Best exhaust mod path for a daily driver
 

Baller on a budget here.

Cars, tattoos, and lifting/food take up a lot of my disposable income, so I'm trying to plan this years mods. I've left the 86 mostly stock, focusing on the aesthetic stuff like interior and cheap exterior stuff so far.

Originally I was just going to get a muffler delete, like a Berk Dual or maybe Nameless, since the price was right and I was mainly after the sound. Power is definitely lacking, but it's a daily first, so that's not the worst thing, and it's not like axlebacks ever give any gains anyway. I was going to pick up an OEM-style lower "diffuser" to complete the rear of the car, but didn't want to exacerbate the parachute effect.

So, I started looking at stuff like Driveway Lab's diffusers, which both looks badass and is functional. But not cheap.

So then I started thinking that I could just leave the axleback alone, and try to get sound out of the front of the exhaust. Was looking at FT86SF catted UEL headers, since I don't really want to get a tune or deal with potential CELs with spacers. But in all their videos, the exhaust sounds almost stock with the header, which kinda goes against the whole reason I started out on the exhaust... The torque gains are great, and I guess I wouldn't mind having the car be quieter, and I do like the UEL rumble, even if it's quiet. But it seems like adding anything downstream of the header gets loud, fast.

So, for about the same cost (~$850) I could either get:
- Catted UEL header
- Muffler delete and diffuser
- Something else (like a FP/OP/catback set up)

Any thoughts on which path? Looking for sound, mpg, aesthetics, performance in that order (I think). Also looking to avoid a tune, for now.

Just a thought and it's a bit above your budget, but you could get the open flash header and tune it with the open flash tablet for both maximum performance and to get rid of the check engine light. Combo package for $1000

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Why would you not want a tune? Warranty? /meh

Anyway - the OFT/OFH package for $1K is the best bang for the buck bar none.

Thanks both. It's not that I DON'T want one, just that I don't want one right now. As stated, money is tight, and performance is not my top priority for this car. My past BMWs and Audis I've tuned, and never really felt like it was that much of a gain, especially for a DD. Since this is my first NEW new car (with warranty), I'm trying to take it slow. Plus, I still run 87 most of the time.

So, really just after sound and aesthetics (for now), but don't want to end up getting parts that I can't/won't use later...if that makes sense. As in, don't want to get a track pipe now if it will end up being too godawful loud if/when I get headers later.

Well, FR-Slide ...... it sounds to me like this axle back system may be what you're looking for:

http://shop.namelessperformance.com/...eback-exhaust/

Personally, I chose the 2.5" piping with the 5" mufflers. But the sound can be ramped up with the 4" mufflers or no mufflers.


humfrz

Oh, my .....:sigh: ..... if your talking 87 octane gasoline I would strongly recommend that you increase that a bit ..... :)

humfrz

Stop!!! NOW!

You may not know it now, but your car is already pulling timing like crazy and no wonder you find performance lacking. Your car is running like crap on gas that it was NOT meant to be run on.

These cars run not-so-well on a stock tune on 91ACN. I can only imagine how bad it feels putting 87 in it. Plus, if you have engine trouble due to knocking, and the dealership finds out that you were running 87, you can easily get your warranty claim denied b/c you were NOT using fuel that you were told to run in your car.

Stop abusing your car like this. There's running it hard and flogging it. Then there's abuse like this. Don't do it!

Thanks, I had seen Nameless's name brought up as an option, but I had opted for Berk given the price.

This may be a silly question, but if I opted for the no-muffler Nameless (at $510), what's the perk over a Berk kit at 1/2 that price? Obviously the cost of the mufflers if the 4"/5" kits makes sense, but couldn't I also just get a small muffler/resonator welded in the Berk kit to the same effect?

Meh, I ran 93 for the first 5-6000 miles (despite the dealer telling me to run 87) and haven't noticed any tangible difference in MPG or performance since putting in 87. I'm not denying that 93 would be better, but just giving my input. I don't track the car, and rarely run it spiritedly anymore due to most of my driving being highway.

And I'm not basing my "lacking performance" claims on fuel choice, but rather on vehicle history. Coming from 330 ZHP and B6 S4, I'm used to having 1.5-2x the power of the 86. I bought it NOT for the power, but for the balance, economy and relative uniquity in my area. The 86 is plenty for what I bought it for, and I was merely saying that I'm not trying to make it a race car :thumbsup:

One of the big reasons for me not getting a tune yet is so that I didn't add timing and force 93. I tuned the B6, mostly to get rid of CELs from going catless, with the best tune on their market, and really didn't notice much in terms of performance on the daily...only at the limit, where I rarely got to drive it. So, it was kind of wasted on me in the performance regard.

I do appreciate your concern though, just giving my side of it.

Why do people who don't want advice ask for it? By all means keep slapping tribal art on your face and blow your engine. You can be on a budget without making terrible decisions.

Well, IMHO the Berk no muffler option looks like something that I would have welded up, in Vo-Ag shop, back in HS in the 50's.

With the Berk kit, if you would find it too loud, I don't believe there is enough space in the piping to install a muffler.

Since you are going to be using your car as a DD, I would recommend that you pick an exhaust system with some sort of muffler(s).



ol humfrz

Hah, fair enough. That's kind of what I was looking for. I figured the simpler design and fewer bends/welds meant less to go wrong, but I agree that the Nameless piece looks quality. As a follow-up for you, if I was going to spend the 500-600 on an axle-back, would it not make more sense to just get a cat-back system for about the same price?

This is the same thing that always happens; start off with a cheap idea and end up spending 4 times that.

Because I didn't ask for advice on octane rating, or on tunes? But I do appreciate his input on those topics, albeit unsolicited.

Yours, not so much. Tribal art and blown engines? wat.

Yep, ya gotta watch that ..... mod creep ...... :eyebulge:

As far as I can see, if you're just going with (no headers or bigger pipes up front) a different muffler (or delete), the stock mid pipe is just fine. But, like they say in the old country ...... mox nix (macht nichts)......;)



humfrz