Exhaust questions?

[The_Hawk]

It time to start at least thinking of getting some exhaust pieces onto the VR6 and shutting it up a wee bit. Driving by myself (as I usually do the radio is up s I don't tend to notice so much, but with the wife and kits in the car for a few hours on the weekend I noticed it again....

anyway...

So the stock pipe is 2 1/4 inch, can some please confirm that the stock setup goes from the cat to a mid muffler, to the "suitcase" to the back box? Or is there no mid?

2nd. Whats recommended? mid, rear + back box? Just a mid and back?

Considering the age of the cat, is it worth replacing, or do I just assume it's more free flowing if anything?

Lastly, whats the go with stainless steel vs not? Does it simply last longer? (and technically look better, but lets face it no one will ever see it)...

...oh and really lastly, whats a decent setup worth?

And how much less if I do keep the stock cat and my current rear box?

[DubSteve]

I wouldn't replace the cat, VW did good so its not worth replacing it!

I'm in the same boat as you Aaron I'm looking at a new exhaust so at the moment I'm thinkin full magnaflow which is a 2 1/4" system, sounds awesome aswell.

[Mrk_Mickey]

To answer some of your questions Aaron, yes the stock piping is 2.25". Yes, it goes from the Cat to a resonator (hotdog style), then to the briefcase style muffler, and lastly over the main rear axle into the backbox.

Stainless steel vs non....well....the only difference is it won't last as long, as you said. If you weld stainless and mild steels together in an exhaust, over a period of....>8 years (this is what I'm told) they will react against each other. This said, I personally chose mild steel because I didn't think 8 years was too bad for an exhaust to last. I probably won't have my car that long anyway.

I've replaced my exhaust with a cat-back system. To keep backpressure, Midas has installed 2" piping on mine from the cat, replacing the first resonator with a hotdog, deleting the briefcase, and replacing the backbox with a magnaflow one. It's got a great sound to it, however it does tend to drone right around the 2000rpm mark.

I paid Midas $200 to install mine, which included new piping from the cat all the way back and of course labour. I supplied the two mufflers.

If you're looking to refine it a bit, I suggest that you go 2-2.25" in piping, and replace the briefcase muffler with another, maybe smaller hotdog, for a more refined, but better than stock noise.

[Golf Houso]

To answer some of your questions Aaron, yes the stock piping is 2.25". Yes, it goes from the Cat to a resonator (hotdog style), then to the briefcase style muffler, and lastly over the main rear axle into the backbox.

Stainless steel vs non....well....the only difference is it won't last as long, as you said. If you weld stainless and mild steels together in an exhaust, over a period of....>8 years (this is what I'm told) they will react against each other. This said, I personally chose mild steel because I didn't think 8 years was too bad for an exhaust to last. I probably won't have my car that long anyway.

I've replaced my exhaust with a cat-back system. To keep backpressure, Midas has installed 2" piping on mine from the cat, replacing the first resonator with a hotdog, deleting the briefcase, and replacing the backbox with a magnaflow one. It's got a great sound to it, however it does tend to drone right around the 2000rpm mark.

I paid Midas $200 to install mine, which included new piping from the cat all the way back and of course labour. I supplied the two mufflers.

If you're looking to refine it a bit, I suggest that you go 2-2.25" in piping, and replace the briefcase muffler with another, maybe smaller hotdog, for a more refined, but better than stock noise.

I'd be doing the same, but I'd personally change the first resonator, find another muffler to replace the suitcase and put a magnaflow on the rear. I like a noisy car and the VR6 is quite loud stock but add a proper CAI its even louder remove a few mufflers and its louder again. Particularly when you compare it to a GL as I've discovered...

[Jarred]

If you dont want any drone go for a big resonator, is what I've learnt.

A generic "straight through" rear box should give a nice sound with a res and no suit case. If you go 2 1/4" it shouldn't bee too loud (being the stock size) but a 2.5" will be a bit louder.

If you actually want to "upgrade" the exhaust system, I suggest looking at a 2.5", big hot dog (resonator, for no drone) and a quality muffler magnaflow or whatever. Ring a few exhaust shops to get thier professional opinion. If it's too noisy, maybe a middle muffler/suitcase.

Di Filippo make straight-through stainless-wrapped, fibre-packed, peforated-tube mufflers for thier exhausts, cause this is what they says flows best. I'd take their word for it.

Hope this helps.

Also re: stainless vs mild steel: Unless you were to do some serious HP upgrades, I'd just stick to mild steel. Stainless steel 409 (or 419) is the best SS, esp for headers, cause it's more resistant to cracking under temp than 316 SS. But since this is more of a "sports" upgrade (than a "race" upgrade), IMO, Mild Steel would ssuffice.

[Golf Houso]

Di Filippo make straight-through stainless-wrapped, fibre-packed, peforated-tube mufflers for thier exhausts, cause this is what they says flows best. I'd take their word for it.

Glass packs basically, Mickey has one on his VR6...

[Tim]

the stock VR6 piping is actually 2.125" If im not mistaken.

I noticed a nice performance gain going up to a 2.5"
Also if you have ever looked at the stock cat. Its like a torpedo and inside it is a pretty restrictive looking weave

[gldgti]

To answer some of your questions Aaron, yes the stock piping is 2.25". Yes, it goes from the Cat to a resonator (hotdog style), then to the briefcase style muffler, and lastly over the main rear axle into the backbox.

Stainless steel vs non....well....the only difference is it won't last as long, as you said. If you weld stainless and mild steels together in an exhaust, over a period of....>8 years (this is what I'm told) they will react against each other. This said, I personally chose mild steel because I didn't think 8 years was too bad for an exhaust to last. I probably won't have my car that long anyway.

I've replaced my exhaust with a cat-back system. To keep backpressure, Midas has installed 2" piping on mine from the cat, replacing the first resonator with a hotdog, deleting the briefcase, and replacing the backbox with a magnaflow one. It's got a great sound to it, however it does tend to drone right around the 2000rpm mark.

I paid Midas $200 to install mine, which included new piping from the cat all the way back and of course labour. I supplied the two mufflers.

If you're looking to refine it a bit, I suggest that you go 2-2.25" in piping, and replace the briefcase muffler with another, maybe smaller hotdog, for a more refined, but better than stock noise.

there is no galvanic reaction between stainless and mild steel - they will not cause corrosion if welded together. that doesnt mean that mild steel welded to stainless wont rust - it will - but just the same as it does normally. furthermore, any obvious corrosion around or through a weld path is likely related to the welding - the choice of wire, oxidised inclusions or incorrect welding procedure's (causing oxidation during welding) - will likely cause problems down the track.... but again, this is not the fault of the materials being joined.

[The_Hawk]

Rightio, booked in at Campbelltown Exhausts for Thursday morning, looking at round $400 if they do from the cat back (excluding the cat) and round $300 if they don't replace the rear box. All in 2.5". Will see if the replacement rear box looks any better than mine or not...

I told the guy about my trip on Friday so we are all good with in and out same day (if not morning) and he has confirmed all the various bits and pieces are in stock or available on the day.

Will be interesting to see how things go and what the end product sounds like. Might have to pull out the video camera and take some noise shots before and after. In some respects it will be a shame to loose the raw noise, in others the lack of bloody from the ears at 80 will make keeping the interior clean that much easier

[The_Hawk]

For reference I thought I would stick the camera under the old exhaust for a laugh:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=91iON0oAS4s


Will see how it sounds tomorrow...