Intech
Veteran Member
Getting the Golf exhaust replaced real soon, and am figuring to go 1/4 inch larger ID. No cat, flow thru muffler. all mandrel bent SS. Car has the VNT 17 and RC3. Any opinions and why, if so. Right now it's 100% stock
I hope you don't mind the smell of not having the diesel cat
I have the identical system on my Jetta, and honestly, have no clue as to what you mean about 'smell'. The only thing that I noticed, after I had it installed on the Jetta, a couple of years ago, was an increase in power and mpg'sI hope you don't mind the smell of not having the diesel cat
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the way it runs, with the stock system that is on there now. The ONLY reason I'm changing it, is because it's starting to rust out, and having had a very bad experience with CO poisoning as a teenager, I will not take any chances, and the replacement with the mandrel bent SS system, is a WHOLE lot cheaper than a stock system. The only time it smokes, is when I'm accelerating hard, as when I'm pulling out into traffic. When leaving a light, or such, there is no smokeNormally the catalyst is not a restriction worth noting, as the potato-sized turbocharger is the limiting factor. Plenty of folks running around with ~150hp ALHs with the stock exhaust intact.
That said, so long as the pipe goes all the way to the back, and you are moving, you are not likely to notice any smells... but they do smell different (worse) without a catalyst.
If I ever wanted a larger exhaust system, for whatever reason, I'd get a larger diameter single-way catalyst, too. I do not like perpetuation of the bad press diesels get for being smoky and stinky if I can avoid it. Smoke especially.
Several of my customers have VNT17s with RC3 and the exhaust is 100% stock, from the downpipe to the tailpipe. They run great, and have for a long, long time.
All the more reason to keep the cat in place or replace it if rested/plugged. ID Parts sell the Eastern brand ones very affordably.The ONLY reason I'm changing it, is because it's starting to rust out, and having had a very bad experience with CO poisoning as a teenager