Exhaust Question

Spree

Spree

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Everybody seems to be doing something different.

I have a 94 MK8 with a factory stock exhaust (196K) by the way. 3 cats, resonator, single pipe in the tunnel and factory mufflers in back with chrome tips pointing down.
I have noticed that I have a leak behind the drivers side cat (pipe looks pretty rusted), and getting worse!
I'm not looking for something loud (my loud day's are over with), But.....

#1, I would like something with more flow maybe a few more horses but it doesn't matter. Maybe just a little more muscle sound, but nothing I could hear too much inside the cabin! Or just quiet if this can't be done.

#2, Get rid of the single pipe in the tunnel and go with a duel pipe. (getting rid of the 3rd cat and resonator, this would be a must do). Can I do this? If I take it to Midas or somewhere?

#3, I know you guy's are gonna hate me for this but I like the chrome tips that point down. Is there an after market muffler like this that isn't loud but still sounds good or maybe I should keep the stock ones (there's nothing wrong with them).

I guess what I'm looking for is a true duel exhaust still with the 2 front cats (or not). 3rd cat and res deleted. Mufflers out back just like normal that are semi-quite.

Does this sound stupid??? I don't have long before I have to do something and I didn't want another stock exhaust front to back.

I'm open for suggestions! I even thought about patching this hole with JBW to buy me some more time to figure things out.
I don't have any pics of the problem area right now but I can take some this weekend if you need any! It's tight under there...
 
I just did the exhaust on my 94. Mandrel bent exhaust kit 2.5" stainless with x pipe and 2 magnaflow mufflers out back. At idle and easy driving shes somewhat on the quiet side but really growls loud at WOT. The worst thing I did was put tips on it. Without the rear bumper cut outs it looks like shat ! Stick with the turndowns !
 
joeynat said:
I just did the exhaust on my 94. Mandrel bent exhaust kit 2.5" stainless with x pipe and 2 magnaflow mufflers out back. At idle and easy driving shes somewhat on the quiet side but really growls loud at WOT. The worst thing I did was put tips on it. Without the rear bumper cut outs it looks like shat ! Stick with the turndowns !
Click to expand...

+1 on the mandrel exhaust systems - quite a few run these in Marks & TBirds (go with 2.5" ALWAYS):
http://www.mandrelexhaustsystems.com/servlet/the-117/93-dsh-98-MARK-VIII-EXHAUST/Detail
http://www.mandrelexhaustsystems.co...ln-cln-93-dsh-98-Lincoln-Mark-VIII/Categories
 
joeynat said:
I just did the exhaust on my 94. Mandrel bent exhaust kit 2.5" stainless with x pipe and 2 magnaflow mufflers out back. At idle and easy driving shes somewhat on the quiet side but really growls loud at WOT. The worst thing I did was put tips on it. Without the rear bumper cut outs it looks like shat ! Stick with the turndowns !
Click to expand...

I'm glad to hear that you got your exhaust installed. :)

I tried to tell you about the turndowns. :rolleyes:
 
Unless your going to up grade the stock exhaust manifolds and Cats I see not increase in power or gas mileage with 2 1/2" pipe over cheaper 2 1/4" pipe and I wouldn't think you would even need to pay extra for mandrel bent. The manifolds and cats would still be the bottle neck especially if you install a good X or H pipe. :confused: Now it would be a completely different story if you installed Kooks headers or Cobra exhaust manifolds and high flow cats.
 
joeynat said:
I just did the exhaust on my 94. Mandrel bent exhaust kit 2.5" stainless with x pipe and 2 magnaflow mufflers out back. At idle and easy driving shes somewhat on the quiet side but really growls loud at WOT. The worst thing I did was put tips on it. Without the rear bumper cut outs it looks like shat ! Stick with the turndowns !
Click to expand...

Make you own cut outs. :)
 
Don Pfau said:
Make you own cut outs. :)
Click to expand...

I don't know about that..every car I've seen/heard with cut outs ends up sounding sh*tty (unless you're just going for strictly more flow). If the cut outs aren't a large enough opening close to the manifolds or headers it sound very raspy ( think of how exhaust sounds coming out of a small opening) my friend has a 00 trans am ws6 with a cam, intake, LT pacesetters and full exhaust with ONE cutout in the mid pipe and I HATE the way it sounds. Cutouts are not the same as open headers, I've always thought open exhaust on a relatively stock car with the stock cam sounds crappy, I deffinetly wouldn't put cutouts on my car but that's just my opinion..
 
Yes I meant to add this picture of it done on mine.

D_18.jpg
 
I'm thinking everything from the manifolds back will need replaced with the exception of the muff's but I could be wrong, until I get under there this weekend and look around I wont be sure.
I was just wondering what the cheap and semi-quite way to go is? I'm not going to be racing it. I'm older and don't need too loud anymore. Should I replace the cats and res, or get rid of the stuff in the middle? Duels or stay with single?

Any opinions on this would be great. I haven't bought an exhaust system in 30 years and I know things have changed since then. Just trying to weigh my options.
 
Cats should be replaced about 100k even thou its typical that most people don't replace them until they smell eggs, duals will increase fuel milage
You can order a Mandrel system for around $130, plus the X or H and cans of your choice. Cats will be the expensive part, but your old ones should fetch about $30 a piece at scrap. After market cats aren't worth as much at scrap
 
Sapperfire said:
Cats should be replaced about 60k even thou its typical that most people don't replace them until they smell eggs, duals will increase fuel milage
Click to expand...

Are you saying 2 new front cats, get rid of 3rd cat and res for duels and new muffs or keep the old ones if there in decent shape?? How loud would this be?
 
Mufflers are your decision. If yours are in working shape, and you like the sound - keep them.
A cheap way to go would be to grab a used set of pipes from an LSC, bolt it up and call it a day

I bet there's a few people on here that have a set just laying in the back yard they'd give you. If I had the cash for the system I want I'd just give you mine from my LSC

The 3rd cat/resonator is to reduce noise for the cabin. You could X or H it there if you want to hear your pipes more, or use a DIDO muffler to quiet it more

8357d1246476498-magnaflow-4x9-dual-inlet-dual-outlet-muffler-gets-rid-rasp-magnaflowxpipedrawing.jpg


copy_of_street_sound_chart-001.jpg
 
"That will work" leaves that question wide open.. it depends on the pipes.
 
Every extra bend makes the exhaust quieter

For cross systems, an H will be louder than an X, a single X will be louder than 2.
 
Sapperfire said:
Cats should be replaced about 100k even thou its typical that most people don't replace them until they smell eggs, duals will increase fuel milage
You can order a Mandrel system for around $130, plus the X or H and cans of your choice. Cats will be the expensive part, but your old ones should fetch about $30 a piece at scrap. After market cats aren't worth as much at scrap
Click to expand...

Hey, that 'smell eggs' comment - I've followed BRAND NEW cars that when they get on it hard and overheat the cats smell like burnt eggs or sulfur! :eek:
 
Sapperfire said:
Every extra bend makes the exhaust quieter

For cross systems, an H will be louder than an X, a single X will be louder than 2.
Click to expand...

That's plain and simple! (Just what I needed!). THANX SAPP!!!

I put it on a lift today.

This is what I have, all 3 cats (good), Res (good), both muffs (good). Pipes all good.

But the connection (the thing that holds both pipes together) between the drivers cat and rear pipe is toast!!

What should I do with this?????? The guy told me he wanted to cut it off and weld a pipe in there and I told him NO!! Then I left.

I need a reply ASAP! This is getting loud and I'm trying to wait to hear from everyone on LVC before doing ANYTHING!!

My son drives this also when he's home from college which has been every other week. I CANNOT!!! have this breaking down on him EVER!! You know what I mean?

He is driving the Jeep tonight and I need to get him back into the MK8

He loves this car as much as I do!

Any suggestion's will help.

Cat back (1).jpg
 
Spree said:
That's plain and simple! (Just what I needed!). THANX SAPP!!!

I put it on a lift today.

This is what I have, all 3 cats (good), Res (good), both muffs (good). Pipes all good.

But the connection (the thing that holds both pipes together) between the drivers cat and rear pipe is toast!!

What should I do with this?????? The guy told me he wanted to cut it off and weld a pipe in there and I told him NO!! Then I left.

I need a reply ASAP! This is getting loud and I'm trying to wait to hear from everyone on LVC before doing ANYTHING!!

My son drives this also when he's home from college which has been every other week. I CANNOT!!! have this breaking down on him EVER!! You know what I mean?

He is driving the Jeep tonight and I need to get him back into the MK8

He loves this car as much as I do!

Any suggestion's will help.
Click to expand...

Where is the leak coming from? Is it on the cat side of the flange or the pipe side? It looks like there's a hole in the cat right before the flange, if that's the case there's really not a good way to patch that and have it hold, I would just replace both front cats if one is bad..the other will probably end up rotting through eventually anyway, and then just do your exhaust of choice after that.
 
keVIIIn said:
Where is the leak coming from? Is it on the cat side of the flange or the pipe side? It looks like there's a hole in the cat right before the flange, if that's the case there's really not a good way to patch that and have it hold, I would just replace both front cats if one is bad..the other will probably end up rotting through eventually anyway, and then just do your exhaust of choice after that.
Click to expand...

The cat is good, the bracket (flange) thing that holds the pipe to the cat is rusted away and it's leaking where the pipe meets the cat because the bracket isn't holding them together anymore. Is there another bracket that I can put around the pipe and screw it back to the cat bracket? I don't think welding them together is a good idea. Don't you have to drop the exhaust to get to the gas tank or the drive shaft? I think the rusty flange bracket thing was put on the pipe before it was flared so it can bolt to the cat. Any suggestions for holding the pipe tight to the cat if the clamp on the pipe part is no longer uasble?
 
Oh jeez...

You're gonna need to remove the steering column center link, very easy, just remove the bolts from both joints, you'll be pulling the telescope part out, the one that runs thru the fire wall. This will give you better access to the drivers side manifold studs.. SOAK the manifold studs overnight before you try to break them loose.

Man I wish you could get her to me. I could fix that up.

But yeah, you need new cats... I'd even say buy new manifolds
 
This isn't my manifold, I should have taken a pic a little farther away. It's the connection behind the drivers side cat to the pipe. (pipe comes down from manifold and is welded to the cat, on the other end of the cat there is this connection that bolts to the pipe). Right under drivers side floor board. There are 2 bolts that bolt the pipe to the back of the cat. I was wondering if I cut the 2 bolts off and removed the rusted pc that holds the pipe the the back of the cat (which is no longer holding anything together), is there another kind of clamp that I can put there? Something that I can slip over the pipe to bolt it to the cat, since the pipe is flared to match up with the back of the cat.
 
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