Should I buy a Test pipe? Need help

You won't see a huge gain in power with a test pipe...you will need to replace the dp to get power gains (along with the test pipe). It's a good mod, though...nice little bit of extra sound and a little bit of power.
 
no leaks. It gave a good deal more power than I thought it would. Butt Dyno says the gain is close to what the SRI gave it. Great Bang for the buck and doesn't add sound until you accelerate hard. Then it sounds very nice. Also, doesn't affect the tune like a DP does. Sure there's more HP in a DP, but my old ass doesn't want the noise or headache.
 
My old ass (59 years old and four prior high boost turbo cars - all modded to run catless DP/RP and aftermarket ECU's) does not mind running catless DP/RP in my MS3. lol.

The removal of the second cat and replacement with a RP will help -- a little, but not much. Don't expect more than maybe 5 whp. The stock cats are not high flow, so eliminating one of those that will help. But IMHO, the real restriction is in the sharply bent and strangely shaped neck of the OEM DP and in the first cat. I think the restriction in the neck of the stock DP is to coordinate heat retention for maximum emissions burn off in the first cat.

My mods (in my sig) are not producing any tune problems, so I disagree that it affects tune in any material way. These cars run so pig rich to begin with, that I'm still way too rich after the mods.

OP -- get the RP, but consider going full DP/RP for some serious power. I added a third reso to deal with the sound (yes, it will be louder), and am at least as quiet as the stock exhaust was before modding.
 
just ordered my speed action test pipe off of EBAY. Looking forward to the install this weekend. Are the power gains noticeable?
 
I hate to break the sad news, guys, but this was debated thoroughly on another site. Tampering with cats is against Federal law. You get away with it because not all states visually inspect the cats. They stick the sniffer in the tail pipe and if the emissions are within spec, you pass.

http://www.catalyticconverter.org/law/
 
just ordered my speed action test pipe off of EBAY. Looking forward to the install this weekend. Are the power gains noticeable?

butt dyno says yes during mid rpms.

helpful how to hints i couldn't find...

1. put the included gasket on the cbe side (i had agua leak w/o it there)
2. re-use the stock springs and place them between the 2 flanges (cbe side and tp)

it ain't legal from an emissions stand point, but so ain't going 110 in a 65.
 
I hate to break the sad news, guys, but this was debated thoroughly on another site. Tampering with cats is against Federal law. You get away with it because not all states visually inspect the cats. They stick the sniffer in the tail pipe and if the emissions are within spec, you pass.

http://www.catalyticconverter.org/law/

I could give a F*ck whether or not its legal to delete the cats. just be happy im staying with the stock DP.
 
Tampering with cats has been a fed law for a while now . . . My question is how people are getting shops to install catless downpipes (illegal for shops / customer). Test pipe is super easy to install / remove. You still have the downpipe cat on the car so you will prob be okay with emissions even if you leave the catless midpipe on teh car.
 
stock DP is for squares!

as for the test pipe why dont you just throw the stock one back on if you go in for an inspection?
 
Tampering with cats has been a fed law for a while now . . . My question is how people are getting shops to install catless downpipes (illegal for shops / customer). Test pipe is super easy to install / remove. You still have the downpipe cat on the car so you will prob be okay with emissions even if you leave the catless midpipe on teh car.

Don't you know that I only drive my MS3 on off road courses and at the drag strip? (Wink, wink.) The shop that did mine works only on race cars. (poster clears his voice here). Actually 90% of their work is on drag and circle track cars.
 
Last edited:
Hey MSMS3, I noticed you have a Turbo XS DP/RP installed. I'm going to install mine this saturday. Did you throw a CEL? Or did you do the anti-fouler trick, or the electrical diode? See I was going to hack up my O2 wiring and proceed with the diode trick, but if you didn't throw a CEL then there is no need for that.
 
Hey MSMS3, I noticed you have a Turbo XS DP/RP installed. I'm going to install mine this saturday. Did you throw a CEL? Or did you do the anti-fouler trick, or the electrical diode? See I was going to hack up my O2 wiring and proceed with the diode trick, but if you didn't throw a CEL then there is no need for that.

Yes, threw CEL code for the cats. Tried the anti-fouler trick. Did not work. Even doubled two of them together. Helped, but still get CEL's which sometimes self clear and then come back. Have not tried the diode trick. Let me know if it works for you. I've learned to live with it and even purchased my own OBD2 code reader so I can be sure it's not something else. But I'd rather be code free.
 
Does the ebay testpipe bolt up well to a aftermarket catback? and does anyone know what the piping diameter is on it?
 
Does the ebay testpipe bolt up well to a aftermarket catback? and does anyone know what the piping diameter is on it?

i have the ebay (speed action) tp and it fits the stock cbe. i'd compare your aem cbe w/ the stocker. if the tp connection looks the same on both, i'd say the tp fits.
 
Hey MSMS3, I noticed you have a Turbo XS DP/RP installed. I'm going to install mine this saturday. Did you throw a CEL? Or did you do the anti-fouler trick, or the electrical diode? See I was going to hack up my O2 wiring and proceed with the diode trick, but if you didn't throw a CEL then there is no need for that.

I ran the diode cheater fix on my TurboXS for 5 months no CEL's. When I went back to stock DP/MP just re-soldered the wires on the 02 sensor back, no big deal. Don't know about the rest of you running the catless DP/RP but I was getting boost cut on a regular basis, (SRI, TIP, Forge BPV on the intake side.) Very annoying symptom of running catless exhaust with your air intake opened up too. The stock DP is for sure the bottleneck in this car. I think you guys in states that have no real emission controls in place should enjoy while you can, eventually over the next couple of years we will all be under new legislation and Federal regulations to submit to emissions testing.
California has set the standard for low emissions that will apply to the rest of the country at some point and will also help out the auto industry in not having to have different production lines for cars going to states with stricter emissions laws in place... one standard=easier/less expensive for the auto makers to produce cars to the market place. As much as we enjoy our toys and modding we can't keep pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere like we are and expect no ill effects from it. As it is the U.S. is responsible for half of the worlds auto CO2 gas emissions. You've heard of global warming right? They're ways to still have fun and be fast with our toys and run cleaner. OK let the slamming begin, haha...(encourage
 
Last edited:
Back