Racing Beat Catback installed - initial impressions
 

First off - the product LOOKS first-rate...flawless.

Now for the test drive.

1) the exhaust is 'barely' and I mean 'barely' louder than stock. The exhaust tone is okay
2) the car accelerates as if it's towing a yard of gravel. Engine seems to rev slower...there's no 'sudden pull' like used to be there way back 'yesterday' when I drove it w/ the stock exhaust. Chirp 2nd gear? Forget it. A 'surge' of power just after each shift from 1-2 and 2-3? None whatsoever.

All-in-all, I'll probably sell the exhaust, or have free-er flowing mufflers installed.

There goes $600 down the drain...or at least whatever portion of that I can't recoup.

(shrug).

dmp,

sorry to hear you're not happy with the RB exhaust.

You're one tough cookie to please! First you hate the handling on your car, and now this?

:dunno:

I learned the car's handling. Now it's fine. It was just coming from a Miata to this - the car felt pretty damn heavy... :)

I'm most taken back by how the car runs - doesn't make sense. I'll give it a week or so and see if it helps.

Okay - secondary impressions...

Just drove the car out for a bit. I dunno what I was feeling before, but the car pulled just fine - infact, uphill, slightly damp a shift into 3rd slid the car sideways a bit - Am very glad I didn't do the 7-second DSC Button Hold technique as I was NOT expecting that.

So - Yeah, it's still too quiet while driving, but I am liking the sound...and I'll figure to get a better judge of any powerband differences next week, as I likely won't drive the car much over the holiday weekend.

Oh - btw, LOOKS amazing :)

dmp,

Glad its starting to grow on ya.


We need pics... :)

hey did you ever figure out your REVi intake problem?

i have no more money for modding the 8, so i had to change question to avoid temptation :o:

Hey DMP
I had a similar situation with my Borla....i think an adjustment occurs (like a break-in period)....Im very happy with the sound and performance.... :ylsuper:

I think a catback is more for 'sound' than RWHP on this car. While it does open up and flow more freely at high RPM's, the catbacks for every day street use are more for a passion on "sound" than "grunt".

Now when you drop in the supercharger one day, dmp, you will like the higher flowing catback even better, but for now does it not sound a little better? :)

it's not much louder nor much lighterthan OE, so why bother ... there must be over a dozen other threads on this same subject too

Did you remember to reset the computer after installing it?

Hm. $600 for just barely more sound than that of the stock? I think I'm going Greddy.

i'm kinda surprised there's no pics :p: the setup you have now is verry similar to what i want, hopefully you see more real/percieved gains for ~1k in mods

I'll put up pics after ppl stop complaining about my mulitiple threads in that forum! :D

Honestly, I think it's HEAVIER Than OEM.

Dmp, it IS heavier then OEM.

at the risk of sounding totally illiterate (lack of rotary intelligence)....how does one reset the computer?? :mdrmed:

Unhook the battery for a few minutes.

Is that something that needs to be done after the installation of a catback??
or better yet, if it was installed at the shop, do they normally disconnect the battery?

I was either thinking that, or stomping on the brakes 20 times.

how does stomping on the brakes reset the ECU???
curiosity!!!

If you are at certain "flash" level, turn the key to accessory, stomp on the brakes at least 20 times within 8-9 seconds; the oil gauge will sweep left-right back to center, this erases KAM. I would disconnect/reconnect the battery and then do the stomp the brakes procedure if you want to reset your system.

Is resetting the computer a requirement after installing a new catback?

try resetting ecu...

but... tone.. in my opinion... the best that i've heard..

power... i don't expect much

I don't suspect so, but resetting the ECU erases all the "learned" behavior of the car. Just resetting the ECU alone without installing a MOD is going to give you a perceived boost in power.....

i just dont see paying for just the cat back exhaust im going with bb exhaust with cat pipe only way u make any power out tail pipes.