exhaust
 

ok, im interested in getting exhaust...and i know there are none available pretty much right now....what my questions are, is there going to be exhaust by anyone coming out reasonably soon? and secondly....what does anyone think of custom exhaust...for example buying N1 tips and getting your own piping ran?(3 1/2" maybe)...these are all just random thoughts at 3 13am!

andrew

you can get exhaust now but its like a grand. Try corksport.com or rotartyextreme.com or mazdatrix.com

Big names.....
 

The big names in exhaust are working on it - don't jump in too soon for the first one you meet....

Mr. Borla himself posted that he would soon have one ready, (and was spanked for 'advertising!')
.
.
.
doc

Racing Beat has several protype exhausts running around L.A.
One was installed on the Mazdatrix car at the BBQ last weekend
ans also seen at the 2nd Tustin Meet. Also heard that Magnaflow
will have one out soon.

what about the custom way? buying tips and then getting piping ran? or is that not a good idea??


andrew

Not really, because the shop will need to choose/fab an apropriate muffler, choose pipe diameters, etc. Do you want to loan them your car for a few weeks while they trial and error some different designs (and dyno them)? Or would you rather have them guesstimate the variables, slap it on, and hope for a gain? I'll wait a while, until some tested and true units become available.

...what about that third option of telling them how you want it?? ;)

So between Auto Exe and Mazdaspeeds exhaust, which one yields the best hp gains? I can't seem to find that info anywhere. Also which one would sound the closest to stock?

From my understanding the Mazdaspeed exhaust has NO HP GAIN -- only a "more pleasing exhaust note" -- meaning it makes it sound meaner but not go faster.

Re: Big names.....
 

Try Scott (in the service dept.) at Thousand Oaks Mazda/Subaru . 805-371-5555.

He has extensive info regarding all the available aftermarket upgrades for the RX8. Including all the available exhaust upgrades.

What does this Mazdaspeed exhaust cost?

exhaust
 

the mazdaspeed kit is like 1000 bucks, which is way too much if you ask me, especially if there are no hp or torque gains, anyone that spends that much for the "sound" of the exhaust is just stupid if you ask me

Re: exhaust
 

The stock exhaust is quite restrictive and there are about 8-10hp to be gained from an aftermarket exhaust.

You can easily find a 100% T-304 stainless steel, mandrel bent, straight through exhaust that will provide a 10hp gain over stock for around $550.

Try Scott (in the service dept.) at Thousand Oaks Mazda/Subaru . 805-371-5555. He has extensive info regarding all the available aftermarket upgrades for the RX8. Including all the available exhaust upgrades.

I'll be shocked if anyone buys a $1000 exhaust system that doesn't provide any performance gains. What's up with that?

magnaflow blows, borla is american, its all about Re Amemiya guys! Proven 12.25 bhp gain on the dyno.

Re: Re: exhaust
 

That's interesting...I thought I had read that the stock exhaust on the 8 actually was not all that restrictive, as less muffling was needed for the Renesis than for previous iterations of the rotary. It also doesn't really make sense to me that Mazdaspeed would come out with an expensive exhaust that had no performance gains. Mazdaspeed stuff is not usually like that...certainly, if it were relatively easy to get horsepower this way it doesn't seem logical that Mazdaspeed would have missed that.

I wonder, if you are able to come up with an exhaust that gives 10 hp better peak power, what it does to the torque curve? I would think very few people would be interested in 8-10 additional peak horsepower if that meant narrowing the useful part of the torque curve and moving it higher in the revs.

jds

true that...

hehe has anyone taken their exhaust off? with the whole thing or just the rear section? i was just wondering....


andrew

I'm surprised nobody has tried a straight thru single pipe design ala Porsche. When I saw my RX-8 up on the lift a week or so back, the exhaust tubing looked like a real good diameter, but the dual exhaust design looked like it did nothing for the performance of it. Lots of sharp bends and needless length for the sake of a dual exhaust. The centered single exhaust seems possible if you change out that real bumper cover. Now THAT would be cool (and probably some serious HP gains to boot).

I'd love to get the HP gains, but I prefer the classy/sleeper exhaust notes. Is it possible to get good HP gains without that "pissed off bumblebee" (can't remember who said that) sounding muffler?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned getting rid of 1 or 2 of the THREE cat's on the car...

I'm seriously considering fab'ing up something like that to use at the SCCA Solo II Nationals next month. Noise is far less of an issue than HP in that environment.

three cats?? where?? diagram please. (i've only seen one...)

I'm looking now, I've seen sideview pictures that indicate there are 3 cats on the car, but now I can't find them.

Is increased noise a necessary consequence of higher performance exhausts? Are there HP gaining exhaust systems without noticable increased sound?

Exhaust questions from newb
 

OK, I know next to nothing about cars, but I've seen several threads talking about how replacing the exhaust could free up around 10 hp. For $500-600, that sounds like a good deal. Especially since Mazda just game me $500 for taking it away :).

Is there any risk in doing this? What are the downsides besides having a louder car? I live in Minnesota so I don't think I have to worry about any emission problems. Is there anyway this could actually hurt the car or make it less reliable?

Changing exhaust sounds a lot safer and more legal than flashing an ECU.

Thanks in advance for any info.

changing the exhaust shouldn't cause any problems. I know I'm gonna change mine. I'm in ca and I do have to worry but mainly just about cops if my exhaust is too loud.

First off, there are a few components to the exhaust. There's the catalytic converter, or cat, that's closest to the engine. Then, there's the "cat-back" section, which is literally from the cat back to the tailpipe.

Legally, you can change out the cat-back section of the exhaust. By law, you can't do anything with the cat, but in many states it's kind of a grey area - it's illegal, but so is taping movies off HBO. No one really checks up on it.

There's also the exhaust manifold - this is a cast iron hunk bolted right to the engine, and the cat is bolted to it.

When designing the exhaust system, Mazda (as most car manufacturers do) had a number of objectives -

- It had to be quiet.
- It had to not rust out before the warranty expires
- It had to be relatively inexpensive
- It has to pass VERY strict federal emissions standards
- It has to be easy to install on the assembly line

ALL THOSE factors are looked at BEFORE performance.

With that said, Mazda has traditionally made VERY restrictive mufflers on the RX-7's. Rotaries are VERY loud, and as I'm sure you know your car is VERY quiet. The only way to accomplish this is with a massive, restrictive muffler.

The cat does quite a bit of sound muffling as well. Even if you had no cat-back on the car at all or just straight pipe, the car wouldn't be THAT loud. It would be loud, though :).

Aftermarket exhausts typically are better built and of higher quality components than stock, and one of their first objectives is making more power. They will be louder than stock, but with just a cat-back, a good exhaust will have a nice, deep, sporty sound, but not loud and obnoxious.

Aftermarket parts to replace the cat are typically called midpipes or straight pipes. Again, grey area, and you can't pass an emissions test with one, but power can be gained there.

The stock exhaust manifold is replaced with headers, which typically is a tubular manifold that keeps the exhaust pulses separate for more power. Many headers are legal - they bolt to the engine, and the cat bolts to the headers.

Right now, there isn't much out there exhaust-wise. In a year, you're gonna see TONS of options - rotary powered vehicles have always attracted enthusiasts, and enthusiasts like modifying cars.

Changing the exhaust should not lead to any reliability problems - just more power and a better sound.

Dale

why doesn't anyone want everyone to hear them coming

Yes, there are aftermarket exhausts that do not increase the decible level of your exhaust. However, the tonal quality will be different than stock.

In our case, the Borla exhaust for the RX8 has a deeper, throatier exhaust note than stock without it being louder. There is no resonance inside of the cabin, we worked very hard on this.

in a word, yes. a traditional muffler absorbs the pressure waves of the gasses coming out of the tailpipe, to eliminate the pressure waves which would then come out of the tail pipe and hit our ears as sound. you can't remove energy from the exhaust without hindering its egress from the engine.

there are other muffling techniques, like resonators, or high-tech mic-and-speaker theoretical systems (like an electronic dynamic resonator) which would just modulate the pressure in the tail pipe in complement to the pressure waves in the exhaust to neutralize any fluctuation, but resonating baffle units aren't necessarily more effective at reducing sound or allowing exhaust to flow unimpeded, and the high-tech solution is as rediculous as it sounds.

edit: actually, not quite. if you have two systems (one a straight through, perforated core muffler and the other a contorted dual-outlet glass pack) which have the ability to reduce noise emissions equally, one exhaust path will inherently have less back pressure than the other. if though, you're comparing two identical exhaust paths, with one absorbing more sound than the other, the louder one will be more effective.

also, the tone of the exhaust note can be changed with the size of the tip you put on the end, not to mention the volume of the resonating chamber and other thingies too...

Because it's annoying as hell and I respect my neighbors....

are you serious

Naw, just joshin ya bro... :confused:

Of course I'm serious. I hate those punks that wind out their cars with that annoying rice sound down residential streets at 2AM (a la one ricer at the end of my street), let alone over-blown bass that people install for everybody else's "enjoyment".

Besides flossin' with your car is for people who have nothing else to offer the world. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my car, but, no I don't need half the city hearing me coming a mile away....

I already have the bass (2 12 inch subs) in my 8 and I can't wait to get a mazdaspeed or greddy exhaust. When I do maybe we can meet or I'll see you in San Diego buddy, so you can check it out

What about the twinloop design used by Mugen? I've heard good things about that design (good power gains with a good sound--not too loud). I'm not even quite sure how it works. Maybe Wakeech or Mr. Borla can elaborate.

Also, Mr. Borla, if you could elaborate on your exhaust system for the RX-8 a little more that would be great.

im guna remove my cats(just 1) tomorrow, just to see what it sounds like :-)



andrew

I agree!!!

Tell me if there are 1, 2 or 3 cats then, I think I'm leading the masses astray..I can't find any supporting evidence of my previous statement. Maybe I was drunk or something at the time...

I will be bringing my car into the shop for custom exhaust. Only problem is the small outlet that cannot fit canisters rather just smaller tips. also I will be dynoing the performance gains also. hopefully getting a titanium system. BTW: This is all gunna be legal, so no $1000 fines for me :)

post info and pics- who is doing your work on the 8

Will it be a cat-back? How much will it cost for just the materials (titanium)? What do you anticipate the weight savings of titanium will be over stainless? What will the labor costs be? Who is doing the labor? Will they be welding with titanium? Will the flanges be titanium? Whose mufflers will you be buying? Will they be titanium as well? How long will your vehicle be out of commision?

This is a very exciting project. Please keep us posted.

Which exhaust will yield the largest flames?!
 

since im all about attention grabbing (duh, i drive an rx8!) , i want to know what kinda flames people are spitting with their aftermarket exhausts. ive heard the borla can yield some good ones at high rpms, but what about any of the other aftermarket exhausts? any pics, vid clips, etc?

i was hanging out with a friend of mine who happens to own a FD....he was making me have flame throwing envy :o

djmano, just be prepared to be "flamed". Not by me, but all of those "rice-haters" in the world.

just get a plug and tap it into you exhaust. run power to it with a switch in your dash. whenever you want to shoot flames flick the switch. in some cars you would have to enrich the AF ratio but in this car you won't have to.

If the guy had a catless FD it doesn't need any "cheating" with plugs in the exhaust. Now, my FD still has its cat, and I've never seen it shoot flames. I'm surprised the RX-8 is doing that with just a cat-back...

jds

who's cheating? he wants to shoot flames i gave him the quickest and cheapest way to do it. learned it from my dad and uncles who used to do it to hot rods in the 1950's and i'm sure it was done before that.

I agree. Not rice. A nice effect. At the perils of being accused of rice myself. My teenager is really pressing me to put red neon undercarriage lights on, and I'm seriously considering it. I think it would make the car look more sweet/badass at night. Tonight we saw two cars with them, one with blue lighting and one with green, they both looked great.

On a related note, I've had comments that the car is Sweet and "what a badass car". Badass a little more than sweet. Is the 8:

Sweet;

Badass; or

Sweet and Badass.

I think it's both at once!

What the hell, flames???!!!!!

This is my first rotary, do they spit fire?????

there is something about the rotarys engine that naturally lets it spit flames. im not really sure what the mecahnics are behind it, maybe someone else on the board can give us a good explanation.

btw.....although attention grabbing gimmicks are usually known as rice i believe that natural bursts of flame out of the tailpipes is not only one of the coolest things you can see, but one of the most indimidating.

Catalytics do everything possible to prevent flames. They take care of all that unburned fuel. As long as they are working, you won't get decent flames(if any at all).

Get rid of the cat and you'll have flames with almost any exhaust. That means you'll need a SESeliminator(02 tricker).