Which exhaust should I choose for my R33 GTSt?

[Burns]

Which exhaust should I choose for my R33 GTSt?

I’m ready to take the first step in modifying my R33 by fitting a Cat Back Exhaust.

I don’t want it to be obscenely noisy as it needs to be cop friendly and not piss me of when on long drives. I don’t really want a big wanky tip but it looks like most of the Jap exhausts have this but I guess I can live with it. I am also not that concerned if it is stainless or not as I’m not planing to keep the car for 30 years and I don’t mind if it is new or used just as long as it is in good condition.

In short I want a socially acceptable, high flowing, non wanky exhaust that will eventually allow me to aim for 250rwkw.

I dropped into Ultimate Performance Imports who had a 9 to choose from ranging from $600 - $950.

Ultimate Performance Imports

http://www.upimports.com.au/UPI_Parts/exhaust1.php

I would love it if I could get a few opinions on what one I should go for.

Thanks

[Mr GTS4]

well i went down to my local muffler shop ( not dodgy guys ) and got a 3" cat back ( my stock cat has 3" in/out pipes on it to?? weird) mild steel (its thicker than normal too)

exhaust for $260 then the rear muffler for $190 ( cost +10% mates rates) i think its a 3" in and 5" out looks awesome. so thats $450. then i got them to order a dump/front pipe in for $350 fitted one piece job. so thats $800 all up for a 3" inch turbo back bascially for the exhaust except for the cat. i looked at the welds on the pipe and there spot on.

if you know anyone from nissan you can get a stanless one for about $170 i think. its all about who you know, not what you know!!

anyway thats my two cents.

[predator]

i can recommend the HKS Super Dragger II system.. low on noise, good on performance for good hp (at least going on my car), and looks nice too..

[Elithrar]

Here I go again. APEXi N1, with the silencer. Seriously, you won't get a drone with them. You can get 'em in either mild steel or titanium (+$200). Around $1200.

[BigDatto]

Kakimoto R is pretty good. big resonator & muffler so no cabin drone. Not discernably louder than stock, just deeper - easy to live with on a day-to-day basis.

It does, however have a wanky 4" tip with crazy "Run-Up Sport"sticker :thumbdwn:

Hope this adds to your confusion (not)

[vspecv]

well i went down to my local muffler shop ( not dodgy guys ) and got a 3" cat back ( my stock cat has 3" in/out pipes on it to?? weird) mild steel (its thicker than normal too)  

exhaust for $260 then the rear muffler for $190 ( cost +10% mates rates) i think its a 3" in and 5" out looks awesome. so thats $450. then i got them to order a dump/front pipe in for $350 fitted one piece job. so thats $800 all up for a 3" inch turbo back bascially for the exhaust except for the cat. i looked at the welds on the pipe and there spot on.

if you know anyone from nissan you can get a stanless one for about $170 i think. its all about who you know, not what you know!!

anyway thats my two cents.

mrgts4,

your method is simple, but does it work, the big brand companys spend hours and hours on r&d and dynoing there products to make sure they work.

going with a shop built system may actually cost u hp.

i would pick a brand name jap exhaust everytime.

[Steve]

agree 100% with VspecV, also jap ones are modular, so you can swap and change, and you know it will all fit.

I started with an N1, very good power, but very loud, an apexi flap or silencer would quieten things up, but go the flap as the removable silencer is a PITA plus it kills power alot worse than the flap. The flap is very easy to adjust from in cabin which the silencer isnt.

Next I went to a Nismo dual resonator, very quiet but lost power. Noise and power go hand in hand. Ended up needing to upgrade it.

Lastly went to HKS super dragger. Quite noisey when you get on it, but not as bad as the N1, and a huge improvement everywhere on the nismo.

the things I would recommend, get a system that is as straight as possible, bends create back pressure, get a system as large as possible, 80mm+, the bigger the better as it allows better flow and make sure all the resonators are straight through designe not angled or doing any crazy gas redirecting.

Food for thought, I noticeable increase in lag, drop in power and poorer offboost performance with the quieter Nismo exhaust than with the HKS or N1 systems, but it was definately alot quieter.

Lastly, I read in the book '21st century performance' by Julian Edgar, that the fat tip on the end of the tail resonator acutally has a performance gain - perhaps this is why all the Jap ones have it.

I was fortuneate that I found a second hand parts shop that allowed me to try a few different systems until I got one that wasnt too loud, but flowed well. If they are agreeable, see if they have a hoist, and will let you try a couple to see which one suits you best. It is a very easy job to do, just a couple of bolts to the cat and only takes a few minutes to change them. good luck

[Evil]

i have a fujitsubo power getter and it is great... full stainless, not too louder and a decent power gain

[NickySantoro]

I currently have an Apexi N1 system that comes with a silencer... but if you want an awsome exhuast which might be a little hard to find, as I am currently looking for one now... Its the 'Team 5zigen 304 speed border' exhaust. It has like a bellmouth tip that is 5" and it sounds fkn amazing. It comes with a warning, 'restricted to race use only'... attached is a pic of just the muffler sort off, but there is a full system and it dosent have a resinator, so its pretty fkn loud. My friend had it on a 180 and had to take it off cos it was too loud.

[QuickR33Melb]

I went a bit left field and like you I didn't want the normal cannon muffler that most imports seem to have. I got an aftermarket muffler usually fitted to BMW's with a single flow 3" twin pipe look for $400 second hand (only for the muffler)

It looks like a bigger version of the stock skyline muffler. Not to loud but it has fantastic flow.

If I were you try and get a muffler that looks stockish

[sewid]

I cant see how a straight through piece of 3" pipe made in Japan can flow better than a 3" piece of pipe made in your local exhaust shop?

My exhaust is custom built by a local mob and cost less than $400 for the cat back system including resonator. The whole system is 3" all mandrel bent and looks like jap systems.

Its just a glorified pipe. The muffler makes a difference but anyone can flange your exhaust to enable you to change mufflers at any time. Sorry guys even commodores do this.

[sewid]

I went a bit left field and like you I didn't want the normal cannon muffler that most imports seem to have.  I got an aftermarket muffler usually fitted to BMW's with a single flow 3" twin pipe look for $400 second hand (only for the muffler)

It looks like a bigger version of the stock skyline muffler.  Not to loud but it has fantastic flow.

If I were you try and get a muffler that looks stockish

I have done the same. At the moment I am using a twin tip stainless straight through muffler from JustJap. 3" inlet and dual 2" outlet. Looks quite stock but sounds very nice.

I hope the appearance will make the car look a bit different to the average skyline and perhaps attract less attention.

Total cost $175 (after SAU membership discount)

[predator]

ohhhhhh...you're in Victoria DO NOT GET A LOUD EXHAUST! Something such as the Apexi N1 WILL NOT PASS THE 90db LIMIT.

The way things are at the moment you'll get pulled over and EPA'ed in about a month for noise.. the cops are cracking down HEAVILY on this sort of thing, and its any excuse to hassle an skyline owner.. would be a shame to get it all fitted and then realise you've gotta kill it by silencers or something else once you get that EPA. Just make sure you get something that isn't too loud, as you'll probably regret it - no matter how cool it might sound.

sorry, but thems Victoria for you.. and hence why i don't live there any more

[SmoothLine]

Apexi.

[predator]

matt: see above.. Apexi is way about 90db, and a cop can sniff it from kilometers away. In VIC anything thats an attention grabber will get you pulled over, its a police state ! I know people that have specifically failed with the N1, its a loud exhaust - might be good, but way loud.

Depends, Apexi may have a quieter exhaust (not the N2, thats loud also ).. but yeah..

[Mr GTS4]

on my exhaust they used as little bends as they could for better flow. and its not that loud unless you really get into it. and i don't see how you can lose HP with getting a 3" inch turbo baack. i can understand the end muffler restricting the flow.

[vspecv]

on my exhaust they used as little bends as they could for better flow. and its not that loud unless you really get into it. and i don't see how you can lose HP with getting a 3" inch turbo baack. i can understand the end muffler restricting the flow.

i agree with what u say about the bends, if the piping has minimal bends, then no problem, but how well does ur muffler flow compared to hks

[vspecv]

matt: see above.. Apexi is way about 90db, and a cop can sniff it from kilometers away. In VIC anything thats an attention grabber will get you pulled over, its a police state ! I know people that have specifically failed with the N1, its a loud exhaust - might be good, but way loud.  

Depends, Apexi may have a quieter exhaust (not the N2, thats loud also ).. but yeah..

apexi n1=DRONE

[(B1) MR_fanny]

i have an apex dual N1 and i dont think its that loud. did give me a headache first time i drove home with it...haha. not too big either and looks great!!

[doxximus]

i recomend the hks super dragger, although it comes out straight it still flows very well (mine is 3.5" cat back, hiflow cat, and 3" front) they arent droney like what vspecv has said also, and they look damn horn, just massive muffler lol but yeah it is nice and quiet in cabin, and it only gets loud when your cat gasket falls off (like mine did, all fixed now).

its just super quiet