Exhaust question
 

I have a 92 SE (Canadian model SOHC 1.8) and I want to install some kind of performance exhaust. Should I keep the stock piping and just get a universal muffler or go with a full cat-back system? what would the difference in hp gain be between them?

is there a bolt on exhaust for our 1st genz that sound nice? anyone know?

Nope...the pacesetter is the only 'bolt-on' available - its tinny sounding AND the one i got required some cutting and welding.

I've got a Liestritz cat-back I bought from Rod Millen, made for the Escort GT. It was a direct bolt on, no modifying needed. I don't know if he still has any, it was about $300. Pricey, but nice.

tom

I've had both the RMM Leistritz and the Pacesetter, the RMM by far sounded better and is a better quality system, only problem is that they are not available anymore since RMM does Toyota and Lexus only now. I don't recal how much i paid, was almost 11 years ago, but i think it was around $300 like Tom said. By looking at the tip alone, you know right away it's a german exhaust, it resembles the older Porsche tips. Leistritz made OEM exhausts for Porsche/VW/Audi (maybe they still do, i dunno)

There is one other bolt on cat-back that is probably the best of them all, but it's $600! Mazdaspeed stainless steel as per Corksports website.

if you live in an area that has actual seasons (not like here in CA) then maybe SS is worth the money, but even at that, the Pace is only like $140, chop the muffler and put whatever you want on there...which is what i did. Might run you about $225 installed with a muffler off ebay or something.

BTW, my Pacesetter was a perfect fit (as was the Leistritz)

I have been wondering this question also. Which would be better:


2.25" custom cat-back exhaust w/ performance muffler (BOSAL? AROSPEED?) from a muffler shop


pacesetter 2.25" cat-back

actually, for a street car, 2" would be better if you go the custom route, more mid range. I have a 2.25 and i wish i had 2" for the fact i autox race and not drag. 2.25 is good for drag as it helps the top end more.

Although to answer your question, i think a pre-made, tested and R&D'd exhaust is probably better than a custom. How much better is the question, probably not even enough to feel a difference. Unless you have a thick wallet and Dyno time to get the custom one just right, just get the Pace, it's cheap as hell at $140 and it just bolts right up....well, hangs right up and should be welded not clamped.

I was going for 2.25" w/o mandrel bends, therefor it would be about equal to a 2" with bends. Thanks for the input.

How does the pacesetter sound? I don't want a 100% straight-through sound...I once had a straight through (No muffler at all), which is why I went with the flowmaster for a little more controlled sound with nearly the same performance.

No offense to those who buy a pacesetter but IMHO I think they are junk. You could easily do as well by purchasing a free flow type muffler like a Dynomax Ultra Flow and then getting your local muffler shop to run a 2" pipe from the cat back. Typically, I have them remove the resonator that sits behind the cat...I have heard that cutting out the resonator gives the car a little more of a droning noise while at highway speeds but, I have yet to observe that with it removed. I have gone with 2.5" and 2.25" piping in the past and I felt that the 2.25" was better (that was on my Hondas). The cost for all of it including the welding is less than $140.00. Dynomax has a good selection for many different cars. :D

yes, the Pacesetter sounds like crap, but as Wil said, the piping fits perfect. If you plan NOT to use a resonator and you use a straight thru muffler....YOUR GOING TO GO DEAF!!!!!!!!!! My Magnaflow (with 12" resonator) is still loud as hell. But get on the freeway at around 4500/4800rpm and it's damn near silent....lol

I think the power you felt was the noise you heard Wil... :D

:(

i bought the pacesetter before i ever found wil's site, i read about it there and ran (yea i ran) down to the store i ordered it from (its funny it took 31 days for me to get mine to) and they said it was already shipped and i couldnt cancel it. I like in NortdafrikinKota so we have lots o snow. What should i do?

Okay, everybody is saying nyet to 2.5" pipes. I recently did mine in that size in a 1.6 SOHC 323
I drive 1000 kms. a week, all superhighway. I wanted top end so that passing transports would not be a white knuckle affair. The set up seems to work. I still have reserve power available when doing 130 kph and I'm getting better gas mileage. It's louder than stock as I have a cone filter as well.
Did I screw up?

Muffler or staight pipe?
 

You can run all the different scenarios you want, but until you actually get down and do the math, you wont get the right system for your engine. There is a little book in Barnes and Woeble called "Engine Math" that has the proper formulae to design your own system from the ground up and have it designed for what YOU want. It takes a lot of math to get the exaust and intakes on anything right but when you do, katie bar the door because you will have a sweet spot a mile wide! this works for the intake also, and it gives you formulae for mutli length runner intakes....not to make new, but to add them into the equations for the proper exhaust. Just remeber that later on if you change intake, you will have to likewise change exhaust to keep optimum efficiency and therefore, optimum power.

did you screw up....no not at all, if you need top end for passing and you find that it helped, no screw up at all, i'd say your right on target. It's doing what you need it to do. It will now perform best at high rpms. But you have lost power down low for regular street driving.