Intake/Exhaust Questions
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Intake/Exhaust Questions
I am looking to buy a cat-back exhaust. I have a friend who works at a shop who can get me a great deal on one and said it is similar to this one...
My question is, with this exhaust and a header do i need to buy a new catalytic converter? I want to make it the best i can and i wonder if it is necessary or not....
Also, I currently have an AEM Short Ram Intake on my car. Is it better to have the full cold air intake or the short ram? I am looking for low to mid rpm power, so whichever would be best is what i want...
Any advice or suggestions for an exhaust setup are welcome and i hope you guys can send me in the right direction for my first big performance purchase... thanks!
My question is, with this exhaust and a header do i need to buy a new catalytic converter? I want to make it the best i can and i wonder if it is necessary or not....
Also, I currently have an AEM Short Ram Intake on my car. Is it better to have the full cold air intake or the short ram? I am looking for low to mid rpm power, so whichever would be best is what i want...
Any advice or suggestions for an exhaust setup are welcome and i hope you guys can send me in the right direction for my first big performance purchase... thanks!
WRX cuz Honda won't wagon
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,725
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From: San Jose, CA
Millions of people have asked your questions before. But I'll answer anyways.
No, you don't need a new cat as the cat-back exhaust bolts to the cat. The larger diameter exhaust (which this probably is) will sacrifice low end power and free up high end.
Both ram and CAI sacrifice low end. Ram air is a little freer flowing at the high end, but also suffers from when the engine bay heats up (like sitting at a stop light). The CAI tend to also have a mid range hump increase around 4.5k RPMs, and then free up again at the high end. CAI are susceptible to hydrolocking your engine (aka damaging engine) if you drive through deep 8"+ or so of water.
I/H/E are never "big performance" gains, so don't expect it.
If you have a D16Y8, you'll never be fast without forced induction or an engine swap (or prohibitively expensive internal mods).
I have a theory that most people wanting I/H/E never redline their car. If you don't redline, you aren't using your engine to it's potential. Change your oil to synthetic, change your transmission oil, new spark plugs, new spark plug wires, do an injector cleaning.
No, you don't need a new cat as the cat-back exhaust bolts to the cat. The larger diameter exhaust (which this probably is) will sacrifice low end power and free up high end.
Both ram and CAI sacrifice low end. Ram air is a little freer flowing at the high end, but also suffers from when the engine bay heats up (like sitting at a stop light). The CAI tend to also have a mid range hump increase around 4.5k RPMs, and then free up again at the high end. CAI are susceptible to hydrolocking your engine (aka damaging engine) if you drive through deep 8"+ or so of water.
I/H/E are never "big performance" gains, so don't expect it.
If you have a D16Y8, you'll never be fast without forced induction or an engine swap (or prohibitively expensive internal mods).
I have a theory that most people wanting I/H/E never redline their car. If you don't redline, you aren't using your engine to it's potential. Change your oil to synthetic, change your transmission oil, new spark plugs, new spark plug wires, do an injector cleaning.