Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hey all, i know this has been done to death, but if ya don't mind i'd like some ideas & dont mind shout outs to local workshops,

I've just gone over to where ( i thought ) RE customs in Springvale was & found there's something called Punjab motors there now. ( not a word of a lie ) Anyone know where Ray went?

I'd like to put an exhaust on an R34, the main point right now is I want to avoid the stereotypical droning and being extremely loud at Low RPM.

This possibly means i may need to go for something that has a butterfly valve in there but I'm open to any options to just get the job done.

So, can anyone from their experience recommend a workshop, or put me on the track to getting the job done? I had great support from you guys last year when i put some BC coilovers in, as of now it's still going well. Cheers!

Alex

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/456764-exhaust-ideas-melbourne-se-suburbs/
Share on other sites

To answer further, do not go that way.

SE suburbs you have two choices, really.

1) Havoc Fabrication

2) Scotty nm35 on these forums.

If you'd like to see a RE/RTR exhaust vs say, a scotty nm35 exhaust, you need look no further than under my car.

You will quickly see why there is no 3) in the list above.

  • Like 1

Performance Exhaust in Ringwood

Buy a Varex muffler and take it to them

Get a mild steel turbo back with mandrel bends

Have it rust out in 5 years and be back at square one.

FYP

I think you will find mild steel and ethanol moisture like one another a little too well chemically speaking.

I don't know where he mentioned ethanol

But on that note...no complaints from my exhaust yet and it runs E85 fulltime...

Mild steel systems sound infinitely better than tinny stainless which seem more likely to drone IMO

I don't know if its relative to my supernatural bad luck, the person who made half my exhaust, or the qualities of E85 vs Mild steel...

but holy f**k rust batman.

0/10 would not Mild steel ever again.

Can't comment on yours, too many factors including the Greg factor, but mine is ace after running three years of E85.

May also help that there is a thick layer of unburnt fuel / soot lining the pipes from when I was running a rich 98 tune. Either way she's structurally sound and if she ever gives way then I get a straight out exhaust thrown in for free :)

Fellas i've got a quote for 1800 bucks to do the full dual tip varex, this is the mild steel setup & includes the mandrel bends & install.

Sounds like you guys are running Ethanol - I only plan to use 98 and i drive it a couple of times a month. Honestly though if it's going to rust out i'd consider stainless steel, depends whats causing the rust?

I get what birds is saying though, my main point was not to be droney, and from this vid

Sounds pretty good (55 s onwards) though its hard to tell when stationary.

This setup seems to tick all the boxes, just seems to leave a ? on reliability. asides from rust, how reliable are the varex valves?

* Scotty whats the difference between doing things your preferred method and sticking a Varex muffler on?

If you're not far from Melbourne east, you're more than welcome to come have a listen to my RB25DET running mild steel 3" from the turbo back with a resonator and a twin tip Varex at the end. I supplied the Varex and the "cat", Performance Exhaust in Ringwood did the rest for $600. This was a good 5 years ago.

Couldn't be happier with the sound myself. It's not too loud (albeit illegally loud with Varex open), nice burble on idle, screams up top, doesn't drone at any rpm (even if it did the Varex is always there) and the Varex is still opening and closing brilliantly.

Also all systems on street driven cars rust out with surface rust eventually, even stainless given enough time and not maintaining it. Mild just does it quicker, within like 6 months. Black mild steel is good enough to hide the look. Stainless looks like ass when it has spots all over it IMO.

mild4lyf

RE customs moved further down the court (this was years ago) and then closed their doors. Ray now works for RTR in Dandenong (along with the dyno).

Punjab motors specialise in taxis.

Fark me, how much the car scene has changed. I still remember RE Customs when they were in Nunawading, before they re-branded

Performance Exhaust in Ringwood

Buy a Varex muffler and take it to them

Get a mild steel turbo back with mandrel bends

Don't look back

Performance Exhaust actually moved to Nunawading/Vermont. Its currently located in Trade Place.

I should say my exhaust appears to be structurally sound, was made a few years ago now. I just have one half made by Scotty in Stainless and one half made by RE in Mild steel. Working anywhere near the exhaust results in so much rust in my eyes/on things that it feels like you're gonna put a finger through it.

I am sure many a mild steel exhaust is fine. My approach to it is get it done once, right, though.

....this doesn't explain why I've had it done twice, but look, the logic is still sound!

Performance Exhaust actually moved to Nunawading/Vermont. Its currently located in Trade Place.

Interesting - been years since I've been to them. I used to live in Vermont too, so that would have only been handier for me.

Chemical rust inside and out, which will eventually rust right though, starting with the mufflers. I give untreated mild systems about 4-5 years before failing on petrol or ethanol due to the acidic nature of the exhaust. (petrol or ethanol)

Stainless on the other hand, if good grades are used, will literally last forever other than needing to repack the muffler, and the materials are usually less than $200 more.

After fitting many Varex mufflers over the years and having most of them fail in the same way, (including mine) I recommend not getting one of those overpriced crap heaps and just run a pair of stainless absorption mufflers.

With two stainless mufflers, a flex and a few Vband clamps I can do a stainless 3 inch system for $800 to $1000, so that system sounds way overpriced unless it's a twin 3.5 inch.

  • Like 1

After fitting many Varex mufflers over the years and having most of them fail in the same way, (including mine) I recommend not getting one of those overpriced crap heaps and just run a pair of stainless absorption mufflers.

Maybe the problem lies in the installation :P

How did the Varexes fail?

I must have struck it lucky; both Varex and mild steel piping still intact after 5 years...willing to accept I could be an outlier but I'll happily recommend this setup based on my ongoing positive experience with it..,

Touchwood (touchmildsteel?)

They fail stuck closed usually, other than that I have no idea if it's mechanically internal or the dodgy electronics. I have seen it at least 8 times now, sometimes on newer mufflers. How many K's you done on it Birds? Ever got it hot at the track?

Considering the price, and the hassle it is to repair them, why not just use decent mufflers that quieten the system down all the time. Considering I can get a similar muffler without the valve for $100odd, you will pay close to $350 more for the valve and remote which is crazy considering the (lack of) quality. I was the one pushing them years ago, but I have been let down too many times.

Installation issues? It's not a 5 speed auto valve body replacement we are talking about.

<3 the varex on the evo... granted it's not running big power, but it's a godsend to be able to run quiet if I need to, eg approaching a booze bus or driving through the CBD or arriving at a business meeting

<3 the varex on the evo... granted it's not running big power, but it's a godsend to be able to run quiet if I need to, eg approaching a booze bus or driving through the CBD or arriving at a business meeting

You heard my evo, it's quieter than the Varex on my Stagea when it's closed yet still makes enough power to smash both of you at Sandown. :P.

So what you guys are saying is you want a loud 3 inch which you can make quiet when you want, as opposed to just making it close to legal DB and not having issues?

A Varex is nearly $500 these days, I just don't think they are value for money anymore.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • As far as I can tell I have everything properly set in the Haltech software for engine size, injector data, all sensors seem to be reporting proper numbers.  If I change any injector details it doesnt run right.    Changing the base map is having the biggest change in response, im not sure how people are saying it doesnt really matter.  I'm guessing under normal conditions the ECU is able to self adjust and keep everything smooth.   Right now my best performance is happening by lowering the base map just enough to where the ECU us doing short term cut of about 45% to reach the target Lambda of 14.7.  That way when I start putting load on it still has high enough fuel map to not be so lean.  After 2500 rpm I raised the base map to what would be really rich at no load, but still helps with the lean spots on load.  I figure I don't have much reason to be above 2500rpm with no load.  When watching other videos it seems their target is reached much faster than mine.  Mine takes forever to adjust and reach the target. My next few days will be spent making sure timing is good, it was running fine before doing the ECU and DBW swap, but want to verify.  I'll also probably swap in the new injectors I bought as well as a walbro 255 pump.  
    • It would be different if the sealant hadn't started to peel up with gaps in the glue about ~6cm and bigger in some areas. I would much prefer not having to do the work take them off the car . However, the filler the owner put in the roof rack mount cavities has shrunk and begun to crack on the rail delete panels. I cant trust that to hold off moisture ingress especially where I live. Not only that but I have faded paint on as well as on either side of these panels, so they would need to come off to give the roofline a proper respray. My goal is to get in there and put a healthy amount of epoxy instead of panel filler/bog and potentially skin with carbon fiber. I have 2 spare rolls from an old motorcycle fairing project from a few years back and I think it'd be a nice touch on a black stag.  I've seen some threads where people replace their roof rack delete with a welded in sheet metal part. But has anyone re-worked the roof rails themselves? It seems like there is a lot of volume there to add in some threads and maybe a keyway for a quick(er) release roof rack system. Not afraid to mill something out if I have to. It would be cool to have a cross bar only setup. That way I can keep the sleek roofline that would accept a couple bolts to gain back that extra utility  3D print some snazzy covers to hide the threaded section to be thorough and keep things covered when not using the rack. 
    • Probably not. A workshop grade scantool is my go to for proper Consult interrogation. Any workshop grade tool should do it. Just go to a workshop.
    • In my head it does make sense to be a fuel problem since that is what I touched when cleaning the system. When I was testing with the fuel pressure gauge, the pressure was constantly 2.5 bar with the FPR vacuum removed. When stalling, the pressure was going up to 3.0 bar (which is how it should be on ignition).
    • ECUtalk pages don't mention they support the ABS computer (consult port has more than one CAN), so you might just need a different scan tool. But, I would expect ABS is a different light to the brake warning/handbrake light, do you see an ABS light come on for a few seconds when you turn the key from ACC to IGN? But since you said: I'd have a look at the ABS sensors in the rear hubs to make sure they are not damaged, disconnected etc.
×
×
  • Create New...