JasonC SBB

So my cat is a bit cloggy:
https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26736

I talked to the guy who built my custom exhaust 8 years ago, and asked a quote for:

- cut out old cat which is welded in
- new Carsound metal cat
- add Vband flanges to new cat
- add flanges to car
- install above Vbanded cat

and in addition:
- new 12" Maremont resonator
- add flanges to resonator

This way I have a removable cat, and I can swap in a 12" resonator for track days (I want it quiet on the drive to and from the track LOL)

Vbands will make swapping easier.

Cat is $110 .. resonator+ all vbands + labor = $190.

Thoughts? BTW I have zero welding skills.... (M@! When you gonna move back to the bay area??!! )

JasonC SBB

C'mon, you cheap bastards have an opinion, I'm sure!

M-Tuned

iTrader: (6)

I'm doing the same thing in the spring

patsmx5

iTrader: (16)

I'd weld in a resonator all the time, and swap the cat for a piece of pipe. Better IMO.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

muffler shop can do that super cheap... dont you already have one you like?

JasonC SBB

The shop is the one I like.

I already have a resonator in all the time. I want a second one for when I take the cat out.

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

IMO that's a deal. Would you rather spend the day building the exhaust or driving your car? And you're getting done by a trusted fabricator. This will make it easier to test power and spool with various components installed/uninstalled too.

fmowry

iTrader: (8)

Why v-bands for a cat? Just do slip joints.

Frank

JasonC SBB

Slip joints and U-bolts?

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

slip joints and band clamps.

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

He's trying to boost his Y8s approval factor.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

I approve of a v-band swap-in setup for that price.

JasonC SBB

Turns out he didn't understand v-band. He quoted for regular flanges.
Vband clamps are pricier.

Looks like his price will drop $50 (to $250) if one side will be a slip joint + U clamp.
You can't have both sides = slip joint because it will be physicall impossible to insert the cat wihtout moving the rear section of the entire exhaust back by >3 inches.

I need to look under the car now and think about how it'll look. espeically with the butterfly.

Can I have a pic of y8s slipjoint + band clamp?

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

I added a resonator to my setup.

Had two u-clamps on each end, slip joint on both sides. Eventually I swapped one of the clamps out for a band clamp, but it started raining while i was working and never finished the front one.

fast forward a few months....hit a manhole cover that was sticking up too far due to the pavement being scraped out for repaving...I dodged a few but didn't see this one. Ripped the u-clamp off and bent my 90* pipe into the muffler.

When I pulled the exhaust down to fix, I removed the band clamp. I had used this permatex exhaust wrap/gasket stuff under the clamp. It held strong through the impact. In fact it was almost like I epoxied the two pipes together (reading the description on the link, looks like it's supposed to do that. We ended up bending the 90* back with a ton pressure on that joint (stuck the far end under a car and pushed down on it). The seal never broke, instead of grinding and welded this seam as I did for the other side, I put the band clamp back.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

doesn't exist. i'm all v-bands. probably going to do a similar v-banded cat install just because--not to swap out the cat.

JasonC SBB

How much were your V band clamps? they're pricey at ATP.

Are these the band clamps you guys talk about? They seem to need to be the exact correct size for your pipes.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

$7 each off a seller on ebay.

might as well get the flanges welded. As cool as v-bands are I don't see the need for them. Typical 2-bolt flanges don't bother me.

You shouldn't take advice from me. I currently own a beat up $780 catback.

JasonC SBB

So muffler guy looked at my exhaust.

He says I can use either a skinny glasspack resonator with louvers inside, or some Ansa non-louvered resonator that's thicker in the middle. A Magnaflow or Dynomax won't fit.

He says the louvered glasspack will be quieter, but I have my doubts given how skinny it is.

Has anyone tried Ansa resonators?

patsmx5

iTrader: (16)

Loured will be quitter than perforated. Longer the core the better.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

i thought you were removing the cat to improve flow. louvered is not the best solution when there's tasty perf cores out there.