Well, I just got back from the exhaust shop, as I needed to go in and get a secondary BUNG welded in BEFORE the CAT...for the Tuning on Dyno Day on Sunday.

I asked that the new bung be put in the piece of pipe BEFORE the cat, after the flexpie....near the factory sensor location.

In order to do this, the inspection/skid cover needed to be removed.........AND WHEN IT WAS, I NEARLY HAD A HEART ATTACK !

The stock pipe that connected the FlexPipe to the CAT in the factory downpipe (the one that hides under the 'cover'?) is contoured and CRUSHED FROM THE FACTORY.....WHAT A JOKE. There was 1 point in the pipe where there could have been NO MORE THAN 3/4 to 1 inch of opening......COMPLETELY SCREWED.

Long Story Short

I had the exhaust shop replace the pipe between the flex and CAT and weld in 2 BUNGS (1 for stock and 1 for wideband sensors).

Now, I had the RRM downpipe w/CAT, but had to remove it because I blew out the CAT and got a noise warning.

DOING THIS PIPE MOD has given me back nearly all of the gains of the RRM downpipe in the MID-to-High end that I missed after removing it.

YOU NEED TO DO THIS.
It's about 1 hour + parts (2 bungs, 1 plug and 2 hangers + 2ft pipe) at ANY exhaust shop and was done ON THE CAR WITHOUT REMOVING THE DOWNPIPE.

This has been a welcomed performance increase, as the BUTT Dyno has told me....very memorable of how the RRM downpipe felt on the top end....just without the HUGE GAIN that the longer 2 tubes of RRM's pipe gave me on the LOW END as well.

Hope this helps.

I will try to get some pics of the OLD PIPE, as I kept it to show just how BAD it was under the sexy little tin cover on the car....lol

Allan

 

I keep trying to tell people this when they ask about axleback exhausts and crap. you have to attack the weak points before you attack the parts that don't mean squat. When you fix the BS from the factory you will be surprised with the difference. you should have them weld in a GOOD high flow cat as well, it will help immensely with your top end.

 

Yeah, the stock downpipe is a joke. Unfortunately, though, it's illegal (in the US) for a shop to modify anything at or before the catalytic converter. Annoying laws. I'll have to have something like this done eventually, though, since my stock downpipe's flexpipe leaks, and I'm not about to shell out $500 for a new downpipe/cat.

 

This was a simply 'hold-me-over' MOD that I decided to just get done while was welding the BUNG anyways, as eventually, I really do want a Long Tube Header. Don't get me wrong, this MOD has helped a great deal from what I can feel now and will definately pay dividens with the Super Charger mounted and needed the added breathing room

Unless I can't find the time to designb my own header, I think I will settle on an RPW 44MM header w/HF CAT, as by design, it's larger than the RRM N/A header and would benefit my application more.

This will definately carry me through 'till next season though, as this year has been EXPENSIVE to say the least.....lol

Allan

 

that's the good part about buying a downpipe with no cat in it. you go to the shop and they can't say squat about you asking them to weld in a high flow cat because you don't have one anyway. If they said anything it would kind of discourage people from actually trying to conform to the law, and that's not too smart

 

It wasn't modified...LOL.....IT WAS REPAIRED

 

yeah, that is a good point akinakin. who at the muffler shop is qualified to say that the pipe is crushed from the factory or not? Last time I checked those guys have the same or less background as me, and while I could make a reasonable guess as they could, it doesn't mean it would be right

 

 

So I assume that if you kepted the RRM DP with highflow cat, you wouldn't have to do this extra work?

I only ask because I have an opportunity to buy a used RRM DP and was wondering if I should considering next spring I will be going FI. I mean, I read old posts that suggested that our stock headers were fine and it was the DP that created the Airflow problems.

 

Yes, but mine needed the CAT replaced as it was toast...LOUD !

Yes, you sure do....MY OLD ONE....lol

Clayton is pimping it for me on Mitsunation right now.....lol

I dropped it off for him @ Hyatt Mitsubishi so that he could try it, but he had no time, so today when I was in chatting with him, we decided to just sell it.


LOL...

Allan

 

So your opinion may be based on self interest

 

It's not like I couldn't use the $180 after spending about $7000 on the car in the last month and a half......but it's not the end of the world....

 

gee you dont say i never would have guessed lol

 

That's only because I gave it to him, but told him that if he didn't use it himself and was going to sell it, that I got half

It's actually his.....but I called half the cash..lol

Oh yah, that, and since I am banned from there, I didn't see any sense in talking rainbows, puppies and local movies with the masses (Oh how I miss the technical side of that forum). I want to talk SHOP, not SHOPPING.

 

hahaha allan, did i sound like i cared that he was selling it on there for you?
you know i never had an issue on there
im still looking forward to a ride next month in the boosted black B|tch