How do Project Silvia d/ps & t/ps compare?

[GamblerZ]

I am helping a friend map out a plan for his '98 SR-project car. He is convinced that 400whp can be achieved with high quality parts and minimal outlay, building the best bang for the buck ride. He asked me about the Project Silvia downpipes. They seem to have a nice product and it appears identical to the Greddy d/p I am using. Since I have no experience with these, how do the Project Silvia downpipes compare to others (ie. HKS, Greddy, Blitz, JIC, Tanabe, GP Sports, etc.)? Granted, some are 80mm, and others are 75mm, and all are definitely better than OEM. But I've noticed that some have more bends while others have only a single right-angular bend.

Now, when you pair it with their resonated cat bypass pipe, it seems to me to be quite an exceptional value at only $130 (shipped)? Does anyone have experience with these?

[R33GTS-T]

why would you waste your money on a test pipe???

just go to any exhaust shop, tell them you need a piece of pipe so long and you need 2 flanges welded onto it.....20 bucks tops. i've never understood why people spend money on test pipes :confused:

[krustindumm]

cause they bolt in with no work.

[ThatGuy]

If you'r going to crawl under you car to install, then you can crawl under the car to take measurements to have one made. R33GTS-T is right. Just take the measurements to your local muffler shop or friends house with a welder. Hell if you want to get really sneaky, slide a piece of pipe through a gutted out Cat converter. Now you pass visual and have a super cool custom "Test Pipe". People charge silly amounts of money for these things just because they can.

[GamblerZ]

He wants to retain a "visual" look for inspection. Therefore, an entire delete is not an option for him. We discussed the idea of the dummy cat, but he wanted to make sure that it wasn't too loud as well. Whenever I ran just a test pipe (unresonated) on my own car, it became annoyingly loud. We're older guys. He just doesn't want to draw unwanted/undesired (ricer) attention to himself.

So, anyone...how do they compare?

[S14DB]

Test pipes are illegal to make for a street car. It's a Federal Law(clean air act) and a state law in most states. The FL fine is $500 and the Fed is $1500. This is for any car that is titled for street use. Just by making the pipe they are breaking the law. Many shops will not go near the stock cat.

Ones sold online are for "off road use only". They get around the Manufacture Law by saying this.

[R33GTS-T]

it is not illegal for them to make the test pipe....it is illegal for them to make the test pipe AND install it

<----certified emissions and inspection mechanic (retired)

as for visual.....its not that difficult to swap out the test pipe the day of his inspection ;)

[GamblerZ]

I doubt any shop would modify a cat for any reason.

[R33GTS-T]

no they probably wouldn't modify the cat

that's why i was saying have a test pipe made up and just reinstall the cat when its time to get new stickers at the end of the 12 months

[Ritz S14]

In California, it is illegal for a muffler shop to make a test pipe knowing it will be going on a street driven vehicle.

[R33GTS-T]

In California, it is illegal for a muffler shop to make a test pipe knowing it will be going on a street driven vehicle.
hmm.....i was not aware of that

i know in PA an exhaust shop can make the test pipe they just can not install it ;)

[ThatGuy]

In that case just use my other suggestion. Find a friend with a welder. :bow:

[S14DB]

hmm.....i was not aware of that

i know in PA an exhaust shop can make the test pipe they just can not install it ;)
No, you can't. It's Federal Law:
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-GENERAL/2002/January/Day-03/g108.htm

[CaoBoY]

In California, it is illegal for a muffler shop to make a test pipe knowing it will be going on a street driven vehicle.
then they should be told it would be going on a race vehicle, thats not going to be seen on the street. end of story, besides...cheaper more 'ghetto' muffler shops probably wouldn't care anyways, and still do it if you ask them to.