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My new Optimized Y-pipe and Exhaust System

Brokendown

CEG'er
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
326
Location
Farmington Hills, MI and Big Rapids, MI
I just finished up my new exhaust system. Pretty happy with it so far...but lets talk about the old one first...

Here are the problems with my old exhaust...

1. The Y-pipe was horribly designed. The bend the rear bank was a good idea at first glance, getting rid of that sharp turn before entering the "Y" section, but after talking to Harry, he told me that bend was made to create more of an even length between the two banks and also reduces rasp, two things that I should have realized before doing it the first time.
2. It hung down way to low. I scraped going over everything!
3. No flex pipe
4. No Resonator
5. RRAAAAASSSPPP!!!! This exhaust system had more rasp than anything I have heard. It was the worst sounding thing ever, considering everything that I made was designed for rasp.
6. None of the pipes fitted together correctly so I had these horrible welds and holes everywhere. I went from a couple different sized pipes also because I didn't have enough time to fab the whole thing.

I rushed through making my old exhaust, didn't really research anything before doing it, and didn't take the time to do anything properly. Once I finally had the time to actually fabricate my new exhaust, one of the rear mufflers had fallen off due to one of my welds breaking (improper fitment because I had cut the pipe then decided to re weld it) and I had holes everywhere in the system. I am truly embarrassed to show these pictures but I am hoping that these pictures will show what happens when rushing through a project meets sheer stupidity...



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ALRIGHT! Now, I decided that I didn't care how long it took, I was going to do my new exhaust system right, starting with a new Y-pipe design. I was able to pick up a Y-pipe from a member for cheap and pick up so exhaust tubing for cheap and went to town. This was my first time doing this, but I had done some research and this is what I came up with...

This is the restrictive section, instead of merging the two pipes together, they just pinched them and fitted them into a collector together...


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So I went ahead and cut the flange off as well as the rear bank section back at the bend and cut the long section just at the pinched point so it looked something like this...


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Then taking two inch exhaust tubing, I just held it up against where I cut and marked the pipe where I needed to cut, like this...


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Don't worry, I cleaned up the cut before welding...then I just put it into place and tacked it before fully welding it. There were a couple gaps that were a little big but they weren't anything terrible.


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I did use a hammer to form the pipe as I wanted it after I welded it. The rest had to be fitted while it was on the car, so that happened later. The end result looked something like this...


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So that was my Y-pipe, now onto my exhaust system. I bought pretty much everything from Summit Racing, and this is everything that you would need to build an exhaust system similar to mine...


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- 3 2.5" 180-degree mandrel bends (Mine were Edelbrocks that I got on clearance, I was not happy because they rusted as soon as I had taken them out of the box and strongly suggest the Summit Racing ones!) as well as a left over section I had from my last build
- 3 4-ft. long tubing sections 2.5"
- 2 Magnaflow 2.5" oval body mufflers for the rear
- 1 Magnaflow 2.5" 4" round body muffler (22" Long)
- 1 Summit Racing Flex Pipe
- 2 Cherry Bomb exhaust tips
- 1 Optimized Y-pipe
Total cost, around $400...


Pretty much I just put the Y-Pipe on and started tacking pieces on as I went, I got to a certain point, welded the bottom half and took it off the car to weld the top, put it back on, and starting tacking on more pieces. Boiled down it sounds simple but it takes a long time working by yourself, cutting each piece, cleaning it, making sure it fits, then if it doesn't either starting over with a new piece or modify the one you were using. It was challenging at times, especially in the rear, but I just took my time and kept telling myself it wasn't worth it to half-ass it. My welds might not be perfect but they work. I am not a certified welder nor do I claim to be, so I am sorry if my welds offend you... Now pictures of the process...


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I fabricated my own Y-pipe for the rear. This was done fairly easily by taking two 90-degree bends and cutting them down he middle and welding them together like this...

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My brother came out to the house to give me a hand with the rear, he went ahead and snapped some pictures...

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This was the final product!

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I haven't had time to get an exhaust clip but I am going to wait for the mufflers to get broken in before I take one. It has a very quiet mellow sound to it. I wish it was a little more aggressive but I really do like the sound. Sure as hell beats the straight pipe I was runnin before... It ended up taking me about a solid 24 hours spread out over like eight days to finish this. Bottom line I want to make to people is TAKE YOUR TIME! I didn't my first time around and I GREATLY regret it!
 
I fabricated my own Y-pipe for the rear. This was done fairly easily by taking two 90-degree bends and cutting them down he middle and welding them together like this...



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hey brokendown; that exhaust looks sweet sticking out back. Can ask please, was the rear y pipe a crushed pipe restriction like the front ? ...G.
 
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Thanks guys for the compliments!

primetime - The magnaflow numbers for the rear mufflers are 11246 and the number for the resonator is 10436

gorman - the rear Y-pipe on the stock exhaust is a 2.25" to two 2" pipes, but it is not a crushed pipe. I wanted to keep it 2.5" throughout the Y-pipe in the rear so that it would slow the exhaust down through the rear mufflers and also create a pressure drop which would make it a bit quieter.

Beans - I will try and get an exhaust clip up soon, it has just been really windy here today and I want to wait for a relatively calm day to take a video.
 
ok so probly a dumb question but i didnt see a cat. in there, any problems with emissions? the biggest thing holding me back is emissions as my contour is my daily driver and i have to get it tested. sick job tho it looks great and i cant wait to hear how it sounds!!! 2 thumbs up!
 
nice system, even better thread lol thanks to your pictures i now have an optimized y pipe, along with gutted precats and cat/res removed with 2.5" in its place now just for a set of mufflers and a aftermarket res because mine sounds like a gross tin can lol.
 
ok so probly a dumb question but i didnt see a cat. in there, any problems with emissions? the biggest thing holding me back is emissions as my contour is my daily driver and i have to get it tested. sick job tho it looks great and i cant wait to hear how it sounds!!! 2 thumbs up!

IIRC, Michigan has pretty liberal Emissions laws, where cats are not mandatory...
 
Wow I thought I replied to this but I guess my computer didn't register. Yes, Michigan doesn't really have too many emission laws so you can run without a cat with no problem.

As for the video, I want to take one really soon, today in fact, because the mufflers are nice and broken in! I really like the sound coming from it, especially after what my old exhaust sounded like! (I wish I had a video to compare!)

Rye1988 - That is almost exactly how mine sounded before I re-did the exhaust, only worse because it had leaks and misfit piping! And I am glad my pictures helped you out, that is why I took pictures along the way. I saw someone else made one pretty similar to mine, so I new what the end result should look like, I just kind of took pictures while I figured out the best way to go about it!

But I wanted to thank everyone for the compliments on my exhaust system. I really put a lot of time and work into it and I am glad you guys appreciate the work I was able to put out!!
 
I really like how you documented the whole process with pictures and narrative. Good job and it looks good. Don't apologize about the welds, they are far better than I could have done.
 
much better than the first exhaust. however i'm willing to bet your rasp on the first one had more to do with no cat and no res more than no bend in the ypipe.
 
much better than the first exhaust. however i'm willing to bet your rasp on the first one had more to do with no cat and no res more than no bend in the ypipe.

Well well...look who wanted to pop in and say hello.
 
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