Exhaust setup (Raptor headers, Xforce catback)

[illuzn]

I thought your CATs were glowing red for when I saw your Flickr feed. Doh

I mostly agree with you, if I had my time again I would probably do: headers, 2x 200 cell cats (optional/ only if your car is above 100k kms) and delete the third cat. Everything from that resonator back I would leave stock as a rock.

But like you I went balls to the wall with the initial set up with a complete X-force cat back. It was ridiculously loud because the x-force resonator in the centre pipe while huge is still straight through.

Is E85 a thing in New Zealand? If so, try getting an E85 tune. It makes normal driving RPMs so much more bearable (except for cold starts when it will run rich and very loud).

Finally, compared to exhaust mods, how much does the intake add according to the butt dyno?

Edit: I didn't want to make myself sound like a fool cause I didn't know what you were talking about with inserts. Are they these things? If so great minds think alike because I use the same things too (but have gotten rid of them now because E85 does the same job).

[Daytona]

Funny about the cats glowing red

Not too sure about E85 here, but I gas up in some different places and not all will have that, so I'll probably stick with 95.
Yeah, that stock resonator does a really good job.

The intake seemingly has changed the exhaust note, I know it sounds a bit weird the intake changing the exhaust note (saying that I'm pretty sure an SC will change the exhaust note), but I'm going to trial having the inserts out over the weekend and see how it sounds. And yep - you're bang on with that link. Mine look different now since I've altered them, haven't got a photo of what they look like now, will get a photo in over the weekend.

The butt dyno says the intake has improved power. It honestly reminds me of when I had a twin turbo B4. She really pulls away really quickly and is a real pleasure to drive. I've only had the intake in for about a day now and only have done driving for the tuning (mostly) so it's hard to tell. I'm heading through some real twisty roads on Friday, so I'll get a better idea of overall difference. I can tell you right away that I mode is very drivable now. I'd often leave the car in S# mode, but holy poos, I mode actually is decent to drive with.

Overall:
- Loving the Raptor headers and the intake
- Still learning to love the exhaust note but about 80% there (I'm probably far too pedantic with these things)
- Not loving the 100cell cats
- Still 50/50 on getting a supercharger

I must say dealing with both Tim and Ed (XRT) has been an absolute pleasure and I highly recommend both.

[McDoof]

Is that the raptor Cold air intake or is that something you put together yourself?

[Daytona]

Raptor intake.

[Daytona]

Some more thoughts:
viewtopic.php?f=65&t=22082&p=406641#p406641

That's the thread specifically for the intake.

After finally hearing the exhaust in person, I'm loving it. I do think the intake has changed things and sounds like a beast now. Does not sound ricer. I think there is a very, very slight amount of rasp, but considering the pipes are totally open with no baffles anywhere, it's not bad. It's also very quiet surprisingly when you're driving normal.

So finally there I think. After a couple months, some hard work and a lot of trial and error, this is what the end system is (sorry to repeat, thought it might be useful having a post that has all the info):

- Raptor intake
- Raptor headers
- Xforce cats (stainless 100cell) (again, would recommend 200)
- Coby 10" resonators up the front
- Custom center with a bloody long Coby
- Xforce rear Y pipe
- Xforce mufflers

The end result is a very fun car to drive, decent on fuel when driving normally and good sound. There is still drone, but nothing major. Drone gets less as the exhaust heats up.

I think the car could do with a bit of fine tuning, but nothing big.

Huge big thanks to Tim and Ed and all the research on here for helping make my car, my car

EDIT: Drove back to Tauranga this morning, so about 1 and a half hours of twisty driving, a lot of it up hill. Car is a beast. When I had my bike, the bike basically had more power than what my abilities could use. I feel a bit like that in this car now. The car had more than what I could (safely) push going up those hills. Essentially climbing up a hill, the car was going hard, then had to downshift and into a corner. Previously my foot would have been to the floor.

And funnily enough I drive is so useful now. When out of the twisties, I purposefully left the car in I mode and was able to left a 50km zone and enter a 100km zone without wanting the car to go faster. I can climb inclines in I drive without shifting down.

Exhaust wise, the car is pretty quiet when driving like a nanna, but when you are driving the car hard, she does scream a bit in a good way.

[Spec BSC]

I have Rapror headers which then join on to a 3 inch stainless exhaust that then splits into 2.5 inch pipe with quad tips, also there are no cats at all in the system. The system is not quiet and maybe after an extended period of time I may look at getting It made a bit quieter but for now it sure is fun.

https://youtu.be/bljx3D7cIY4

[Daytona]

Hahaha - yeah, that is not quiet - but that sounds bloody awesome!

[McDoof]

Have you done any further work on this?
Still keeping that Vibrant Resonator on my Radar, but will be waiting a bit for the US$ to come down a bit again.

[Daytona]

Funnily enough I was cruising through a country town and needed some gas, saw Gull Force 10 and thought I'd give that a try.
I usually use Shell 95.

Car sounded way different after using Force 10 - the drone is still there, but what rasp I had on take off is now gone.
For now I'll probably be skipping the vibrant - liking how she's sounding at the moment.

[McDoof]

Fair enough I think. I thought it sounded pretty decent

[Daytona]

Cheers man!
I am trying to get a video uploaded soon with the updated sounds, lack of time lately!

[McDoof]

I've been trying to find a pic of the Vibrant Resonator fitted to a Legacy and found this on the US legacygt.com site
This is the 3" version from the look of it, but seems to fit in there quite nicely without being too low. It thought it was fitted quite far back, but it sits exactly where the stock resonator sits if I compare it to my car.

[Daytona]

Interesting - that's quite far back as well - cheers a bunch for that photo!

[Daytona]

PS - going to order a Vibrant today

[Daytona]

Righto, finally have video:

Outside exhaust:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJLwib0NwA

What it sounds like inside:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKnpxA5PXII

This is still with:
- Raptor intake
- Raptor headers
- Two hiflow cats (100cpi)
- Two 14" Coby resonators (in branches of the front Y pipe)
- 3rd cat delete
- Exhaust flex
- 22" Coby resonator
- Xforce y pipe (note, mid section is not Xforce)
- Xforce mufflers
- Custom designed inserts (by me!) in mufflers
- Heat shields removed above mufflers

I probably will not be changing the mid section out for the Vibrant, but am thinking about switching the mufflers.
I wouldn't recommend Xforce as a brand to be honest.

EDIT: the reason why about Xforce is that they shipped the wrong mid section in the first place and the mufflers do spit out fibreglass when the car is driven hard.

The verdict:
- Not much rasp (heat shields caused some)
- Drone is only at about 110km/2500RPM but not that bad (goes away after driving car for about 30 minutes)
- Loving the sound, about 95% happy