LJRuddy
Pop lock n drop
I purchased one of SHOSource.com's custom equal length y-pipe about 2 weeks ago. I bought the catless version to save a little dough. I had not seen a review on this piece yet so I figured I'd give it a go and throw in my 2 cents worth.
I ordered this pipe January 31st of 09 in the late afternoon (4 or 5pm). About 2 hours later, I got a personal e-mail from Mike @ SHOSource letting me know that they had recieved my payment and they would ship my pipe out ASAP. On Feb 3rd 09, I got another e-mail informing me that my pipe had been shipped and they gave me a tracking number via UPS to track my package. On Feb 10th, 09, my package was dropped off at the leasing office of my apartment complex. For the record, I live in Kansas City. I was expecting the package to take much longer to arrive. Thank you SHOSource for your abrupt and concise service!!!
After opening the box, I found the pipe to be in 5 pieces; 2 header ****** pipes, 2 ~12inch long pipe couplers, and 1 y-pipe to catback collector. Each piece of the y pipe was individually wrapped with excessive amounts of news paper (found some good deals @ Macy's if anyone is interested lol) as well as 4 exhaust clamps. The y pipe itself was very well built IMHO. The welds were thick and precise, the mandrel bends were clean and uniform, the o2 bungs were installed perfectly, and the collector design looks to be well thought out. Installing the pipe was extremely easy even for someone like me who has zero exhaust experience. I could probably manage to **** up gluing 2 pieces of paper together and I had no issues installing this unit.
I first hung the header flanges to my headers, slid the y pipe couplers onto the header flanges, and then attached the collector. I then loosely bolted my Dynomax Catback to the y pipe for a test fit followed by 3 MIG tack welds at each joint so that I could pull the pipe off and finish welding it.
After practicing with my gas welder for about 2 hours on my old y pipe (never gas welded before), I thougtht I was ready to do it on my new shiny exhaust. Well, after gaining some much needed confidence, i attempted to gas weld on my new pipe. I guess I was just too nervous - its an expensive hunk of metal after all - and I ended up burning through on my first try. I ended up using my MIG welder with some Co2 and solid core steel wire to finish the job. I found a wire feed speed of around 40 and a voltage of 2 was the right combo to get a nice bead that could almost pass as a gas weld bead. (FWIW, SHOSource, what type of metal do you use on this pipe? Is it a nickel steel or what? Praxair and I were having trouble selecting the right type of welding rod to use on it for my gas welder. I ended up buying a solid core steel rod. Maybe I was just burning the torch too hot???).
After finishing the 4 weld beads, I was satisfied with my work. I plugged the ends of the pipe and 02 bungs with some big corks and ran 20 psi through the pipe and I found zero leaks (yay!). I went to install the pipe and this is where I'd like to make some helpful/critisizing comments about this pipe.
While installing the pipe, i found only 2 things that I want to make known. Before I continue, I'd like to say that neighter of these issues were major. They just added a little bit of extra time in the install.
The first issue is this. On the front bank ****** of the y pipe, the passenger side stud is somewhat difficult to get to. I tried using a knucle on my rachet wrench and going at it from the back side (between the oil pan and the exhaust pipe) as well as going at it from bewteen the subframe and the oil pan. After nearly rounding off my nut, I looked closely at how I could get this stud tightened. At first the answer is not obvious but once you see it, you will end up making fun of yourself. The trick is to use a 3/8 rachet and a short socket and go at the stud from infront and above the sub frame. You will have to tighten the stud about 1/8 turn at a time (i was only able to get 2 "clicks" out of the rachet per turn) but eventually, you will be able to get the nut nightened without stripping it out.
The other issue is that the soft metal gasket that connects between the y-pipe collector and my cat back exhaust was a little loose on the y-pipe. On my old high flow y pipe, i had to softly hammer the gasket onto my y pipe as it was such a snug fit. On this equal length y pipe, the gasket actually has a few millimeters of play while sitting on the y-pipe itself. Not a major problem at all as once the ****** was tightened up, the play went away due to the soft metal that the gasket is made of molding around the exhaust pipe. Just figured I would mention this to anyone who buys this quality part and gets worried about the gasket not fitting exactly.
After the install, I started my SHO up and for the first time in months, it sounded like what a real SHO should sound like. I don't know if it was due to the fact that I have driven my SHO for 2 months with a monster exhaust leak (stripped header stud) or what but the SHO sounded great! After letting the engine warm up, I threw a few revs while standing outside of the car and surprisingly, I did not hear much rasp at all. I have yet to take external sound clips while driving by so until then, I will not say that I have zero rasp.
While driving the car, I can definitely tell a difference in the drivability aspect. As for power gains, I won't be able to make a solid statement until I get the car dynoed in a few weeks (going to a car meet/dyno meet). At idle, interior sound is no more loud than when I had my catted high flow y installed with my Dynomax cat back. As the revs increase, the sound stays mellow but the exhaust note is noticeable. My good friend who is a Mercedes Benz freak compared the interior exhaust note to be a combonation between his 92 SL 300 (I-6 24v) and a small displacement v8. Honestly, I have to agree. The interior note is deep at idle as well as at any rpms with a hint of rasp at 1900 rpms. Everywhere else in the rpm band, the SHO just sounds plain intimidating. As for the power curve, I noticed that power below 3,000 rpms really has not dropped any. Around 3,000 rpms, the engine really starts to push you into the driver's seat. When the secondaries open, the transition is smoother than when I had my previous high flow y pipe installed. And with this equal length Y pipe, I noticed that power does not seem to drop off sharply after 6,000 rpms. 3rd and 4th gear carry on very strong up until 7300 rpms... Yea I took my sho to 143 during the test run.
I plan on taking some exterior sound clips next week so that everyone on the SHOForum can hear this y pipe in action. I would do it this weekend but I am headed back down to Texas to finish up one of my projects for work.
All in all, I am VERY pleased with this purchase. SHOSource.com was extremely easy to work with. They shipped out the product effeciently and it arrived before I had expected it to even with UPS' standard ground delivery. The y pipe itself is a quality piece. The welds are sturdy, the bends are smooth (as you would expect with a mandrel bent tube) and all of the parts lined up perfectly once welded in place. As for performance, like I mentioned above, I can't give solid results until I take it to a dyno in a few weeks. But drivability wise, the y pipe does give you a lot of bang for the buck. Super smooth power band, plenty of flow for the exhaust, minute audiable rasp only at 1900 rpms while in the interior of the car (this is a catless y pipe too boot) and last but most important, it was super easy to install.
Bottom line... I'd reccomend this y pipe to anyone who is looking for a nice addition to their performance list on their SHO.
Thank you soooo much SHOSource for doing what ya'll do! Without diehard enthusiasts like you all, the SHO really would be just another car on the road. Expect a massive shopping cart in the next month when I get serious with my 3.2 swap. I hope you have 1 of everything in stock for when that day comes. :wave:
I ordered this pipe January 31st of 09 in the late afternoon (4 or 5pm). About 2 hours later, I got a personal e-mail from Mike @ SHOSource letting me know that they had recieved my payment and they would ship my pipe out ASAP. On Feb 3rd 09, I got another e-mail informing me that my pipe had been shipped and they gave me a tracking number via UPS to track my package. On Feb 10th, 09, my package was dropped off at the leasing office of my apartment complex. For the record, I live in Kansas City. I was expecting the package to take much longer to arrive. Thank you SHOSource for your abrupt and concise service!!!
After opening the box, I found the pipe to be in 5 pieces; 2 header ****** pipes, 2 ~12inch long pipe couplers, and 1 y-pipe to catback collector. Each piece of the y pipe was individually wrapped with excessive amounts of news paper (found some good deals @ Macy's if anyone is interested lol) as well as 4 exhaust clamps. The y pipe itself was very well built IMHO. The welds were thick and precise, the mandrel bends were clean and uniform, the o2 bungs were installed perfectly, and the collector design looks to be well thought out. Installing the pipe was extremely easy even for someone like me who has zero exhaust experience. I could probably manage to **** up gluing 2 pieces of paper together and I had no issues installing this unit.
I first hung the header flanges to my headers, slid the y pipe couplers onto the header flanges, and then attached the collector. I then loosely bolted my Dynomax Catback to the y pipe for a test fit followed by 3 MIG tack welds at each joint so that I could pull the pipe off and finish welding it.
After practicing with my gas welder for about 2 hours on my old y pipe (never gas welded before), I thougtht I was ready to do it on my new shiny exhaust. Well, after gaining some much needed confidence, i attempted to gas weld on my new pipe. I guess I was just too nervous - its an expensive hunk of metal after all - and I ended up burning through on my first try. I ended up using my MIG welder with some Co2 and solid core steel wire to finish the job. I found a wire feed speed of around 40 and a voltage of 2 was the right combo to get a nice bead that could almost pass as a gas weld bead. (FWIW, SHOSource, what type of metal do you use on this pipe? Is it a nickel steel or what? Praxair and I were having trouble selecting the right type of welding rod to use on it for my gas welder. I ended up buying a solid core steel rod. Maybe I was just burning the torch too hot???).
After finishing the 4 weld beads, I was satisfied with my work. I plugged the ends of the pipe and 02 bungs with some big corks and ran 20 psi through the pipe and I found zero leaks (yay!). I went to install the pipe and this is where I'd like to make some helpful/critisizing comments about this pipe.
While installing the pipe, i found only 2 things that I want to make known. Before I continue, I'd like to say that neighter of these issues were major. They just added a little bit of extra time in the install.
The first issue is this. On the front bank ****** of the y pipe, the passenger side stud is somewhat difficult to get to. I tried using a knucle on my rachet wrench and going at it from the back side (between the oil pan and the exhaust pipe) as well as going at it from bewteen the subframe and the oil pan. After nearly rounding off my nut, I looked closely at how I could get this stud tightened. At first the answer is not obvious but once you see it, you will end up making fun of yourself. The trick is to use a 3/8 rachet and a short socket and go at the stud from infront and above the sub frame. You will have to tighten the stud about 1/8 turn at a time (i was only able to get 2 "clicks" out of the rachet per turn) but eventually, you will be able to get the nut nightened without stripping it out.
The other issue is that the soft metal gasket that connects between the y-pipe collector and my cat back exhaust was a little loose on the y-pipe. On my old high flow y pipe, i had to softly hammer the gasket onto my y pipe as it was such a snug fit. On this equal length y pipe, the gasket actually has a few millimeters of play while sitting on the y-pipe itself. Not a major problem at all as once the ****** was tightened up, the play went away due to the soft metal that the gasket is made of molding around the exhaust pipe. Just figured I would mention this to anyone who buys this quality part and gets worried about the gasket not fitting exactly.
After the install, I started my SHO up and for the first time in months, it sounded like what a real SHO should sound like. I don't know if it was due to the fact that I have driven my SHO for 2 months with a monster exhaust leak (stripped header stud) or what but the SHO sounded great! After letting the engine warm up, I threw a few revs while standing outside of the car and surprisingly, I did not hear much rasp at all. I have yet to take external sound clips while driving by so until then, I will not say that I have zero rasp.
While driving the car, I can definitely tell a difference in the drivability aspect. As for power gains, I won't be able to make a solid statement until I get the car dynoed in a few weeks (going to a car meet/dyno meet). At idle, interior sound is no more loud than when I had my catted high flow y installed with my Dynomax cat back. As the revs increase, the sound stays mellow but the exhaust note is noticeable. My good friend who is a Mercedes Benz freak compared the interior exhaust note to be a combonation between his 92 SL 300 (I-6 24v) and a small displacement v8. Honestly, I have to agree. The interior note is deep at idle as well as at any rpms with a hint of rasp at 1900 rpms. Everywhere else in the rpm band, the SHO just sounds plain intimidating. As for the power curve, I noticed that power below 3,000 rpms really has not dropped any. Around 3,000 rpms, the engine really starts to push you into the driver's seat. When the secondaries open, the transition is smoother than when I had my previous high flow y pipe installed. And with this equal length Y pipe, I noticed that power does not seem to drop off sharply after 6,000 rpms. 3rd and 4th gear carry on very strong up until 7300 rpms... Yea I took my sho to 143 during the test run.
I plan on taking some exterior sound clips next week so that everyone on the SHOForum can hear this y pipe in action. I would do it this weekend but I am headed back down to Texas to finish up one of my projects for work.
All in all, I am VERY pleased with this purchase. SHOSource.com was extremely easy to work with. They shipped out the product effeciently and it arrived before I had expected it to even with UPS' standard ground delivery. The y pipe itself is a quality piece. The welds are sturdy, the bends are smooth (as you would expect with a mandrel bent tube) and all of the parts lined up perfectly once welded in place. As for performance, like I mentioned above, I can't give solid results until I take it to a dyno in a few weeks. But drivability wise, the y pipe does give you a lot of bang for the buck. Super smooth power band, plenty of flow for the exhaust, minute audiable rasp only at 1900 rpms while in the interior of the car (this is a catless y pipe too boot) and last but most important, it was super easy to install.
Bottom line... I'd reccomend this y pipe to anyone who is looking for a nice addition to their performance list on their SHO.
Thank you soooo much SHOSource for doing what ya'll do! Without diehard enthusiasts like you all, the SHO really would be just another car on the road. Expect a massive shopping cart in the next month when I get serious with my 3.2 swap. I hope you have 1 of everything in stock for when that day comes. :wave:
