I helped a friend install the catback setup in his lx470. It seemed to absolutely suck all the power. Engine would spool and it made very little power to maintain a constant 35 up a slight hill. Seemed it was a 4 cylinder or like it was pulling a 5000 lb load. We took the muffler off and looked inside- I am guessing it was muffler design, but you can see the insulation inside. Almost like it was blocking flow. Is this expected ? Does the ems take away power when a silencer is added?
ARCHIVE 100 Series Cat-back Exhaust (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter NKP Garage
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I do not have any experience with the silencer but it does look restrictive. Other members have had good results with their 100's and 80's with the Moroso SpiralFlow. Your friend may want this section cut out and replaced with the Spiralflow.
I do however, have some experience with the catback exhaust. I was waiting until the headers became available from EMS to upgrade, but a couple of months ago when I took my vehicle to Lexus for servicing they told me my exhaust had a pretty good sized leak which was potentially leaking exhaust into the rear cabin.
I placed a call to EMS, spoke with Baktash, who was not only extremely helpful with my purchase, but made sure the exhaust got to the Lexus dealership in time for my install. He told me he would package it himself to make sure it got there and everything went smoothly.
While I had him on the phone I inquired about the headers, he stated March/April 2014.
When I first drove the truck from the dealership (Lexus of Louisville did the install), I thought it was a little too loud for my tastes, but after about 5 minutes I was in love with the sound. Drone was not really a drone as it didn't annoy me, and I'm sensitive to that sort of thing, and the exhaust was only noticeable when opening up the throttle.
I was waiting for my wife's input (she didn't know I had the EMS catback installed), she did mention the truck sounded more throaty but didn't seem to mind. Kids didn't seem to notice.
Given the slight increase in volume, I am going to an audio installer to have the entire vehicle dynamatted in preparation for the header install.
Performance wise, it definitely has a little more pep (on the butt-dyno), more objectively I notice the vehicle doesn't need to downshift as often. There are parts of my commute where during a steep incline with the vehicle on cruise control, the truck would shift to fourth gear (from fifth) but with the EMS exhaust it is able to stay in fifth gear.
Mileage: My mileage has gone down significantly. Mostly because I know make every excuse to WOT so I can hear the exhaust. It is a nice sound!
Jordan, good luck with your friends exhaust.
TeCKis, GLWS.
I do however, have some experience with the catback exhaust. I was waiting until the headers became available from EMS to upgrade, but a couple of months ago when I took my vehicle to Lexus for servicing they told me my exhaust had a pretty good sized leak which was potentially leaking exhaust into the rear cabin.
I placed a call to EMS, spoke with Baktash, who was not only extremely helpful with my purchase, but made sure the exhaust got to the Lexus dealership in time for my install. He told me he would package it himself to make sure it got there and everything went smoothly.
While I had him on the phone I inquired about the headers, he stated March/April 2014.
When I first drove the truck from the dealership (Lexus of Louisville did the install), I thought it was a little too loud for my tastes, but after about 5 minutes I was in love with the sound. Drone was not really a drone as it didn't annoy me, and I'm sensitive to that sort of thing, and the exhaust was only noticeable when opening up the throttle.
I was waiting for my wife's input (she didn't know I had the EMS catback installed), she did mention the truck sounded more throaty but didn't seem to mind. Kids didn't seem to notice.
Given the slight increase in volume, I am going to an audio installer to have the entire vehicle dynamatted in preparation for the header install.
Performance wise, it definitely has a little more pep (on the butt-dyno), more objectively I notice the vehicle doesn't need to downshift as often. There are parts of my commute where during a steep incline with the vehicle on cruise control, the truck would shift to fourth gear (from fifth) but with the EMS exhaust it is able to stay in fifth gear.
Mileage: My mileage has gone down significantly. Mostly because I know make every excuse to WOT so I can hear the exhaust. It is a nice sound!
Jordan, good luck with your friends exhaust.
TeCKis, GLWS.
Has anybody noticed the drone is much louder in the driver seat only? I rode in the passenger seat for the first time and didn't notice any drone. Same with the back seat. My father asked me how I lived with the exhaust, I knew there was a drone, but didn't hear it while he was complaining. Watching the tach, and listening to the exhaust, I couldn't hear the drone. Doug Thorley setup.
thanks for the good luck.. he picked up a new magnaflow and will install it tomorrow into the new system. he doesn't care about the sound, nor do I.. i think the main aspect is getting the restriction sorted out; seems like an internal failure/restriction.. It may also serve to be a loss of money for the replacement if the problem is elsewhere, but that seems to be the only change to the lx.
I have read this thread cover to cover ( both informative and entertaining : )
I have seen where some people say that headers and mid-pipes with a stock muffler are the way to go for a little performance upgrade and avoiding the drone/noise. I have also read where others say the cat back is the way to go but leave the mid-pipes and headers alone if keeping noise down is a major concern
Well, which is it? I am looking for an upgrade in performance, but need to keep the noise to a minimum first and foremost.
Thanks!
I have seen where some people say that headers and mid-pipes with a stock muffler are the way to go for a little performance upgrade and avoiding the drone/noise. I have also read where others say the cat back is the way to go but leave the mid-pipes and headers alone if keeping noise down is a major concern
Well, which is it? I am looking for an upgrade in performance, but need to keep the noise to a minimum first and foremost.
Thanks!
if you are trying to keep noise to a minimum then a cat back for the 100 is not for you.
Turns out problem was the ems muffler was faulty. Internals were buggered and craftsmanship doesn't seem comparable to the magnaflow. Here is an interior pic of the ems.
My question- what's with the exposed insulation? Interior isn't nice and rounded where the metal baffling splits. Just seems cut and jagged. I have no idea if that makes a difference bit the inside of the magnaflow looked significantly better built.
Anyways, everything buttoned up and he threw the ems parts away and is better off. Power back, sound good and quality built.
My question- what's with the exposed insulation? Interior isn't nice and rounded where the metal baffling splits. Just seems cut and jagged. I have no idea if that makes a difference bit the inside of the magnaflow looked significantly better built.
Anyways, everything buttoned up and he threw the ems parts away and is better off. Power back, sound good and quality built.
I'm gonna experiment with installing a resonator at the end of my EMS catback exhaust. Vibrant makes one that is not as large or as restrictive as stock and hopefully will minimize the 2k rpm drone.
So EMS stopped using Magnaflow and is building their own?
Did you guys put a Magnaflow in it's place or just pull out the whole Cat Back system?
What was EMS's response during all this?
It's curious that they didn't offer up a Magnaflow to fix this issue.
Did you guys return the system?
n.b. the part that is not curious is the part where they didn't respond to any of this in their own thread...
I don't think he was even bothering with trying to get a reply to ems. Service has been demonstrated to be inconsistent and communication not there strong suit. Parts were to be garbaged, so I asked to take the muffler and will cut it open and post up for others to see the interior quality of the ems muffler. The fit is wrong as well; the muffler should have an exit on the back on the drivers side of the exhaust, not the Center. It interferes with locker airlines and hits. Anyways, when I get around to it I am happy to share craftsman ship of the muffler, which appears to be something hobbled together in china on the cheap.
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Are people still buying from these clowns (EMS)?
Had a good experience with them. Selected options, paid, waited about a week and a half, unpacked my stuff, installed it, it makes noise while I drive around and doesn't have holes in it like my stock one. They didn't come walk my dog or send me a free craft beer 6er or anything, but I'll take the experience that I got.
We were over the ems exhaust thing and wrote them off completely when I found this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UkZLUer_0s
The ems muffler shown in this link is compressed and bent. I thought it was peculiar as the muffler on my buddies lx did the same thing in the same spot; required another acquisition of another muffler. Either the hangers not in the right place, muffler the wrong size and it gets damaged. the fit overall on the cat back is tight; to keep it from banging on torsion bar and driveshaft, the tubing has to be massaged (read, bent flat in spots with a hammer).
Personal opinion here, too many issues seen on this thread and with an actual application to support the product or vendor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UkZLUer_0s
The ems muffler shown in this link is compressed and bent. I thought it was peculiar as the muffler on my buddies lx did the same thing in the same spot; required another acquisition of another muffler. Either the hangers not in the right place, muffler the wrong size and it gets damaged. the fit overall on the cat back is tight; to keep it from banging on torsion bar and driveshaft, the tubing has to be massaged (read, bent flat in spots with a hammer).
Personal opinion here, too many issues seen on this thread and with an actual application to support the product or vendor.
I'm pretty happy with my product. I do have the magnaflow muffler from the first sets.
Customer service is slow but I am glad I got the unit when I did.
Customer service is slow but I am glad I got the unit when I did.
I'm happy as well, but just as 00N8 I have the MF muffler. I've also got a SC on my truck as well
I guess I was not one of the lucky ones that received a MagnaFlo muffler with my EMS cat back exhaust back in July. The inside perforated baffles have completely separated from the housing. Still waiting on EMS to warranty the part, which they claim in an email that they will. It's been three weeks and now they're not responding to emails or phone calls. I would also suggest to anyone that has one of these to check the pipe that snakes over the driveshaft. Mine was rubbing under full compression. I put my stock system back on and couldn't be happier. Don't miss the drone and really don't feel the increased horsepower gain was worth the trouble.
....and I'm over it. ^ That sure got beat in a hurry.
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