So Cali guys with 3' pipes

[CPHunter]

well i got a Question for you guys. do any of you guys have a 3' turbo back or is it 3' Cat back? i tried going to a Muffler shop to see if they would do a 3' Turbo back,One guy told me $815, and i would need to add another Cat to my car, 2 guys told me they could only do Cat backs ### Turbo back is Illegal, they said 140-200,1 guy told me it's Illegal to do it either way,and 1 dude told me it won't fit,i don't know to believe,the only real reason i post this in the So Cal section is because i wanna know where you guys got your 3' pipeing from,and How much was it? And would i have a Smog passing problem?

[SAKONE]

I have a Apexi downpipe with a Apexi cat-back-exhaust. The Apexi downpipe eliminates the cat, it was like $200 for that downpipe. It's a 3" downpipe, but I think it's less at the turbo than gradually enlarges, which is cool, it doesn't have to start at 3". I had RRE install a high-flo cat onto the Apexi downpipe, and now it's all legal and I went to smog it the next day and it passed. The cat cost $???, check RRE, and the exhaust at the time cost $500+. I have a straight pipe also, just in-case I want to take out the cat and run without it, so I can be cool.


-no more flames with the cat installed....

[frigidgsx]

i assume you mean inches and not feet They make a true 3" dp, but a lot are 2.5 till the flex section then expand to 3" till the cat/cat back.

I paid something like $550 for just my 3" catback exhuast from thermal, full stainless steel.
Downpipe will run anywhere from $150-$250 usually. Cat is need for inspection, and running without one on the streets is highly illegal, and carries a hefty fine if caught and ticketed.

[SilverMitsu]

i bought the HKS Carbon Ti catless resonatorless 2.5 - 3 in turboback exhaust for $300...

[CPHunter]

so 2.5 pipe to flex pipe,and 3 inch from flex back would be better huh? i was told i could do that, Does anybody know if the turbos come with 2 cats or was that MF trying to get more money off me? after going to MOD,i kinda saw alot of you turbo owner love working on your Engine's, and i felt like i was all show and no go,so ima put more work on my Engine,i hope to get my FMIC this week,and do the 3" pipes. any body know a good place to get this stuff done, FMIC ,pipes,and install here in So Cal?

[ShadowWulf]

2 cats?

No, just one high-flow cat or no cat is all....unless youre like me. I have 2 cats, but not on at the same time one is a brand new, factory cat, the other LOOKS like a brand new, factory cat when i just actually just hollowed the sucker out and slapped it on there
I use one for smog, the other for, well, "other".

[bhop]

Originally Posted by SAKONE

I have a Apexi downpipe with a Apexi cat-back-exhaust. The Apexi downpipe eliminates the cat, it was like $200 for that downpipe. It's a 3" downpipe, but I think it's less at the turbo than gradually enlarges, which is cool, it doesn't have to start at 3". I had RRE install a high-flo cat onto the Apexi downpipe, and now it's all legal and I went to smog it the next day and it passed. The cat cost $???, check RRE, and the exhaust at the time cost $500+. I have a straight pipe also, just in-case I want to take out the cat and run without it, so I can be cool.


-no more flames with the cat installed....

You passed smog with the RRE high-flow cat? I was thinking of getting a hi-flow, but I wasn't sure about theirs. Magna-flow seems to have a smog legal hi-flow cat, but if RRE's will pass, it might be easier to get that with their downpipe at the same time.

My answer to the original question. I bought an Apexi N1 from ebay for $500 shipped, and bolted it on myself in my apartment's parking lot. It took a few hours because I had a helluva time getting the stock exhaust off, plus my whole body was sore for a week from crawling under the car tugging on wrenches and pipes for hours. As far as the 2 cats thing.. He was trying to rip you off. Either that or he's just ignorant. Stay away from that place.

From my small amount of knowledge, "technically", the only 2 things that are illegal with an exhaust system is going above 95 dbA on the noise levels, and tampering with the Cat.

[Terrorize]

ill get it done for you for under 350, it will be a 3 inch dp, and from there straight piping all the way back(3"), itll be like 320 something, pm me ## # ill give you the 411, oh yeah the dp has a flex section too

[SAKONE]

Originally Posted by bhop

You passed smog with the RRE high-flow cat? I was thinking of getting a hi-flow, but I wasn't sure about theirs. Magna-flow seems to have a smog legal hi-flow cat, but if RRE's will pass, it might be easier to get that with their downpipe at the same time.

From my small amount of knowledge, "technically", the only 2 things that are illegal with an exhaust system is going above 95 dbA on the noise levels, and tampering with the Cat.

Yes it passed. Keep in my mind it was a 'day-old' cat. Not a cat that has been used for over a 6 month period. My friend says it might have a different result next time, but I don't care, I think it'll pass. BTW: saw your car at MOD'05, now I know where I've seen it.

Also RRE website explains why it's not really needed to have a 3" downpipe from the o2 housing down, but if you want a full 3", it won't hurt. Just remember to have a nice size flex-section. My Apexi DP has a pretty small flew section, but I haven't had problems yet, but my car isn't a daily driver. And you can't replace a working cat, but when I looked at my cat it need replacement .

[Bigglesworth87]

I would also know where i can get a 3" exhaust made. Everywhere i go they tell me to come in with a pre-made kit and they will install it but they cant guarantee a full 3" catback

[Talesin]

Terrorize, assuming that's aluminized and crush bent, with no cat? I can skim over the Crest once my starter's back on, as I just ended up getting paid. Also, assuming a need for a 3" O2 housing?

May end up looking around for a Supertrapp 4" or 5" to toss onto the end, keep it nice and somewhat quiet (or at least prevent the fart-can syndrome), and (hopefully) control boost creep with the ring shims. Buddy wants to run a post-cat forked pair of 3" or 4" on his GS-T... excessive, IMO.

[CPHunter]

won't i get a ticket for not having a Cat? and not pass Smog Either?just want 3" pipes and my cats to say legal

[Strm Trpr]

Stock exhaust on a GST has an O2 Housing, DP, Catalytic Converter, Resonator, and a muffler...... that's it.
Cat's are plural meaning 2, you only have 1 CAT.
Just go to RRE, they're down there in SoCal, they can hook you up.

[bhop]

Originally Posted by CPHunter

won't i get a ticket for not having a Cat? and not pass Smog Either?just want 3" pipes and my cats to say legal

A cop can give you a ticket for no cat, and he will if he notices you don't have one. You will not pass smog without a cat. At least not at a legit place.

[Talesin]

And asking if anyone knows of the other kind is taboo, no matter how much it's needed, as that'd be illegal and could get the shop owner in trouble if their boss or the regulatory board found the post. :b

On the other hand, I'm not sure if asking for shops that don't look too close is disallowed. Like a shop that won't care what kind of injectors you're running, just what comes out the tailpipe.
On a related note, I've seen a number of cars being sold in CA due to inability to pass smog due to oversize injectors. Anyone know if this is BS, if the stockers are required, or if they just need to be in good working order? I'm considering bumping to 550s if/when I get the 3" exhaust to complement it, but would really like to know before I shell out the cash. :b

[EagleTalonRacer]

dude go to ricks muffler shop next to hospital auto on canoga, passing sherman way, he's gonna do it for me with a test pipe for 4 bills