CR exhaust

Hi, vwvortex directed me here with my question because it is against there forum rules. I am getting a 3" downpipe on my 2012 jetta tdi in a few weeks to go along with the malone stage 2 and was wondering what is the best combination for the most "beefy" sounding exhaust setup. Should i go straight pipe back, keep all the original cat and resonator, or get a catback exhaust?

Loudest possible, straight pipe all the way back.. Toned down just a decent bit, then put a straight through muffler in the mid pipe.

i dont want it to be as loud as possible though i want it to sound more "beefy"

Loud as possible simply means that, as loud as it gets. What is too loud to you may not be loud to someone else.

With this in mind, wouldn't it be easiest to start with a straight pipe all the way back and have a muffler shop install resonators or mufflers until you achieve what sounds perfect to you?

I had mine straight for over two years while having stage 2. While it did drone a little at highway speed, it was tolerable and still sounded great and "beefy" when cruising and accelerating.. Once I went stage 3, it was way too annoying cruising at 55-59mph so I added this (mine is 2.5" version though)
http://www.dynomax.com/mufflers/ultra-flo-welded-round-mufflers/ultra-flo-welded-round-centered-centered-553.html

Now the exhaust is perfect to me. Lots of turbo whistle, mild but still noticeable sound while driving around, and roars when I stomp on it! With the stock turbo, you may just need one resonator or even that muffler I linked.

Im also concerned about black smoke, how would i cut down on it?

I'm no emissions nut by any stretch. But I have to admit to getting a chuckle out of this. VW already has a solution on your car to cut down on black smoke.

yeah I know they do, but im going stage 2 with the dpf delete. I dont mind a little smoke but I dont want to be dumping black smoke every time i touch the gas.

kellymk6 said:

Im also concerned about black smoke, how would i cut down on it?

Click to expand...

I've got a Malone stage 2 w/ a Diesel Dubs exhaust. There's 1 high-flow cat and then it goes into the OEM muffler at the back. There's no black smoke during normal driving. I do get a little black smoke when it's really cold out (like this morning, 5 degrees here) but that seems to stop once the engine has reached operating temp. I have gotten a very small amount of black smoke going WOT even during warm weather but it's hardly noticeable.

I don't know that there's much you can do personally to reduce the smoke output, you're pretty much just relying on the tune to make sure the fueling is done correctly to cut down on smokiness.

If the tune is right it wont smoke. 3inch straight piped will be loud. I have 3 inch on my older tdi with an Aareo muffler it sounds good. I went with the quiet muffler they have 2.

raider929 said:

I've got a Malone stage 2 w/ a Diesel Dubs exhaust. There's 1 high-flow cat and then it goes into the OEM muffler at the back. There's no black smoke during normal driving. I do get a little black smoke when it's really cold out (like this morning, 5 degrees here) but that seems to stop once the engine has reached operating temp. I have gotten a very small amount of black smoke going WOT even during warm weather but it's hardly noticeable.

I don't know that there's much you can do personally to reduce the smoke output, you're pretty much just relying on the tune to make sure the fueling is done correctly to cut down on smokiness.

Click to expand...

Is your set-up loud? I expect it is louder than stock, but what about under load and at cruising speeds? Any Drone from the aftermarket exhaust?

Also - what gains can I expect (HP and Torque) with a DP/DPF delete, stage 2 Malone Tune, while keeping the stock Cat and Muffler?

ccbsecu said:

Is your set-up loud? I expect it is louder than stock, but what about under load and at cruising speeds? Any Drone from the aftermarket exhaust?

Also - what gains can I expect (HP and Torque) with a DP/DPF delete, stage 2 Malone Tune, while keeping the stock Cat and Muffler?

Click to expand...

It is louder than stock but by no means is it a loud car. At cruising speed I can hear the engine more than I did when stock but I wouldn't call it a drone. The turbo acts as sort of a muffler on its own so even totally straight piped these cars don't get very loud. This is all subjective though, what I consider "not loud" other people might have a problem with, your best bet would be to try to find a car in person to listen to or check out some YouTube videos to get an idea.

Malone advertises 184bhp/333 lb/ft of torque on Stage 2 w/ dpf delete. I haven't dyno'd the car but I would believe those figures given how it drives. That's ~44hp/~100 lb/ft over stock levels. It is a completely different car after the tune, if I had to do this again I'd have tuned it the day I got the car. The torque is very, very addictive.

Stock muffler shouldn't restrict power at all, I'd imagine the stock cat would though. Those questions are probably better answered by Malone or one of his vendors, they'll have more experience with different exhaust setups than I do.

ccbsecu said:

...what gains can I expect (HP and Torque) with a DP/DPF delete, stage 2 Malone Tune, while keeping the stock Cat and Muffler?

Click to expand...

You have 3 different catalysts in your exhaust. The oxidizing cat is in the first chamber with the DPF, then there is a NOX cat and finally a H2S cat behind the mid-valve. All of these work together with your DPF system and all are removed with a Malone Econo tune and any of the DPF delete down-pipes on the market.

So, no doing DPF delete and keeping the stock cat. You could add an aftermarket oxidizing cat if you want though.

I will say that the delete pipes coupled with the OE rear section and muffler is hardly noticeable sound-wise. A touch throatier and more turbo hiss, but far from loud.

If Malone advertises 184bhp/333 lb/ft of torque on Stage 2 w/ dpf delete, what are the numbers if the DPF is retained?

A5INKY said:

<...Snip>
I will say that the delete pipes coupled with the OE rear section and muffler is hardly noticeable sound-wise. A touch throatier and more turbo hiss, but far from loud.

Click to expand...

I can vouch for that. I recently heard a stage 3 with stock muffler and found it very reasonable sound wise.

kellymk6 said:

yeah I know they do, but im going stage 2 with the dpf delete. I dont mind a little smoke but I dont want to be dumping black smoke every time i touch the gas.

Click to expand...

Stage 2 here. Straight downpipe and mid pipe to the stock rear muffler. Sound is very little increased, only quite a bit more turbo whistle off idle. I like the extra turbo sound especially when in a drive thru or parking garage. Only other extra sound is when I get on it to pass at interstate speeds, it has some extra growl that was not there before...

Also, little to no visible smoke at all... I have some diesel smell (OK, a lot of smell) but very little smoke, and no "black" smoke at all. Only time I notice any smoke is when it is dark and I get on it with someone behind me and I see a slight light grey haze in the light of the headlights...

I have stage 3 straight piped and it's not loud to me. The only time I get a small puff of gray smoke is when I downshift and burry my foot in it. Running stock muffler should be just fine for what you're after. Just my 2 cents. Everyone is different though.

Georgia_Boy said:

I have stage 3 straight piped and it's not loud to me. The only time I get a small puff of gray smoke is when I downshift and burry my foot in it. Running stock muffler should be just fine for what you're after. Just my 2 cents. Everyone is different though.

Click to expand...

I pretty much have your exact setup and smoked like a train when flooring it. Just added a muffler a few weeks ago. Still smoky when flooring it but a bit less harsh noise wise when highway cruising

azthegame said:

I pretty much have your exact setup and smoked like a train when flooring it. Just added a muffler a few weeks ago. Still smoky when flooring it but a bit less harsh noise wise when highway cruising

Click to expand...

Do you by chance have a video of your setup on the highway?