New Exhaust System, This is a must read

I have removed the x-over system out the 04, something I was worried about doing. The results are great, but I must warn those that are not into aggresive sound. The car does have a bit of drone to it, but not overly loud at all. I used the 18 inch Bullet Performance muffler, they make a 22 inch also, and 2.5 inch aluminized pipe. The cost was very low, and I don't buy in to the three inch size, when the primary cat and collector are at 2.5 inch in front of new system.

I love the car like this. It sounds like a serious car now, and I have to say the sound goes with the car. I took it out and asked several people what they thought of it, but I told them to roll there window down, and I would blast by them at around 4500 rpm. They all said it sounded great, no question about it. Inside the car it feels like your in a car that sounds like it runs.

NOW YOU MUST HERE WHAT IS REALLY GREAT ABOUT THIS UPGRADE,

The complete oem system including sec, cats weighed 60 lbs, the complete new system weighs only 20 lbs. Thats a 40lb. weight savings. It's not the x-over that weighs so much, it's the 3 foot long mufflers, sec. cats, that add up so much. I weighed these parts twice, for I thought this is to good to be true. Anytime you can remove that kind of weight off a car, without gutting it, thats great.

As for performance gain, I'm sure it's there, but couldn't guess how much. The oem system has 28 mild bends in the pipe work. The new system has a total of 4 bends to it, yes I said 4, now thats gotta be worth something. I know this has to be very restrictive, and I will say the system sounds a bit better with a Bullet Muffler upgrade only, because the x-over does controll the sound pulse, and seems to make it more appealing, but I like this system better because it sounds down right mean and wicked. It idles very quietly. The drone comes in at 3000 rpm or so, and fades above or below that. No more hissy sound when you get on it. If your crusing along in low or second at about 3000 rpm and punch it, the sound is explosive, don't want to do this next to someone unless they expect it, they might run off the road. I have pictures of the old and new system. I can email them to you if you like. I would post them but have never learned how.

Skip W.

sounds like a kick bass setup.

Maybe too early to ask this, but do you notice any change in cabin temp?

Seems to be much cooler in the car after an hour of cruising. It stands to reason that the migratory heat would be far less, than before. One good test is to drive around for 30 to an hour, let the car sit for a while and get back in. The car used to get very hot inside. I've been so thrilled about the 40lb. weight saving, and the idea of having a system with 24 fewer bends in the pipe that I haven't paid much attention to any of the other benifits this upgrade has to offer. Did notice the engine temp now falls to a new low, on the freeway, so there must have been some heat backing up in the engine. My next goal is to have the same water temp in town at cruising speed as on the freeway in sixth gear.

Skip

Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

Thanks Ron, I really need to learn how pic. posting is done.

The pics. clearly show the how you can save 40lbs of weight, and all those curves/bends in the pipe have to be restrictive. Seems like the engine has been saying thanks for getting rid of that mess.

I'ts been a couple weeks now, and I like this setup more than in the begining. I give this cheap upgrade a 10.

Skip White

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

Skip - Did you do this yourself, if not, where did you have the exhaust work done?

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

dyno it!

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

Had the welding done in Fort Worth. The muffler shop I go to is the very best I've ever seen, but you have to have those sec. cats off the car before he will touch it. I did the side sill and exhaust system removal my self, a couple hours total on my part.

I will dyno it next week. I'm sure it's going to be worth something. I just stands to reason when you have that much restriction in a system, your going to have loss of HP.

The 40lbs weight loss is also equal to a dozen or so horses.

Skip W.

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

So did you completely remove all cross-over piping? Is it just 5-cyl out each side? If so, does it sound like crap like older snakes?

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

So did you completely remove all cross-over piping? Is it just 5-cyl out each side? If so, does it sound like crap like older snakes?

Click to expand...

brian go back to your vette forum

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

I did remove the complete system. It does not sound like crap. It's 5-cyl out each side, and believe me, it does not have a slow rpm pulse, and the only thing I remember about the RT-10 sound that I didn't like was the exhaust hiss it made from being over muffeled.

If your sitting still and fan the engine it sounds ok at best, as that is the nature of the engine, but when your cruising down the road and punch it, it's the best sound you can imagine. Take my word on this. There is no way you would not like this, unless your very conservative with sound level, but even then you can go with the 4 inch longer Bullet muffler to tone it down a bit. There are some advantages to longer exhaust pipe, like sound blending and that back lash pulse, but when you step on it, you know then, this is the way the car should be. The firing order is what makes it not have a certain tone, but then again, I think the firing order is what allows it have such a good high rpm sound out each side. I once put duals on a Chevy pickup, and ran the exhaust out each side behind the wheel, and it did sound bad, so I know the fear there, but the Viper is not like that at all. That x-over is not doing as much sound blending as you think.

Skip W

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

Kinda curious on the x-pipe on the SRT. On the GTS cars, hearing one with a regular custom exhaust w/ no x-pipe, and then one equiped with say a Borla and x-pipe or B&B w/ it's stock x-pipe blows the other exhaust away, sounds meaner and deeper w/ none of the 5 ****** tinny sound.

Is it possible to keep the stock cross over (or maybe build more efficient one) while doing a custom exhaust on an SRT?

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

I don't see that it is required to eliminate the crossover. I think it's ok to leave the crossover, and replace the mufflers and/or cats in the sills.

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

If you keep the useless x-over there is one component of the sound that is a bit better, but not overall. As far as a 5 cyl. tinny sound, your just going to have to take a ride in one. The Comp Coupe has no x-over, and I really don't recall anyone saying it had a tinny 5 ****** sound to it. X pipes that are truly efective are not placed way down stream in the system, but this is the only place they could do it. As for building a more efficiant x-over, no way could you build it better than the one on the car. Drop the 40lbs. and have a very cool, free flowing system.

Skip

Re: Skip White\'s New Exhaust System pics

Skip let me know next time you are going to be at an event in the Metro area... I would love to hear it.

Re: Next meeting

You guys come to the next meeting, if Skip brings his, you can compare his no-x-pipe, to mine, that is exact with the x-pipe left in place.. Sounds incredible with it in, I have heard it without (slater has the same system, no x-pipe, no bullet muffler) and can't tell much of the difference. I will tell ya, most of the weight savings comes from the big-old resonators and the 2nd cats).

Re: Next meeting

I'll be there, and it would be good to hear the cars do a 20 mph punch on the road below. I would like to hear the cars as others do,(I've yet to hear my own car from a distance). My brother has an 03 with the Bullet upgrade only, and like I said, in a way this has a very good beat to it. It'l be fun, see ya's at the next meeting.

Skip W