OBX B3

[r2o4b0sx]

Hey, I'm new to the forum. Recently got a 95 240sx and was wondering if the B3 Bomb Muffler (http://www.massivemotorsports.com/main/obxmufflers.htm#obxbomb) was a good choice. I know everyone likes the apexi N1, but that's a little out of my price range. Any suggestions on mufflers? Or should i get a cat back? Any help would be great. And better yet if anyone has pics of this exhaust or somthing similar, I'd love to see.
Thx - Rob

[AceInHole]

bolt on muffler welded or clamped to stock piping = just as crappy as keeping it completely stock

bolt on muffler welded to better straighter (possibly larger) piping = &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>

[rancid240]

if your going to get a weld on, just have the shop put new bent pipe in from the catback. &nbsp;it shouldnt be much more and you will feel the difference. i paid $60 to have mine bent and installed.

[rancid240]

also you can get the about $10 cheaper on ebay, from the same seller (massivemotorsports)

[Omega]

is OBX a good weld on? all i have heard is bad stuff but i dunno for real

what are some good well know weld ons?

[twofortysx]

In general, OBX parts lack quality. &nbsp;I would never put an OBX part in my car after hearing a mechanic tell me their parts are all show and no go. &nbsp;Spend some extra money and get a nice cat back exhaust like the apex-i N1 (single or dual).

[rancid240]

i dont see much quality difference in mufflers. &nbsp;There all pretty much stainless steel packed with fiberglass (canister style)...i have the obx b5 on mine right now, bought it for $90+$60 (catback pipe install)...so thats $150...$250-300+ saved to spend on something else, so i'm a satisfied OBX customer.

[tnord]

throw it on the dyno and see if you're satisfied

[yenpit]

welcome to the forum!

if you can only afford a cheaper weld-on s/s muffler right now, the OBX mufflers are decent quality......not the best, but good for the money <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

[rancid240]

whats 1-2 horses when i'm only prob making 120 <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':('>

[HotRodGuy]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (tnord @ April 05 2002,09:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">throw it on the dyno and see if you're satisfied</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
tnord, I see you've posted similar comments like this in several threads. Just wondering....(not trying to be a smartass) Do you, or anyone else, have any dyno sheets that show the difference between a weld on, crush bent custom cat back system/OBX muffler and a more expensive pre made mandrel bent exhaust like the apex-i N1 on a relatively stock KA?

If you do, then please share the info with the rest of us. I for one would be interested in seeing the difference.

[Omega]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (HotRodGuy @ April 04 2002,8:28)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (tnord @ April 05 2002,09:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">throw it on the dyno and see if you're satisfied</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
tnord, I see you've posted similar comments like this in several threads. Just wondering....(not trying to be a smartass) Do you, or anyone else, have any dyno sheets that show the difference between a weld on, crush bent custom cat back system/OBX muffler and a more expensive pre made mandrel bent exhaust like the apex-i N1 on a relatively stock KA?

If you do, then please share the info with the rest of us. I for one would be interested in seeing the difference.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
yea im calling your bluff too man u seem to think you are the shit when it comes to this stuff back it up

also think about it u can get a weld on with manderal bent for about half of the price of a N1 (not even including shipping) and u get the style and the pipe size you want

[tnord]

did i say i was the shit?

anyway, no i can not produce dyno charts for cars with crush bent piping and generic mufflers. i asked around to people where i could get them, their response was "that'll be hard to find since nobody that puts those things on care's about performance." 5Zigen has claimed a 14whp gain, now i'm not so stupid to completely buy into that, so we'll assume it's a 10whp gain. i can show you a chart where the 5zigen made 8 more hp than an HKS, and i would think that the HKS produced some gain. If you read the SCC tech article about building your own exhaust it says the exact same thing i already said. crush bends reduce flow up to 50%, and make sure to get an unlouvered straight through muffler. it also says that NA cars with engine sizes from 2.0L to 2.5L 2.25'' piping is good. and that cars with engines from 2.5-3L should have 2.5'' piping. i think it's pretty safe to say that optimal pipe size increases with engine size, and that the optimal size for our engines is a shade under 2.5'', which is what the 5Zigen has. Since SCC backs up what i said i think it is you who should be proving me wrong, not the other way around. So if you guys think that crush bends and aerospeed mufflers are just as good, how about you show me some dyno charts, since what you believe to be true goes against conventional knowledge.

NOTE: i still stand by my statement that custom systems can be made as good if not better than premade systems, but in order for this to occur, it must be done properly.

[DSC]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (rancid240 @ April 04 2002,3:17)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">whats 1-2 horses when i'm only prob making 120 :(</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
You get a new exhaust for you civic? Or are you modding your car without knowing its stock hp or haveing any clear goals as to what you want to acheve?

Someone on either this forum or FA was VERY unhappy with their custom crush bent exhaust. They said it was extremely loud and the power gain was little to nothing. A custom exhaust with manderal bends will definately be better but only if you chose the right size piping stuff. &nbsp;But I'd say go with a trusted aftermarket exhaust.

[9524tee]

just buy the cat back , youll get no power out of the weld on

[rancid240]

dont worry DSC i know what the HP is...i was just guessing what HP i got now, since its a 1990.

[rancid240]

heh whoever wants to settle this with a dyno can gladly use my car

[HotRodGuy]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (tnord @ April 06 2002,01:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">no i can not produce dyno charts for cars with crush bent piping and generic mufflers. i asked around to people where i could get them, their response was "that'll be hard to find since nobody that puts those things on care's about performance."
Since SCC backs up what i said i think it is you who should be proving me wrong, not the other way around. So if you guys think that crush bends and aerospeed mufflers are just as good, how about you show me some dyno charts, since what you believe to be true goes against conventional knowledge.

NOTE: i still stand by my statement that custom systems can be made as good if not better than premade systems, but in order for this to occur, it must be done properly.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Ok, first chance that I git to put my car on a dyno I'll do it and post the results.

Just don't expect it too soon. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'> <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'>

And yes, I do care about performance. I've noticed a huge difference in the power of my car throughout the power band and I've only spent $180 for the muffler and 2.5" pipe plus $50 for the removal of the cat (after it gutted itself). For a grand total of $230. For those of us that live on a budget I think that ain't too bad.

I will agree that mandrel bent pipe probably is better on a high hp engine (300+hp) but I just can't see it on one that makes around 180hp or less. IMHO

Peace... <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

EDIT: BTW I agree that louvered mufflers suck! Straight thru is the best fer performance.

[twofortysx]

Awesome response, tnord.

Hotrodguy: &nbsp;I wonder if most of your power came from removal of the cat (assuming you didn't just gut it, in which case you'd likely lose power due to air turbulence), as opposed to the muffler itself.

[HotRodGuy]

Well, I kept the cat on when I first had the exhaust done and I noticed a big difference. Anythang has to be better than stock. But then my cat came apart and gutted itself. I was forced to run it with the gutted out cat for about a week and it sucked!! The damn thang popped and backfired and had no bottom end torque. I went back to the muffler shop and told the guy what had happened. Told him that I needed it fixed but didn't have the cash for the new cat. He said that he would remove the cat and install a pipe for $50 (shhhhh, don't tell anyone). After that I noticed an even bigger improvement on both the bottom end and top end.

Like today, I pulled out onto the highway and got on it, shifted to second, ran it up and bounced it off the rev limiter. I've been drivin' for a long time and can tell when it's time to shift just by the way the car feels. My car was still pulling strong when it hit the limiter. Acutally surprised me. So yeah, I guess that a big part of it could be from the lack of a restrictive cat, but I did notice an improvement before I had it removed.

Like I said, first chance I git to put the car on the dyno then I'll post the results. No time soon though.

[240sxspeedracer1]

hotrodguy:did u eliminate both cats or just one?