Diaznick4

Hey guys I'm new to this forum and I need some help with deciding on some mods. I wanted to do the basic intake exhaust headers setup but not quite sure on which exhaust to pick. I don't want it to sound like a cheap Honda I have enough money for any exhaust if it's worth it I wanted to get weapon r headers ark exhaust and a k&n intake. Advice? Help? Suggestions? Will this void my warrenty? Thank you in advance

patriotfan11

Headers will void your warranty I believe. Intake and exhaust wont. I have an injen sri and a greddy exhaust which together sound awesome. Dont think it added any power at all but seeminly helped my gas mileage a small bit.

Diaznick4

Thank you not really looking for huge power gains just have money left over and want to make it sound better without messing with the warrenty. I won't be racing or anything like that really

patriotfan11

I wouldn't mess with headers at all. They don't do much and they are a huge pain. Not great for reliability at all either. I would stick with intake and exhaust until 60k or 5 year mark for warranty purposes.

Diaznick4

Yeah I've heard that a lot also I've been told to look into axleback instead of exhaust what do you think and what do you feel is better. Also could you explain differences between cat back and catless.

patriotfan11

Axelback is basically just the muffler. This will change the sound and is cheapest. A cat (or catalytic converter) you have to have on street vehicles if your state does emissions tests. No cat = better gains but on a n/a car thats still not that much more. A cat back is right after the cat, meaning you get a larger diameter exhaust the rest of the way back from there. Free-er flowing exhaust = better mpg/slight hp increase.

Honestly though, on a n/a car like a tC the gains are so minimal on anything you do, you will really just be looking for sound. If my car didnt already have a greddy exhaust on it when I bought it, I wouldve just put an axelback on it just to change the sound up. My suggestion if youre just looking for sound would be to go on youtube and look up different exhaust sounds and pick which one youd like best.

Diaznick4

Wow thank you you've been very helpfull. Is there much difference between the full exhaust vs just a axleback. I've also seen a cnt axel back to Megan mid pipe set up.

patriotfan11

If you got an axelback and then a megan mid pipe, it would probably be more expensive to do and more difficult than to just get a catback because essentially thats what youre making by combining the two. I dont know a lot of the prices that they are charging right now. But search around. Like I said, the gains are minimal regardless. Youll get the most doing a catback or if the axelback/midpipe thing is a way to do, then do so. Just search around for pricing/what it sounds like on a youtube video.

Tshock

iTrader: (2)

Good sticky tires, coilovers, headlight upgrade, short throw shifter.

These little motors don't make a lot of power. I accepted that when I put my stock exhaust back on and focused on driver mods. I get off on lateral g force.

patriotfan11

While I agree with your choice to do only drive mods, I dont agree with the stock exhaust. Although it doesnt add that much horsepower, its more about efficiency. After putting my intake and exhaust I didnt feel a difference in power since it was so minimal (im guessing maybe 4hp) but what I did notice was my mpg rose. After measuring before and after numbers, my TC made a 3.5mpg difference which is pretty large.

Personally I think the exhaust and intake were worth it to help the car breathe better and have the motor run more efficiently thus adding more hp (slight increase) but also adding better mileage which im all about.

patriotfan11

I will be dropping my car on TRD springs come the spring along with the short throw shifter and I already have sticky tires =D

Everything after that will be cosmetic.

Tshock

iTrader: (2)

Keep in mind lowering springs further compress the stock struts, shortening their life span. My car made it 10k miles on lowering Springs before I had bad struts. If you look at the cost of Springs and good struts, you might as well go for some gently used coilovers. I just avoided exhaust because of the negative attention it garners.

patriotfan11

Yeah I dont blame you on the noise factor. I dont mind it (yet) and for me the better mpg outweighs the sound.

As for the lowering springs that sucks they only lasted 10k miles. I was hoping for them to last a bit with the springs on em but 10k is a little low. Guess im looking into coilovers then.

Tshock

iTrader: (2)

If I could only choose one mod for my car. Coils. I've had fast cars big trucks and motorcycles. The most fun you can get out of a fwd Ricer is to make it handle well, to get the most out of what little horsepower we have. The TRD Springs might not be as low as the tiens I had so there could be less of a negative impact.

patriotfan11

What kind of coils did u get

Tshock

iTrader: (2)

I bought a used set of form and functions (F&F) from here. If you do get some, shoot for the pillow ball front top hats with the camber adjustment. Very easy to adjust.

Red2014tC

Anyone tried a mid-pipe with stock axle back?

Tshock

iTrader: (2)

No. I have tried a stock mid pipe with a straight axle back and it wasn't anything fancy to look at but it sounded halfway decent. I can send you the video if you want to hear it. I think its in my sound deadening thread

patriotfan11

I feel like that defeats the purpose of getting an exhaust. It goes back down to restrictive so I dont think its worth the time and money just to change the midpipe out.