wes8398

iTrader: (2)

I have my mufflers deleted and LOVE the sound, but it's been a while now and I'm kind of itching to make things a little louder. Headers are 100% out of the question, and I don't particularly like the sound of the muffler delete along with resonator delete. So I'm looking at getting a set of Mandrel Exhaust Systems test pipes to give me a little extra sound (and maybe a little extra performance). So, does anyone happen to have any sound clips of these test pipes with a muffler delete? How about your experiences with the test pipes?


Thanks!

NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

Personally... On a stock manifold car with stock cats, resonator and muffler delete sounds best and is plenty loud when ur on the gas and still semi-subtle when ur not.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Yes, I'm aware of how how muffler delete sounds and as I said, I love it. Just looking to step it up a bit.
So you have experience with these test pipes? Did they not make the exhaust any louder or not change the tone at all?

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

This "make it louder but not faster" approach doesn't make a bit of sense, but, if you want to make things louder, why not invest in an aftermarket catback? The Magnaflow 16637 will be much, much louder and costs $750 here. Alternately, if you want things to to be just a little bit louder, try a Corsa or Borla exhaust system.

By the way, this is semantics, but achieving "louder" is never possible. You always will be changing the tonality of your exhaust note with every modification you make. Ultimately, this is how my CTS-V will probably sound (personal goal), but in reality, I have very little control over where I wind up:

-T-

iTrader: (2)

Experience:
I went from a cammed car with stock mani's, cats, x-pipe in place resonator and gutted mufflers. I too was looking for a louder setup, the idle was quiet and could slightly tell it was a cammed car from anywhere other than the back of the car. Standing in the rear you could obviously note the lopey idle. I bought a set of test pipes, which I still have and will sell....

After the test pipe install, the exhaust was much louder at idle and in throttle. However, with my gutted mufflers, I had a horrible rasp which forced me to buy a corsa cat-back. The obx headers and resonators actually quieted down the exhaust level after it was installed in place of stock manifolds and test pipes.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Well I disagree with the approach that members who post here often feel like they have to justify the choices they make for their mods because other members feel it necessary to share their perogative; often unprovoked. I asked for people's experiences with a certain product, not opinions on whether they thought it was a (subjectively) "worthwhile" mod.
I'll address your opinion anyway though. I find it quite a stretch to say that more gains would be yielded via a 2.5" cat-back system than by straight piping mufflers and replacing cats with high flow versions. The cat-back is basically the exact same piping as OEM, just with different mufflers and a different mid-pipe/resonator setup. Oh, and the cat back is over 2x the price.

IMO, the $100 I spent on the muffler delete and the $300 I might spend on these down/cat pipes will likely make me happy. And the difference between the 2 setups in terms of performance gains would be pretty nominal considering either setup is realistically only worth 5-10 HP anyway.

Awesome, thanks for the input! I know it's not apples to apples with the cam etc that you had, but it's good to hear that the test/cat pipes woke things up. I've read lots of reports that eliminating the resonator often leads to way too much rasp and drone. I'm hoping that keeping the OEM resonator and adding these cat/test pipes will be a good combo with the muffler delete.
If you're interested in selling those test pipes (assuming they're the mandrel exhaust systems pipes and they're in good shape), I'd be interested. I'm really close to pulling the trigger on Mandrel's website, so I'll hold off on that until I hear from you.

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

You're right, in the sense that headers and a catback are each only worth 5-10 RWHP... on a stock car.

If you're happy with the performance that you've got and all you want to do is make it sound different, then you're taking the right approach. However, if you suspect that you'll eventually want to add a CAI, cam, heads, blower, and so forth, the stock manifold and catback will prevent you from unlocking the full potential of those modifications. You'll also knock off almost a hundred pounds of weight. AFAIK, the cast iron manifolds were 13 lbs heavier than their 1-7/8" header counterparts.

I just don't want to see someone waste a whole bunch of time and money if they don't have to. Nothing's worse than replacing the same part more than once with an even higher-performance replacement.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Even doing H, C, I mods (I do already have a CAI) - I don't know that a cat back system would have that much impact on performance compared to the OEM setup. The only real difference that i can see between the two is the resonator. The magnaflow system replaces the resonator (which has an "x" pipe built into it) with a true x pipe.
Headers, I definitely agree with. Nobody's going to get full results out of an H C I setup without headers ... Although a proper tune would still yield pretty good results even with OEM manifolds. I'll likely never do headers though, which is why I'm looking at these high flow cat test pipes.
Long run, I'll probably never get into H C I stuff. If anything, I'd go the route of a Maggie, which I think would work just fine with the muffler delete, these test pipes, otherwise stock exhaust, and a proper tune. That's so far away and improbable that it really has nothing to do with my current modification wishlist though.

Curious - where are you referring to saving 100 lbs? Just with the cat back? That would be a big surprise to me, given the minimal difference from the OEM system. If it were aluminum and not stainless, I could see some weight savings. But it's stainless as well...

babrown18

Kooks long tubes, high flow cats, stock resonators and a muffler delete... Anything else is uncivilized lol

RADEoN

iTrader: (12)

here's the answer you were looking for:

sure, buy the test pipes, they're the best!

(assuming you already had your mind made up, anyway)

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Did I ask anyone to TELL me whether to buy them or not? Didn't think so. Very useful post though; thanks a lot!

BudRacing

iTrader: (3)

Instead of just a resonator delete, have you considered an x-pipe and some bullet style mufflers after it?

kl2onik

iTrader: (3)

These will obviously yield you an additional 5-7rwp over stock with a tune and produce a louder than stock sound...How it will sound I have no clue cause Ive only heard of one guy on here ever mentioning of ordering these exact ones on ebay. I also inquired about these when I first bought my car but decided to go with headers instead. If you want to keep your car as next to stock as possible and avoid the extra couple hours in header installation these may be the way to go. I wanted both so went headers/testpipes/corsa. Doubt you will find anyone on here with these man but best of luck...

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

When I first started looking at these pipes I actually came across a decent number of posts with members (here and caddy forums) who had em. All the happy customers were actually what got me interested in them. I'm seriously considering em, but I'm not totally sold yet. Headers would be awesome, but much more costly and also come with a lot of possible headaches from what I've read. I'd also feel it necessary to get a tune after header install, where with these pipes I wouldn't so much.
I don't know. It's just a consideration. I may or may not pull the trigger on these. An ls7 clutch is also on my radar, as well as a few other small things. I might decide I'm better off to save the $300 and put it towards that stuff... Or headers, HF cats, and a tune.
Speaking of tunes, if anyone's still watching this.... Do shops ever tune without the customer having to buy handheld tuners (ie: can I just pay for the dyno time)? If I did headers, I definitely wouldn't be willing to drop another grand on a dyno tune, tuner, etc. So maybe mail order would be the only way to go, even though not as effective.

98cobra

iTrader: (32)

Just buy my magnaflow mufflers and be done with it!
https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...lers-tips.html

98cobra

iTrader: (32)

http://www.facebook.com/v/10151073396864640