exhaust and headers upgrade
 

Hi everyone! So I just purchased a 2019 Subaru BRZ Limited and I'm reaching at 1.5k miles now. I am thinking around 5k to replace the headers and exhaust to get rid of that torgue dip. I do want the boxer rumble, but nothing too loud since I do live in California in the Bay Area (also new the area so I don't know how lenient cops are around this area).

However, I was looking at the FT86 Catted UEL and Corsa Exhaust for the car.

Some things I did have in mind were not getting a CEL light and worrying about that and whether I should get a tune done from a professional shop or if I should go with OFT or EcuTek. Many people have told me to go EcuTek route if I want to do forced induction however, I am not planning on doing that for quite some time.

Wanted some other opinions on doing this to my car. Also, would I have to do exhaust and headers at the same time or can I do exhaust and then headers or vice versa and do a tune a few months down the road.

Catback does not require tune. You can do this at anytime. Cat or no cat aftermarket headers are illegal. Here is what I would due.

OFT tune
Tomie UEL catless/JDL UEL/ Gruppe-s UEL
Keep stock front pipe and overpipe

Catback options
MXP SP
R400
CSG touring

These would be my top picks.

I would due the header with OFT tablet. See how you like the noise with just a header. From their you can judge how much louder or tone you want.

Hope this helps


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It all depends what you want from your car tbh. If you just got the car and your not experienced with fast cars then i would stick with exhaust mods first. In our chassis, only way to get more power is to FI. if you don’t want to go to that route then UEL header with stage 2 tune is probably best for your money. Car parts are expensive and if you have enough money for a tune/oft and a UEL header then yes. if not enough money then just do exhaust first.

I have done catless front pipe and top speed pro 1 axle back. it’s loud enough for me and no drone, best of all i get some loud pops and crackles with my set up.

This thread explains more about CEL with catted header and OFT vs EcuTek.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132435

I would have gone header first if I wasn't so determined to go FI lol. I also second MXP SP catback.

Get an OFT. If you find one used you can buy/sell without losing money in most cases. You'll get the more out of the header even with an off the shelf tune.

When you decide to go F.I sell the OFT.

I would leave exhaust stock. Buy header only. Rest of exhaust is alot of money with little performance gain. Oft will work well as will ecutek. Your choice. E85 will give you max na results.

Original poster... See a common theme developing... Tune+header = bang for buck. NA used oft. Once you go FI then get ecutek.

Granted the best NA performance is ecutek tune plus ACE 350 via DD or now CSG in house tuning. This is big bucks but it will give by far the best NA gains... Cheap and basic FI can destroy this for not alot more than the ace setup. Lots of options. Do your homework and you will make the right decision.

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Cough, decat oem system and Ecutek tune, cough

Don’t waste your money on headers, ESPECIALLY catted headers. The 2017+ exhaust is already good. Just pay for a good tune. Go E85 if you can.

Any dyno graphs to back that up?

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Any dyno graphs to disprove it. :lol:

Punched out 17+ OEM header, 2.5" overpipe, 2.5" resonated front pipe, 2.5" cat back

Then

Replaced cat back to OEM with zero change to performance, knocked down the noise a bit

Then

Replaced 17+ punched out header with Tomei UEL header, zero performance gain, lots more noise though, put OEM header back on because I'm not a **** and care about my neighbors sanity and hearing.

For NA The OEM system flows great once the restrictions are removed.

Impressive

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Even with the cat punched out... It still cut down on noise? I am very curious about this

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If your talking about between the punched out OEM header and the Tomei than yes.

With the only difference being the Tomei header.

Cold start is still loud with the punched out cat, but it was ridiculously loud with the Tomei.

My cold start should hopefully get muffled down in a couple of weeks, I've been told a turbo is great for muffling exhaust noise......

Hum... I am debating going back to stock headers. Was there a big difference between stock headers with CAT and no cat noise wise. I am tried of the loud driving noise with Windows rolled up. Trying to source a cheap 2017+ OEM header... But I still have my 2013 stock header I could try punching out the stock cat

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I find the OEM header with punched cat fine, and I'm old and grumpy.

It is louder, but not that much.

I say go for it, then get a tune and post results.

Are you talking about noise from the headers/engine compartment?

Both. I am also looking to replace my current MXP SP current catback with with a Fujitsubo Authorize S axleback. I think this will be the perfect combo. With the supercharger I have destroyed the TQ dip and thus would only loose 10whp which is not a big deal. Will first see what the exhaust is like with just the SP and 2017+ header with a cat. Then maybe punch out the cat in my 2013 header for grins and compare

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So based on that above, your saying there’s no performance gains, and therefore likely no unnecessary restrictions in the stock headers and cat converter of the OEM system of 2017+ vehicles.
What about the rest the of the exhaust system post the converter? Has any testing been done to see if the aftermarket sports systems actually reduce any restriction and provide gains? Did you dyno test your 2.5” system against an OEM setup? Is the cat back different on 2017+ models compared to earlier models?

According to DSPORTS’s article < https://dsportmag.com/the-tech/scion...programed-ecu/ >, quoted below, the ECU limits further power gain to no more than an additional 5% of the stock power. Do you think that had any effect on your dyno testing without returning for each of the changes?

Sounds about right, although, adding modifications without tuning will never give best results

95% of power gains, after removing the cats, are in the tuning

Currently the car is running a AVO turbo at 8psi, still using the same 2.5" overpipe, but, have swapped out the front pipe to a SME 2.5" resonated mated to the OEM catback, car made 205kw??? dynopowers

In conclusion, the OEM catback seems to flow fine up to 270ish hp, the only real reason to change it would be for noise at these power levels

Opinions may vary

Edit: your in Hobart, if you have a mate or family in Sydney you can do some testing your self for the cost of a 10 pack > https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136760

Free Mishimoto intake pipe with every Header swapped......

Ah right. Sorry, but I misinterpreted your statement below and thought you meant you replaced it back to the stock cat converter, not the stock cat back exhaust system:

I read it as 'replaced cat [converter] back to OEM...' not 'replaced cat back [exhaust] to OEM...'.