Kakimoto Racing GT1.0Z Exhaust: Quick Review
 

Apologies in advance for not getting pictures during install, I was very determined to get it done as quickly as possible. Also sorry if there's already a topic on this, searched google with "site:ft86club.com kakimoto gt1.0z" and came up with no dedicated thread, only hits in the "Single Exit Exhaust" and "JDM Exhaust Catalogue" threads.

I'll start out with a list of exhausts that I've had on my car in 368 days of ownership from most recent to the beginning:
Borla S-Type axleback
TF-Works Race Exhaust
Nameless Dual Exit with 5" mufflers
Tomei 60R
Spec-D Tuning N1 clone

So, over about a year, I've had experience with a bunch of different types of exhausts. To rank them overall, in terms of price, looks, ability to live with them day to day and sound, I'd say

1) Nameless Dual Exit: Looked awesome, sounded very smooth and not loud. The quality was absolutely amazing and made me realize that sometimes, "Made in America" is a label to wear with pride, even if you over pay a little bit for that badge.
2)Tomei 60R: It was light as fuck, was a screamer and looked oh-so-pretty once the titanium started to change colour, but at the end of the day, I felt very bad for my neighbours when I would leave for work. Would have been perfect noise-wise had I stayed with the stock header, or decided to get a catted header.
3) Borla Catback: Sound was great, the 4.5" tips looked like they belonged on the car and didn't seem oversized. Priced slightly lower than the Nameless, but didn't have the same level of quality as it. However, the "Million Mile Warranty" was a great selling point.
4) TF-Works: It sounded good, looked good, but was a bit too droney to live with in combination with a catless header, on the stock header, it was great.
5)Spec-D: It was junk. Cheap metal, shitty build quality, terrible fitment. Not really any redeeming qualities, except that it was dirt cheap compared to everything else I've ran.

With that list, I feel like I've kind of run the gamut of different types of exhausts and have a pretty good grasp on what I like and don't. This way, I can form a solid opinion on the GT1.0Z instead of just being in love with it, since it's my first exhaust.

So, onto the GT1.0Z... After ordering it at the beginning of November, I was told by Japan Parts that I'd have to wait until mid-February to receive the exhaust because it was backordered and they had to catch up. Whatever, not a big deal as I had no problem waiting out the winter with my Borla. Well, this past Sunday I got an email with tracking info from JP saying it would be here yesterday. Missed the delivery, but I had today off work, so I would be around to wait for it to be delivered.

I got it early in the morning, then ran some errands (quicker than usual, because I was pumped to get it installed). I came home, opened up the box and laid the parts out. The one hitch for the install was that the instructions were in Japanese, and only had one picture, so it was a bit of guess work for some of the stuff, like the little metal disc that came with the exhaust, but I eventually figured that out on a closer look of the instructions.

Once I was ready to install, I got all the parts laid out under the car and went piece by piece. One thing I don't like about the exhaust, is that it has a 2 piece mid pipe, which made installing it a bit trickier, but I improvised, adapted and overcame that obstacle. For the rest of it, the hardest part was getting everything tightened up.

Once I got everything under the car done, I went to start it up to check for leaks. Now, if I'm not mistaken, a member on here, @trueno86power also has this exhaust and he said it was very loud with a catless header. So, as soon as I turned the key, I was cringing waiting for the earth rattling sound. Well, it didn't happen. It was almost tame, though I think my OFT tweaks for a quieter cold-start helped a lot with that. While I was under the car checking that everything was good and sealed, at no point did the exhaust sound too loud to me at idle.

Then came the time to check how it sounded on a rev-up. Again, I was worried that it would be crazy loud past 1500RPM. Surprise, it wasn't. Video included for you to get an idea of the sound, even though it does no justice to the true sound of it.

As far as how it looks, I love it. It has a slight angle to the tip (think Megan Drift-Spec) without looking weird, and it has an orgasmic sound paired with my CNT Racing UEL header.

Any questions, I will do my best to answer. I will also report back in a few days, maybe less depending on how much I'm driving and make a point about how the in-cabin sound is.

For now, enjoy the pictures and quick video.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5811/...12d514ae_o.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/647/2...8287fcc3_o.jpg
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5771/...65bc1264_o.jpg

Sound clip here

Cool write up! Really love mine too, I've searched so many site before I've find this exhaust. First time I've seen it was on the Todoroki RC 86 and I was like "this is THE one"

Mine is realy stupid loud on cold start even with my OFT tune. But I've got an OEM headers uncatted (EL) maybe that why it's louder.

For my neighbours, I've got the removable muffler. When I start up my car out of my garage it's less stupid :P

How heavy did it feel compared to your Tomei Type 60R exhaust?

I can't remember the exact weight of the Kakimoto, but the shipping label says the box was 21.xx pounds. Which makes it like, 10 pounds heavier than the 60R if memory serves.

@trueno86power I totally forgot to buy the silencer when I put the order in for the exhaust. About 3 days after I got the ship notification email, I went and ordered the silencer (it was around $140 CAD with shipping!!!!). It'll be here next week.

After doing about 50km, some city, some highway. I'm having really mixed feelings with this exhaust. It sounds amazing. Probably the best exhaust I've heard in person, but it's a really "bassy" tone I guess and sometimes the drone gets quite intense. Hoping that the silencer fixes that up and if it doesn't, I'll be going back to the OEM header to bring the sound down a bit.

@Cole, just to note that with the silencer on the road it sound like crap after 4000RPM annnd you loose power.

Since it's really restrictive, over 4000RPM it create a "boost" sound. It make an "exhaust leak" at the muffler/rear section because it so resctrictive that air gotta go somewhere. Since the muffler and the rear section is clamped, it leak there.

I use it for city driving, long highway run (that way you don't ear it drone) and cold start. Even if the sound is shitty at high rev, it really sound great at lower RPM and you don't have power loss. What I find cool about it, since you loose a little bit of power at high rev you always have the "damn my car is fast" feeling after removing it haha.

Ah and I really love to have the choice. Sometime you don't want to be stupid loud. But when you wan't it, unscrew the nut and go all out :D

@trueno86power thanks for that. Yeah, I was on the highway for about 10km yesterday and it was almost too much for me, and I was only going about 90 in 5th and 6th. My commute to work is 105km, so I'm definitely going to want it for that.

Apply the quiet start mods see tune tweaks link below

Just did a 105km highway jaunt with the silencer in. That piece makes a massive difference in terms of in-cabin sound. If anyone is looking to buy this exhaust, get the silencer too.

Though, I'd recommend getting some different hardware for it. The screw they provide to keep the silencer in place is junk. It's about a 15mm long green robertson screw. Super easy to strip. And then it's affixed with an 8mm nylon nut. Not a great combination, but it works for the time being.