My custom cat-bypass job and a couple of videos

[ecarca]

I purchased Fabspeed pipes to remove my secondary cats. I have the pipes with the 4 cats on them, sometimes referred to as "Euro spec" but I guess there was actually European delivered cars that came with that pipe having the 4 cats and some of them with 2 cats on the headers and 2 cats on the pipe. The Fabspeed is supposed to fit the US spec but I thought I could cut and weld it somehow and that proved to be wrong. If anyone is interested by the way, I have 2 brand new pipes for sale.

As you can tell, these are quite different:

At least I was able to install the X-pipe (also from Fabspeed) at first. It was a little tight on the rear but it worked eventually:

I then decided to go for a custom job because I was quite frustrated not to be able to fit them. The factory I went to (yes they do call themselves like that) did not have the capability to take care of the squashed part, nor had high flow cats in stock, so I decided to use the stock pipe as a base. I believe that the squashed part as it is is not restricting the flow that much or at all. I did not put the car on a dyno and probably won't but I know for sure it did not impact the sound!

Here are pictures of the job:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ecarca/CustomCatBypassJob02?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJOCjPDi1-eCdQ&feat=directlink

Let me tell you I am very very very pleased with the result!!!

Here is the video I took just after the install:

[video=youtube;Asu9qxiOQeA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asu9qxiOQeA[/video]

And I shot that one a couple of days ago:

[video=youtube;xZ6INiGozo4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ6INiGozo4[/video]

Enjoy!

EDIT: fixed the link with the pictures

 

[conaero]

Very nice, reminds me of my full Larini GranSport.....the grey with red one.

 

[Parisien]

Brilliant.............enjoy...tunnels are so much fun!


P

 

[ecarca]

Very nice, reminds me of my full Larini GranSport.....the grey with red one.

Thanks
I see that you are also quite an Alfa Romeo guy. Back then I had the 156 2.5V6, the GTA was not out yet. It was a great car and that Arese engine was fantastic. One of my biggest regret car wise is not to have owned a 156 GTA. I almost took a leased GT with the 3.2 in 2005 but then I decided to move to China the year after so I kept the 156 until I was gone.

 

[ecarca]

Brilliant.............enjoy...tunnels are so much fun!


P

We have many of them here
I tried only 2 and I have some time off during the Chinese New Year plus it's the only time of the year when the roads are very quiet so I'll try to find longer ones with less speed cameras ahahah

 

[Parisien]

Speed cameras....what are they??!!





P

 

[Parisien]

The nearest tunnel to me.....is 100 miles away ......next nearest 150..........ooopppssss


P

 

[hodroyd]

That sounds terrific and it's nice to see the loud pedal being used as it should be..!!

 

[Maser Sod]

Nothing better than getting rid of the OEM scaffold!

 

[maverick]

That's very neat and some top notch welding to , I should know being a manager of a fabrication shop for 14 years , sounds great to . this is the system I want to achieve already done the X pipe and replaced the rear boxes just got to do the secondary cat removal .

 

[Mr.Cambio]

you scared the guy in the Merc...


i am looking at the oem cats and i'm wondering...what were they thinking when producing them?.....

Anyway, good sound, similar to larini but in a more aggressive way.

 

[ecarca]

That sounds terrific and it's nice to see the loud pedal being used as it should be..!!

Yes, I have issues with my right foot. I think it's a genetic condition because my father has it too (and maybe my mother to a lesser degree). We use the throttle as an on/off switch in the family LOL
The traffic law toughened a bit last year, so it's not as fun as before but the traffic is also worsening everyday so there are not too many places left where you can speed. And I don't want to factor in the local driving because it's a never ending talk. This said, patrol cars here are not here to harass the people driving like they would do in Europe, probably because otherwise they would be overwhelmed with work. You can overtake them like a madman and they won't mind, so still a few perks compared to western countries

 

[ecarca]

Nothing better than getting rid of the OEM scaffold!

I agree

 

[ecarca]

That's very neat and some top notch welding to , I should know being a manager of a fabrication shop for 14 years , sounds great to . this is the system I want to achieve already done the X pipe and replaced the rear boxes just got to do the secondary cat removal .

Thank you. This shop was recommended to me by a friend. I guess doing it all day long is the best training. They also make standard exhaust so the welder is experienced
Getting rid off the second cats really improves the throttle response, the sound and you can clearly feel more power, in particular after 5000 rpm. It breathes much better afterwards.

 

[ecarca]

you scared the guy in the Merc...

i am looking at the oem cats and i'm wondering...what were they thinking when producing them?.....

Anyway, good sound, similar to larini but in a more aggressive way.

Believe me that guy probably did not even see me LOL
They drive good in Shanghai compared to other Chinese places but compared to some other countries where you learn how to drive as opposed as learning on how to pass the exam, it's night and day
Different standards.

It's clearly better without these secondaries. Now, this is a GT car and I guess Maserati decided they should not sound good because regular dispassionate customers would prefer a quiet and comfortable car. I decided otherwise

And now that I'm writing this, I just decided I'm driving the Maser to work today
Cheers

 

[ecarca]

Shot yesterday during a small gathering:

[video=youtube;nDFlwow1h30]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDFlwow1h30[/video]

[video=youtube;jyDlh7F4ezE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyDlh7F4ezE[/video]

These are not the best quality videos, but you definitely hear it's much louder than the Carrera 4S

 

[Parisien]

Ooooohhhh....... you're nearly there......Bennyd's 4200 Spyder......has been measured at 150db..................


Was there a Porker in that vid.....didn't notice......


P

 

[hodroyd]

The black Carrera sounded quite like a tin can type exhaust, when you could get to hear it..!!

 

[ecarca]

Just received this as well:

[video=youtube;A-V35kTpQ9s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-V35kTpQ9s[/video]

 

[pamisa]

Hi Ecarca,

I just picked up the Gransport here in Thailand and I love your exhaust note very much. From reading your threads above, I understand that all you did was replace the cat by pass which was handmade in China while you retained the stock mufflers. Is this correct? I would imagine the cat by pass shouldn't be difficult and I could perhaps have one made locally here as well. Did the cat by pass trigger any CEL?

May I asked why you eventually did not use the fabspeed pipes for the GS? Did they not fit well? I assume that the clip you posted here no longer has the fabspeed pipes?

I'm looking to achieve a high pitch F1 exhaust note. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!