets assume the
coating also has an e of 0.65 so we can see how just a lower
surface temp affects the radiation level too. But in this case,
the ceramic coating has decreased the surface temp from lets
say 1200 deg F to 600 deg F (1060 R), which is what tests have
shown by the coating industry. Now,
This is (821/5315)(100) = only 15.4 % radiated heat as compared
to the uncoated stainless DP -- even though the e is the same.
Since the radiation heat is a function of T to the 4th power, a
reduction of surface temp (due to ceramic coating or header wrap)
will cut the radiation way down. If header wrap was put on top
of this, the surface temp and radiation would drop even more.
Even if the e was maximum at 1.0 for the ceramic coating, Q =
1262, which is still only 24% of the radiation off an uncoated SS
DP at the same temp.
But, on top of the radiation reduction, the natural convection heat
(due to coatings or wrap) is also way down because the surface
temperature is way down. Its a two fold gain. If header wrap was
put on top of ceramic coating, it would cut the convection down
again.
Theoretically, you could insulate a DP with so much insulation that
you could probably put your tongue on it, but the material coating
on it and/or wrap around it would end up very thick. IMO, it
would be overkill to do both. One or the other (depending on the
situation) should be a huge difference.
What it boils down to is how much do you want to spend, and how
pretty do you want it to look? Ceramic coating is the way to go,
especially on mild steel, since it also provides a corrosion barrier.
On stainless steel, you could use header wrap since stainless is very
corrosion resistant by nature (header wrap on mild steel is not good),
but if you are getting a new DP, you might as well have it coated before
its installed.
__________________
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2000 16:00:36 -0600 The ideal method is to have the DP ceramic coated and
also thermo wrapped. This prevents any trapped moisture
from rusting the pipe and minimizes heat transfer.
That's what I did to my mild steel DP.
If you want show and not go, that is your choice.
_________________
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 06:32:34 -0600 I have got many different opinions from credible sources on what works
best for insulating the downpipe and lowering engine bay temps.
I have a stainless T-304 downpipe that RP sells. I have decided to go
with the wrap. XS Engineering said to use a good quality wrap finished
with a VHT High Temp Paint coating to seal the wrap. I used 1" wide
wrap and overlapped strips by 1/2". Every 6" I would used a metal clamp
to secure the wrap in place. The pipe was wrapped the entire length. I
used almost an entire can of VHT to get a good thick coating, then I
baked it in the oven for about 15 minutes ("Blackened Downpipe", "Smoked
Downpipe", "Wrapped & Smoked Downpipe") Nevertheless, it was baked to
perfection. Fortunately for me, my wife was not home to see this. We
will keep this our little secret.
Has anyone compared wrap to coatings? I used Thermo-tech wrap which did
indicate on the box that is for use for rotary engines. It is rated to
1500F. The VHT is rated the same. I have noticed a decrease in
underhood temps.
__________________
I bought some of the AutoPro wrap from Racer Wholsesale. (I think it
was the 2" wide stuff x 50 ft. I'll post details when I get it on. Cost $29.99.
--Steve
__________________
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 14:59:00 -0500 (The wrap) is OK for stainless steel, but not too good for regular steels.
It traps in the moisture and causes the non-stainless steels to
rust faster. If the pipe was ceramic coated and then wrapped, it
would be very effective. One of my friends has his stainless steel
downpipe wrapped to reduce heat.
__________________
This was posted for the second gens, but applies to anything. Just
wanted to save people asking about parts mentioned here that may not
apply to the 3rd gens. --Steve
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 11:00:49 -0600 I'd estimate the thickness of the coating (inside and out) at 1
millimeter.
The heat conductivity of these ceramics is an
order of magnitude less than that of stainless steel, (two orders of
magnitude less than aluminum). So the coating cuts the rate of conductive
heat transfer through the exhaust piping by something like 2/3rds. You get
-much- cooler temperatures under the hood and around the exhaust pieces
under the car. Also, since the air column inside the exhaust pipe is
better insulated, you get better exhaust flow and scavenging, since a
hotter gas is lighter and has a higher sound velocity. Typical quoted HP
increase you can expect to see is around 3% vs. bare pipes. Not earth
shattering, but nothing to sneeze at either.
The other obvious benefit is your pipes will last practically forever.
Everything is sand-blasted, degreased, and then acid dipped prior to
spraying and firing. The ceramic -sticks- like nothing I've seen, and is
pretty hard stuff to boot.
Be forwarned that most header coatings are NOT rated for the 1600+
exhaust temp on our cars. HPC and Jet-Hot are the only two companies I
know about that will do coatings rated to 2000*. You cannot afford to go with
anything rated lower than this, lesser coatings will crack and disintegrate under
the onslaught of your rotary's heat. Also, your headers will not look sexy
with the 2000* coating.
Finish choices are extremely limited (that almost ubiquitous, pretty looking
silver finish that you see advertised in magazines, for example, is -not-
available in the 2000* stuff, nor are any of the fancy colors. My headers
are dull, flat-gray).
It ain't cheap, I think it cost me $400 to do the headers, both
pre-silencers, and the pipes back as far as where the mufflers attach. The
HKS tailpipes that come with the Mazdatrix setup are aluminized already, so I
skipped the coating on them.
_______________
Links:
Thanks to StJames515@aol.com for a lot of these links.
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 1996 23:56:42 -0500
I just replaced my RB exhaust with the PFS exhaust.
First impression...quality piece of hardware. Thanks
for the speedy delivery John. For those that don't know
I've got no cats on my car. The PFS pipe is noticeably
louder than the RB one, which is o.k. with me, but
think I'll have a hi-flo cat fabricated to cut down the
volume a little (and be legal). The bends are more
gradual (straighter) than the RB. SS all the way w/ a
highly polished muffler and single ~4" tip. The PFS
note is a bit deeper and it's probably about 15lbs.
lighter than RB, too. I still think the RB exhaust is a
good buy but I'm glad I swapped.
$595 19 lbs flow: very good tone: sporty
RACING BEAT (RSR)
This person doesn't know crap about what he's talkin' about. (see
RB brochure) Their SS unit *IS* made of T304 material. What does
'lesser grade material' means, anyway?!
Regarding the switch, let me say it was far easier to pull the old
exhaust off and put the new one on than to change the plug wires! My car
is never driven in salt or snow, so the bolts holding the exhaust to the
main cat were like new (after 2.5 years & 23K miles) and I needed nothing
special - not a single drop of WD40 or Liquid Wrench - to break them
loose. A little liquid dishwasher detergent on the rubber hangers and
the old exhaust slipped right off. Removal took barely 30 minutes and I
was taking my time.
From: HYPURONE@aol.com (Chuck)
From: "Hung-Jen Hung"
>REALLY nice dual tip setup for the 3rd Gen.
From: F8LDZZ
>subdivision of Racing Beat! In all of their ads, it always
>says, "RS*R by Racing Beat." Can anybody clear this up for me?
Date: January 31, 2000
$600 24 lbs flow: ??? tone: quiet (mild steel)
$660 <24 lbs flow ??? tone: quiet (SS)
Pettit
From: "Linthicum, Sandy"
ASP
From: "Kevin T. Wyum"
From: Clint Fong
From: Clint Fong
est. $700 30 lbs flow: very good tone: Race car loud
Tri-Point
From: "David Lane"
GREDDY
From: Andrew Lu
est. $650 32 lbs flow: good tone: mellow
TRUST
price ? ? lbs flow: ??? tone: ???
BORLA
From: "Lazarus J. Vekiarides"
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 11:53:54 -0700
From: Tuck
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 16:07:40 -0500
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 15:58:04 +0000
From: Mark Tsai
est. $700 23 lbs flow: fair tone: raspy
HKS
From: "Bob Miller"
From: Daniel Huang
From: Jim Child
From: "Nick Cruz"
est. $750 42 lbs flow: fair tone: quiet
TANABE
From: RudylRx7@aol.com
From: RudylRx7@aol.com
BLITZ
From: Thad King
APEX'I
From: Stephen J Lee
From: "Chow, Thom"
From: "Judy Britton (214-443-8065)"
From: "Chow, Thom"
JAPTRIX
From: "Ryan W. Schlagheck"
Part Number: AR&T downpipe kit for the FD3S Mazda RX-7
Price not including shipping: $395.00 (yes - for both downpipe and midpipe!)
Shipping weight is 20 lbs.
$395 20 lbs flow: unknown tone: loud
TURBO TUFF
est. $650 mid 20's lbs flow: good tone: aggressive
DIY (Do It Yourself)
price ? ? lbs flow: ??? tone: ???
CAT-BACK STRAIGHT PIPE
price ? ? lbs flow: ??? tone: ???
REPLACEMENT CATS
From: Seth Bibler
From: "Chow, Thom"
From: Spencer Hutchings
From: Fred Jin (chohakai@yahoo.com)
From: "Edward H Kim" (ehkim@erols.com)
From: "kevin kelleher" (kellehkj@earthlink.net)
> The flanges and small sections of the 3" pipe failed the
> "magnet test".
From: Max Cooper (max@maxcooper.com)
EXHAUST COATINGS AND WRAPS
From: "Ulen, Robert S" (Robert.Ulen@PSS.Boeing.com)
From: "Ulen, Robert S" (Robert.Ulen@PSS.Boeing.com)
Q = (e)(sigma)(T^4)
e = the "emissivity" factor (unitless between 0 and 1 -- 0 gives
no radiation, and 1 gives "blackbody" radiation, which is the most
it can radiate at the temperature T).
sigma = a constant called the Stefan Boltzmann constant (the
mad scientist who discovered heat radiation physics)
T^4 = absolute temperature to the forth power
~~~~~
Q = (0.7)(1x10^ -9)(1660)^4
Q = 5315 Btu/ft^2/hr (so every sq. foot of the surface will radiate 5315 Btu/hr)
~~~~~~
Q = (0.65)(1x10^ -9)(1060)^4
Q = 821 Btu/ft^2/hr
From: "Westbrook, Chuck E." (CWestbrook@tmh.tmc.edu)
From: Richard Sheveland (shev@pdq.net)
From: "Westbrook, Chuck" (CWestbrook@tmh.tmc.edu)
From: "Zack" (zubenubi@inetport.com)
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