Ok so I understand how engines work and such and the overall general concept.
MY specialty is suspension, it’s really all I do, so when we get into engines and exhaust, etc… I understand the principles of it… but I don’t really understand the dynamics such as for so much air going in you need this type of exhaust, etc…
I’m really looking to get into doing an exhaust system soon on the ZX2. So I want to know…
What will be the best overall application, is it theoretically feasable to do dual exhaust and have it actually make that much difference?
Headers - do from headers back or just cat back?
Exhaust SIZE, i’ve heard 2.5" is a good size, is this what I would want?
What do I NOT USE to make it sound like a chipmunk in a blender (general rice)? I’d like to have something lower toned instead of the high pitched borla stuff i hear on all the honda kiddies around here.
Like i said i understand the CONCEPT but not the DYNAMICS of it.
each motor is differnt with reacting to backpressure… if you can afford it i say do from the headers back with 2.5 inch ive gotten good gains in the low end with that. as for sound the apexi n1, hks hi power, dc sports and megan pipes have a good sound and not to ricey most muffler companys have sound clips so that you can hear what they sound like … i hope this helps some
Ok, here’s the skinny. I have done a CAT back system with dual tips. You can click on my signature link and that will take you to my website where I even have a video clip of my exhaust system.
Most people with Zx2s go with 2.25" or 2.5" piping. You need to think about how much horsepower you are going to be pushing. If you are close to stock, go with 2.25". You need backpressure but you want the least possible.
There are essentially 3 types of bends:
Flex Bend- Worst bend
Crush Bend- Better (my choice)
Mandrel Bend- Best
For my dual exhaust I put the in an Air Resonator, then a flow through Muffler just before the bend at the suspension. It tucks up there pretty nicely. Then after the suspension I used a Tru-Y to split it into duals. (I used 2.25" piping). There is no real performance gain with duals, because it all came from one exhaust pipe originally. But make sure that the dual pipes are of equal length. Maybe there is some power when I start pushing more HP, but for now, it was aesthetic.
The rule of thumb is, the further up the vehicle the muffler is, the lower the tone. If you want a “rice” sound, put the muffler at the end.
CAT back, you will probably see about 7-15HP increase (butt dyno). Header will give you 10+ HP according to ZxTuner. When it comes down to cost, the header is the way to go. But if you add them together you are looking at probably a 30-40HP increase.
There are so many good mufflers to choose from, but some of the best are Magna Flow, Flow Master, Borla, etc. There aren’t too many advantages one way or another. Sure, some are better than others, but we aren’t producing giant HP monsters, so whatever fits your budget will be good. Just don’t get one from Wal-Mart. lol
rule of thumb, bigger the pipe, less backpressure, more you loose on the lowe end.
try to keep your piping at a level thats acceptable for your engine mods. with just IHE(intake, header, exhaust) I wouldnt go any bigger then 2.25". Anything bigger really isnt necessary, unless you have serious engine work done.
Yes, the “Check Engine” light will come on. This is because you are eliminating the CAT. ZxTuner has a MIL eliminator that comes with their header or you can purchase one separately. The MIL eliminator will turn off the “Check Engine” light and fool the PCM into believing it has a CAT attached.
I believe that I will get their header and then modify it to accommodate a CAT. In NY, they don’t care about the location of the CAT, as long as you have one.
If you go to the video gallery, I’ve got video of my car with Kamikaze header, custom piping to a Borla Pro XS muffler. I think it sounds great, and it was pretty cheap over all. I would agree on the Trubendz if cost isn’t an issue though. I discovered with my car that MPG went DOWN with the cat, but up with cat-back.
