SportsMaserati Exhaust Modification Guilde

[SimonCC]

Do you really think swapping the squashed section to 2 smaller pipes will make any significant change to the sound?

Would changes further back not impact the sound more as many of us have already found by removing secondary cats, resonators and rear boxes?

 

[SimonCC]

Sound is a very personal taste. I love the sound of the Spyder just loud enough without going too far.

Apparently the neighbours know when I arrive home though

I heard your car on the last day of Matt's ownership and it sounded nice - did Matt replace the squashed section for 2 smaller pipes?

 

[stefanocirillo]

I heard your car on the last day of Matt's ownership and it sounded nice - did Matt replace the squashed section for 2 smaller pipes?

Are you talking about the centre section with X Pipe? If so, removing the x-pipe for 2 separate pipes will damage performance i would have thought.

 

[Chrisbassett]

Are you talking about the centre section with X Pipe? If so, removing the x-pipe for 2 separate pipes will damage performance i would have thought.

It's the section before that, the bit between the manifold and the centre section. It usually has one or two cats (depending on the manifold) and needs to dip below the steering rack. To do this, maserati squashed the original pipe, but after-market solutions can replace the squished bit with multiple small-bore pipes instead.

 

[BennyD]

I heard your car on the last day of Matt's ownership and it sounded nice - did Matt replace the squashed section for 2 smaller pipes?

No he didn't. It had standard cats, an unsilenced X-pipe and modified GS rears. The rears were a one off design and are not like the ones we put on Matts GS and my spyder.

 

[zagatoes30]

I heard your car on the last day of Matt's ownership and it sounded nice - did Matt replace the squashed section for 2 smaller pipes?

Pretty sure the front end is standard incl squashed pipes. From what I understand it has an SM X pipe and modified GS rear boxes. Whatever it has it has a lovely balance which I love.

 

[BennyD]

Pretty sure the front end is standard incl squashed pipes. From what I understand it has an SM X pipe and modified GS rear boxes. Whatever it has it has a lovely balance which I love.

See post #105.

 

[conaero]

Yes, the front cats are all OEM and untouched...its just the Xpipe and GS modded rear boxes.

 

[mjheathcote]

Hope not to be too controversial here, but concerning the change to the squashed section - I took my car to an exhaust specialist to look into replacing this section - when they put the car up on the ramp firstly they were impressed by the engineering that had gone into the squashed section and after taking some measurements told me the diameter of the squashed section is pretty much the same as the bore of the round pipe. They believe there is no benefit to changing this section for 2 smaller round pipes as per Larini as the exhaust gases will flow pretty much the same (and dare I say it that it's potentially more of a money making exercise than really adding any improvement...). I had the secondary cats removed which they did say would be an improvement though. They had 2 race cars in that they were making/had made beautiful exhausts and manifolds for, so them being bone fide experts in this field and me being a know-nothing but keen enthusiast I feel I can trust their opinion.

Skipping changing the squashed section could be looked at as a way of reducing the cost of the new system making it even better value perhaps..? In terms of all the other changes though there's no doubt these do make a difference.

Just some left-field thoughts that's all.... I'll be prepared to be shot down now...

I tend to agree here.
The squashed section is not just the pipe squashed, but a larger diameter section inserted, then squashed.
I think the smaller twin pipes are 'marketing' and the real results are the cat replacements/removal as applicable.
I've a pair of euro front pipes to modify, and the plan is to gut the primary cats, and replace the secondary cats for 200 cell sports cats.

 

[SimonCC]

Mike I really do think this is right - I initially removed the secondary cats expecting an improvement in sound, but to be honest I was disappointed as it barely changed. Having spoken to the exhaust specialist they/I thought/hoped that by removing the cats it would perhaps slightly improve sound/performance a tad more than by removing the squashed section. So from my experience I can't really see there would be an improvement in sound/performance by replacing the squashed section with smaller bore pipes.

I'm obviously in a minority here but having the specialists explain this it does make sense plus I now have first hand experience of the lack of change from secondary cat removal.

I'll keep quiet now....

 

[BennyD]

I've always said that you need to change two sections to make an appreciable difference. When I got my spyder it had been fitted with Larini sports cats and when he fired it up I was convinced he was spinning me a yarn. He showed me the receipts and I left it at that and bought the car. However, when I got my rear straight throughs on, the world became a better place! From my experience, fitting the X-pipe makes as much, perhaps slightly more, difference than any other single change but changing two sections makes a big difference.

 

[Tinman]

I've always said that you need to change two sections to make an appreciable difference. When I got my spyder it had been fitted with Larini sports cats and when he fired it up I was convinced he was spinning me a yarn. He showed me the receipts and I left it at that and bought the car. However, when I got my rear straight throughs on, the world became a better place! From my experience, fitting the X-pipe makes as much, perhaps slightly more, difference than any other single change but changing two sections makes a big difference.

I second that Benny. The X-pipe and straight throughs on mine are truly epic. Just listen to the video I posted earlier in the week and listen to then through headphones or better yet a smart Tv with decent sound.

 

[BennyD]

Even with standard cats, yours does sound fantastic. IMO, all Maseratis should have come from the factory sounding like yours.

 

[StuartW]

I've always said that you need to change two sections to make an appreciable difference. When I got my spyder it had been fitted with Larini sports cats and when he fired it up I was convinced he was spinning me a yarn. He showed me the receipts and I left it at that and bought the car. However, when I got my rear straight throughs on, the world became a better place! From my experience, fitting the X-pipe makes as much, perhaps slightly more, difference than any other single change but changing two sections makes a big difference.

I couldn't agree more. I fitted a Larini centre box and de-cat race pipes which made a slight difference but when the straight through pipes courtesy of Marios @ Autoshield went on last week - wow! I'm still grinning like a teenager

 

[safrane]

I only want a little extra rumble from my GS...How much is a new x-pipe and how much extra rumble will it give?

 

[2b1ask1]

Peter, straight through X-pipe on mine, stock elsewhere if you are at Ace I'll let you have a listen, it is about 3db louder but I get some crackle on overrun and generally a subtle rumble and increase with no resonance to annoy.

 

[conaero]

Yes, I would say it is subtle, so hence the de cat pipes...should add a little spice I recon.

They were sent off yesterday for manufacturer so I would expect in about 4 weeks it should be all done.

 

[safrane]

Peter, straight through X-pipe on mine, stock elsewhere if you are at Ace I'll let you have a listen, it is about 3db louder but I get some crackle on overrun and generally a subtle rumble and increase with no resonance to annoy.

Yes had this on the last 4200...nothing extra except on down shifts...only want a couple of extra dbs as I prefer the noise in standard set up.

 

[stefanocirillo]

Im guessing the x pipe doesn't require cutting of existing system? I.e it can be returned to stock without issues? Thanks.

 

[BennyD]

That's correct. It's a simple swap that can be reversed at any time. The H-pipe is the same.