Do all catless header sound like complete garbage?

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by JIM THEO

That's more or less the setup I'll have when I fit the Berk catted frontpipe custom resonated and hope it will not rasp/rattle

that looks almost identical to my HKS frontpipe!

[HaXx]

I have a stock exhaust with a catback, do any of you wish you could go back to just a catback?

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by HaXx

I have a stock exhaust with a catback, do any of you wish you could go back to just a catback?

If they didnt want to retain the power gain from their header, then we would probably not be having this discussion.

I don't know about the rest, but I'll deal with some extra exhaust noises for 15-20 whp. Small price for a much more drivable power curve.

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by HaXx

I have a stock exhaust with a catback, do any of you wish you could go back to just a catback?

I did. No regrets. When you learn to drive around the torque dip the power curve is a non issue. My JDL header didn’t make a huge difference up top anyway. The smell, sound, and dirty rear bumper were not worth the little bump in hp. Greddy claims 7hp for the Supreme catback, between that, a 93 tune and a drop in filter I really only noticed the difference in the dip. Auto-X times were completely unaffected.

[solidONE]

I have a nice header and tune with barely louder than stock exhaust. No smells,no bad noises and most of the power and drivability from an exhaust. I’m happy. #noragrats

[Sam86]

Originally Posted by 86MLR

Personally I found a catless UEL header to be obnoxiously loud on a NA car with a 2.5" XForce or decated OEM header back exhaust.

So much so I removed the Tomei UEL header within 2 weeks of installing it and replaced it with a decated OEM header.

I never found the OEM decated system tinny. And I decated both the hesder and front pipe.

I currently have an UEL header with my AVO turbo setup, but the turbo does an excellent job at muffling the noise.

Just wanted your input as I'm about to do exactly what you did.

I have tomei UEL, rest stock. Very happy so far with the performance but was interested in getting the Xforce 2.5 catback to make the UEL rumble more prominent.
How loud would you consider obnoxious to be with the tomei UEL? I saw the db readings of what I assume to be the stock system of the xforce and the 2.5 was giving off an 80.1 reading, and have seen others say the 2.5 sounds stock until you put in UEL's. With that considered surely the sound difference couldn't be that excessive? ie not surpassing 90 at the most and potentially being in the 85-88 range. I know the 3 inch option stock is at 85 and I was almost considering that

Did you just have the header and catback or had you swapped the front pipe aswell? Also did you have a tune for your header at the time you said it was obnoxious?

I did plan to get the valved version of the xforce regardless, but as I said was considering going 3inch valved just because I didn't think i'd even use the valve if I got it on the 2.5.


TLDR, am I gonna be right running my tomei uel, with the xforce 2.5, keeping my stock catted front pipe- or will I have the valve shut 90% of the time driving it

[86MLR]

Originally Posted by Sam86

Just wanted your input as I'm about to do exactly what you did.

I have tomei UEL, rest stock. Very happy so far with the performance but was interested in getting the Xforce 2.5 catback to make the UEL rumble more prominent.
How loud would you consider obnoxious to be with the tomei UEL? I saw the db readings of what I assume to be the stock system of the xforce and the 2.5 was giving off an 80.1 reading, and have seen others say the 2.5 sounds stock until you put in UEL's. With that considered surely the sound difference couldn't be that excessive? ie not surpassing 90 at the most and potentially being in the 85-88 range. I know the 3 inch option stock is at 85 and I was almost considering that

Did you just have the header and catback or had you swapped the front pipe aswell? Also did you have a tune for your header at the time you said it was obnoxious?

I did plan to get the valved version of the xforce regardless, but as I said was considering going 3inch valved just because I didn't think i'd even use the valve if I got it on the 2.5.


TLDR, am I gonna be right running my tomei uel, with the xforce 2.5, keeping my stock catted front pipe- or will I have the valve shut 90% of the time driving it

Sound is very objective.

If your staying NA don't get 3".

Always start at your engine and go back from there.

The stock catback flows fine and performs well NA when the restrictions (cats) are removed or modified (100-200cell).

The X-force catback weighs more than the stock one.

My opinion:

1. Don't get the catback, also, valved (varex)mufflers are expensive, heavy and a gimmick, just take your time, isr sound engineering principles and you will not need one.
2. If your set on the UEL header buy that, and get it coated or wrapped.
3. Get a 2.5" overpipe and install that at the same time (coated or wrapped).
4. Drive around and see if you like "the sound".
5. If you want more noise decat the OEM frontpipe (you should be able to find one in a exhaust shop bin), or, get a 2.5" resonated high flow front pipe, or, get a 2.5" dual resonated catless frontpipe (my pick).
6. Once you have the car sounding the way you want get it tuned.
7. Profit.
8. Do a skid.

As for tuning out cold start, well, that can see other issues, so, mine still had cold start.

Opinions may vary

Enjoy

[Sam86]

Originally Posted by 86MLR

Sound is very objective.

If your staying NA don't get 3".

Always start at your engine and go back from there.

The stock catback flows fine and performs well NA when the restrictions (cats) are removed or modified (100-200cell).

The X-force catback weighs more than the stock one.

My opinion:

1. Don't get the catback, also, valved (varex)mufflers are expensive, heavy and a gimmick, just take your time, isr sound engineering principles and you will not need one.
2. If your set on the UEL header buy that, and get it coated or wrapped.
3. Get a 2.5" overpipe and install that at the same time (coated or wrapped).
4. Drive around and see if you like "the sound".
5. If you want more noise decat the OEM frontpipe (you should be able to find one in a exhaust shop bin), or, get a 2.5" resonated high flow front pipe, or, get a 2.5" dual resonated catless frontpipe (my pick).
6. Once you have the car sounding the way you want get it tuned.
7. Profit.
8. Do a skid.

As for tuning out cold start, well, that can see other issues, so, mine still had cold start.

Opinions may vary

Enjoy

I don't track my car so the added weight of the catback isn't an issue for me. I'm happy with my car performance wise and am looking for a better sound output over the stock system, and don't want to modify my stock catback incase I have to revert to it at a later stage.

I already have Tomei UEL headers installed with a tune and i'm very happy with them. I want the xforce 2.5 catback with inbuilt varex as it's on sale, not much more than the standard 2.5 usually went for and I like the appeal of being able to quieten my exhaust output at the press of a button.

I don't want to decat the oem frontpipe and be running 0 cats.

My question was simply how obnoxious was the 2.5 xforce catback with tomei uels? As you said you were running that for 2 weeks.

The reason I ask is because many people gave the impression the sound output of the xforce was not particularly loud compared to most other catbacks, 2.5 being 80.1 db and 3 being 85. I'm just finding it hard to believe that my tomei uel is going to push that stock 80 db rating beyond 90 to something I would deem obnoxious as you described it to be.


Also this is why I considered the 3in option (though would have 100% gone valved because there is no way i'd be able to daily that)

[Ernest72]

I have JDL uel, JDL resonated and high flow cat front pipe and Q300. I have some rasp on shifts and it seems it got worse overtime. I am thinking my Q300 is getting louder, but it’s still quiet at idle and off throttle. Sometimes I think about it but multiple people have said they like the way the car sounds, so all is good. My advice is to get someone to drive your car and follow them in another car around town and on some spirited runs. Best way to see how the world hears you when you drive.

[86TOYO2k17]

Originally Posted by 86MLR

Sound is very objective.

As for tuning out cold start, well, that can see other issues, so, mine still had cold start.
Enjoy

Subjective*

No issues with tuning out cod start

[86TOYO2k17]

Originally Posted by Sam86

I don't track my car so the added weight of the catback isn't an issue for me. I'm happy with my car performance wise and am looking for a better sound output over the stock system, and don't want to modify my stock catback incase I have to revert to it at a later stage.

I already have Tomei UEL headers installed with a tune and i'm very happy with them. I want the xforce 2.5 catback with inbuilt varex as it's on sale, not much more than the standard 2.5 usually went for and I like the appeal of being able to quieten my exhaust output at the press of a button.


Also this is why I considered the 3in option (though would have 100% gone valved because there is no way i'd be able to daily that)

Have you considered csg mxp touring 86? If you just want to change the sound to a better sound but not add volume. This is a good option.

I am not familiar with the xforce. But It is almost impossible to tell the volume from a video only the sound tones. You already have the header installed so have already experienced the main volume increase. Whatever the added volume increase difference between stock catback and xforce shouldn’t change.

I run no cats with csg mxp 86. Sounds really good IMO, and really not loud at all. With cold start tuned out it doesn’t wake anyone in my household let alone neighbors when i warm my car up at 5am

[Sam86]

Originally Posted by 86TOYO2k17

Have you considered csg mxp touring 86? If you just want to change the sound to a better sound but not add volume. This is a good option.

I am not familiar with the xforce. But It is almost impossible to tell the volume from a video only the sound tones. You already have the header installed so have already experienced the main volume increase. Whatever the added volume increase difference between stock catback and xforce shouldn’t change.

I run no cats with csg mxp 86. Sounds really good IMO, and really not loud at all. With cold start tuned out it doesn’t wake anyone in my household let alone neighbors when i warm my car up at 5am

I don't mind adding a bit of sound I just don't want obnoxious. The xforce has a valved option which suppresses most of the sound if I don't want it to be loud. Just has a motorised panel inside the muffler that you open and close with a button they give you. And yea I know that sound clip I posted isn't the best indicator especially as it's in a carpark, but i've seen enough videos of the same exhaust to get a rough idea of what it'll be like

My main issue with no cats is the emissions, not so much for an emissions check but for the off chance I get asked whether I have a cat or not and I can still say that I do have one. (police where I live are pretty strict on car mods).

Despite having my header installed I haven't experienced the "main sound increase". The stock mufflers unfortunately for me are extremely good, so yea I can hear the rumble but the sound increase isn't anything noticeable over stock. And that's with tomei UELs which apparently are meant to be one of the louder headers.

I already have a cold start tune from my UEL headers so that isn't so much an issue for me. And no I hadn't considered the exhaust you mentioned, living in Australia my choices are pretty limited of what I can get locally due to the $280 USD shipping costs if I bought something overseas.

[Breadman]

i just installed a jdl ultra quiet and with the 60S and ace350 headers it sounds pretty good not going to lie

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by Sam86

Black on black on black.. and then some more black.