Exhaust Diameter Dillema

[mrdirty]

So I've decided to go with a mandrel exhaust, but what size tubing should I use? Can I use a larger muffler dia than the exhaust tubing? I want to go turbo in a year and don't want to have to buy a new muffler when I go 3"

Helloooo?!

[s15dude]

I heard of people that put 3" on their NA cars and they lost a little low end. But if your goin turbo soon anyways, why waste your money on another exhaust. Get the 3" and maybe you could put some restrictor plates in the piping, has anyone tried this? Or a more restrictive muffler.

[mrdirty]

well i won't be going turbo for at least a year (damn student loan...) and don't wanna loose power before then. I'm planning on making it myself so cost shouldn't be too great.

I don't think the restrictor plate idea will fly since it won't increase flow velocity.

What does everyone think is the "ideal" diametre for a near stock s13? I'm considering 2 1/2" right now but fear that it might be a bit too large.

So any ideas?

[240sxspeedracer1]

go with 2 1/2. &nbsp;Thats what I have right now, not too big in the least way. &nbsp;It has a nice tone to it, hell it isn't a ricey sound either, it has deep bass to it. &nbsp;Shit, I even eliminated my cat and resonator, and it still sounds nice. &nbsp;I expected like a shallow type noise, like a civic type noise, but in my mind I'd rather have performance, and could care less about the sound, but it ended up going for the best so yeah, I have mandrel bent piping also, I pretty much did whatever I could to produce whatever HP can come out of an exhaust &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

[mrdirty]

that's awesome, did u fab it yourself or have a shop do it? what muffler are u using? I'm planning on using a apexi n1 single. How 'bout power gains? Noticable?

[240sxspeedracer1]

I had the shop do everything for me.
All I have is a car jack, not enough for an entire exhaust job(although others will disagree, I'd rather not venture into trying that)
So yeah, I used a muffler that they had there, set me back about 175 for the muff.(2.5 inlet, dual 3 outlet)
Definite power gains, it's quite incredible to drive a car normally for a couple months, then do something major to increase HP (like an exhaust job) and feel how fast the car responds.
Like now, the tachometer screams through the revs after 3 rpm, before it would find it's way up to 6, now it wants to go to 6 and beyond, I really love it, and I am making fans everywhere (people on the streets, and high school kids that see me screeching through turns, or peeling out in gears can't help but say something like "whoooohoooo" or "oh shit"
And every damn day I get a ricer that wants to race, it's quite fun handing them their ass, makes me feel all mighty. Muahahahahahaaa <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sigh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/hehe.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':hehe:'>

[Broadwayblues]

What is the stock inlet size on the muffler? 2.5??
How did you remove the resonator? TIA!

[tnord]

i'm using slightly under 2.5'' pipe

[240sxspeedracer1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Broadwayblues @ April 24 2002,11:38)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What is the stock inlet size on the muffler? 2.5??
How did you remove the resonator? TIA!</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
well, I dont think the stock inlet of a muffler is 2.5" cause the stock size of the pipes are not 2.5"
I think the stock size is something between 1.8 and 2"
not too sure though

ps: I didnt remove the resonator, I had the muffler shop take it off. &nbsp;Its probably the same way you take off the cat.....

[Broadwayblues]

So if i want 2.5, I am going to have to get the muffler shop to run 2.5 from my cat back? I have a universal from PDM that is coming in today, I hope. It's inlet is 2.5. I was hoping to just use the stock pipes for now til I can afford a cat-back system. I might go ahead and see about a custom mandrel set-up and stay with this then. Dunno, any thoughts?
Update:
called all the muffler shops and no mandrel machine here. it's too expensive. Guess I am going to get a 2.5 custom with my PDM Universal muffler. Not the best set-up in the world, but it'll do for now.