Zetec Mystique Exhaust Questions

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

OK, so here's the situation. My factory exhaust is pretty much shot at this point, and I'm due for inspection in March. I've been looking through the boards here and I'm thinking about fabricating my own exhaust system to replace it. Hopefully someone can answer the questions I'm left with after searching.

First of all, what is the stock pipe diameter that I have now? I measured 1.75" OD, can anyone confirm?

Second, where can I buy a flange to weld on to the front end? Do they even sell these individually?

Third, I have a Ractive straight-through muffler to stick on the back end, but I'm not sure if this will bring the noise level down enough. Would it be best to throw some kind of resonator in there where the factory intermediate muffler is?

Thanks in advance. I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this.

1 3/4" is correct. You are better off buying a full exhaust... SVT exhausts are great, and they are stainless steel as well.

I disagree, drive your car to a competent exauhst shop and they can fab you one for less than you think. Shop around though. Read the sticky at the top of the Zetec performance forum and you will see many good options.

If you have a pipe bender and good welding skills you could fab your own but...

The used SVT exuahst is good if you can get it for free or real cheap but I still don't think it's best for the 4cyl.

I have access to all the equipment and welding is no problem for me. I understand that the SVT exhaust is good but if I fabricate my own I'll definitely use stainless pipe anyway.

At this point I'm mainly concerned with finding the flange that fits, and about the noise factor. I'm going for a deep sound that isn't too obnoxious. Anyone else have experience with Ractive mufflers?

EDIT: I have a Ractive MT603 with the silencer insert. I would use the silencer if I had to but it looks fairly restrictive.

I didn't realize a SVT exhaust would fit a Zetec?
Must need some fab work.

Yeah, less than a foot of pipe extra has to be welded in.

2.25" exhaust, magnaflow muffler where the factory resonator is, to a nice tip. No nonsense and will give the best power on your N/A car.

Originally posted by LocoGSR:
2.25" exhaust, magnaflow muffler where the factory resonator is, to a nice tip. No nonsense and will give the best power on your N/A car.

2.5" custom mandrel bent with N1 style muffler

Originally posted by striker2:

Originally posted by LocoGSR:
2.25" exhaust, magnaflow muffler where the factory resonator is, to a nice tip. No nonsense and will give the best power on your N/A car.

2.5" custom mandrel bent with N1 style muffler

2.25" custom crush bent with dynomax quiet style muffler

mandrel bent is better. gives smooother flow

Originally posted by SVTfrog:
Yeah, less than a foot of pipe extra has to be welded in.

unless you get the precats..then your fine, but otherwise, yes.

Originally posted by striker2:
mandrel bent is better. gives smooother flow

It's a zetec. Is that extra .25hp worth the cost?

Originally posted by the other davis:

Originally posted by SVTfrog:
Yeah, less than a foot of pipe extra has to be welded in.

unless you get the precats..then your fine, but otherwise, yes.

Put the precats onto a zetec?

whatcha talkin bout willis

Originally posted by SVTfrog:

Originally posted by striker2:
mandrel bent is better. gives smooother flow

It's a zetec. Is that extra .25hp worth the cost?

being as that i got it mandrel bent for free (my vocational school as a bender) yeah it was definatly worth it espically since i plan on putting on a turbo.

Nobody knows where I can get the flange for the front connection of the pipe?

Originally posted by mcgarvey:
Nobody knows where I can get the flange for the front connection of the pipe?

Exhaust shop?

Originally posted by SVTfrog:
Put the precats onto a zetec? whatcha talkin bout willis

basically use precats instead of extending. gutted of course.

Originally posted by striker2:

Originally posted by SVTfrog:

Originally posted by striker2:
mandrel bent is better. gives smooother flow

It's a zetec. Is that extra .25hp worth the cost?

being as that i got it mandrel bent for free (my vocational school as a bender) yeah it was definatly worth it espically since i plan on putting on a turbo.

Well dang, you coulda dun mine while you were at it.

Originally posted by the other davis:

Originally posted by SVTfrog:
Put the precats onto a zetec? whatcha talkin bout willis

basically use precats instead of extending. gutted of course.

I'd rather just stick some pipe in there.

Originally posted by SVTfrog:

Originally posted by striker2:
mandrel bent is better. gives smooother flow

It's a zetec. Is that extra .25hp worth the cost?

You can just say that because you have a SVT now.

Originally posted by SVTfrog:

Originally posted by striker2:

Originally posted by SVTfrog:

Originally posted by striker2:
mandrel bent is better. gives smooother flow

It's a zetec. Is that extra .25hp worth the cost?

being as that i got it mandrel bent for free (my vocational school as a bender) yeah it was definatly worth it espically since i plan on putting on a turbo.

Well dang, you coulda dun mine while you were at it.

the instructor even got the tubing for dirt cheap.

i paid $35 for 16Ft of 2.5" and 8Ft of 1 3/4"

i also got it put on for free too

so all in all i paid less than fifty bucks for an exhaust

Some body have the "this thread is worthless without pics" note?

seriously though did you have any?

All I'm really looking for now is a supplier and part number for the flange. I'm going with 2.25" crush bent pipe to the back with the muffler I have, and if it's loud, i'll go from there and throw a resonator in the middle.

Originally posted by SVTfrog:

Originally posted by striker2:
mandrel bent is better. gives smooother flow

It's a zetec. Is that extra .25hp worth the cost?

Even on a mildly modified Zetec, putting on a mandrel bent exhaust over a crush bent exhaust of the same size can show a 3-4 HP gain on the dyno. The more modified it is, the bigger the power gain is.

Cool. Got dyno graphs?

Originally posted by SVTfrog:
Cool. Got dyno graphs?

Some were posted on teamzx2.com's boards before.

Just FYI, I decided on crush bending some 2.25" pipe and welding my muffler on. It was what I could afford to do, and it's sitting in my garage right now. If it's too loud I'll throw a resonator in the middle somewhere.

The next step is to take my factory system off, I'm expecting that to be a [censored] with the rusty, seized up flange bolts. If they're too stuck I guess I'll try heating them up.

By the way thanks for all the help this past week or two.

Originally posted by mcgarvey:
Nobody knows where I can get the flange for the front connection of the pipe?

bring your stock one to a machine shop and have them make you one for 2.25" piping.

if you wanna keep this thing quiet and rasp free you're gonna need a resonator AND a muffler...not one or the other or you will get rasp in the upper rpms.

WTF are people talking about precats in the Zetec section... there's only one cat on the Zetec