These questions are for those of you who have removed your stock exhaust.

What size is the diameter of the stock piping?

Is the stock muffler a straight through design (look through one end of the pipe and see right through it)?

It looks like there are two resonators next to each other, up closer to the engine. Are these resonators a straight through design?

I am trying to figure out whether to modify the stock exhaust, or buy a new cat-back. Thanks.

 

Hahaha


Oh wait, sorry, I'm supposed to make sure my comments stay on topic. Yeah, not a chance. Don't bother at all with whatever modifications you're thinking. Whatever gains you think you can get by doing your mods will not be there. And if you are doing it for sound, don't try either. Go buy one if you want a good sound and 2whp

 

I decided to modify the stock exhaust since it has mandrel bends, and I will only spend about 65 bucks in total.

I cut the stock muffler off last night and found out that it is a straight through muffler. This sucks because it means that my gains will be minimal.

I measured the exhaust pipe diameter where I cut the old muffler off and it was just a tad over 2". This area of the pipe just before the muffler is flared slightly so I will assume the rest of the piping is 2". This also sucks because for 180HP I believe 2.25" would be ideal.

I started the car and drove it around (without the muffler). As expected, I felt no HP difference, but the sound was actually quiet and sounded good. I will be welding in a universal 14" Magnaflow that will probably make the car super quiet. I will probably get rid of the resonators later on. I will update you guys on that when I do it.

 

STOP!!

Me and 11tCOwner have already tried this.
Putting the magnaflow on will make it sound exactly the same as stock, cutting out the resonator will give you rasp. Both the exhaust and resonator are straight through design. You need to upgrade the piping size to at least 2.5" for it to sound good/give you a performance gain.

IMHO you should just weld a 2 inch pipe where the muffler was and drive like that until you get a full exhaust.

 

Now I am kicking myself... I already welded the Magnaflow to the stock tailpipe. I was just waiting until I got a 2" to 2.5" adapter to weld the muffler/tailpipe to the rest of the exhaust.
This sucks because I really like the sound of the resonators only and no muffler. If I hadn't already welded the Magnaflow I would have welded in a straight pipe like you suggested and just left it permanently.
How bad would the rasp be with the Magnaflow on, but minus the resonators?

 

Bad... I am running a Magnaflow and a cut resonator right now. Once the exhaust warms up the rasp goes away, but until then its bad...

You should just cut whatever you welded up and put a straight pipe in it and bolt it up.

 

I might do that...
It's just too bad that I can't return the Magnaflow now.
I'm gonna have to think about it...

 

I found some left over 2.25in pipe and decided to take your advice. I think it looks better than stock. The ugly muffler isn't sticking out the bottom anymore, and it sounds pretty good. Kind of loud when accelerating but almost silent while cruising.
Will upload pic when I learn how to make it smaller....

 

I had two short pieces of pipe, so I had to weld them together in order for them to be long enough. That's why there is that extra weld in there.

 

I replaced mine with steel pipe I got a nice sound out of it atleast I thought so

 

I took a look at my stock piping and noticed that the axel back is bolted and has two small welds on either side on the flange...anyone else have that?