I just installed the ebay TRD knockoff axelback and didn't notice a difference in sound. My friend suggested to have a shop change the piping to 2.5" would this give me a louder/deeper sound? If not, what would you guys suggest to get a deeper sound without being too loud.

 

perhaps a real TRD axleback exhaust. The amount of money you pay a shop to change the pipe plus the amount you paid for that knockoff would have gotten you that exhaust...

 

but any 2.5" would give you that louder sound. or even 2.25"

 

^^^^ hes right any 2.5" straight back piping would give u a louder exhaust, depending on what ur going for tho, i would also suggest headers

 

i'd prefer a deeper exhaust note over a louder one. i've also been thinking about headers but i dont know if i want to run them here in socal.

 

oh man, socal is a pain for any modified cars.... and headers will definitely get you in trouble.. but yeah any 2.5" would get you that deeper exhaust noise

 

if you are running stock & changing the mid pipe from a 2.25" to 2.5" you will feel a huge power lost

 

^exactly but if he doesn't care about power then go for it, also is it a full exhaust of just the back part of the exhaust that you changed? if it's the back part then look into a midpipe before you get your oem midpipe chopped and modified.

 

Guys, hate to say this, but you don't install "headers" on an xB2, you install a single header. Now, if you had a V6 or V8, then indeed, headers is exactly what it would take -- two !

In any case, good luck with the exhaust!

 

yeah i dont really care for power, i didn't get this car to go fast. but details on a midpipe?

lol i knew it was header but for some reason i keep typing headers.

i was looking more online and before changing the piping to 2.5" i might replace the scuba tank with a regular magnaflow resonator for now and see how that sounds. unless someone chimes in that it would be raspy then i wont do it.

 

Just remember that the scuba also contains the primary cat. Depending on where you live, losing that cat may not pass vehicle inspection. I'm not sure I've ever read of someone removing the scuba and avoiding a raspy sound. Still, I understand there's enough room for both a high flow cat and resonator in series. You'll probably need the rear resonator as well to keep the sound under control. I'm sure there are people around here who have worked with this, maybe they'll chime in.

 

thanks for the heads up. didnt know it was a cat/resonator combo, just thought it was the largest resonator ever.

 

i just looked and no one sells an aftermarket midpipe for the xb2 that can bolt up to your s-pipe and muffler section, what you can do is just get the exhaust you got chopped from the flange and the muffler. get the pipe changed from 2.25" to a 2.5" as you had originally planned and then see if that's what you want before messing with your factory midpipe. but don't get headers because the cops out here in the valley are a holes and will start to profile the car due to it being really loud and raspy, that's why i haven't ran my exhaust for a while but it's clammed down abit but then again xb's don't get profiled much like tc's

 

i took the scuba tank off and have a n1 type muffler on the rear from ebay like 35 dollars shipped, were the scuba tank was i put in a resonator from ebay 45 dollars and made a big difference in power and sound its deep not too loud but its loud still not annoying loud just right for my ears, the scuba tank does have a cat but its a secondary cat, technically u only need one and its right by the exhaust manifold, if you follow the o2 sensors thats your cat, o2 sensor is before and after the car, thats the main one.

 

No, it's not the secondary cat, it's the primary cat. The little cat built into the OE exhaust manifold is called a pre-cat and is most definitely not up to covering the function of the main cat in the scuba.

 

x2 ^^ If it wasn't necessary for emissions and just a secondary then why doesn't anyone make bolt-in exhaust components? Better yet, why do you think TRD only made the axle back setup? That is the main cat, a shop I used to work at and where I currently have my work done confirmed that for me when I had a similar desire for more sound and less back pressure. If you want a loud car this isn't the car. Or, kiss being legal buh-bye! LOL

 

louder isnt my main concern i just want the sound to be deeper mostly. But if its not possible without having to remove the scuba then i'll just give up on the idea.

 

In Cali you have to maintain both the OEM pre-cat, and the OEM "scuba tank" primary cat until you hit the 80k mile EPA required warranty period for the cats. At that time you can replace the scuba tank with a CARB certified high-flow replacement cat and separate resonator. This combo should give you the sound you desire, but they aren't easy to find, and they aren't cheap.

 

if ur looking for that deeper sound then ur gonna have to get full piping done along with headers, but DONT get NO NAME headers, no name headers r the annoying loud ones they put on honda's smh, if u want the deep and LEGAL sound like how a evo sounds then u HAVE to go with either skunk2 or dc headers. a couple of my friends have them, also buddy club has good headers, these r all CARB LEGAL headers, meaning u CANT get a ticket/in trouble for them, i know cuz i live in cali and used to have 2 honda's and raced the hell outta them lol, i got like 5-6 tickets :/ any ways u will also need the mid and 2.5" piping to the back with a good exhaust(NOT NO NAME)<--skunk2 or buddy club would b the best selection lol

 

FWIW -- ScionFred has reported in the past that both OE cats are actually high flow. I don't recall where that information came from, but if so, replacing the cats soley for the purpose of high flow probably won't accomplish anything. As far as tone is concerned, it's been demonstrated that after market cat-backs and axle-backs, both with and without resonators, give different sounds from the OE. Many have used Youtube videos to try to get a handle on them.

Here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A4X5MAw1LU