Question about fitting exhaust systems

authentic · Post by **authentic** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:31 pm

Kind of a noob question, but I've never delt with an exhaust system properly myself.

I'm looking at completely replacing my stock-ish exhaust system. Headers, midpipe, muffler, the works.

I've settled on a Racing Beat 4-1 header, and liked the idea of going with Racing Beat everything (test pipe to repace the cat, sport midpipe and single tip muffler) but I prefer the look of the Buddy Club Spec II exhaust system.

My question is basically, would everything fit together? I assumed that the 'length' of aftermarket headers is always the same, so the outlet flange is always going to sit at the same place. But I'm checking here first.

Thanks to Kieran in my thread 'Buying from the states' for suggesting MiataRoadster.com. I emailed them this afternoon and they already got back to me with a shipping estimate for a set of headers ($142 USD, not bad).

Mr. Shine · Post by **Mr. Shine** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:46 pm

Not really on topic for you, but I can guarantee you'll have warrant/cert issues with a Spec II. They have a removable silencer, but either way they're very, very loud. Mate of mine had one on his '01 Integra Type R, that thing fucking screamed.

authentic · Post by **authentic** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:08 pm

Whats the legal limit, is it something like 90db at 4K rpm?

I watched a couple youtube videos to try and see how loud they are (they both sound awesome), but theres no way to tell by listening to camera phone audio through headphones

Buddy Club Spec II on an MX-5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_q_k0sR ... page#t=33s

Racing Beat system on an MX-5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=FLGwA ... page#t=40s

The Racing Beat system has a couple of options for the midpipe, one being a pre-silencer which would help cut down the decibels.

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:16 pm

As far as volume goes, if your WoF shop goes by the book, ANY buddyclub exhaust will fail a WoF.

As far as silencers go, technically they have to be welded in as per WoF or LVVTA noise cert requirements, so once again, going by the book you should fail if it is removable. My recommendation, keep your stock exhaust for WoF's if you run into trouble.

I had a 2.5in stainless exhaust, 1x cat, 1x mid muffler, 1x twin loop muffler and with a gasket to reduce the c pipe size to 2x 1.5cm holes, I was still failing noise certs on my civic.

Edit*
The other thing with noise tests (Not sure about MX-5's, but 4 bangers usually do) I was failing due to the growl/cackle/horrible noise as they backed off the throttle, which is counted in the test, not the accelleration itself)

warrior · Post by **warrior** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:34 pm

Hi have headers, one silenser and a jackson racing muffler and the car is too loud, the thing is i,m over 40 and my car is in very good condition. I use a GOOD local warrent place that I am very nice when I go there and take all my 4 cars there for a warrent. They have told me the car is too loud but have passed it every time because of the reasons I have listed.....just my 2 cents worth.

warrior · Post by **warrior** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:37 pm

p.s why not go local with your exhaust? I bought and had everything made for my car here. I bet buying Racing beat gear will give you very little if any more horsepower than what you can buy and get made here and will cost you a lot more too.

warrior · Post by **warrior** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:40 pm

p.p.s you will also need a heated o2 sensor. I thought I would get away without one but you cant so factor that into your costs.

authentic · Post by **authentic** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:44 pm

I did think about going local for sure. I just went searching for headers and came across those systems which seemed pretty sweet.

Would an exhaust shop be able to source headers, or would it be best to get some myself and take them in?

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:39 pm

authentic wrote:I did think about going local for sure. I just went searching for headers and came across those systems which seemed pretty sweet.

Would an exhaust shop be able to source headers, or would it be best to get some myself and take them in?

This is the sort of thing the local guys can do!...i have no complaints

brownie · Post by **brownie** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:43 pm

What spec's is your car ???,Put in in your sig,always makes it easier to help if we what you have.
I've a Racing Beat muffler(By RS*R Japan) and pipe i bought that i,m not going to use now.
To suit NA 1600,should work on a 1800 NA as well.
PM me and i can send photos if keen,Pretty sure i,ve posted photo's of it before on the forum

warrior · Post by **warrior** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:49 pm

There are a couple of places in penrose that sell headers for the NA , i bought mine from them and had them fitted. I am very happy wth the quality of them (I will get there name for you) Then I got a JACKSON RACING muffler off trade me and got AL,S mufflers to fit it all up. Cost was appox $850 all up fitted. Give me a couple of days and I will get there names but one is DRIFTMAX.

warrior · Post by **warrior** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:52 pm

The parts the brownie has sounds like what you need with some new headers......like I said the RACING BEAT stuff might sound nice but my system looks great and I doubt the RB stuff would get much more if any HP

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:59 pm

Be careful with off the shelf cheaper stainless mufflers, my experience is they will rattle themselves to death rather quickly

authentic · Post by **authentic** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:00 pm

This is the sort of thing the local guys can do!...i have no complaints

That looks sick, definitely wouldn't have any complaints with that!

There are a couple of places in penrose that sell headers for the NA , i bought mine from them and had them fitted. I am very happy wth the quality of them (I will get there name for you) Then I got a JACKSON RACING muffler off trade me and got AL,S mufflers to fit it all up. Cost was appox $850 all up fitted. Give me a couple of days and I will get there names but one is DRIFTMAX.

I saw those Drift Max headers on trade me a while back, which would have been just right. But I was working 12 hour night shifts at the time and repping a 50cc moped to go to work so I wasn't focused on my car at the time. They're out of stock at the moment and they cant give an estimate on when new stuffs going to come in.

PM'd brownie.

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:06 pm

Thanks authentic...headers,dump-pipe,coby,sport muffler & 2.5" pipework fab'd & fitted for a grand from a crowd in Hillside Rd Glenfield [couple a years ago].

2low2c · Post by **2low2c** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:23 pm

all buddy club exhausts will pass a wof for noise if the factory cat is still in the jasma spec is 90db with the cat in. i would suspect even the racing beat exhaust might be to loud for the road if you remove the cat .

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:29 pm

2low2c wrote:all buddy club exhausts will pass a wof for noise if the factory cat is still in the jasma spec is 90db with the cat in. i would suspect even the racing beat exhaust might be to loud for the road if you remove the cat .

The numbers they quote are no where near accurate... Cant confirm for MX-5's. Ive been black flagged at Puke using a spec 2 at over 100dB with a cat

authentic · Post by **authentic** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:30 pm

Damn, my cat is long gone. I've got a pretty crude midpipe with a coby welded in. I don't think I could re-use the coby either.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:15 am

From what I hear the collector and primary tubing on all off the shelf miata headers are to small if you do any head work, Cams, oversized pistons, hi-comp, etc...

So if your modifing the engine at all there is no point in getting a RB header as like most other off the shelf part for a miata or any car they are meant for max efficiency on a stock engine same with the rest of the exhaust from them and anyone else if you arent planning any future engine work go hard they make good quality products and sound nice!

Mr. Shine · Post by **Mr. Shine** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:29 am

2low2c wrote:all buddy club exhausts will pass a wof for noise if the factory cat is still in the jasma spec is 90db with the cat in.

Any increase over factory noise output requires LVV testing and certification, and certainly at least the Spec II is louder than factory, and on top of that it has a removable silencer, which is not allowed. I'd expect other Buddy Club exhausts to be at least slightly louder than factory also.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:17 pm

Kieran wrote:From what I hear the collector and primary tubing on all off the shelf miata headers are to small if you do any head work, Cams, oversized pistons, hi-comp, etc...

So if your modifing the engine at all there is no point in getting a RB header as like most other off the shelf part for a miata or any car they are meant for max efficiency on a stock engine same with the rest of the exhaust from them and anyone else if you arent planning any future engine work go hard they make good quality products and sound nice!

Sorry Kieran, this is not correct. The RB header will not 'strangle' naturally aspirated outputs, short of a stroker. Cheers.

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:09 pm

I've got the rb mid-pipe in the garage and the rb power pulse muffler coming over in a container and currently installed is maxim works headers. I'll let you know what its like when they're all installed. I plan to put in the flyin miata cat though to replace the test pipe I currently have. Shouldnt be too loud from what ive seen on YouTube

authentic · Post by **authentic** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:37 pm

Angreal wrote:I've got the rb mid-pipe in the garage and the rb power pulse muffler coming over in a container and currently installed is maxim works headers. I'll let you know what its like when they're all installed. I plan to put in the flyin miata cat though to replace the test pipe I currently have. Shouldnt be too loud from what ive seen on YouTube

Those Maxim Works headers look real nice, I first saw them on the REV9 website a while back. Where abouts did you get yours?

You should make a quick video when its all installed, would be cool to hear it in action.

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:44 pm

Picked them up by chance from mazline. My old headers kept splitting so I went on a mission to make my car wofable and took about 2 months to find anything that would fit and by chance these were the first things that fit hence I coated them with hpc to ensure they last. As soon as I saw them I knew I needed them and are pretty much why I'm looking to supercharge rather than turbo.

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:55 pm

Slightly OT, but does a pod filter cold air intake make the stock engine sound a bit better?

Im kinda a bit bummed about how un-sporty the engine sounds, im tempted to go turbo just to cover the horrible noise of the engine with sucking noises.

Exhaust is stock, might do a system for it at some stage.

Question about fitting exhaust systems

Question about fitting exhaust systems

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