cpiper

Hi guys i have a quick question,
so i bought a new exhaust on ebay i know not the best way to go but im 18 with an rx8 ive had for a month. but when i bought it they sent me one gasket and i put it on the midpipe connecting to the mufflers and it sounds like i have a leak and its really loud. i am almost positive everything is on correctly but i need some help fast thanks.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

If you don't know the brand, it's likely just simply bad fitment. Plenty of places on ebay that you can waste your limited money on thinking you are just getting a good deal.

Known parts may be more expensive, but they are the ones you end up buying anyway when the non-name ebay stuff causes you all sorts of headaches and end up completely wasting the "cheaper" amount you paid.

cpiper

so it was from 4caroption, it only sounds rough at idle. is my car going to break down over time for it? i know a leak would cause a loss in performance. am i going to run into these problems?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

I did a search to find it. Yeah, no-name brand.

Also searched the site here. No real fitment problems, though several complaints after several thousand miles of welds breaking hangers breaking, etc...

Every "wow! I love it!" review I see is with it brand new immediately after installation. I don't see anyone that comes back to still hold that opinion after some time and mileage is put on it. Expect those bolts and washers to rust.


The leak itself won't cause mechanical problems, just fume, safety, inspection, etc... problems.

cpiper

so what about my rough idle problem is a gasket in the wrong spot

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Define "rough idle"

If it's the car shaking, it's motor mounts
If it's an unstable idle, it's ignition, O2 sensor, vacuum leak, etc...
If it just sounds rough, then well, it's a leak, what do you expect?

If your exhaust leak is after the cat, you shouldn't have any performance changes at all that are from that. It might highlight a preexisting problem you had though, making it more noticeable.

cpiper

i do have worn motor mounts so a bit of the roughness is from that, but a little unstable idle, and its like a rattaling noise just like a cheap sounding honda kinda. its loud and sounds good but it sputters at the cat a bit like a leak

JCrane82

iTrader: (3)

This is true. I have owned the 4caroption Ebay exhaust for a year and a half. The bolts rust quickly and I have rewelded one side of the exhaust hanger. Still not bad for the $200-$250 cost, but expect issues.

The fitmet was also not perfect, and required a small amount of tweaking to the right side tip to fit correctly inside the exhaust shroud. And speaking of exhaust shrouds.......be sure to trim them to prevent the plastic from melting. I used a dremel tool to cut the shroud away from the exhaust piping.

cpiper

ive had it on for less then a day and its already melted. is your 4caroption exhaust just extremely loud?

JCrane82

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, it will melt within the first hour. I was hoping to catch you before you melted the plastic onto the piping.

I wouldn't call it extremely loud, but I am used to loud cars. It is considerably louder than stock, that is for sure.

I also ended up sanding down the muffler can and tips and painting it in high temp satin black. The "stainless" quality is horrible, and will corrode quickly. But again...what do you expect for a $200 exhaust?

cpiper

good point haha so my exhaust is stuck to the plastic tips? when you got your exhaust on though did it sound as if it had a leak or is just loud?

cpiper

and when you got your exhaust did they give you two gaskets? i have one and i put it between midpipe and muffler? if its only supposed to have one did i put it in the wrong spot?

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

The one that's to go at that spot, should be a copper cone shaped gasket. This is so there can be movement between the two pieces of pipe.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

It's math in my head:

Buying the right product: $500 (just throwing something out there)
Total Spent: $500

Buying a cheap no-name product to save money: $200
Repairing it: $100
Deciding to go with the right product eventually: $500
Total Spent: $800


Good job saving money!

cpiper

just looking for advice, i am 18 dude i ship to bootcamp in less then 5months i dont need the best performance parts available right now just something to cure my young eager mind and make things loud and i had some questions. that is all

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Just trying to teach your young and eager 18y/o mind why doing things that way doesn't really make sense.

You will get much harsher treatment from boot camp than you will get here, so I recommend not getting upset over anything here. It wouldn't bode well for boot camp.

cpiper

trust me i really do appreciate the help i really do im not getting upset. this is why i joined this club, to get the advice and guidance from all you guys

NOT GETTING UPSET