Hey guys! I am getting alot of work done to my 8. I am waiting to hear other 8's with custom exhausts in my area's car show. As a temporary modification I would like to delete the mufflers. I was wondering how the assembly of the OEM muffler works. Could I unbolt it and have the straight pipe sit their or does it rely on the muffler to hold it up?

I know I will get flamed because alot of people say it is to loud but my prior car was a 2006 GTO with full headers, cat delete and SLP Loudmouth 1's which are damn near a straight pipe. This is just a temporary measure and I dont mind the noise as I dont commute for work.

Thanks and dont flame me to hard.

 

A careful look at this pic of the underbody of the RX-8 should answer the question.




No flaming is allowed here, but I think you may be surprised at exactly how painful a straight pipe RX-8 is to the ears. The volume is high, but it's the tone that makes your ears bleed.

 

It looks like u can delete it right before the straight pipe leading back to the muffler is that right? and it couldnt hurt to try, I could always reinstall it easily.

 

That is the end of the cat, or whatever midpipe/straight pipe that you replace the cat with.



Don't let the exhaust terminate under the car, or you could lose the car to a fire easily. Make sure you run the pipe(s) out the back. Plenty of people still melt their bumpers off.

Watch this video and then think about those flames being under the car right there... next to the fuel tank.

 

Thats a good point.

 

This needs to be emphasized. A rotary engine exhaust is hotter and ends up louder than that of a piston engine. The rotary racers of the 70's is one of the main reasons that noise restrictions were started on race tracks and these same cars were the first to be required to use mufflers. The decibels produces is equivalent to that of a jet engine. It was actually painful when they went by on the race track. You will risk your hearing along with having problems with the neighbors and the law if you go without a muffler.