jfisher

Still running the stock catback

The raspiness is still there, but it's either much less than it was or I've just gotten used to it. I still want to try the Z1 header to test pipe gaskets like Brad suggested in his test pipe install thread. The gaskets that come with the test pipes are junk. I wish I would have known about the Z1 gaskets prior to the test pipe install. It won't be bad to install them now, however, as the stock cats aren't in my way anymore.

I think another big cause of the rasp is the stock y pipe. The exhaust is flowing nice and free coming out of the headers then slams into the puny oem y pipe and I think that's causing some issues.

As of now I think I'm just going to pick up an ebay Y pipe and a Tanabe axle back and see how that sounds. I just can't justify the huge price tag of the Ark or FI catbacks for what you get out of them.

Here are a few pics of when I was rocking the Z wheels:

jfisher

I removed the felt liners completely, but the rubbing is actually the metal wheel lips hitting the tires when the suspension compresses (highway, extra weight of the family, etc). I tried rolling the fenders, but the quarter panel is pretty thin and just flexes rather than pulling out like I was hoping. I had no rubbing at all with the car much lower on the coilovers and the 275/35's so after the M45 wheels are done I'll put them on the car, sell these tires and get some 245/40's and 275/35's. And that's if the wheels don't sell. I'm still not against selling them:

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Darn, I bet it's only like 2 or 3mm that you'd need too. Slick little tool you've got there, do you pull all your friends & neighbors fenders

jfisher

It's actually a buddy of mines It's the Eastwood fender rolling tool. He got it on clearance a few years back for $80 or so. This is only the second time he's used it, but it's really simply to use. Just have to make sure to use a heat gun on the paint and take your time. The lips on the rear quarters are already rolled so well on our cars that it's really pointless to even do this. The fronts could use a little help, however.

jfisher

Got a chance to install the Hotchkis sways over the weekend. The size difference in the rear bars is amazing.



I've got some annoying rubbing / vibration coming from the right front I still need to tackle. I'm almost thinking it's the underbody panel. I swear everytime I remove that thing I break one of the bolts. I'm probably missing about 5 right now. The panel is damn near destroyed after running the old coilovers for a while. I'm about to take the thing off and just leave it off. I like the aluminum ones in the group buy on here, but I feel like that would just get destroyed in no time.

I didn't notice as much of a difference as I was hoping with the sway bars, but the car is definitely much flatter in turns especially on freeway entrance ramps, etc. I don't notice any additional harshness whatsoever and I definitely don't notice any loss of feeling in the steering like I've seen some reviews mention. I've got the rear bar in the middle hold and the front bar on the hole closest to the front of the car.

jfisher

The vibration ended up being the exhaust hitting this brace right under the mid pipe. I guess when I disconnected the axle back and pulled it down to get the rear sway bar over the exhaust it tweaked it just enough that it started making contact with that brace. Weird because I never removed any of the exhaust from any of the stock rubber hangers. That brace is pretty flimsy so I removed it completely for now.

I did discover that the gaskets that came with these Megan test pipes are both blown at the header connection. There are one spot on each gasket where you can see the failure. I'm going to replace them with the Z1 gaskets and some RTV. Hopefully that helps with some of the rasp as well. I'm thinking hard about replacing these Megan resonated test pipes with the ebay test pipe / y pipe combo seen here:

Y Pipe Straight Downpipe Test Pipes Exhaust Fits Nissan 370Z Infiniti G37 | eBay

After seeing BLnewts success with the lack of CEL on his test pipes that utilize that type of O2 sensor mount and another user using one of the ebay Y pipes with his stock mid pipe it really has me thinking...

Anyone need a set of resonated Megan test pipes??

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

I saw that set, I'd be worried about adding more rasp since those TPs are non resonated. With the OBX set and the Y from the below link mine came out only about $40 more than that setup.
This one is best offer (and he accepted $110) came FedEx in 3 days and was packed perfectly
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201167983896?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
And the RTPs (Ooops, looks like they jacked the price way up, mine were $113 + shipping) Maybe you could contact seller and see if you could get that price Here's the listing of previous sold
eBay.com Item Purchase History
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131636095584?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

ZahyMatar

iTrader: (4)

I'd also be interested in that Y-Pipe. I can tell the Y-Pipe is a huge restriction in my exhaust setup. I wish I was around for exhaust depot's 2.5in Y-Pipe. Wonder if this'll clear the transfer case?

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Yes, that Y will work for AWDs.

jfisher

Did you get that Y pipe on yet?

I'm giving one last shot at getting these test pipes to work without giving me a CEL. I ordered some stainless O2 extensions with a very small tip from the UK.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

I did, and it did introduce a small window of rasp between 2800 to 3k rpm, luckily it's pretty minor, if it doesn't get worse I think I can live with it, if not I may have to get a 3" to 2.5 transition cone and new 3" flange for my Topspeed mid pipe, time will tell.
G/L w/ those O2 extenders, hopefully they'll work out.

jfisher

If I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all

While trying to repair the bent M45 wheel it started cracking and bending in other places. It wasn't safe to keep trying to fix the wheel so I ended up having to order another wheel. But the other 3 are looking good!



I'm in search of a set of OEM lug nuts as I let mine go with my stock wheels when I traded them off.

I also am going to need a good size spacers for these wheels. They're 19x8.5 with a +50 breadtruck offset. I'm thinking I'll probably need something like 30mm wheel spacers.

Also, if anyone knows of a Stillen G3 intake or exhaust for the car I'm a buyer!

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Sorry to hear of that wheel problem, should be a nice set once you get them together. And knowing how you like to run wide & flush a 35mm spacer might not be enough, lol.

jfisher

LOL. As much as I loved the Volks the rears were just way too aggressive. I'm going to wait and put these wheels on and determine exactly how much spacer I want. I have 10,15 and 20mm H&R spacers, but they're not DRM so I need to find some longer wheel studs that will work. I was thinking of running the 20mm spacers out back and combining both of the 10's and 15's up front, but I don't see any wheel studs that allow for a 25mm spacer (most seem to be 20mm longer than OEM).

I also ordered some TPMS sensors (my car is a 12/2009 build date) so hopefully I got the correct ones. It will be so nice not having the stupid TPMS light on the dash.

Did you ever get a CEL with those test pipes? Does the j pipe come out of the top of the test pipe or the bottom?

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

1k miles thus far w/ no CEL, will have another 800 miles on them after Saturday so will know for sure.
Here's a pic of them installed