Just wondering if someone can explain to me why the cat delete Y-pipe for my 81' 4.5 is $500 from some of the vendors? I was just curious because my local performance shop said they could remove the cat, use the down pipe flanges and weld in a straight pipe for $25. I have VA antique tags so removing the cat isn't an issue. Am I just missing something? Are the vendor pipes larger?

Thanks

 

Simple answer....because some people will pay $500.

 

There is a lot of R&D that goes into the Y and X-pipes, and I'm sure the cost to produce them is not cheap. Combine that with a fairly small market and you get your price. You won't net the gains of a Y pipe with the "local performance shop" route.

 

You own a 928, and are complaining about spending $500?

 

A properly made exhaust is a work of art. I figure you cannot have a "good" custom exhaust made for under $1,000. The Y-Pipe is the most important piece of the puzzle.

 

I have a Y pipe on my 82 and don't remember the exact cost but it was under $400. You might try 928srus.com I think he has a fair price on them.
By the way, the Y pipe was larger diameter than the stock pipe. I noticed a slight increas in power and sound. Very Happy.

 

is that with or without rennlist rebate?

 

I have to agree with Big Dave. Wasn't complaining just curious. I can understand if it's stainless, but seriously R&D for 3 free flowing pipes welded together. So maybe I loose a little hp having the shop do it. I understand owning a 928 isn't cheap, but I would rather spend the money on other goodies for the car.

 

I never understood what that is supposed to mean. If you own a 928 then you shouldn't try to be frugal with your money?

 

I have a 40 $ generic turbo muffler on my OB. Lost some top end, no doubt I saved money though.

 

Lets see, you can get an $80 x pipe on ebay.
Have it welded, hmm, another $80
Do a base dyno $85
Do a dyno afterward to see how much gain you got, $85

You already invested $320 (not counting your time) and you may find that your custom x-pipe did not yield as much power as you thought it would.

Spend your money safely and get a proven design that has a dyno chart to back it up.

Do I regret my custom x-pipe? Hell no.
Did I notice an improvement? Definetly.
Do I know how much hp I gained? No.
Would I do it on my SC? Hell no.

When I'm ready I will get a proven design to get the max possible gain.

 

That's actually incorrect, but it's unlikely you'll get busted for it. If your car was built with a cat, it needs to have a cat if it's registered in VA. If it was built without a cat you don't need a cat, but you need a waiver from DEQ to be legal.

That said. Toss the cat in a recycling bin and enjoy the free flow of power!

Edited to add: What's up with Motorsport's site having everything $0?

My Y below.

 

Matt you are correct, but with antique tags there is no inspection. I'll get a ticket for my tint before a missing cat.

 

I've been considering the same thing and Hacker was nice enough to point me to the Motorsports y-pipe product. I inquired about the price as well, thinking that $500 (with bolts and shipping) seemed steep. I do, however, understand that there was r&d with this and that it's unlikely that they'll sell a skillion of them.

I feel a bit uncomfortable removing the CAT from the car; it's there for EPA purposes and I'd be thumbing my nose at those purposes to skip the cat. (Here come the tomatoes) So too, I wonder how much real power is gained at the wheels and how much of that power is perceptual due to the bigger BWAAH. Does it mean more power in the rear or more power in the ear?

Still thinking....

Peace,
Tim

 

Tim, Motorsport will sell you the Y-pipe with or without a better cat than you have now. They can also do modular.