I want to make a custom exhaust for my Cavalier. It should be a full 2.25" system. I've read a lot about exhausts (headers, hi-flow-cats, piping, back-pressure, ...) here and elsewhere in the last days and I am a little confused now. So here are the questions:
1. Where I've to start from to get a _complete_ 2.25" system?
2. Is this possible with the stock header? AFAIK the pipes after the cat are 2" but I've read that the pipe is reduced to 2" after the cat, so it must be larger (2.25) before, right?
3. What are the benefits of a hi-flow cat, are they worth the money? Which ones can you recommend?
Thanks.
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BTW:
This maybe a interesting article.
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Hey, no replies??? I thought it's a simple question to most of you, many have installed custom exhausts.
The most important thing is where I have to start from for a complete 2.25" exhaust. Do I need another header or has the stock header a 2.25" pipe-diameter at the end (before the catalytic converter)???
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease help, don't want to lay under my car to measure by myself for now (it's cold and wet, alot of snow). Just wan't to order the needed parts in the next days - it may take a few weeks to have them in Germany (then it's hopefully better weather).
Thanks.
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Well What do you plan to do with the car ? Boost it ? Spray NOS ? Or stay N/A ? You have the 2.4 so you can run 2.5 inch and be fine. Back preasure is an old wives tale so pay no attention to it at all. If it were my car I'd deffinently go with a header cause its the biggest limiting factor you have. After that its the cat. Yes a high flow cat makes a big difference so go ahead and grab one. Heres what your parts list should look like.
Header ( your choice of brand ) high flow cat ( Magnaflow cats seem to work best on our cars so stick with one of them ) Resonator ( if you want to. Just make sure its the same size all the way thru ) Pick your favorite muffler ( I'm running duel Dynomax ones myself ) Tips are what are strikes your fancy. And stay with 2.5 inch pipeing, that way if you ever do decide to go with NOS the exhaust will still be able to flow enough. Anything else ?
BTW I'm running a Pacesetter 4 into 1 ceramic coated header, a Magnaflow cat, the Dynomax mufflers and 3 inch tips. All with 2.5 inch pipeing. And my car hauls ass.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
1.) For a complete 2.25" system (not just a cat-back) you need to start from the header/manifold.
2.) You don't really have a stock "header," you have a stock "manifold." Furthermore, this is a really poor design and it'd be in your best interest to buy a Pace Setter header, or similar product. The exhaust system on the J's is pretty much 1&7/8" all the way through, so you want to replace EVERYTHING from the header back.
3.) In order to have a true 2.25" exhaust, you would HAVE to replace the cat because that's the same size as your stock tubing. A high-flow cat does exactly what it sounds like...out-flows an OEM one. It's especially good for forced induction (even though the BEST setup would be to not have one at all.) My Dynomax Super Converter goes for $52.99 in Jegs and I've never had a problem. Trust me...do the cat when you do the exhaust.
I don't want to have more than a CAI under my hood (not even that's street legal here, w/ NOS I'll lost my drivers license and alot(!) of money).
And I drive mostly in the city, so I need power from the lower rpm's. At the highway I'm seldom over 80-85 mph (and IF I go as fast as the Cav. can, the tachometer shows barely over 4000 rpm). In other threats I've read that 2.5 in. (and up) will move the power to the higher rpm's (that's what I don't need), so I thought 2.25 in. is the best.
What do you think about this setup:
o Pacesetter header (ceramic coated)
o Magnaflow cat (not sure which one at this time, MORE HELP please)
- MF recommends the 53004 (but that's 2,0" and without the O2 sensor boss), so what about the 53035???
- 91035 (seems to be the same as 53035 but oval, right?) does that mean more ground clearance?
- 43035 maybe my favourite, because it's California compliant OBD-II (should fulfill german EURO2-Norm)
o Resonator/Glasspack
- Flowmaster Hushpower II or
- Dynomax (recommended
here)
o Muffler
- Flowmaster 9424412 (40 Delta w/ dual out)
o Tip
- two of
these (or similar, because it doesn't look like tuning for german cops *g*)
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Header is great good choice.
Can't remember my cats # but just make sure its OBD-II or you'll get a CEL ( check engine light )
The glasspack for a resonator works well. Try to get one that has a perforated core not baffled. By this I mean when you look thru it all you see is little holes in the walls and not little louvers sticking into the exhaust flow. That causes turbulance and turbulance=
not good.
Your muffler is really you choice BUT the Flowmaster's WILL set off a resonance inside the car at speeds greater then 50mph that will make your ears bleed ! I had one and it last a week before I was back at the shop, I couldn't stand it !
I'm running Dynomax offset inlet offset outlet "turbo" style mufflers They sound great and aren't that loud.
Now as for the whole 2.5 inch killing your low end torque. BS !!!! My 60' times did not drop at all when I went to 2.5 inch from the factory size pipeing. I race mine in the 1/4 mile and my best so far is 14.89 @ 91 mph. Go with 2.5 inch you'll be happy. If you doubt me go tp the performance forum, right now their s a bunch of guys telling someone else how good 2.5 inch is.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
Sorry for the confusion. Its below this posting and titled "2.5 TOO MUCH? "
Go check it out. I'm not the only one likeing 2.5 inch pipeing.
Oh and BTW if you have a problem with the police over ther then you so DO NOT want a Flowmaster! They are WAY loud and will attract the attention of any police within a square mile. Yes they are THAT loud !
Ok maybe not a WHOLE mile but at least a couple blocks.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
Jackalope wrote:Oh and BTW if you have a problem with the police over ther then you so DO NOT want a Flowmaster! They are WAY loud and will attract the attention of any police within a square mile. Yes they are THAT loud !
I can't believe that the Flowmasters are THAT loud on our 4 bangers (and with additional resonator/glasspack). I've read the exhaust sound thread with big interest, and viewed every sound/videoclip that was posted. But can't remember any Flowmaster (or it was bad quality).
Hmm, that's really hard now. I don't know why, but I can't get Flowmaster out of my head. Seems to be a long way 'til I've the exhaust I am dreaming about...
Big Thanx for the info.
If anyone has more, post 'em...
BTW: A lot of the 45-60HP kiddies here have a very loud (and mostly illegal) exhaust/muffler on there oversized boby-cars. If they drive-by my home, my windows begin to quiver sometimes. So f*** the police, and sh*t at the laws, I think I'll have alot of fun with Flowmaster. *g*
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Am I to believe that the 2.4 exhaust setup can be as simple as this:
header (the pacesetter coated one is 2.5 inches?)
collector pipe (comes with header)
hi-flow cat (2.5 inches)
resonator (comes right out of cat? goes right into...)
muffler ???
I thought a "cat-back" exhaust kit was just pipes and a muffler to get the exhaust from the cat to the back of the car, a resonator can't possibly be long enough to get the exhaust to the muffler at the rear bumper can it?
In addition, ALL of the pacesetter headers I can find online are 2.25" ... where did you all find your 2.5" ones?
Yup thats about all the exhaust is. As for my 2.5 inch PaceSetter collector, the collector
area is all like 3 inch ( is on my ECO anyway ) and then it necks down to the 2.25 inch in the pipe piece that comes with the header, just have an exhaust shop make a new one thats 2.5 inches and Taa Daa ! 2.5 inch exhaust !
Z24Germany, Did you miss where I said " Ok maybe not a WHOLE mile but at least a couple blocks." Now if your dead set on Flowmaster then just go with like a
60 series. The 40's are only 2 chamber mufflers and are loud as hell.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
@Jackalope: OK, I see that the 40 Series will be much to loud over a longer time. But the 60 Series seems to be much quiter. Why not the 50 Series Delta, they have a three-chamber design, too.
@All:
What about the Dynomax Ultra Flo SS muffler? On the dynomax website they wrote "Moderate Sound Level with a True
Performance Tone and Minimal Resonation". And "the flow" seems to be quadruple compared to the Standard 40 Series Flowmaster (stated at
this illustration on dynomax website)
I think THIS is the setup I am dreaming about:
- Pacesetter header #72C1277
- Magnaflow 91036 hi-flow catalytic converter (MPE-91036)*
- Dynomax Trush Magnum glasspack (23" case length) (WLK-24214)*
- Flowmaster 50 Series Delta muffler (FLO-9425512)*
- two Flowmaster turndown angle-cut tips (FLO-15342)*
OR
- Dynomax Ultra Flo SS muffler (WLK-17283)*
- Hedman tip (HED-17205)*
The header mentioned above has a 3" collector dia., does that mean I need a reducer like this one (BIG-10110FLT)* ?
Do I've forgotten something important?
Thanks again!!!
*) these are the article-no. for summitracing.com
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Looks good. I'd stick to a 60 series if you must have a FlowMaster but thats just me. The link for the reducer didn't work but but from what you have listed I guess you picked the right thing. The reducer just sets it up for what size pipe you run.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
What about the 80 series?? How does that compare to the 60?? And I take it that 2.5" is mainly recommended for the 2.4L, but my 2200 N/A w/o spray should be - I'm guessing - 2.25" correct? Or is it worth it to go up to 2.5" - esp since my Magnaflow cat is already 2.5" anyway? Thanks for the help
And I'll check out that other 2.5" thread as well...
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1103 MILES, $7500 OBO ^^^
Upps, I've forgotten that I am now in 2.5 in. piping (last listing) and not longer in 2.25, so the parts in the last list are 2.5 in., too. For that case, the reducer listed above should work, right? (3" -> 2.5" and O2 sensor hole)
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^ What is the 3" > 2.5" w/ O2 adapter for?? The downpipe that comes with the header has a max width of 2.5" if you cut off the part that's necked down to 2.25", and there's already an O2 bung on the header. Second O2 goes after the cat, not before it.
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1103 MILES, $7500 OBO ^^^
Z24 germany, ( first you need a shorter name!
) Anyway Roughed in is right if the reducer that the header comes with starts at the 3 inch collector size and necks down to 2.25 you can just either cut it off at 2.5 or have it flaried out at an exhaust shop to be 2.5
As for the O2 sensor, again ^ ^ ^ is right the first one should be in the collector and the second goes after the cat. Anything else ?
Roughed in, ( whats with all the long ass names ?! ) sorry I don't know about the 80 series and how they would compair. As for the diameter of the pipeing for your car
I think I'd stick with 2.25 just cause its N/A. If however you ever plan to spray it you may want to consider 2.5. The 2.5 pipeing is better on the 2.3, 2.4, & ECO engines. They all have HP rateings of about 150 or more.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
OK, I kinda figured 2.25 would be the way to go
I'll just neck it down after the cat, b/c I bought header & cat probably close to two years ago
lol. And as for long names... "Jackalope" is kinda long too!!
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1103 MILES, $7500 OBO ^^^
Roughed In wrote:...The downpipe that comes with the header has a max width of 2.5" if you cut off the part that's necked down to 2.25", and there's already an O2 bung on the header...
THAT'S what I want to know !!! THX !!!
Jackalope wrote:...first you need a shorter name!....
You too.
Instead of z24germany you may write z24ger
Jackalope wrote:Anything else ?
Sure, but not now.
I'll open a new thread for the Dynomax Ultra Flo...
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Just call me Jack I'll know who your talking too. And I was thinking G24 would work great for you. What do you think? Or Z24G Short and simple.
Anyway any other questions don't hesitate to ask always glad to help out.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
the pacesetter header downpipe necks down to the stock size of the exhaust pipe. if you cut that off, the downpipe will be 2.25", i just measured mine
Ill make a sig someday
^ Ahh, thank ya
It's been a long time since I measured mine
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1103 MILES, $7500 OBO ^^^
See I never used the down pipe part it came with. I had one made up and its 2.5 inches.
I never even got the down pipe as I got my header used and it didn't come with it.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
