Mazda 3 exhaust with test pipes 2004
 

Hey guys looking to see if my 2004 hatchback that is straight piped 3.5in all the way back for the cats to shoot fire if I put on a header system with test pipes to the exhaust. Non turbo but it is very loud and pops and sorta backfires a lot

I'm sorry are you asking if you put a header and test pipe on your car, if it will shoot flames? I'm new to mazda 3's but I have been racing road courses and Autocross for quite some time. The flames that sometimes shoot out of race cars or hypercars is unburnt fuel entering the exhaust system, usually ignited by the exhaust manifold due to the temperature of the metal. This usually happens with large displacement high revving engines, which the mazda 3 is not. Even if it was, adding a header and test pipe will do nothing to help you shoot flames.


Generally (always in your case) you don't want unburnt fuel entering your exhaust system. This means you are running rich and not having complete combustion. Race cars do it to prevent a lean condition at extremely high revs and horsepower.