ARCHIVE 100 Series Cat-back Exhaust
- Thread starter NKP Garage
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #422
Just incase you missed it. The price on the EMSPowered cat-back exhaust has been lowered to $575, announced a few weeks ago here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series...mspowered-100-series-performance-exhaust.html
Let us know if you have any questions.
Let us know if you have any questions.
I bet you don't want me to post Header questions here, huh?
- Thread starter
- #424
Hi Les, Let's keep the questions related to the EMSPowered 100-series Performance Headers in the other thread to keep things more organized. Here's a direct link to the header thread: https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/681802-100-series-performance-headers.html
Silencers or No Silencers?
After reviewing the thread, I'm not sure I have a clear understanding about the drone. I am planning on purchasing EMS headers (when available) mid pipes and cat back. I will be adding in cats.
I have a 2004 LX470, stock.
The questions that I need some clarity are:
Will I experience drone at the 2k rpm range?
It appears that cats seem to lessen the drone. Is that correct?
Will silencers eliminate the drone?
Ideally I could enjoy the sound of an aftermarket exhaust (without silencers) but I do a fair amount of highway driving with passengers and a drone would be completely unacceptable.
Thanks and looking forward to purchasing a complete set when available!
After reviewing the thread, I'm not sure I have a clear understanding about the drone. I am planning on purchasing EMS headers (when available) mid pipes and cat back. I will be adding in cats.
I have a 2004 LX470, stock.
The questions that I need some clarity are:
Will I experience drone at the 2k rpm range?
It appears that cats seem to lessen the drone. Is that correct?
Will silencers eliminate the drone?
Ideally I could enjoy the sound of an aftermarket exhaust (without silencers) but I do a fair amount of highway driving with passengers and a drone would be completely unacceptable.
Thanks and looking forward to purchasing a complete set when available!
I am looking at these as well and so far thinking non coated with a silencer. The exhaust seems like a much bigger bang for the buck than the mid pipes
The graphs for mid pipes on your web site, how many Cats if any are installed? If its not two, what do you think the performance hit would be with one , two cats.
Thanks
The graphs for mid pipes on your web site, how many Cats if any are installed? If its not two, what do you think the performance hit would be with one , two cats.
Thanks
As an LX owner with the EMS catback with silencer, I can give some feedback. My exhaust is otherwise stock with no headers or midpipe alterations.
I purchased the system with silencer anticipating putting in Headers, so that collectively the system would be a little louder, but not obnoxious. After installing it, I am a bit disappointed at the increased volume. I really thought it would have better flow while maintaining near stock decibels. It is quite a bit louder despite the silencer, and it does drone around 1700-2200. This is also unfortunate b/c that corresponds pretty directly with 45-60 mph steady state. A recent trip with trailer and load (~2500 lbs) was very unpleasant. Putting the car under load exaggerates the drone markedly. On the upside, the extra power was quite nice...
Frankly, the sound after the mod is as loud as I had hoped it would be after both headers AND exhaust. To that end, it sounds rugged, but I no longer know if the family can tolerate the header addition without being comically loud. I would love to add them for the power gain, but unless Baktash can show a limited decibel gain with cats/silencer (in header/mids), I may have to call it quits. I am now considering pulling the rear interior to increase the acoustic insulation as seen in another thread about 100 series audio.
I purchased the system with silencer anticipating putting in Headers, so that collectively the system would be a little louder, but not obnoxious. After installing it, I am a bit disappointed at the increased volume. I really thought it would have better flow while maintaining near stock decibels. It is quite a bit louder despite the silencer, and it does drone around 1700-2200. This is also unfortunate b/c that corresponds pretty directly with 45-60 mph steady state. A recent trip with trailer and load (~2500 lbs) was very unpleasant. Putting the car under load exaggerates the drone markedly. On the upside, the extra power was quite nice...
Frankly, the sound after the mod is as loud as I had hoped it would be after both headers AND exhaust. To that end, it sounds rugged, but I no longer know if the family can tolerate the header addition without being comically loud. I would love to add them for the power gain, but unless Baktash can show a limited decibel gain with cats/silencer (in header/mids), I may have to call it quits. I am now considering pulling the rear interior to increase the acoustic insulation as seen in another thread about 100 series audio.
Some things I learned with my 80 when I did a custom exhaust years ago.
When the tailpipe is under the vehicle pointed the ground, its much louder than coming out the back or side
Adding a glass pack near the end will quiet it down quite a bit
I am sure Baktash has other suggestions
Thanks for your feedback. This was exactly what I needed to know to make my decision; I will pass.
- Thread starter
- #431
Did you have the turndown or rear exit tailpipe on yours? The rear exit is quieter than the turndown when riding inside the vehicle because of the way the sound bounces off the ground. When standing outside of the vehicle both sound the same from the outside. For your desired goals, I would recommend against doing headers upgrade or midpipes upgrade of any sort. It will get louder as you further open up the exhaust restrictions.
Yup, that is correct.
Anytime you open up the exhaust for better flow there is always more volume. We use the absolute largest high flow muffler that we could possibly fit on the vehicle with the EMSPowered 100-series Cat-back Exhaust system. The only way to get the exhaust note quieter than the EMSPowered exhaust system would be to go with a baffled style (OEM style) muffler which has chambers, air dams, etc... that help to quiet it down. But then you lose a lot of the power gains as well.
Exhaust tone, volume, what people call "drone", and what is too quiet or too loud is going to be different for every owner. Some people think that the loudest versions of our exhaust systems are not loud enough. Some people think that the quietest versions of our exhaust systems are not quiet enough. It is personal preference and there is not an answer that is right for everyone. Every person will have a different opinion on what they want out of the result. For this reason we have multiple options, layouts, and various ways you can order your EMSPowered exhaust to suite the goals of each individual owner as best as possible.
The best advice I can offer anyone wanting the quietest operation possible on their 100-series while gaining some power is to install upgraded high flow headers and midpipes and keep the factory exhaust system. You will not gain as much power as if you did the cat-back exhaust as well. But you will still gain a good amount of power. The factory muffler will still be there as a "cork" in the system to quiet things down enough with the amount of restriction it causes.
The best advice I can give someone who wants the easiest installation that they can do in their own garage to pick up the most power, and like a bit of extra "growl" to their exhaust tone is to do an upgraded cat-back exhaust and mid-pipes. They are the easiest to install and can be done with hand tools.
And if you're the type that wants the most amount of power you can get with bolt-on upgrades, you like the extra "growl", then I'd recommend doing the cat-back exhaust, high flow midpipes, and long runner headers, and intake system.
I hope that helps to give some insight and answer a few questions.
Last edited:
Interesting read.
This is extremely helpful, thank you. Please keep us updated on your acoustic insulation project. As others have asked, where does your exhaust exit?
Anyone else have good gains and no drone with a different exhaust?
Maybe the answer is EMS headers and mid pipes with exhaust from a different manufacturer?
I think the answer is a muffler that is performance oriented yet still quiet.
If you look at the high end Lexus, MB, Audi, BMW, Porsche, etc. They make real power and are quiet. The difference is a well sorted out muffler, among other things.
IMO the Resonators/silencers are not the answer.
- Thread starter
- #435
That is not completely true. They make good power on performance cars from the factory because of high compression motors, tuned for premium gas, and newer designed heads with direct injection and a slew of other reasons. Take the EMSPowered exhaust system for the BMW M3 E92 V8 for example. We gained 32whp and 20wtq with the EMSPowered exhaust system. seen here: http://www.emspowered.com/storefron...roduct_info&cPath=213_219_214&products_id=766
Every build is always a compromise. More performance oriented suspension means less comfortable ride. More power from a high flow intake means more sound volume. More power from an exhaust system, headers, or midpipes means more sound volume. More ground clearance from larger tires means a rougher/louder ride and worse gas mileage. Larger bumpers and armor to protect your vehicle mean more drag, wind noise, and worse gas mileage. There is a always a balance between comfort and performance. And where that balance is perfect is going to be a different answer for every owner. There are folks at either extreme of the scale, and people all across the middle.
If you're not sure what is right for you, give us a call and we can talk over your goals, what you want out of the system, and what you don't want. With that information we can make a recommendation for you that will best fit your situation.
Excellent response. I will be giving you a call when the headers are available.
My exhaust exit is the same as factory, so there shouldn't be any increased reverb or amplification from that.
Damn...I was hoping you were going to tell us you had it piped out of the sides near the front doors.
Lexus LS 460 makes about 440HP, it is quiet. It is quiet because of the exhaust system, not because of high compression, or premium gas. I was referring to how quiet those cars are. It used to be accepted that Hi Po cars made lots of noise, not so anymore.
You've done a good job here, but you don't have the R&D resources that Toyota does.
You're saying there is no way to make more power and torque without the volume increasing.
I'm saying that the manufacturers are making quiet power.
I have a Fabspeed on a Blown Porsche. You can drop a Tennis ball through it, literally. It is amazing how quiet it is, it's pretty too! Don't get me wrong, it's not silent, just much quieter than I expected when I bought it. I had a Monster Supertrap on at one time and a Zork tube at other times, they were noisy. I still have a custom Zork tube I put on from time to time.
There's some folks mentioning drone and wanting to pull your system off.
I think you should explore some type of performance muffler addition for the last piece of the tail pipe. Your silencers roll the gains off, per peoples reviews who have tried them.
Here's a pic of the Fabspeed on my Porsche, it is the finest SS work I have ever seen. This pic does not have the tips on it.
Porsche 930
That's a pretty air-cooled engine!
Though I will say that my limited experience with engines (p-car or toyota) is that there is definitely a correlation between noise and max power (area under torque curve.) I'm sure that one can always make a relatively quiet exhaust, but to get "maximum" power out of the engine, it appears that the noise will get louder... (I've spent some time looking for "quiet" exhausts on the p-car side too, and I've based on all my research the ones that allow/make most power, are never the quiet ones... I've ended up with a relatively quiet Gemballa exhaust on mine, which leaves a bit on the table in terms of power, but is more quiet in the process.)
Similar threads
