Originally posted by spongybandaids
I'm also looking at going for the comptech setup...so far i've got the intake and ice box...havn't installed it yet....
you should do a search on this...i believe Shingo wrote up an article on it and it was very informative
Hello!
My post/review about the Comptech I/H/E is located in the archives; either page 1 or page 2. My advice is to get the cheaper MIG-welded 4-2-1 header (versus the TIG, performance difference is virtually nil) as well as skip the polished intake and just get the foam filter + ice box. You'll perform the same and save a couple hundred dollars or so.
Bottom line: the Comptech setup is great if you plan to do light mods (eg. ITR cams) or stick only to simple bolt-ons (Comptech uses 2.25" piping + stock diameter header collector if I'm not mistaken). Comptech claims 15-20 whp on an otherwise stock GSR and even has a slick dyno chart online, but I'm not so sure about the validity of their claims. You're more likely to see 5-10 whp, with 15-20 whp definitely possible if you combine the Comptech I/H/E with a hi-flo cat.
I'm sure you already know the pros of the Comptech I/H/E (you can read my archived post for more) so I'll cover some of the cons.
Cons:
1) Construction Quality of the Icebox lid/airbox
The header is very high quality and looks beautiful. Same goes for the exhaust. The airbox for the intake/icebox system, however, looks like it was made in a toy factory and cobbled together in a hurry. I only say this because of my experience when cleaning the foam filter (another possible con; reusable filter = periodic cleaning + oiling). I had trouble getting the lid of the airbox off, I had trouble removing the foam filter, and I had even greater trouble trying to fit everything back together again. I'm comparing this to how easy it was for me to replace my air filter back when my car was stock.
2) Cabin drone at Highway cruising speed
The comptech I/H and specifically exhaust sound great while doing HPDE's, autocross, and generally cruising down the street. Nice low bassy grumble that's non-intrusive but definitely says, "hey, I mean business". However, I do a considerable amount of daily driving to work, and there is quite a bit of cabin drone at freeway speeds. It can get annoying, but it's not loud enough to impede conversation. Plus, I'm sure 90% of the aftermarket exhausts out there have the same problem. Comptech offers a silencer for their exhausts now but IMO if you want a quiet aftermarket exhaust I would suggest the Mugen twinloop (I almost certain it's 2.25" as well). Much more expensive, but perfect if you don't want to attract any attention whatsoever.
Let me know if you have any other questions
Shingo