Street-able 944S2 Exhuast Options
07-30-2010, 04:23 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Street-able 944S2 Exhuast Options
What's the BEST street-able exhaust setup to run? My exhaust is currently 100% stock, but I'd like to change it out so that I can receive a bit more feedback when going through the gears.
I'm used to the way my 924S sounds. It has a straight through exhaust, no catalytic converter, just a Borla XR-1 muffler. While I enjoy the sound at times, I must say that under regular driving and commuting, I find it to be too loud at times. It's a massive jump from a stock exhaust setup as far as the noise goes, so I'd like to see what other options I might have for a quieter but still nice sounding setup on my S2. I like more of a pure and nice sound, rather than raspy or ricey if that makes sense.
Does anyone who is running an aftermarket setup on their S2 or similar car have any suggestions? Any input is welcome.
I'm used to the way my 924S sounds. It has a straight through exhaust, no catalytic converter, just a Borla XR-1 muffler. While I enjoy the sound at times, I must say that under regular driving and commuting, I find it to be too loud at times. It's a massive jump from a stock exhaust setup as far as the noise goes, so I'd like to see what other options I might have for a quieter but still nice sounding setup on my S2. I like more of a pure and nice sound, rather than raspy or ricey if that makes sense.
Does anyone who is running an aftermarket setup on their S2 or similar car have any suggestions? Any input is welcome.
07-30-2010, 04:23 PM
#2
Racer
Thread Starter
odurandina, if you are reading this, your input is also welcome. I was intrigued by your thread, despite not having a sample video to base the sound off of.
08-01-2010, 11:38 AM
#4
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i didn't see your post. i had to leave the east coast for business on short notice. i am in Fargo, ND with the car. and i'll make sure to get a video up within a few days.
i've run 89 octane gas since i've had the car. don't know if that's your favorite grade of fuel, but in any case, if you can do a top speed test before removing your exhaust and one after (of course, not from the speedometer). record your tire size and how much tread you have. find your top rpm in high gear before and after. that would be cool.
run 2 1/2" test pipe and locate the resonator slightly forward (closer to the headers) of where the stock unit was located, and run two mild bends back to the 3" inlet/outlet center pipe maxflow muffler....
hollow chamber resonator: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLE-310013919/
maxflow: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HOK-21606HKR/
what you can expect:
less costly... the whole thing (including fabricating 1 test pipe with 2 - 45 degree bends), should cost less than $450 installed... don't forget to apply a good paint like duplicolor metalcast over your welds and new pipe... apply when the pipes are very warm.
bigg, deep sound (like running a 3.8 litre V6 into a high performance exhaust)...
when you change gears, at about 3,500-4000 rpm, it will let out a spectacular "roar" in combination with a low-frequency crackle (especially before the exhaust gets hot. similar to an exotic car, but at not quite so high frequency)... on the highway, when you ease off the throttle, your car will make an even deeper roar, but without the crackle...
what you will now have is a straight pipe running out of the header with two mild bends and out the back of your car... this combination is far from being too loud for the street. but, after you've **** yourself, you can put this setup against any 4 cylinder in the world in a sound competition, and show up to collect the trophy.... you'll notice your car has become quite the head turner. people go out of their way to say, "nice car" or offer a big thumbs up if you let them pass you on the highway - weird.
i also might add that this is the perfect setup for a venue like Lime Rock where straight pipe systems are not allowed (except for raceweek during the American La Mann's series).
the last photo is a 4" inlet/outlet.
/
i've run 89 octane gas since i've had the car. don't know if that's your favorite grade of fuel, but in any case, if you can do a top speed test before removing your exhaust and one after (of course, not from the speedometer). record your tire size and how much tread you have. find your top rpm in high gear before and after. that would be cool.
run 2 1/2" test pipe and locate the resonator slightly forward (closer to the headers) of where the stock unit was located, and run two mild bends back to the 3" inlet/outlet center pipe maxflow muffler....
hollow chamber resonator: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLE-310013919/
maxflow: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HOK-21606HKR/
what you can expect:
less costly... the whole thing (including fabricating 1 test pipe with 2 - 45 degree bends), should cost less than $450 installed... don't forget to apply a good paint like duplicolor metalcast over your welds and new pipe... apply when the pipes are very warm.
bigg, deep sound (like running a 3.8 litre V6 into a high performance exhaust)...
when you change gears, at about 3,500-4000 rpm, it will let out a spectacular "roar" in combination with a low-frequency crackle (especially before the exhaust gets hot. similar to an exotic car, but at not quite so high frequency)... on the highway, when you ease off the throttle, your car will make an even deeper roar, but without the crackle...
what you will now have is a straight pipe running out of the header with two mild bends and out the back of your car... this combination is far from being too loud for the street. but, after you've **** yourself, you can put this setup against any 4 cylinder in the world in a sound competition, and show up to collect the trophy.... you'll notice your car has become quite the head turner. people go out of their way to say, "nice car" or offer a big thumbs up if you let them pass you on the highway - weird.
i also might add that this is the perfect setup for a venue like Lime Rock where straight pipe systems are not allowed (except for raceweek during the American La Mann's series).
the last photo is a 4" inlet/outlet.
/
Last edited by odurandina; 08-01-2010 at 01:19 PM.
08-01-2010, 05:42 PM
#5
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If it is any help, I made a 2.5" s/s exhaust for my S2. Used mandrel "u's" from Columbia river mandrel bending, a magnaflow high flow cat, and the biggest magnaflow 2.5" offset/offset muffler they make. size does matter when it comes to sound, also the weight of the can can make a huge difference. Didn't have the cat in when I first made it, but it did get a bit ricey at the top end. Adding the cat sweetend the sound and brought back some of the low end torque. I think I have close to $500 into it including making new hangers, flanges, and gaskets (i made it in 2 sections similar to factory).
On a side note, and not to hi-jack thread, but car is for sale on ebay til Tuesday.
On a side note, and not to hi-jack thread, but car is for sale on ebay til Tuesday.
08-01-2010, 06:02 PM
#6
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don't be sellin' that beautiful car...
anyway, my theory is that a cat does no favors to any system when it comes to sound.
the 1st exhaust (just pipe + the hooker glasspack) made power and sounded big, but it started turning into the angry lawnmower sound as soon as the rpms increased toward wot... overall, the damn thing was just too loud.
adding the resonator minus the cat really made the difference. the sound is exotic.
in massachusetts there's no emissions testing for a 15 year old or older car... win.
anyway, my theory is that a cat does no favors to any system when it comes to sound.
the 1st exhaust (just pipe + the hooker glasspack) made power and sounded big, but it started turning into the angry lawnmower sound as soon as the rpms increased toward wot... overall, the damn thing was just too loud.
adding the resonator minus the cat really made the difference. the sound is exotic.
in massachusetts there's no emissions testing for a 15 year old or older car... win.
08-01-2010, 06:25 PM
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The current set up I made is pretty quality sound, deep, and very nice on the high end. Beats the first one I made, a flowmaster 40 with a dynomax race-bullet glasspack. That was probably the worst sound you could get from an S2!! Trial by fire!
It's a shame the car has to go, but family comes first. It'll be a super good deal for someone, if I had more time I could part it out for a lot more. Spread the word.
It's a shame the car has to go, but family comes first. It'll be a super good deal for someone, if I had more time I could part it out for a lot more. Spread the word.
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08-01-2010, 07:42 PM
#8
Captain Obvious
Rennlist Member
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I went with a 2.5 inch hi flow magnaflow cat to an 18 inch open spiral resonator then to a hi flow stainless magnaflow muffler.
So, 2.5 inch from cat to rear essentially.
She's got that low rumble, but the raspy honda fartcan sound is non existant.
Its got that "he's done something to the exhaust" sound.
I wouldn't go more than 2.5 inches unless she's a turbo. Just my 2 cents.
So, 2.5 inch from cat to rear essentially.
She's got that low rumble, but the raspy honda fartcan sound is non existant.
Its got that "he's done something to the exhaust" sound.
I wouldn't go more than 2.5 inches unless she's a turbo. Just my 2 cents.
08-18-2010, 03:24 AM
#10
Racer
Thread Starter
I'm concerned that I'll end up buying something that ends up being too loud and annoying, like the current setup on my 924S. On that car, I'm currently running a straight through, 2.5" test pipe with a Borla XR-1 muffler. There's no resonator, no 45 degree bends, it's just straight through. I read your thread, and I'm under the impression that you've had a similar straight through setup before. If that is so, then how would you compare the noise level in general? By comparison, how much more quieter and livable would you say your current setup is?
I'd love something that sounds nice when I'm in the upper RPM's, but not something that's so loud and annoying when I'm relaxingly cruising at lower RPM's.
08-18-2010, 07:13 AM
#11
Three Wheelin'
The PO put a "sports" exhaust on which was way too resonant at highway cruise. After a 2 hour drive that constant drone used to give me a headache every time.
I installed a Dansk cat back on my S2. The Dansk sounds nice on the track but is not annoying on the street. With a lot of tracks here in Oz introducing noise restrictions, it's not worth the hassle of putting in a "noisy" exhaust.
I installed a Dansk cat back on my S2. The Dansk sounds nice on the track but is not annoying on the street. With a lot of tracks here in Oz introducing noise restrictions, it's not worth the hassle of putting in a "noisy" exhaust.
08-18-2010, 09:59 AM
#13
Three Wheelin'
You can fit the Dansk yourself, bolts right up to the back of the cat. Perfect fit.
Eric
08-18-2010, 10:18 AM
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warning: severe attention ***** post:
The current set up I made is pretty quality sound, deep, and very nice on the high end. Beats the first one I made, a flowmaster 40 with a dynomax race-bullet glasspack. That was probably the worst sound you could get from an S2!! Trial by fire!
It's a shame the car has to go, but family comes first. It'll be a super good deal for someone, if I had more time I could part it out for a lot more. Spread the word.
It's a shame the car has to go, but family comes first. It'll be a super good deal for someone, if I had more time I could part it out for a lot more. Spread the word.
advertising a Porsche should get more interest down in Mass.
a lot of young people would love to get in a "Porsche in clean, running condition" for much less than the cost of a Boxster or older 911.
Thanks for the reply. A video would be golden.
I'm concerned that I'll end up buying something that ends up being too loud and annoying, like the current setup on my 924S. On that car, I'm currently running a straight through, 2.5" test pipe with a Borla XR-1 muffler. There's no resonator, no 45 degree bends, it's just straight through. I read your thread, and I'm under the impression that you've had a similar straight through setup before. If that is so, then how would you compare the noise level in general? By comparison, how much more quieter and livable would you say your current setup is?
I'd love something that sounds nice when I'm in the upper RPM's, but not something that's so loud and annoying when I'm relaxingly cruising at lower RPM's.
I'm concerned that I'll end up buying something that ends up being too loud and annoying, like the current setup on my 924S. On that car, I'm currently running a straight through, 2.5" test pipe with a Borla XR-1 muffler. There's no resonator, no 45 degree bends, it's just straight through. I read your thread, and I'm under the impression that you've had a similar straight through setup before. If that is so, then how would you compare the noise level in general? By comparison, how much more quieter and livable would you say your current setup is?
I'd love something that sounds nice when I'm in the upper RPM's, but not something that's so loud and annoying when I'm relaxingly cruising at lower RPM's.
yes, as i mentioned my first exhaust, was indeed too loud. but adding the resonator cleaned it all up (way less loud, idle is a sweet sounding deep, rumble). no police is going to say "too loud." but, if they like cars, they might ask you, "what you have under the hood."
i've asked cops for directions a few times here in the midwest and two of them complimented me on the car. people stare at it, and i get like 4 or 5 compliments every day, if it's saturday night out with wifey, more, (she flew out to chicago the other day)... before ?? zero.
listen to this clip. do you like how these cars sound ?? is a Ferrari F-430 too loud ? listen to the Ferrari 360 Modena @ 30 seconds and LAST CAR in this video... my car sounds exactly like a 6 cylinder version of THAT sound ! and if you think about it why shouldn't it ?
it hits you like, "oh my God ! of course, this is how the Variocam was MEANT to sound !!"
well, there you go... don't forget, a 3.0 has a rather large displacement and somewhat exotic valve design w/ decent manifolds to begin with. the damn engine is a heavy breather... the stock exhaust is TOO TAME. they never tuned it to match the engine's design. you've maybe seen i've done some nice upgrades to my car, but nothing really out of the ordinary...
https://rennlist.com/forums/editpost...postid=7824781
but, i'm extremely happy with the exhaust.
my car could use a refresh at the body shop, but the sound would fit in with the cars in the clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR5PQ...eature=related
Last edited by odurandina; 08-18-2010 at 11:15 AM.
08-19-2010, 07:28 PM
#15
Racer
Thread Starter
Here's a diagram I made, just to be sure I get this right. The blue sketching shows the factory exhaust. The red shows the revisions with explanations. How close on the ball am I here?