[urq] mufflers, exhaust, etc

[Ben Swann]

Steve,

I have the CAC rear and am nothing but pleased and get lots of wow comments.  This is
brushed stainless and looks like jewelry on the car – shame all you can see is the tips.
It is perhaps slightly larger than stock – 2.5” nominal, and not very restrictive,
certainly no worse than OEM and probably a slight improvement.  It is very difficult to
fab anything larger that will fit properly.  The portion that bends and goes over the
rear shaft will not fit anything larger – it is tight already. 

Unless you are shooting for well over 350 HP then the CAC unit will be nice.

I am using the Stebro center section  which is fine and incorporates a small
muffler/resonator.  CAC didn’t have one at the time, but if they do and it is anywhere
as nice as the rear section, then get it.   In addition, I am using a high flow cat from
Summit Racing that I fabbed the ends using some pipe that fits over the ends of the cat
and had the ends flared to use 3” flanges – perhaps a little smaller, I had to do a lot
of running around and fit checking when I did this.  You need to find the correct
sealing washer, as the stock one is way too small when you up the diameter like this
The downpipe is rather massive and supports a larger cat inlet.   There is not a good
selection of piping that is available between 2.5 and 3”, so this is always the trick
when you deviate from stock.  The cat although having 2.5” ID end pipes has a core that
is probably at least 5” and these are available in brushed stainless too.

The sound of my exhaust with the CAC rear and stebro middle is very pleasing – nice
burble wit the I5 note and never droning or resonant.  Again, I am nothing but pleased
with it.

Ben

[Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2007 16:44:07 -0800 (PST)
From: urq <urq at pacbell.net>
Subject: [urq]  mufflers, exhaust, etc
To: ury <urq at audifans.com>
Message-ID: <795019.13995.qm at web82811.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I was talking to Al about going with the CAC replacement muffler on my car, but he said
that the pipe diameter was smaller than factory ... I wonder if it makes that much
difference.  Does anyone have the CAC unit who can report on the exhaust note with that
setup?  I need the resonator replaced as well (in fact it is worse) so it would be good
to know what you have amidships as well.  I'll need something that works with the cat
... or includes a high flow cat solution.  John welded my parts up to get the car to
pass smog, but I've got to say the exhaust note isn't what I remember it ... and I'm
sure it isn't all due to the MC engine swap.  I guess I'll be looking for a system that
isn't too boomy on the freeway though ... I'd hate to lose my hearing on the way to
UPG2008!  :-)

BTW, I just got a call from the DMV, my car has had its record straightened out so that
I don't have to pay the registration fees and penalties from the years it sat in the
garage ... hopefully we'll be completely legal by the weekend!  I picked up all the
remaining excess parts from John Brasil at lunch today ... I think my first project will
be figuring out why the MC-2 fuel distributor/injector set up wasn't working.  

Steve B
San Jose, CA (USA)

... and to ECB ... thanks for your note ... sorry I haven't gotten back to you yet, but
I shall!]