mandrel bends

[RickHigginsHtbr]

alright, i'm piecing together my exhaust system, and unfortunately, no one around here does mandrel bends. so, looks like i'm going to need to buy this angle and that angle and all of that.... has anyone else done this before? to possibly save me some time, does anyone know what angles i'm going to need to buy pre-bent? BTW, for my ecotec, i'm going pacesetter header -> magnaflow cat -> greddy resonator (cause it's cheap) -> magnaflow 88-92 f-body muffler -> undecided tips, all 2.25", just need the piping....

With this set up it *should* have a nice low tone, but not obnoxiously loud until i'm 4k rpm's or above, and slightly raspy when i redline.

[Matt95GT]

Mufflex in Trenton NJ will do Mandrel bent exhaust. Very nice setups, but will cost a bit.

If you need to obtain Mandrel bends, Summitracing.com has them in many sizes. They are U-bends, so can be trimmed to any angle you need.

[tenspeed]

Here's some pictures I took when installing my SLP cat back. You can sort of get an idea of what you will need. It looks like a lot of cutting and welding.

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b72/tenspeed/SLP%20exhaust/

[RickHigginsHtbr]

Jim, what I got from your pics, it looks like 2 90-degree bends, then it goes over the rear into the muffler.... would it be possible to get another pic or 2 of that area for me when you can? I can't really eyeball it to see how much of a bend it is to get over the rear.

Matt, tryin to keep the whole thing under 500, i doubt it'll happen, but i'm tryin... I'm rarely up in the trenton area, unless i drop it off to them and go catch a thunder game or somethin...

[RickHigginsHtbr]

ooohhhhhh....... SLP put out a new catback?
http://www.pfyc.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PFYC&Product_Code=GA5004&Product_Count=4&Category_Code=GAEXH

or am i just thinking for some reason that the slp was alot more expensive? And called something else?

[tenspeed]

That looks like the one I installed.

[RickHigginsHtbr]

yea, i think that i thought that it was around the same price as the borla one.... shopping around for prices now, looks like summit has it for 415+free shipping.... how do you like it? with it being 2.5 it didnt kill the back pressure on low rpms, did it?

[tenspeed]

Originally posted by tenspeed
That looks like the one I installed on my ecotec. It's less than $500, all stainless and not to hard to install. Nice low tone.

The hardest parts I had was cutting the old bolts off and getting the short piece over the axle. A lift would have been handy. I used 3/8 stainless hardware and cleaned out the cat flange holes with a 3/8 countersink. They were a tad small.

[tenspeed]

I didn't notice any power loss and I checked before and after with a G-tech meter. My MPG's went up because I shift sooner, with the stock exhaust I would run the RPM's up. With the SLP, I hear it more and I shift sooner.

My stock exhaust piping was all pitted and I'm planning on running this car into the ground like my '96 Achieva so I wanted a stainless exhaust.

[RickHigginsHtbr]

since i'm tryin to keep this on the cheap side... autoanything.com has the 2.2 monza catback with dual tips goin for $266.95 and free shipping... suprisingly, they have alot for GA's. I know i read that the monza kit was in the works, but havent heard anything else since... anyone on the boards have it?

[RickHigginsHtbr]

Alright, so it looks like I'm going to have to be the 'Guinea Pig' for that Cat Back... I know the material used isn't the best for the piping, but for $260, it's a good deal. Not to mention, I can't find a single person who has that on their GA.

[tenspeed]

A better deal is to buy a used system from someone who is trading their car in. I got my SLP from ebay for $200 with a Buy It Now.

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by RickHigginsHtbr
Alright, so it looks like I'm going to have to be the 'Guinea Pig' for that Cat Back... I know the material used isn't the best for the piping, but for $260, it's a good deal. Not to mention, I can't find a single person who has that on their GA.


can you post a link to this... I cant find it on the site.

-Daniel

[RickHigginsHtbr]

http://www.autoanything.com/exhausts-mufflers/60A2451A0A0.aspx#productInfoTabs

then put your the model info for your car and you'll get it. only difference between the real one and the picture shown that it is dual tips, or dual dual, twin tips on both sides.

[Pte Socks]

you will need 2 90 degree and 3 45 degree bends

[TheTrader]

hmmmm... the duty to Canada on a package that large would suck... I wonder if I order a week or so before Albany, if I can have it shipped to the hotel or something down there, then we could have an "exhaust install party" in the parking lot with a few jacks and some tools, we will have it done in no time :) and no import tax !! :)

[Bjornboy81]

Originally posted by RickHigginsHtbr
Alright, so it looks like I'm going to have to be the 'Guinea Pig' for that Cat Back... I know the material used isn't the best for the piping, but for $260, it's a good deal. Not to mention, I can't find a single person who has that on their GA. I would go SLP over that system...it's aluminized and has only a 3 year warrenty...it'll last maybe 4. The extra money for stainless steal and a lifetime warrent is worth it to me :)

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by Bjornboy81
I would go SLP over that system...it's aluminized and has only a 3 year warrenty...it'll last maybe 4. The extra money for stainless steal and a lifetime warrent is worth it to me :)

would it really rot out that quick???

[Bjornboy81]

In an area where you get snow and a lot of salt is used, it'll take a hella beating in the winter. I have yet heard/seen that Aluminized piping will last more than 4-5 years in northern areas. :)

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by Bjornboy81
In an area where you get snow and a lot of salt is used, it'll take a hella beating in the winter. I have yet heard/seen that Aluminized piping will last more than 4-5 years in northern areas. :)

Even with regular under-coating??? I do get it undercoated before every winter.

-Daniel

[Bjornboy81]

do they spray the exhaust system when they undercoat? I didn't think they did???

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by Bjornboy81
do they spray the exhaust system when they undercoat? I didn't think they did???

Maby not... I just assumed if its on the bottom of the car, it got sprayed... maby not ?? I am sure your right... just didnt realize it would go so fast !

[RickHigginsHtbr]

i'm gonna get it now until i can get an slp on the cheap, like someone partin out or somethin. i want my exhaust to be a 1 and done thing, don't want to go back to play with it a month from now when i can afford the slp.

[Bjornboy81]

Originally posted by RickHigginsHtbr
i'm gonna get it now until i can get an slp on the cheap, like someone partin out or somethin. i want my exhaust to be a 1 and done thing, don't want to go back to play with it a month from now when i can afford the slp. I dont' get it....you're going to buy the cheap one now and wait for a cheap SLP system, because you don't want to have to mess around with the exhaust more than once?.........isn't doing one system now and another later messing with it more than once :???:

[RickHigginsHtbr]

yes, and no. I'm doing the header + cat as soon as they get here, along with a cat-back. I need to do the cat for emissions for the end of the month, and I wont have time til october to rip apart my exhaust again. So yes, eventually, i'll be playing with the exhaust again, but it won't be til later, which is my only option right now. Plus I don't have an extra $200 til after summer as well. Besides, I can always sell the Monza once I get an SLP.

[Bjornboy81]

ohhhhhh....gotcha :)

[RickHigginsHtbr]

http://www.ecotecforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=442

that thread is officially making me stay away from it, he had some serious problems with it.