Installing test pipe/mid-pipe

D

dandydaniel

Member
:
2008.5 Mazdaspeed 3
I'm interested in getting a test pipe and was wondering if someone could let me know whether or not I could get the install done with jack stands and a wrench set? Also, it just deletes the 2nd cat after the down pipe correct? Thanks in advance!
 
Yes to all of your questions. It helps to have a long extension to get to the bolts where the down pipe meets the mid pipe, but it can be done without it.
 
is there one or two cats and one resonator on the MS3 or 2 resonators and one cat.

and on what parts of the exhaust are they placed. i see there is a cat on the down pipe. is the second one on the midpipe or on the cat back?
 
2 cats, 1 resonator. 1 cat on the downpipe, and another on the mid-pipe. The resonator is on the cat-back portion of the exhaust.
 
another question.

until my warranty is up. i dont care to much for doing any serious exhaust mods right now, im not going to cut anything on mine so i was thinking about getting a mid/test/racepipe to help the car breathe a little better, increase the sound and get a tad more power. but this is more for sound than anything-im just not sure if the testpipe will make the car loud enough

so i was thinking.

if i buy someones stock cat back and i have i guy a know make a straight pipe cutting the bends out of the extra stock catback to bolt right up to the downpipe.

so the stock cat back will become a downpipe back exhaust straight piped.

how do yall think the car would sound. would i see any smoke?
 
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but there would be no resonators on the OEM cat back b/c i would have them cut it off to make it a str8 pipe from the down pipe to the cat back

so it would be str8 pipe from downpipe to the OEM muffler but bolt on so i can put my stock exhaust from downpipe back, back on
 
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I chopped off the 2nd resonator and the pre-muffler from my stock cbe. the sound got a tad bit louder than stock but I'm still just looking for a bit more. I think I'm going to go ahead and go for the test pipe. is there any lock-titing needed? and do most of the test pipes come with installation instructions??
 
No instructions needed. Undo the bolts holding the stock piece in place, then bolt in the new piece. It's not hard. Just make sure you wait until the exhaust is completely cooled off before you start working on it. Loc-Tite probably not needed, but if you want to put some on there, go ahead. I didn't.
 
do you ahve any sound clips of yours dandy?

yeah, once you get the test pipe it should be loud enough.

the reason why im going the route i am by buying the MS3 cat back and having the bends cut out and resonators cut out then a str8 pipe fabbed to connect between the muffler and downpipe is to save all that money.

for the price of a testpipe. i should be able to buy an OEM muffler, have it fabbed and installed for less than the price or equal to that of the testpipe
 
on mine I have the 2 resonators, muffler all cut out and straight pipe welded in, and a testpipe also. i only have the cat on the stock downpipe portion.

There are 5 total items on the exhaust: 1 cat on the downpipe, 1 cat on the midpipe, 2 resonators and 1 muffler on the catback portion.

With the back 4 items gone, my car is ridiculously loud at cold startup or in the cold morning, and groans pretty loud. I am used to the sound but it sounds very mean and powerful.
 
so you are running a str8 pipe from the downpipe back in other words

if you would have left the just the OEM muffler on but everything else cut out. how loud to you think it would be.

thats what i want.

i want it quite a bit louder than stock but im sure i dont want it as loud as i imgaine yours to be
 
240ka said:
so you are running a str8 pipe from the downpipe back in other words

if you would have left the just the OEM muffler on but everything else cut out. how loud to you think it would be.

thats what i want.

i want it quite a bit louder than stock but im sure i dont want it as loud as i imgaine yours to be
Click to expand...

well at first I took off he 2nd resonator and the muffler, it gave a nice bassy sound nothing loud by anymeans but much sweeter than stock.

then I decided to take off the front resonator (just before the testpipe) and the sound was significantly louder and sounded the best if you would like a nice bassy sound but not too loud to be unbearable.

I put on the testpipe at the end, it made the car very loud, its bearable for me and grumbly and bassy inside, its pretty frickin loud when the car is cold or when its in the morning at startup, but still very nice.

this is a video of the back resonator and muffler off with straight pipe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrNwTfn-Vzk

I dont have one of 2 resonators and muffler off tho

this is a video of the 2 resonators off, muffler off, and the testpipe in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy8Trr7l_Sg

its much louder in person tho, so it's a bit deceiving
 
the first one is still alittle too breathy.

i like the sound of the second one. do you think i can get close to that with a str8 pipe going from the downpipe all theway to the OEM muffler?

the second clip sounds like it has that thunderous sound of a boxer motor mixed with alittle evo but more powerful and boomy than the rex.

thats how aaronc7's exhaust sound. which is the sound im looking for
 
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240ka said:
the first one is still alittle too breathy.

i like the sound of the second one. do you think i can get close to that with a str8 pipe going from the downpipe all theway to the OEM muffler?

the second clip sounds like it has that thunderous sound of a boxer motor mixed with alittle evo but more powerful and boomy than the rex.

thats how aaronc7's exhaust sound. which is the sound im looking for
Click to expand...

the second video that you like is with everything cut off the catback portion and the testpipe on with only 1 cat on the downpipe. I think you are asking if it will sound the same if you do all that BUT leave the oem muffler still attatched right? The muffler is pretty small and straight-through so it probably wouldnmt muffel the sound too much, so it would probabyl be pretty close to that. remember the testpipe is removable and you can swap it out easy, but once you put in straight pipe and chop the other stuff out its pretty much going to stay there unless you want topay the muffler guy to put it back. thats why i took a little off one at a time until i reached the sound i liked.

I think the overall BEST sound was everything off the catback but the stock midpipe with cat in, not too loud but a good amoutn of bassyness, but with the etstpipe its pretty loud. so if you like that 2nd video its like that but much louder in person. phillyb who posted on this thread earlier was over last night and he heard it so he knows how ridiculous it sounds. But its BADASS tho ;)
 
yeah im not chopping my stock exhaust at all.

im trying to find someone thats selling the stock cat back exhaust so i can just buy the Muffler. and i know someone that will make a str8 pipe from the downpipe to the muffler.

i shouldnt need the testpipe correct since it will be str8 piped from the downpipe to the muffler and will be total bolt on so i can swap my stock exhaust in and out for when i run to the dealer

yeah that s*** sounds badass man. a couple of guys tried to clown me for saying the MS3 cant sound better than the WRX witha nasty exhaust.

they need to hear yours and they will see they are wrong
 
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240ka said:
yeah im not chopping my stock exhaust at all.

im trying to find someone thats selling the stock cat back exhaust so i can just buy the Muffler. and i know someone that will make a str8 pipe from the downpipe to the muffler.

i shouldnt need the testpipe correct since it will be str8 piped from the downpipe to the muffler and will be total bolt on so i can swap my stock exhaust in and out for when i run to the dealer

yeah that s*** sounds badass man. a couple of guys tried to clown me for saying the MS3 cant sound better than the WRX witha nasty exhaust.

they need to hear yours and they will see they are wrong
Click to expand...

A corksport RP is 160 bucks and a really nice peace. Pop it on and see what you think before you start chopping the s*** out of your system. I put one in mine and it gives you power and a nice sound. I mean if you want it really loud just hack it off at the header then you will be the bomb.(loser)
 
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im not chopping my system. im taking mine off from the downpipe back

buying another OEM muffler and having that fabricated


i want it quite a bit louder but i dont want "no muffler" loud
 
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