3" Downpipe + 4" Exhaust in A4 Jetta

[Ed's TDI]

Sorry to jack.

Ed how do you get past BC aircare? (I'm asking since I think a similar program is due to come here as another good tax grab). I had to retain a "muffling device" aka cherry bomb for inspections and I'm sure they'll look for a CAT as a minimum (or at least a cat shaped device) for the aircare balogna.

Actually, Aircare is only manditory on the Lower Mainland/Greater Vancouver area, not on Vancouver Island where I live.

 

[Slave2school]

Nice

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Bump - Edited first post.

Added a muffler, got the EGT hooked back up and added pictures to the first post. Will get new video with muffler this weekend (if all goes well).

First post is getting a bit cluttered - I'll try to clean it up/organize it a bit better. Wanted to keep all the info in one place as best I could.

It's getting to a pont where it's acceptable now (functional, minimal side effects, not obnoxious, etc). Still a couple minor things to fix/adjust, but they are truely minor.

 

[mr.mindless]

I'd been planning a mufflerectomy at least since I get my car. This definitely sold me on doing the 3" turbo back I've been dreaming of!

Sounds fantastic. If it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is!

 

[weasel]

I win for the largest tailpipe though ...

5" !!! Now I just have to make the rest of the exhaust as big as FUB's ( or not, still undecided )

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

I had the option of putting a 5" Magnaflow polished rolled lip tip on - but thought that it would definately put me in to the "ricer" category. I like how your's is tucked up in there stealthly like. I'm just concerned about drones/resonances bouncing off the road. When I get some more flanges, I'll give someting like this a try.

 

[weasel]

Its actually good. I had to mount it to a 4" cherrybomb style muffler ( with the end cut off )to get it on there though. So right now I have the stock exhaust, then a stainless muffler with a 4" OD, then the tailpipe which goes from 4" to 5". There was a bit of drone at first, but it seems to have gone. My guess is that the muffler packing "broke in".

 

[Piranha]

3" for the turbo back, with 2 free flow mufflers,
not much louder than stock, just a little deeper.

 

[T-Y]

FUB-
Your exhaust sounds incredible but how does removing the cat affect your emissions? In Maricopa Co. you have to pass an emissions test when you register your vehicle. Any ideas?? Thanks!

 

[Justler]

You register your vehicle then take the cat off.

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

FUB-
Your exhaust sounds incredible but how does removing the cat affect your emissions? In Maricopa Co. you have to pass an emissions test when you register your vehicle. Any ideas?? Thanks!

Southeast Wisconsin has emissions testing however diesels are exempt.

I need to get a video of the exhaust now as I've got a muffler and RC2

 

[JetPuf]

That's amazing. I'd love to do a 3 inch, 4 inch seems a lil overkill, but it is super sweet!

 

[MarkWaddle]

well done! the craftsmanship looks nice and that turbo whistle is wild! i'm looking forward to the video with the muffler.

 

[TDIx4]

Damn!!!! I thought my 2.75" exhaust was big, but this just takes the cake. Nice exhaust.

 

[velociT]

That sounds so awesome... I need to find a muffler place that will take off my cat.

 

[150MPG]

So size does mater.

was just at u-tube for youur vid
That is sweet! Definitely DON'T GO STEALTH on the exit, that honkin' chunk of 4" demands attention and respect. It is a bit over kill but remember we live in a country where to much is never enough and excessive is a relative term. The Whirl is sweet too. I have 3" here so I'm getting' started this morn.
P.S. I ran a 3.5" down pipe in my 86 GN belting out 466HP on the rear tires via a dyno jet down the street so I gotta think your safe for any and all mods from here on out, anybody got a spare BBQ grill propane tank this guy could barrow?

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Thanks for all the kind comments - I'll try to get the video with the muffler/pp502/RC2 this weekend (assuming it's not too windy)

After a few thousand miles, most with the muffler, it seems to be holding together well. Just a couple issues. One is a little vibration in reverse since the engine moves the other way - took a few weeks to even find this, was backing up a hill with high load to get it to move far enough. The other is a drone that is tolerable (but annyoing) at 75 MPH, and mostly intolerable at 80 MPH. Hoping that I can fix the drone with some tip/exit changes - just need the time to do it.

150MPG - Good luck with your attempt on 3", just be patient, and make sure everything fits before you fully weld anything.

Bet your GN was fun to drive with 466 at the rear wheels . I'd love to have a 2nd one to play with, mine is all stock.

What do you mean about the propane tank???

 

[FlashandFlare]

What do you mean about the propane tank???

FUB, I think what he was making reference to is that you have a nice list of mods and seem to be heading in a performance trend with them. A LP. gas injection would be the next natural progression in modifications (more or less) I might be wrong but thats what I got out of it.

BTW, did you get my PM a few weeks ago ??????
F&F

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Bump - Edited 1st post again

Finally added video with a muffler and a picture of the muffler installed in the car and some more comments.

 

[scurvy]

My jaw dropped when I first saw the video and later the real thing in FdL. Still completely boss. That's some fine work and nice results!

scurvy

 

[donutking]

I know with what my buddy did to his mufflerectomy he just cut it and dump under cabin after getting off acceleration it would woop woop woop. id be intriguied to send you my stickypod so u could putit on back of trunk and drive around. with camera pointing down towards exhaust thatd be nice to hear.

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Bump - Edited 1st post again

Added 2nd muffler where the factory one used to be at the back of the car to finally kill the 2200-2500 RPM drone. It also eliminated any and all turbo whistle. Finally nice to have it quiet on the interstate without having to drive 85+ mph, or to be able to go through the gears and not have a resonant frequency in each gear. 4 hr trip tonight was much less fatigued at the end than same trip 2 days ago (and for the previous year).

Downside is it added back in all the weight that the OEM muffler removed and then some. Given that it is 4" through the center, I'm guessing that there's no significant change in exhaust back pressure. Measurements next weekend. I think I've got one of the hangers a little close as I heard a vibration from the back (only once). Nothing a shim won't fix . I'll try and take a video once spring time comes - I'll be at the GTG in Janesville this weekend if anyone wants to see/hear it in person.

 

[milehighassassin]

I'm interested in hearing this....

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

I'll see if I can get some video at this weekends GTG. We'll have a variety of cars there to compare to, but I'm not sure of the setup there, the weather, and I'm going to be pretty busy gathering EMP data, etc. Would be nice to have though, maybe I can recruit someone to help out.

 

[Honeydew]

Hey FUB- this looks to be right up you alley: these guys are using airtabs to kill exhaust drone on their diesel libertys
http://www.lostkjs.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=29904

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Interesting - Those don't look too bad on a liberty, they kind of fit in actually. Don't think they'd look very good on the Jetta . Given the number of tip configurations, angles, positions, etc that I tried before resorting to a 2nd muffler, I'm skeptical that someting like this would work, but, this is definately one of those things where it's someting unsuspecting like air tabs that cures it. Wonder if I cold put some adheasive magnets on them so I could stick them on various places and see if it makes any difference.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Matt, I now have RC6 and 502s, too (as of this morning). No smoke. Nice power. How do you like it?

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

I only get a small puff of smoke (with either nozzle) when I get on it over 50% throttle below 1800 rpm until the MAF catches up, otherwise nothing, completely clean. I put my stock nozzles in on Sunday in an attempt to get rid of a shutter that I've had since ~christmas time. Didn't change much, is a little smoother and less powerful, but the shutter is more/less the same. Will put the 502's back in today/tomorrow and try someting else. Maybe check my lift pump or fuel filter?

I've only driven the RC6 with the 502's for a day. I also still have the stock size MAF housing and the tune is setup for the larger R32 housing and I think the 11mm pump (mine's only a 10mm). Need to source or make these items.

The RC6 has 2 minor things that I'd change - keep in mind the above, I don't know if they would effect the below things or not.

1) The engine speed hangs between shifts when really getting after it and will actually rev up if I don't take my foot completely off the throttle between shifts. Kind of had to re-learn how to shift and have missed a few as it makes it harder to shift into the next gear.

2) The throttle response is too coarse for me* in the 1600-2000 rpm range. There's a very small difference between 5psi boost with acceleration and overrun. Stick in in 5th and drive on flat ground or a slight downgrade at those engine speeds and you'll see what I mean.

*I've found that I am much more sensitive/aware to these things than most people. I've only found one person that had to point out a drivability issue to me to find it, otherwise I'll usually pick out things that most others won't even notice. Peter, you might remember my test drive of IBW at DGD's GTG back in April last year.

Otherwise I really like it, Smoother and easier revving than the RC4ish tune I had before. Boost control is better as well, no part throttle overshoot, higher sustained boost (~26psi) with lower N75 duty cycle. It just keeps pulling as the tach dissappears behind the boost gauge

 

[delvi__acevedo]

I It just keeps pulling as the tach dissappears behind the boost gauge

yes the same thing happen to my Tach is just not up to the task anymore

im looking for an R32 cluster to replace mine

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Matt: I have to acknowledge that I was aware of the driveability problems you noticed in my car pre-air table changes. It sounds like you may be getting a bit of the reverse now, since you have a stock MAF housing with fuel/air tables for the R32 MAF. I wonder some of the sensitivity in 5th is due to over-fueling because of your setup. I actually find it very smooth at low RPMs in 5th.

I do notice the engine hangs more than before, but with my setup it's not at all a problem like you mention. Again, maybe it's a fuel/air thing. And a gasser cluster is coming to the Golf.