Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Zetec Maintenance ordered the cta ... now my question...

From what i read.. it gives a small gain up to 10 hp. What type of muffler should i get to complement it, with out sounding like a fart machine. Will the muffler also give a small gain ?

Dynomax, MagnaFlow, Flowmaster have all been recomended here.
You need more than just a muffler though.
A full 2.25" cat-back exhaust with high flow cat, no resonator, and a muffler will release a good amount of power.
Of course there is always the option of getting a SVT exhaust put on your car.
Expect less than a 10HP gain from your CTA intake.
It produces a very nice sound when accelerating.

Good that you asked that Darksavior..

I am also planning to buy a CAI this summmer... but I had in mind that I would have to also upgrade my exhaust system..

Hey RedHawk... I like your idea.. of doing things step by step... it is good because you can tell how much gain per part .. u know...
Tell me.. after you had the CAI in palce and you just replaced the center res and rear muffler how much better the system got ??

Are you planning to do the pipes in a near future ??
What size pipes ??

How much so far for the resonator and muffler ?? how much to install them ??

Thanks

Hey sleeper.. when you say expect less then a 10 hp gain .. you are meaning with out the exhaust change and all, right? Just the cta alone. I have the resonator gone already. What muffler would be the best for my car ? I hear the svt exhaust really does no big diff.. maybe a 2 hp gain from what i have read.
thanks for the replies guys !

With just the res replaced I did notice an increase in power at speed 50mph and up. Then I added my CTA intake, which of course, produces an undeniable difference in power in the mid and upper ranges.

When I got the rear muffler replaced, I could really feel a difference. The power became much more linear and the there seemed to be less "pockets" of power in the gearing like there was stock.

I have no immediate plans for upgrading the pipe itself simply because beyond speculation, I haven't seen any dynos showing there is a real gain to be had.

Since both the res and muffler are straight-through designs, I believe the velocity is about optimum until a major upgrade upstream (cat or headers) occurs.

Here's the damage (prices include installation):

12" Round body 5" magnaflow aluminized- $77
12" Oval body 4X7 magnaflow aluminized- $136
Total: $213

Of course,this is just my opinion and we all know the old saying about opinions and a$$holes ...

Thanks RedHawk..

U d MAN !!

Hey... I still have one question though...

I've been reading about removing the resonator... and most people seem to agree on removing it and sticking a straight pipe instead...

Why did you buy another muffler instead of the pipes ??

I really don't understand too much about this... u know...

The CTA intake alone will help the car's response quite well, but no noticable power gains.
Don't just buy a muffler, go for a complete cat-back.
Yeah it's more expensive, but it is definately worth every dime.
I got the same muffler as redhawk (12" Oval body 4X7 magnaflow aluminized).
No resonantor for me though, just 2.25" piping back to my muffler.
After getting a new exhaust, make sure you "fix" the pre cat. (Mystery Mod)

See the link below for complete instructions on the mystery mod;
Mystery Mod

Zetecs don't have pre-cats

I put the round body in to control the sound. The straight-pipe exhausts I have heard can drone at hwy speeds and also have a fair amoutn of rasp.

My exhaust is much more understated than that.

Since it has a center diameter of 3", the flow is not disrupted but sounds more refined than a straight pipe.

The sound, of course, is an opinion. I don't like the sound of resonatorless exhausts, but that's just me...

Ok.. I hear you.. I am also concerned about loudness..

I have one more question for you:

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Ok.. What If I changed my pipe over one size up... u know... just to open it a little bit... and together with that I install the two mufflers just like you did...
the thing is.. I want to let the engine breath in and breath out better... not just in...

And also.. I ahve about 100K miles on it... I am not sure if there is a chance to accumulate carbon/obstruction on my exhaust system...

What do u think RedHawk ??

Also... where did you order ur mufflers ???



Thanks again !!!

Five stars for you man !!