New Exhaust for Mazdaspeed Proteges

I do hear a hard thump when i go over bad bumps. I think its the exhuast though, but im pretty sure the kartboy hangers would fix this since the stockers are softer and allow alot of move.
 
It's not that the pipe is too close to the bolts, the stock bolts are to wide and round. It's a small problem nothing major though.
 
Does anyone know the size of the nuts used on the s-pipe flange (thread and socket size)? I'd like to go ahead and pick up some new ones that I will not have to grind down. Should be able to get something at the hardware store that does not have that rounded part on the bottom. Is that what you had to grind down?

I'll be installing next Wed. with Kartboy Hangers and AWR Front MM. I'll let you guys know if I have any movement problems.
 
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brianmcd said:
Hey, I used a grinder and grinded the sides off of the nuts to make them fit. Are you sure the sound is your kartboy? I'm willing to bet it's your exhaust, not your shifter. When I put my shifter in I just bent the heat shield slightly and I've never had any noises from it. My exhaust makes grinding noises on start up and when I go from a stop. Does your exhaust seem to sag a little in the middle? I think with kartboy hangers mine will be perfect.

~brian

Can you bend the two hangers on the DP down so the DP sits higher up from the crossmember?
 
good i already have kartboys. and the shifter does hit the shield if you dont cut or bend it out of the way, i cut mine a little. so what exactly are you grinding down to get this to fit right. i am installing tomorrow hopefully.
 
I had to grind the side of the nuts to make them fit. I'm going to try the kartboy hangers first, and if that doesn't pick it up enough I'll bend the hangers a little. I think the kartboy's will fix it though.

~brian
 
Oh and btw, the supplied s-pipe gasket did not line up at all, so I had to reuse the stock one. The other gaskets worked fine though.

~brian
 
"Umm have you looked at the s-pipe? It's like 6" long. It's not that big of a deal really."

"the best exhaust for a turbo is the least exhaust......Back pressure in an exhaust system is evil"- Corky Bell

By leaving the Stock S-pipe in u r actually maintaining the backpressure in the worst possible place.

Also the sudden change from 2.5 to 3" will cause air distrubance and further backpressure. THere's a thread somewhere I was just checking out that went into this in great detail. I can't find it, now, but I'm just trying to get it strait. I'm no expert, so the conflicting info makes it hard for me to buy any of this aftermarket stuff.

Tito
 
I felt a difference with the cai, and exhuast. I felt it more torquier. making the wheel hope worst and less traction up front >: (
 
Dude, obviously the object is to releive back pressure, but the s-pipe is such a pain in the ass for not that much gain. Look at 505zoom. His car put down 250whp and 250wtq and he has the stock s-pipe. While ideally you want less back pressure, you have to take into account how much of a pain in the ass it is to change out the s-pipe, and the dollar to horsepower gain. The GHL exhaust is $400 more. You could put that money towards and smic/fmic and get more power out of it than replacing the s-pipe. If you're going for 300+whp I'd replace the s-pipe, but realistically I'm shooting for a little over 200, so it's not that big of a deal.

~brian
 
i am sending mine back, dont want to worry about this back pressure stuff. fcuk that i am not. anyways doesnt our exhaust help alleviate some backpressure by being 2.5 then gradually flaring out to 3. I thought backpressure came from bottling up the exhaust like going from 3 to 2.25 on the way out. anyways I agree with Brian and it just wasnt worth the hassle to change the s-pipe for a small gain and large expense, if ETD developes one in the next year I might consider it, but not until then, and I have other things I want first, like some stregthened internals, that nifty turbo manifold, fmic/smic. anywyas i know most peoples excitment is died down a little but i am posting my unpacking picks anyways.
1. walked into the apartment to this huge ass box
2. unpacked this! 3" is bigger than I thought it was going to be
3. its so pretty
4. for fun
5. silencer is in it
 

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I just got mine in. The only problem i have is that the j-pipe with the cat is hitting against the crossmember. Do you guys think that kartboy hanger will fix that? Also i havent tried the silencer. Is it a lot quieter?
 
ChiMSP said:
How do you like the the tone with out the silencer?^
Its a really deep tone. I think it sounds good, not ricy. It definetly makes the car breathe better, much more peppier than stock. The only problem is theres some banging of the j pipe. I got to check the hangers, maybe i could bend some to keep it from hitting the crossmember.
 
ChiMSP said:
Post some pics dude^
I don't have a camera. One thing i dont like about the exhaust is where the bung for the O2 sensor is. There is clearance now, but it seems that if i ever hit a huge bump that the sensor will hit the bottom of the car and break. Why couldnt they just put it on the side?
 

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