If you go hard enough, I think you could catch up with the Uluru trip boys.....
You kids have all the fun... blast both of you! Am very curious to see those numbers. Dunno if I could get away with QS cats in California, though. It'd be a PITA to have to swap them in/out every year for testing. Then again, a true 600 bhp DOES sound good. Then a 600 lb diet. MMMMM Tasty maranello. Who needs newer ferraris? --Dan
I read all of the postings and can one of you guys distill all of this down to the best setup with least mods. I would consider making the center pipe switch for more HP. I don't car for too much extra noise though. I already have tubis on the rear. I just solved 8 months worth of ecu problems with O2 sensors and do not wish to go through that again. Are you saying it is worth switching to a center stebro x pipe or a center x tubi pipe? How much louder will my car be with the center section. I definitely do not want any more low end resonance, that's for sure. IF changing the center pipe, will I have to do anything with the O2 sensors? I do not want to remap ecu's or change flywheels. I want to keep the car as reliable as possible. If I were to change to a center tubi x pipe, will a F dealer do the work? I can't imagine asking a midas shop to touch my car. Thanks for the help. I love the info I get from all of you guys. Thanks Gary
Gary. The low end resonance will actually reduce a bit if you use the pipe I have posted here. I cant say if you use stebro or Tubi... I just haven't done it. You will pick up a little noise, but not too much, although with stephens car now cat free, it's a lttle too loud so I think Mk 5 will be a Mk3 (photo) with a silencer incorporated. You don't need to touch flywheel or sensors or anything... just remove the old and fit the new. A dealer/specialist will do it for you, but you may have to supply your own parts. For me... I dislike the tubi rear boxes...as they cause the "boom". I'd run std rear boxes,with valve wired open if you want, with siamese )( pipe in centre, Sports air filters and a lightened flywheel when you need a clutch!
Thanks Ferrarifixer: I do not want to change my rear tubis. I am happy with them and too lazy as well as not having the original cans for the car. My best friend is a Tubi distributor, so I am thinking of asking him to get me the center tubi x pipe and having maybe asking Tinm Stanfield in Miami area to do the work. As far as the air filters go, I am sure I have original oem filters in the car. Are you referrig to K&N filters to replace the oem ones? Thanks for the advice. By the way, can you really feel a difference in power and acceleration by justr replacing the center pipe and air filters? Gary
Gary As to how loud the system is, it is SIGNIFICANTLY quieter than a stock 430. The 430 measured 84db at 30m my car 76db at 30m at full acceleration, so it is quiet enough to pass noise restricted track days, but a stock 430 is not! The corss over/siamese design does not make the exhaust louder at low revs or part throttle. It adds excitement to the top end wail that is missing from the car, even with Tubi's. There are no problems with check engine lights sensors etc. I have been running various version of the crossover pipes for 6 months now with no ill effect. My flywheel was lightened and clutch changed to a solid race clutch only after the standard clutch disintegrated at the track. It was being driven by someone else and may have been over revved at the time, coming down the gears, or it could have just had enough. The combination of significant power gains and repeated track use with very sticky semi slick rubber would have been pushing the clutch to its limit. As the car was apart and the flywheel face required machining anyway, because of the damage, it was lightened as well. None of these changes are relevant to a street car. Where the sensors come into play is after removing the cats. The car is actually quieter at low revs and has lost most, if not all of its resonance with the cats removed, however as soon as you give it a reasonable amount of throttle, all hell breaks loose. Phil is right(OMG not again!!!) about needing to add a couple of small resonators to quieten the car a little. It is actually fine for the street as is, when you want to be quiet just don't accelerate hard, but for track usage, where cars are measured to ensure compliance with limits, I fear I would only be legal on competition days with a 95db noise limit. Hope this helps.
Gary Undoubtably. The car is transformed from 6K onwards with the filters and centre pipe. I prefer BMC to K&N but it's pretty much of a muchness, frommy experience. Phils idea with the rear mufflers suck as the Tubis are not only much nicer looking, but around 100lbs lighter as well. I'd really like to hear Capristo and other alternatives first hand. I had a set of rear race mufflers made up for the 550. They were rediculously loud and just caused headaches, literally, this was with cats, resonators as well asthe race mufflers in place, so I know first hand that getting a lightweight silencer that works onthe 550 isn't an easy task.
Dan, I don't see 650hp as being out of the question. So far I have trimmed just over 200lbs, with a further 250-300 still to come.
Gary: changing the center pipe is a no-consequence issue. No issues with O2 sensors. Nothing. It is a small (~4ft) piece of tubing that you can easily install yourself if the car is on a lift. Honestly, it's very simple. I, personally, would avoid the stebro setup. I have it on my car and find it to be less than stellar. I am going to try Phil / Stephen's siamese setup to see how that runs, as they've put a lot of time and energy into it. As far as cans go, everyone has their preference. I shelved my tubis for the CG setup, which I felt has a much, MUCH better sound low and high (none of the tubi resonance down low, and an actual improvement up high). As Stephen and Phil have mentioned, replacing the cans and the center section will save lots of weight. The stock center section is a piggish thing, but then, if you've ever seen (or held) the stock cans, you understand. --Dan
BTW - I am more inclined to trust the Stephen / Phil solution than Tubi's for the center pipe. Stephen: you're an ass. A speedy one, but still an ass. --Dan
You have no idea how true that statement is, I forgot to mention the 50lb weight savings still to be had from my diet, most of which WILL probably come from my ass...
Bart... Having a stock 550 is a great thing.... but you're sitting on a gold mine of power and fun, and not digging!
Another huge advantage to the test pipes is the reduction in underbonnet temperatures. The bonnet no longer doubles as a barbeque plate, after coming home from a spirited drive tonight, the bonnet was cool to the touch. This alone makes it worthwhile IMO.
Stephen/Phil Are these readily available from QS? I looked awhile back and saw nada. I am running a QS header/cat/downpipe on my Works Cooper S, and it has been great, no CELs, nada, and quality is nice. The headers/manifolds, hiflow cats/testpipes may be needed during my upcoming belt service, once the damn SA gets here. I still need to get BMC filters, I haven't found a US supplier yet. Suspension stuff too. I want to drive the HGTC some 1st before I swap out the Shark stuff. And, BTW, both Dan and I are asses, so we oughta know
Lee - you ass-less honky, what did I do to be relegated to your exalted, scandalously insidious company? PCH - thanks for contact re: BMC - I need to do them too when I get back. I wish I had ordered a mk3 from Phil a long time back. Would've been nice to have a sweeter sounding 550 for monterey. oh well. --Dan
Lee, yes they are, but they need mods to make them fit, they also set the CEL. I would prefer to use my std units as a pattern, for test pipes made by the same fabricators of the crossover pipe.
I am pretty much sold on the idea of swapping out my stock center section for either a Tubi x pipe or Ferrarifixers Mk3 or Mk4. Anyone have any input as to the difference between them in sound and horsepower. Anyone have a used Tubi center x pipe for sale? That would avoid any customs hassle. I am talking with Phil also about having his system sent to me to Florida. Is there any kind of customs issue involved? Something like this can be UPS'ed to your door can't it?
Gary - I too am talking to Phil about the MK3 system. Of all of the center pipes I've heard of, this one seems the most interesting. I am curious to compare it to the stebro, especially. Phil - give us a two-for-one discount! I'll even buy cats! --Dan
No customs hassle with Tubi Style, USA, only the high price, (approx. 2K). Their located in Michigan. http://www.tubistyleusa.com/
If you are looking for the best sound, test pipes, with built in mufflers, x-pipe and Tubi. Right now my car sounds AWESOME, but is too loud, hence I will be adding two small mufflers to bring the sound down to an acceptable level. Added bonus is a further 9% power increase...
