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I was wondering if putting new piping from the cat back will be the same and give me the same hp as getting a catback system. I have a magnaflow muffler and am planning on getting custom 2.25" piping all the way back. What do you guys think. Will it increase hp any?

 
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i'd like to know the same. When you look at some ads for catbacks, they don't tell you the piping diameter, and from what i learned from exhausts, diameter is one of the main features of an exhaust system.
It seems that custom piping gives the best deal. people seem to get really good deals when they arrive at a shop with a muffler in hand...usually 100-150 bucks i believe. But if you'd rather buy the parts and put them yourself...then the choice seems to be obvious.

 
Rep Power: 413

well for most low HP imports, the piping is usually 2-2.5". There are different views on exhausts. Custom ones will allow you to move out of the way of sway bars, down pipes, catalytic converters etc. If you want a good exhaust made, it should be mandrel bent stainless steel with a universal welded on muffler. The problem with custom exhausts, is you never know how they will sound, especially those without a resonator. They are usually cheaper than company exhausts.

Cat back systems are usually pricier. They are designed specifically for your car though, and most sound at least decent.

With our car, you probably won't get much HP. To gain the most HP you should get a nice exhaust manifold (header), test pipe, maybe a highflow cat if you can get away with it, and probably a 2.25" exhaust. with a straight through muffler.

 
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you don't get the better sound with cat back systems???????

 
Rep Power: 413

did you not read?

The problem with custom exhausts, is you never know how they will sound, especially those without a resonator.

They are designed specifically for your car though, and most sound at least decent.

I said AT LEAST decent. Meaning they usually sound better than custom, but some sound bad.

 
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my bad, I have custom!

 
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can test pipes be made custom too? or will that have to be bought aftermarket? and how can differnt size piping be mated together, and is this advisable...ei: a header with a piping that is smaller than the catback exhaust?

 
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beaware of custom, i had to go back twice cause of the pipe hitting the body when taking off quick. I'm thinking of going cat back sysytem.

 
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you want a wider diameter on a header, thats why our stock ones(even DC) suck, the piping is so small that its not flowing any better.

Personally, id go with the custom its cheaper, but with me having a lease im doing the LX to EX swap, and then if i dont buy the car, just sell all my **** and go back to oem

 
Rep Power: 413

anything can be made custom if you have the cash. The problem is matching the flanges with the header. you can get a full custom exhaust from manifold back if you want, with the manifold being the hardest and most expensive piece to make. You would a) want the piping to get larger as you head to the muffler, or b) try and keep them the same size. There is a lot of physics behind air flow, which Boilermaker01 tried to teach me once, but it flew over my head. So right now i have a header that mates with down pipe. It has about the same diameter of the stock pipe, but then my exhaust gets larger.

Yes you want a wider diameter for the header compared to the stock one, but not larger than the exhaust piping.

 
Rep Power: 299

ok, so ill probably just get the guys to install 2.25" all round. Btw, im not to smart at cars and still am learning, but what it a test pipe? My cousin has told me to get one among others now, but what is the difference between this and some other pipe?

 
Rep Power: 350

lots of the jdm catbacks are 2.25" or over. mines like 2.38" or something. custom exhaust piping tends to rattle some if its not done right, thats really the only problem. the jdm exhausts are usually much better quality than custom exhaust piping.

 
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A test pipe is where the cat converter use to be. It replaces the catconverter with a straight pipe.

 
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See the problem with having a muffler shop create a test pipe is that it is ilegal weel atleast in cali and if that muffler shop takes out your properly functioning cat and put in a test pipe they can get in trouble so most muffler shops wont do it but if you find a place that will then there
taking a risk making you one

 
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ugh...so i get the part about the diameter of the headers, but why won't manufacturers actually give the specs on thier own products? I plan on probably going on 2.25 or 2.5 inch piping, so which headers will mate up correctly? wow...there's nothing like getting all your parts...the finding out they all don't fit together.

 
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so, diameter of the header is important. Why don't manufacturers actually give the specs on thier own products? It's fustrating when all your parts arrive, you call up your buddy to help install...then it all don't fit together.

 
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Hold on dude I have a pic to help you...

 
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Ok. Here is a bottom view of the RSR EX Mag catback exhaust on our car. It's supposedly one of the best exhausts out there for us, so if you get custom piping, tell them to copy this design.

 
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I have a Matrix muffler with stock piping...it sounds really good but just isn't loud enuff for me...i am most likely gonna get 2.25" custom piping...will it mess up the good sound of the muffler or will it have the same good sound but louder?

 
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whats the size of the tip and piping on the rsr ex mag? i've been lookin for a good catback, and now im considering this one. how does it sound? is it loud? deep or ricey?

thanks for the help (if i get any)

 
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I had a universal muffler welded on to the stock piping, it sounded really nice and deep, like a v-8. The setup I have now is louder and higher pitched and sounds more like a motorcycle (2.25" stainless catback).