VRMS6
05-10-2006, 07:32 PM
Got my special ordered MazdaSpeed exhaust this monday and installed it on tuesday.
The exhaust comes packaged nicely in a white box with the MazdaSpeed logo on it. After opening the white box there are 2 more boxes inside seperating the 3 pieces of the exhaust. Also included was a instruction manual the mounting clamps and some MazdaSpeed stickers(10HPat least for those yo!!!)...The exhaust itsself was highly polished and looked to be good construction. Noticed the resonator was eliminated with the new exhaust and the pieces went togeather with slipover couplings and then clamped to stop exhaust leaks.
After putting the car on a lift removal of the exhaust is pretty straightfoward.
Cut the exhaust approx 15in from the cat conv flange.
Also cut it after the stock muffler allowing removal from over the rear suspension.
Unhooked the 3 pieces from the exhast hangers and the stock exhaust was removed.
Loose fit of the exhaust revealed the split flange for the muffler piece was not open enough to accept the midpipe so off to the pipe spreader it was . (This is where having access to a shop full of tools comes in handy.)
After slightly opening the split flange we fit all the pieces to hangers. Made sure all clearences were good we then positioned the exhaust tip to be flush with the rear bumper.
Torqued the clamps down and rechecked the clearences and called it a night.
First startup was nice and the exhaust was mellow sounding. The ride home was fun as the smoke generated by the oil the exhaust was coated with, to protect it while stored, was massive to say the least. Yet the exhaust didnt sound right. I thought it a bit loud not at all like I imagined.
Drove it for a day to see if it would mellow out a bit but no go. At lunch today put the car on a lift again and while the car was running I put a rag over the exhaust tip and checked for leaks. All 3 clamped areas had exhaust leaks. I repositioned the clamps and retorqued. Better but still with leaks. So I brought the car next door to the Midas shop explaigned my plight and left it there to have the slipover joints welded instead of clamped.
Got the car back and the diff is like night and day. No exhaust leaks now and the exhaust sounds
100% different. When cruising its not obnoxous, at idle it has a barely noticable rumble and at WOT it sound just plain mean..The crossover point for Mazdas version of Variable Valve Timing at 3k rpms is very noticeable and you feel it in the seat of the pants......
I can now recommend the MazdaSpeed exhaust with no hesitation.
Now on to the pics. I do have pics of the actual install but I am not able to download them from my SLVR cell phone....Note goldish hue to the exhaust is due to the lighting in the shop....
rear view far
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4629/msexhaust23zr.jpg
rear view closeup
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/3285/msexhaust30fy.jpg
gotta clean the finger prints off the exhaust tip
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8387/msexhaust41jq.jpg
closup of muffler w/MazdaSpeed logo
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/641/msexhaust53ea.jpg
rear pipe undercar view
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/2451/msexhaust61gy.jpg
2nd view exhaust undercar view
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/1813/msexhaust76af.jpg
The exhaust comes packaged nicely in a white box with the MazdaSpeed logo on it. After opening the white box there are 2 more boxes inside seperating the 3 pieces of the exhaust. Also included was a instruction manual the mounting clamps and some MazdaSpeed stickers(10HPat least for those yo!!!)...The exhaust itsself was highly polished and looked to be good construction. Noticed the resonator was eliminated with the new exhaust and the pieces went togeather with slipover couplings and then clamped to stop exhaust leaks.
After putting the car on a lift removal of the exhaust is pretty straightfoward.
Cut the exhaust approx 15in from the cat conv flange.
Also cut it after the stock muffler allowing removal from over the rear suspension.
Unhooked the 3 pieces from the exhast hangers and the stock exhaust was removed.
Loose fit of the exhaust revealed the split flange for the muffler piece was not open enough to accept the midpipe so off to the pipe spreader it was . (This is where having access to a shop full of tools comes in handy.)
After slightly opening the split flange we fit all the pieces to hangers. Made sure all clearences were good we then positioned the exhaust tip to be flush with the rear bumper.
Torqued the clamps down and rechecked the clearences and called it a night.
First startup was nice and the exhaust was mellow sounding. The ride home was fun as the smoke generated by the oil the exhaust was coated with, to protect it while stored, was massive to say the least. Yet the exhaust didnt sound right. I thought it a bit loud not at all like I imagined.
Drove it for a day to see if it would mellow out a bit but no go. At lunch today put the car on a lift again and while the car was running I put a rag over the exhaust tip and checked for leaks. All 3 clamped areas had exhaust leaks. I repositioned the clamps and retorqued. Better but still with leaks. So I brought the car next door to the Midas shop explaigned my plight and left it there to have the slipover joints welded instead of clamped.
Got the car back and the diff is like night and day. No exhaust leaks now and the exhaust sounds
100% different. When cruising its not obnoxous, at idle it has a barely noticable rumble and at WOT it sound just plain mean..The crossover point for Mazdas version of Variable Valve Timing at 3k rpms is very noticeable and you feel it in the seat of the pants......
I can now recommend the MazdaSpeed exhaust with no hesitation.
Now on to the pics. I do have pics of the actual install but I am not able to download them from my SLVR cell phone....Note goldish hue to the exhaust is due to the lighting in the shop....
rear view far
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4629/msexhaust23zr.jpg
rear view closeup
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/3285/msexhaust30fy.jpg
gotta clean the finger prints off the exhaust tip
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8387/msexhaust41jq.jpg
closup of muffler w/MazdaSpeed logo
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/641/msexhaust53ea.jpg
rear pipe undercar view
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/2451/msexhaust61gy.jpg
2nd view exhaust undercar view
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/1813/msexhaust76af.jpg