Exhaust Cutouts?

[Peter89]

i was thinking about a varex muffler but don't like the highly restrictive quiet mode and rather have a somewhat flowing exhaust that's quiet. when i just remembered about exhaust cutouts. they seem to be far more popular over in american then here however im sure some people must have them.

if you have one or had one, how much did it cost? brand? installation cost? problems?

for those that don't know what an exhaust cutout is, it's a manual but usually electronically operated butterfly valve that allows exhaust to exit before the muffler. usually placed between the cat and mid-muffler but can also be placed on the dump pipe or on the diff back.

my current exhaust is great for traffic, arriving home late at night and cops however it doesn't sound mean. for track days, cruises and hill runs it sounds weak but i'd rather not risk a fine for a loud exhaust. so i thought this could be a solution to my problem.

[StealthX]

They are still illegal man, if you even need to go over the pits, you'll get raped.

If you really want one, maybe get a flange to cover up the hole, and that will allow you to take off the entire unit, if the times come and you need to go over the pits.

Other that the legalities, they are sick!

All you'd need is a bit of wiring, then an exhaust shop to make up a 'Y' piece for ya.

Good luck bro!

[Peter89]

i know the legality very well

hide for normal roady and stock exhaust for epa anyways.

there's a kit on ebay, some american shop sells them for a good price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BadlanzHPE-...sQ5fAccessories

still want some sau member reviews of any such products, hate for them all to suck and break.

[saliya]

i was thinking about a varex muffler but don't like the highly restrictive quiet mode and rather have a somewhat flowing exhaust that's quiet. when i just remembered about exhaust cutouts. they seem to be far more popular over in american then here however im sure some people must have them.

Variable exhausts are generally illegal for road registered vehicles. So either is as bad as the other for legalities; but you know that.

Both are butterfly-driven; meaning they will both have similar problems (moving parts don't like exhausts).

If you don't move them over the full range of motion regularly they will probably start getting stuck.

The cutout style is generally a smaller butterfly / axle so it should have less problems (all other things being equal).

BUT - the cutout style allows exhaust gas to exit under your vehicle. This is a Bad Thing - You Do Not Want Exhaust Gas In Your Car.

I'm sure that if the "Varex" brand does not permit you to set the opening that you want (e.g. 30%) then there are others that will.

Cheers,

Saliya

[mad082]

maybe you should just look at getting a different muffler. something that is still going to give both good flow and noise reduction, but give a note. something like a nice big oval muffler. it will take out the noise but still give a good note.

[Peter89]

cost.

good highflow muffler still draws attention.

[R31Nismoid]

No it doesn't.

A legal exhaust, is legal, is legal, is legal.

[mad082]

i agree. some real world experience:

a wek or 2 ago i got a new exhasut for our SSS pulsar. previously it was 2" catback with extractors. the rear muffler was starting to let go around the outlet. the muffler was a 2" lukey oval muffler, and the piping was 2" press bent (and pretty dodgy and restrictive in some areas) and it had a 15" resonator/hotdog after the cat. what i got made up was 2.25" from the resonator back, and the rear muffler was 2.5" (lukey performance flow i think it was called). the muffler body was much larger than the old 2" one i had. i was expecting that with the bigger piping and 2.5" muffler that it was going to be louder that the 2" system. it wasn't. started the car and could immediately tell it was quieter, and not just because the old muffer was warn out. this was quieter than when i first got it done. then i took it for a drive. felt much better to drive, revved more freely and was also quieter. then on a trip down the coast on friday again i noticed how much quieter it was at 110kmh. you could easily have a conversation where as previously it had had a bit of a drone.

[Peter89]

you miss the point, i want something loud and since it's not practically to have it all the time, this could solve my problem.

yet i guess no one has one on SAU.

[mad082]

you could always get a Y piece added into your exhaust then make up a butterfly system

[Birds]

Go for the Varex - quiet mode really isn't that bad moving around town or at cruising speed. And that's when you'll want to get rid of a loud exhaust drone. You won't notice the restriction in quiet mode unless you're giving it alot of stick and usually that kind of behaviour will draw police attention without a loud exhaust to do it for you.

I have a resonator in the middle so it's legally quiet even on loud, so I just leave the thing open all the time. No highway drones, it's actually a nice sounding muffler.

It's an illegal item but there aren't many cops who know about them and he/she would have to be a right royal prick to call you up on it especially if the loud mode is quieter than legal limit.

[nismoman]

What about a side pipe for the track you can bolt on when you arrive at the track? Will give you lots of noise and better flow. Save weight too! Wouldn't take long.

Wouldn't cost that much for a metre worth of exhaust.