[banarcus]

Hi people, I'm relatively new to these forums and view them often. Please forgive me if I'm dragging up an old subject but I've tried to do a search without any real success.

Ok, now to the subject. I'm hunting for a new exhaust system for my wagon. The best offer I've found is $1060 for competition Pacemakers and a 2.5 inch single exhaust with a Lukey muffler and res. He said he would use the old cats (car has done 140000km).

Does this sound like a good offer? And more importantly, what sort of power would I expect?
Cheers fellas...

 

[Martin]

I dont think a single 2.5in is big enough for a 5L. Try atleast 3in, or if the wallet permits, dual 2.5 (out either side would look good on a wagon)

But to answer you question, it sounds like a good price to me.

 

[blueoval]

In some respects I have to agree with Martin here. The 5ltrs need as much help with their exhaust systems as possible considering their heads are a gret contributer for restriction. That makes me think, I should really upgrade my exhaust soon.

But I have heard on another thread that CAPA do a twin 2.5" exhaust from the cats back and they go into a 3" just b4 the diff, all this for $640. Supplied only. That in itself would be a nicer setup IMO.

 

[banarcus]

Yeah Martin I always thought a single 2.5 would be too small. The thought of a twin system did cross my mind, the bloke I got the quote off told me there wasn't enough room underneath. I had a look and found that the only real drama would be the filler tube for the petrol tank. I think it should fit though if they route the exhaust below it, but dont ask me about the heat though.

That sounds as though its a good deal Blueoval, for $640 does that include the mufflers? What sort of power would be expected from a single 3" or twin 2.5" system with pacemakers?

 

[RaceCraft]

mufflers or not $640 plus $550 odd for your pacemakers plus another $100 or $200 for fitting... $1060 seems a better deal to me even allowing an extra $200 for 3" tube

 

[blueoval]

As far as power is concerned Im not too sure but blokes like fordfan351 has that system I was talking about, and it sounds awesome. Its got the tone without the drone, and it fits over the diff nicely.

tibbo - you could go the cheaper option if thats all he can afford, but I was just giving barnacus another option if money wasnt a huge object. For example, EDXR8 has a 3" single Lukey system fitted to his worked 5ltr and that too has an awesome note for a cheap option. But in the end its up to barnacus and what he can afford. We are just here to help him with his decision.

rant over

 

[EDXR8]

3" will not give you anything until you are at around 220kw at the engine. It has been tested over and over again. Single 2 1/2" system will give you the best result on stock to mild 5.0L. I would also suggest going for the standard pacemakers, not the competition ones. The standard ones will give you a lot more torque down low and flow plenty up high too.

 

[banarcus]

I'm tending to lean towards something like that CAPA one that Blueoval suggested, so this system combined with the "normal" rather than the comp. pacemakers like EDXR8 suggested, would it be fair to say that I would at the very least gain 15% of the 165kW that I have at the moment??

Thanks for the replies too guys..

 

[blueoval]

Yeah thats a good combination. Thats exactly (or nearly) the same as fordfan351's car. He has pacemakers (street) with twin 2.5" to a twin entry muffler and exiting thru a 3" tail pipe just before the diff. CAPA will have a very similar setup.

Post pics when you get it!

 

[EDXR8]

I gained 11rwkw on my stock engine with a 2 1/2" system with extractors and high flow cats, so thats about 10% improvement but it's not just up high, power increases right through the rev range.

Also, the capa setup is exactly the same as the Lukey one I posted the pic of. It has twin 2 1/2" off the extractors that go straight into a single 3" pipe then through a 3" muffler and resonator.

Found a pic of the CAPA exhaust ----> pic

 

[blueoval]

Thats not bad at all. I've got a feeling Im still using my stock 'y' peice on my system. Grant, could that be restricting my flow of the exhaust?

 

[banarcus]

What about the original cats? Are they a high flowing cat?

 

[Aaron_EF8]

I have a Lukey 3" cat-back system on my car as well, I paid $490 fitted for it, and it comes with a 2 year warranty.

There are some shops that fit twin systems onto Falcons, I was gonna go down this route, but the shop I was gonna go to was destroyed by an explosion, and the other places were quoting too high.

 

[B-1B]

I paid $550 cash for dual 2 1/4" cat back exhaust from Carline at Taren Point.
It had to hand made and stays dual through to the tips.

 

[dodgie]

You guys might be interested in this...
I had some pacemakers into two x 2.5" cats through to the lukey 3" system and thought the performance was pretty good, only thing is the drone drove me (specially the missus) up the wall.
Tries a new straight through resinator.....little improvement, tried another 3" hotdog infront of that......little improvement,then it was suggested to me that a single leingth of 2.5" be welded in just after the y-piece (replacing the hotdog),I was sceptical at first and then decided to give it a go ($40 why not).
The result was little to no drone (yay!), and the lower rpm torque realy picked up, making it a more street hapy car. With the 3" pipe the push didn't kick in until bout 3000rpm, now it's there well before (say 2400rpm)with the 2 foot of 2.5"fitted.
Dont know how this will afect my power or 1/4 mile times,but no top end loss is noticable......we shal see!
Oh,also got a 3" dump tip....looks sweet!

 

[EDXR8]

Thats interesting dodgie, mine does drone a little. So you removed the hotdog, obviously welded a 3" section back in, and then cut out and welded a 2 1/2" section just after the Y piece, is that right?

Banarcus and Shav, the stock cats are a big restriction, from memory their openings are under 2". You should see a decent improvement upgrading them. I am not sure about the Y piece, but that too is probably a restriction if it is the stock one.

 

[MADNC_8]

tuesday or wednesday ill be having my twin system (thanks LTDHO) fitted on my fairlane, then its back on the dyno to see what improvements it gives me.

on the cats side of things, ive been told to use commodore GEN3 cats, as there fairly free flowing and you can almost get em for free - im getting a pair that have done 7000km (on a new VX) for $100, and will give it a go in a couple months time.
anyone wanna play guinea pig??? test em out and report back :angel:

also, i always thought the stock system was 2.5", just not mandrel bent and with shitty mufflers and stuff

 

[dodgie]

First I added a 3" hotdog before the resinator, so I had two hotdogs either side of the resinator.
Then the front hotdog was removed from between the resinator and y-piece and a straight section of 2.5" was welded in.
Wouldnt mind trying some 2 3/4" pipe ,if I could ever be bothered, and 2.5" is about 65mm ID so maybe if I ever change my TB....

 

[jmartion]

HM headers+CATs going to a stainless Y pipe then 2.5" mild from there.. no rear resonator and no drone. but she's got a pretty quiet muffler so that'd be half the reason.

will be going twin 2 1/4" eventually anyway.

 

[MADNC_8]

HM headers+CATs going to a stainless Y pipe then 2.5" mild from there.. no rear resonator and no drone. but she's got a pretty quiet muffler so that'd be half the reason.

will be going twin 2 1/4" eventually anyway.

my system at current is just the whole stock system, dented muffler (i wonder what shape its in inside, the rattles it gives dont sound good) and no rear resonator.

im so hanging for tuesday..... i wanna hear my baby roar