New exhaust time for r33 gtst

[admS15]

My Varex now giving me issues and I blame this thread.
Used every day for 7 years with no faults and out of nowhere it won't open/shut easily.
Such a good muffler, though. As mentioned before, my exhaust doesn't drone and my music/tyres are usually louder anyway, but when you don't want to be heard it's quieter than the factory system. I reckon it's saved me an EPA at least a few times in the vicinity of a cop car / booze bus.

Power up the motor with direct 12 volts and see if its still working. If motor works, then it will be the remote box playing up. In that case just hard wire it to a switch. Thats what ive done with mine.

[Birds]

Good idea, I thought of doing that this morning to test the motor. Control box is clicking its solenoid as it does, so have a feeling it's wiring or motor. Might just hardwire to a rocker switch as you say.

Varex now have RPM controllers that can be wired into ECU and programmed to shut at cruise / open under certain throttle position, from memory. Would be cool but can't see the motor lasting as long?

[Griffin]

How would it go with a micro switch on the throttle body? Open at say 80% 

[Birds]

You'd want some sort of timer relay like a window switch so it's not perpetually trying to open it up / close it.

Really though, you'll leave Varex open most of the time unless it's a crazy loud system.

[Ben C34]

I have toyed with the idea of using an arduino to control them. Quite easy to set timers and windows etc to give the correct control.

[admS15]

I just went for my first drive with the varex on the back of the HKS hi power (f**king obnoxiously loud version), its still ridiculous loud when open but quiet as a mouse while closed. Idle still has a bit if beef to it even closed. I think while commuting it will be mostly closed and only opened for the odd shenanigan or two and track days. For my total outlay of $260, 60 for used hks system and 200 for used varex + reach around for welding dude at work, im as happy as Larry. If it gives me the shits in the long run, ill revert to my trusty, rusty Nismo.

Btw, the rocker switch from jaycar works ace, ive positioned it behind the cup holder, next to those useless coin holder slots.

[Birds]

Just beware, depending on what configuration of Varex you got (canon vs dual tip vs midpipe, it may not be healthy to push the engine whilst closed as it's quite a restriction at a single point in system (obvious by the huge sound difference). I find when shut they have slightly more initial torque off the line and from idle / low RPM, perhaps due to increased backpressure, but quickly nullified by the restriction as turbo tries to build boost.

I love the dual tip Varex because when open it seems to operate like a straight pipe, leaving the rest of the system to do any muffling.

[admS15]

Yeah i figured that. My daily commute to work is only a 15 min drive and i take it easy most of the way waiting for the oil to get up to temp. By the time that happens, im nearly there. In saying that, i drove to work today with it open all the way, other than leaving my driveway and street. Wasn't too bad, it's great to have the option of shutting it up at the touch of a button. It's a fart cannon by the way. Oval would have been great but when your sifting through the 2nd hand market, beggars cant be choosers. 

[Leroy Peterson]

Surely there are better (more reliable, better built) units than varex out there now?

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

I'm thinking of an electronic exhaust cut out valve, for extra kWs. The whole varex muffler is good but you restrict flow when it's in stealth mode. Start off with a dead quiet good flowing system and add a cut out where you want.

Current exhaust is as quiet as a stock bogandore SS. 3.5" and runs a cat, a mid muffler, a resonator and into a 2.75" Jasma cert choker HKS Muffler (will be removed EOY).

[Ben C34]

1 hour ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I'm thinking of an electronic exhaust cut out valve, for extra kWs. The whole varex muffler is good but you restrict flow when it's in stealth mode. Start off with a dead quiet good flowing system and add a cut out where you want.

Current exhaust is as quiet as a stock bogandore SS. 3.5" and runs a cat, a mid muffler, a resonator and into a 2.75" Jasma cert choker HKS Muffler (will be removed EOY).

I'm with you, and have bought an electric cutout. Not fitted yet as I am concerned about the heat ruining it. Considering you would mount it right at the front of the exhaust, not at th  back like a varex.

Was going to do some weird mods to add a heat shield to it.

[Ben C34]

1 hour ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I'm thinking of an electronic exhaust cut out valve, for extra kWs. The whole varex muffler is good but you restrict flow when it's in stealth mode. Start off with a dead quiet good flowing system and add a cut out where you want.

Current exhaust is as quiet as a stock bogandore SS. 3.5" and runs a cat, a mid muffler, a resonator and into a 2.75" Jasma cert choker HKS Muffler (will be removed EOY).

I'm with you, and have bought an electric cutout. Not fitted yet as I am concerned about the heat ruining it. Considering you would mount it right at the front of the exhaust, not at th  back like a varex.

Was going to do some weird mods to add a heat shield to it.

[Birds]

12 hours ago, Leroy Peterson said:

Surely there are better (more reliable, better built) units than varex out there now?

What's unreliable or poorly built about it? I think for the price point, 6-7 years of daily use out of a motor exposed to those temperatures is pretty darn good. Thought it would give in long ago.

[Birds]

12 hours ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I'm thinking of an electronic exhaust cut out valve, for extra kWs. The whole varex muffler is good but you restrict flow when it's in stealth mode. Start off with a dead quiet good flowing system and add a cut out where you want.

Current exhaust is as quiet as a stock bogandore SS. 3.5" and runs a cat, a mid muffler, a resonator and into a 2.75" Jasma cert choker HKS Muffler (will be removed EOY).

We may have different applications, but I think a cut out sounds better on paper than in practice.

Question I think you should ask is, how often are you going to use stealth mode or find yourself wishing your exhaust was dead quiet? That might be most of the time, which is fine, albeit unusual for a sports car...but my answer and experience from using Varex for years on my 108db system is that I rarely need to be in stealth mode and when I do the car drives absolutely fine under it - you just can't (or more accurately, shouldn't) thrash it / high RPM stuff. It will do a daily drive no probs and cruise a freeway with the valve shut.

I think a cut out valve, if not done carefully, will sound like an exhaust leak when open and create a turbulent flow/sound rather than a nice one, which is why I think you should set up the system to flow properly in the mode you plan to be in most.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

My car has been dead quiet for years, albeit a bit too quiet. The exhaust cut out will be used on the track, roll racing, etc. Pretty much whenever the car is used in a competitive nature.

I plan to have the cut out just after the mid muffler so it won't sound shit especially the external is plumbed after the cat into the mid muffler entry.

[Kinkstaah]

I plan on using a cut out valve for my screamer pipe (which is currently plumbed in). Ideally I'd like to be able to bolt in/out the entire thing.

What brand did you guys end up going for?

[AngryRB]

Doesnt make sense all this expensive custom/varex stuff, i tell you weld a length of pipe into the system, just after t he rear diff, and plug the end, ill measure mine up to give you the length and weld the shit on... it is quiet enough, but youll still hear all RB on full throttle.. cost you $50

Edited October 13, 2017 by AngryRB

[AngryRB]

[Birds]

That looks like it sounds worse than it looks

I'll stick with Varex and keep preaching it...for the $250 it cost me at the time, the system looks factory enough that it's fooled the few cops who've had a look underneath and remote operation means it's quiet whenever/wherever/whatever, then instantly back to sporty. Any other method about it is IMO going to look / sound crap or have you spending the same amount of money or more for something that others have already put R&D into. Not saying it can't be improved but why bother when it works so well already!

[vxsr33]

Doesnt make sense all this expensive custom/varex stuff, i tell you weld a length of pipe into the system, just after t he rear diff, and plug the end, ill measure mine up to give you the length and weld the shit on... it is quiet enough, but youll still hear all RB on full throttle.. cost you $50

So does this reduce noise and drone under light load but retain noise when you put your foot down?