Glasspack exhaust for my 1.6?

[ctrench]

ok i basically have a stock motor 1.6 with a rebuilt head and port/polish, intake, and magnaflow muffler and im looking for opinions or experience on a custom exhaust

i want to trash everything from the header back and get 2.5" staight back with a 18" cherry bomb glasspack... i expect loud, but will it sound like crap?

[Phatmiata]

it will drone like a bitch and give you headaches in the first month and you will want to rip it off your car.

Did this on my first miata and the sounds was kinda cool, but it was hell on my ears on the highway. Ended up taking it off and installing a HKS Super Drager cat-back instead, all the deep bass without the drones and nice bump in SOTP hp

[ctrench]

i dont really care about the droning, i just want to know if it will be raspy or will it sound pretty good/deep?

[Phatmiata]

mine was pretty deep, only way you will know if you are gonna like it is to try it yourself I guess?

[ctrench]

ok ill probably end up doing the 2.5" with a glasspack but anyone else have an opinion or experience?

[kung fu jesus]

header and standalone ECU will help you more than a straight thru with a reworked head.

[gapmiatas]

There was a car at MATG with 2.5" exhaust and glasspack muffler. Sounded like crap IMO.

[ctrench]

header and standalone ECU will help you more than a straight thru with a reworked head.

unfortunetly header and standalone arent in the budget at this moment, otherwise i would

[kung fu jesus]

Just an opinion here, stay with the 2.25" exhaust. 2.5" and a glasspack sounds like ass. You WILL attract the wrong kind of attention with that.

You can get a Raceland header for $160.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Or you can just put the turbo you have on, ignore the header with a downpipe and have tons of fun.

[AHHthatsJDMyo]

Or you can just put the turbo you have on, ignore the header with a downpipe and have tons of fun.

dont forget the screamer pipe!

[Muti007]

It will not drone, it will sound terrific. I had installed a good old fashioned cherry bomb glass pack on my last na and the thing got compliments everywhere it went, especially from other Miata enthusiasts. IT sounded very much like a carbureted, tuned, 60s vintage roadster . I forget what size it was but only one size will fit under there, I think it may have been a 16 inch. The rest of my exhaust was stock. IT was very loud at first and I thought I may have made a mistake as I pulled away but after a little while I got used to it and loved it. So too did just about everyone else that heard it. Gave me a bit of crackle and pop as well. I would definitely recommend it.

[ctrench]

thanks for everyone's input... this picture explains my plan; red is muffler black is exhaust (no catalytic converter)

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/3657/exhaustdrawing.png

[Muti007]

I cant speak to how it will sound without a cat. I dont remember if I kept mine or not, though I suspect I had ditched mine as well I am not 100% certain.

[ctrench]

i currently have stock exhaust piping with my cat gutted and a magnaflow muffler and it has a little rasp to it, but sounds good... thats the main thing im concerned about i DO NOT want my car to sound ricey!!

[RabiaEx]

I have a glasspack and resonator tip on my NB, it sounds really good and unique. Not extremely loud. I'll record a video for you as the one I have is before the break-in.

[Soledad]

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs079.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

I'm going to have to disagree with those that say it sounds good. It doesn't. That's some straight up ricer BS if I've ever seen it, and believe me I see a lot of it. It's going to sound like raspy ass and will, beyond the shadow of a doubt, attract the wrong kind of attention. Have fun paying for all those repair orders and noise violations The Fuzz will undoubtedly give you.

Also, your gutted cat is killing what little power your engine has. Do yourself a favor and get a real exhaust (2.25" diameter- any more than that and you're killing power again) with a resonated test pipe if you insist on having no converter. At least that way you're actually making some power, albeit not much, and you'll pass any visual inspections mandated by local/state legislation (if any).


DISCLAIMER- no hate here, just trying to educate.

[AHHthatsJDMyo]

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs079.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

I'm going to have to disagree with those that say it sounds good. It doesn't. That's some straight up ricer BS if I've ever seen it, and believe me I see a lot of it. It's going to sound like raspy ass and will, beyond the shadow of a doubt, attract the wrong kind of attention. Have fun paying for all those repair orders and noise violations The Fuzz will undoubtedly give you.

Also, your gutted cat is killing what little power your engine has. Do yourself a favor and get a real exhaust (2.25" diameter- any more than that and you're killing power again) with a resonated test pipe if you insist on having no converter. At least that way you're actually making some power, albeit not much, and you'll pass any visual inspections mandated by local/state legislation (if any).


DISCLAIMER- no hate here, just trying to educate.

This!!!

[Muti007]

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs079.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

I'm going to have to disagree with those that say it sounds good. It doesn't. That's some straight up ricer BS if I've ever seen it, and believe me I see a lot of it. It's going to sound like raspy ass and will, beyond the shadow of a doubt, attract the wrong kind of attention. Have fun paying for all those repair orders and noise violations The Fuzz will undoubtedly give you.

Also, your gutted cat is killing what little power your engine has. Do yourself a favor and get a real exhaust (2.25" diameter- any more than that and you're killing power again) with a resonated test pipe if you insist on having no converter. At least that way you're actually making some power, albeit not much, and you'll pass any visual inspections mandated by local/state legislation (if any).


DISCLAIMER- no hate here, just trying to educate.

So you do have direct experience with one then? I agree that a glasspack + gutted cat would likely sound like ass but that was not my setup, I just replaced my muffler with a cherry bomb and after break in, it was not at all ricey. As I said, the most positive comments I got about it was from fellow Miata enthusiasts, not just other car guys who also loved it. More than a few Miata folks felt they had wasted a lot of $$ on a full exhaust to get a sound that wasnt nearly as good as what I had achieved for far less. Im not saying I dont respect your opinion, just making sure it is based on actual first hand experience and not just an assumption.

[RabiaEx]

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs079.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

I'm going to have to disagree with those that say it sounds good. It doesn't. That's some straight up ricer BS if I've ever seen it, and believe me I see a lot of it. It's going to sound like raspy ass and will, beyond the shadow of a doubt, attract the wrong kind of attention. Have fun paying for all those repair orders and noise violations The Fuzz will undoubtedly give you.

Also, your gutted cat is killing what little power your engine has. Do yourself a favor and get a real exhaust (2.25" diameter- any more than that and you're killing power again) with a resonated test pipe if you insist on having no converter. At least that way you're actually making some power, albeit not much, and you'll pass any visual inspections mandated by local/state legislation (if any).


DISCLAIMER- no hate here, just trying to educate.

You really think this sounds that bad?

oxg-jdezu4A&feature

[ctrench]

i live in FL (ie no inspections or smog testing)

i had a friend with an 02 that literally had the stock cat, stock resonator and no muffler and it was LOUD, he got pulled over by the cops and they tested if it was illegal, and he PASSED!!! i was astonished

but either way, im probably just going to just replace a glasspack with my current stock set-up then wait until i install my turbo then run 3" straight back (and yes, with the turbo, i want it loud and crackling)

[ctrench]

You really think this sounds that bad?

oxg-jdezu4A&feature


OHHH i like!!!

[Muti007]

You really think this sounds that bad?

oxg-jdezu4A&feature

Thanks for that. Sounded fantastic!

[Soledad]

So you do have direct experience with one then?


As a matter of fact, I do. Back in my BM (before Miata) days, I had one on my GMPP SC Grand Am GT. My setup was exactly like the drawing in post number 13. I got pinched repeatedly by The Fuzz for it being too loud- once twice in one day, and another time by the same officer on two occasions exactly one week apart. Each time I got a repair order, I had to take it to a certified state inspector and pay the repair order and the inspection fee. That mess adds up fast.

It got pretty old fast, too. I eventually spent the money I could have had in my hand long before on a custom exhaust that was legal and kept me out of trouble.

But to each his own. I'm not going to browbeat someone for doing what makes them happy. I just thought I'd share my experience.

[Muti007]

As a matter of fact, I do. Back in my BM (before Miata) days, I had one on my GMPP SC Grand Am GT. My setup was exactly like the drawing in post number 13. I got pinched repeatedly by The Fuzz for it being too loud- once twice in one day, and another time by the same officer on two occasions exactly one week apart. Each time I got a repair order, I had to take it to a certified state inspector and pay the repair order and the inspection fee. That mess adds up fast.

It got pretty old fast, too. I eventually spent the money I could have had in my hand long before on a custom exhaust that was legal and kept me out of trouble.

But to each his own. I'm not going to browbeat someone for doing what makes them happy. I just thought I'd share my experience.

Ok, so to be fair, with all due respect though you say you do, you go on to say that you dont actually have any experience with such a setup.

Youre talking about a different car altogether and the drawing that is being referred to indicates no cat, which is not what I am advocating. So were talking about two completely dissimilar setups. I never once raised a cops eyebrow with my setup, not once and as I said, got loads of compliments and most of them were from Miata guys as well as passed inspection year after without issue. Again, please understand, I mean not to disrespect you or your opinion (I hope for as long as weve known each other at least that much is clear) but just trying to make clear that I am speaking of my first hand experience with my own setup on my own car. I ended up selling that car to a guy in his 60s and he LOVED the sound, said it reminded him of the Italian and English roadsters he always wanted when he was a young man. This was exactly what so may others had told me as well previously.

[Soledad]

Okay, let me clarify my statement. I had a setup exactly like post 13- header--> glasspack in place of converter--> straight pipe the rest of the way and no muffler. At least that's how I interpreted that drawing.

No, it was not on a Miata. It was on a '96 Pontiac Grand Am GT with the 2.4l twin cam Quad Four engine. That was a built motor with a GM Performance Parts supercharger. It still sounded like garbage. I imagine on a naturally aspirated Miata with an engine half the size and not even half the horsepower the Pontiac had it would sound worse.

Also Muti, I take no offense to anything you say, and likely will ever say.

[Muti007]

Also Muti, I take no offense to anything you say, and likely will ever say.

First, thank you for that. I think I can at times come off as abrasive when it is the furthest thing from my intention so it is very important to me to make sure I am not doing so, especially with someone Ive known as long as Ive known you and consider a personal friend.



Okay, let me clarify my statement. I had a setup exactly like post 13- header--> glasspack in place of converter--> straight pipe the rest of the way and no muffler. At least that's how I interpreted that drawing.

No, it was not on a Miata. It was on a '96 Pontiac Grand Am GT with the 2.4l twin cam Quad Four engine. That was a built motor with a GM Performance Parts supercharger. It still sounded like garbage. I imagine on a naturally aspirated Miata with an engine half the size and not even half the horsepower the Pontiac had it would sound worse.

So I think youre kind of proving my point. I have experience with Quad 4s, a good friend in HS had a Grand AM with the pre-neutered Quad 4 that put out 180 (190?) hp. I loved that motor, it revved and revved, pulled fantastically and sounded great to me. But its sound and overall characteristics could never ever be mistaken for those of a Miatas. As such, I dont know why youd expect similar modifications would result in similar sound characteristics either, theyre complete apples and oranges.

Secondly, again Im not talking about replacing a cat with a cherry bomb then running without mufflers. Im talking about running with the cat in place and replacing the muffler with the cherry bomb. Again, apples and oranges. At least that is how I remember my setup, I could be remembering it wrong and may have left the stock muffler in place and replaced the cat with the cherry bomb, now Im not 100% sure. What I do remember was it sounded fantastic and either way, were talking about completely dissimilar powertrains as well as completely dissimilar exhaust setups so I dont think your experience with the Grand Am is relevant to the Miata question.

[RabiaEx]

Exactly how you had your cherry bomb installed is how I have mine, Muti. Except with the resonator tip.

[Muti007]

I used my stock resonator tip as well.

[tsingson]

Judging from the video that was posted, I personally think it sounds great. But that is my opinion.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

Judging from the video that was posted, I personally think it sounds great. But that is my opinion.

There is a difference in power between the NA and NB you guys are forgetting...

[ctrench]

so i have a stock NB midpipe resonator that im going to weld in, then use a 2" OD, 18" long glasspack at the back of the car... im going to do the bumper cut out mod so dont mind the exhaust length

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2770/ghettoexhaustdrawing.png

[Chops]

I know that with my OBX header, Magnaflow cat and RoadsterSport RACE muffler, it has a healthy rumble to it until you hit the "loud" pedal and the rpm's are up past 3500. It gets rather blatty and zappy sounding. It's 2.25" all the way back to where it flares out to 2.5" just for the muffler.

As far as it just being loud and getting pulled over by the cops, I never have that problem. I'm always aware of my surroundings and keep a light touch on the throttle around town as well as keep the rpm's low. I've been stuck right along side cops traveling light to light for a couple miles and they've never bothered me.

Just my 2 pennies...

[BoBo]

Glasspack is not bad, its a cheaper alternative to a full exhaust with no restriction in flow. I had glasspacks in many of my cars, Atleast 3 mr2's and it sounded good, especially in my 89 Supercharged mr2. I got nothing bad to say about them except durability. No big deal I only paid $20 for a 12 inch glasspack. I had many other exhaust system as well and it really just depends on your setup. Some exhaust system can sound lame.

[BoBo]

There is a difference in power between the NA and NB you guys are forgetting...

Maybe a 1.6na compared to an NB model.The power on my 96na felt similar to an NB. To be honest unless you have the Mazdaspeed miata, all the previous models are all similarly slow. It would be nice if the NA came with a 2.0L from the start.

[ctrench]

i have finished this project and it sounds good, stock header, then meets a test pipe, then NB resonator, then 16" glasspack.... and it sounds really good


and as far as power difference, my car makes as much power as a 1.8 but still sounds like a 1.6