First off, Hi to everyone on the forum. I'm new on here, but definetely not new to Nissans or cars in general. (I've got a resume to prove that.)

Here's my situation:
My exhaust is pretty much a rusted mess. The front pipe is completely rusted out and the front flange and mount on the cat is gone. The cat-back is a cheapo muffler shop job that is WELDED to the cat. They were too lazy to put a flange on it.

I have an OBX stainless header sitting in my garage now waiting for installation. I talked to Random Tech. today and they are custom building me a cat to fit my '99 since it's about 1.5in longer than the earlier B14's. Now my only issue is what I'm doing for everything behind the cat. The dealer wants $300 for the mid and rear sections. I know it'll be nice and quiet and last a good 5 or 6yrs. Probably the rest of the time that I own the car. I'd really like to go with a performance cat back (Stromung) but I do a lot of highway driving and I want to keep it quiet at cruising speed. (~3,000rpm @ 75mph.)

So here's my idea.... Buy the OEM midpipe with resonator ($150), get a Magnaflow muffler http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=765 and have and descent exhaust shop put a flange on it to match up with the OEM midpipe. This way when I sell the car, I can always buy an OEM muffler for $150 and bolt it on.

So here's where I need opinions? How much is a MagnaFlow going to drone at 3,000rpm? Any real performance advantage over going with the OEM muffler? I'm not in it for the sound. I'm in it for the performance. Having a MagnaFlow installed by a muffler shop will probably cost about the same as buying the OEM muffler and installing it myself.

Thanks for your input!


Erik R.
ASE Master Tech.
ASE L1 Adv. Engine Perf.
Mechanical Engineer
'99 Sentra SE-L (auto) - Daily Driver - AD22VF brakes, Stillen Fascia, Adv. Ign. Timing
'89 BMW 325i - Racecar - Head/valve work, Short shifter, Team Dynamics Pro Race 1 wheels, too many more to list.

gains from a muffler through the stock b-pipe

http://www.sr20forum.com/img/data/6189/medium/jason_muffler_swap.jpg

with a cat, stock resonator, and the longest 2.25" magnaflow (with a tip exiting past the inner bumper lip) you can fit it should be decent on the highway

Well three horsepower is not worth the extra noise in my book. Three HP can be had by changing to a better oil, keeping up on tune-ups and even changes in weather.

I recieved the mock-up drawing for the Random Tech. cat today. In the next day or two I'll double check all the measurements and see if it'll fit. The Sentra SE community could have a bolt on high-flow cat in the very near future!

how much do you want to spend?

if you are not after performance you can get a vrs piping kit and what ever muffler you like just make sure it's dual tips. if you get a resonator you don't need to worry about the length of the cat, just get a standard high flow one.

how much do you want to spend?

if you are not after performance you can get a vrs piping kit and what ever muffler you like just make sure it's dual tips. if you get a resonator you don't need to worry about the length of the cat, just get a standard high flow one.


Why are dual tips so important? The rear valence on the '99 SE is cut for a single tip I thought?

Who sell the VRS kits?

Thanks!

Why are dual tips so important? The rear valence on the '99 SE is cut for a single tip I thought?

Who sell the VRS kits?

Thanks!


I don't think he means dual as in exhaust, he means as in the tip of the muffler.

I don't think he means dual as in exhaust, he means as in the tip of the muffler.

I gathered that. But is there any real difference in dual or single tips other than looks??? Am I missing something?

2 smaller tips will be quieter than one larger one.

Friend of mine has a VE with a VRS kit and a single in dual out muffler and it's as quiet as stock. you can go to http://www.sr20forum.com/showthread.php?t=145590 for the kit

IMO, 3 hp from a muffler is incredible! Usually on 4 bangers there's no appreciable difference, just noise. I'd say that's actually a pretty cheap route for hp.

Thanks for all the input!

I ordered a stock cat-back today. I get wholesale pricing on Nissan parts through my work so it wasn't bad at all. I just got an email today from Clay at Random Tech. and my cat is on the way.

I'll post back here once I get it all on the car and let you know how much HP gain I got from the headers and cat. I've already made pulls with my car in stock form.

you cruise at 3000 rpm at 75mph?
are u sure about that?
im dead on 3000rpm at 100km/h which is converted to 62mph
as for exhaust, not that it matters since it seems you already ordered it, but i agree with the previous poster, 3hp is a significant gain from an exhaust, especially when you are spending the same amount on the stock one, im in the midst of building a custom one myself. Magnaflow resonator, stock cat, someone to bend me some mandrel bends to an Apexi N1 muffler w/silencer

you cruise at 3000 rpm at 75mph?
are u sure about that?
im dead on 3000rpm at 100km/h which is converted to 62mph


Yes. The car is an auto like it says in my signature. Overdrive with a torque converter clutch does wonderful things.

All my exhaust parts are finally in. I'll probably put them on next weekend and post back here to let you know how it goes. I'll also be letting Random Technology know how well the custom cat works. If it works out, they'll make it a production piece for all of us '98 and '99 SR20 people.

OBX Stainless header
Random Technology high-flow cat
OEM cat back
OEM gaskets, hangers, hardware

Well I finally got around to installing the exhaust system yesterday. Big thanks to Harris for coming over lastnight and lending me a hand! We didn't run into any real issues other than the usual EGR tube problem. Also, a lot of time was wasted because the system had to be cut off with a chain style pipe cutter since it was all welded together.

After Harris and I probably spent the good part of 2 hours screwing with the EGR tube, he finally had to leave. Shortly after he left it struck me, if you can't get the EGR tube on the right angle easily, why not just get the header on the same angle. Well this can't be done because the studs are in the way. Well the simple solution is putting 2 nuts on the stud and tightening them against each other to remove and install the studs. Once I thought of that, it probably took me 45min AT THE MOST to install the header to the head and the EGR tube. I only removed the 4 right-most studs, then placed the gasket over the remaining ones, connected the EGR tube, slid the header onto the studs, then reinstalled the 4 removed studs with the header in place. Piece o' cake!

I have to admit that this system was really what I was looking for:
1- Way cheaper than all OEM Parts
2- Quiet under cruise. Even at 85mph @ 3,400rpm
3- A little more noise under hard acceleration although it does buzz a little
4- Noticeable power increase on the high end. I can say that my 60-100mph time has been greatly decreased. (Ya, I had to test it out on the highway!) It's not as much of a problem any more to get from about 70-80mph quickly to pass on the Turnpike anymore.

Over all I'm happy. Total cost on the entire package was around $700. Keep in mind that a OEM cat alone costs in the neighborhood of $600.

Thanks to Clay at Random Technology for working with me and custom building my cat in lightning fast time. It fit perfectly.

Keep in mind that a OEM cat alone costs in the neighborhood of $600.




How does your ass feel after that rapeing huh? :rofl:

How does your ass feel after that rapeing huh? :rofl:

Umm.... I didn't buy the dealer cat. Not sure what you mean. $700 for a full exhaust system isn't bad. That included every single gasket and hanger.

I don't know if i read it wronge but it looks like you paid $600 for a cat...

I don't know if i read it wronge but it looks like you paid $600 for a cat...

I mentioned Random Technology about 5 times in this thread! Their cat fit perfectly. They custom made it for me because the '98 and '99 uses a cat that's longer than the earlier SR20 B14's.

Also, if I paid $600 for a dealer cat, I would have had to gotten everything else for $100!

ok... so why didn't you just use the cat from a earlier model b14? I don't know what exactly I'm missing about this....:confused:

$600 would cover a full c/b,header, and high flow cat..