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5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

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Old 07-23-2008, 05:15 PM   #1
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Few questions regarding Exhaust..

Ok, well my baffles inside my muffler and rattling around, so i want to replace my exhaust with a cat back system but do NOT want that ricey sound,i prefer using a flowmaster or magnaflow muffler, but do they sell an aftermarket pipe between the cat and muffler? If so who makes it and what would the increases in sound and power be? Also a hi flow cat decently priced would be nice to get also,preferably one with a spot for an o2 sensor already.Any suggestions would be appreciated thanks
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Old 07-23-2008, 05:35 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by MAXIMA_STYLE View Post
Ok, well my baffles inside my muffler and rattling around, so i want to replace my exhaust with a cat back system but do NOT want that ricey sound,i prefer using a flowmaster or magnaflow muffler, but do they sell an aftermarket pipe between the cat and muffler? If so who makes it and what would the increases in sound and power be? Also a hi flow cat decently priced would be nice to get also,preferably one with a spot for an o2 sensor already.Any suggestions would be appreciated thanks
If I were you ...I'd find a wrecked 5th gen Maxima and call it the day! Are you sure it's your muffler and not some rocks trapped on top the muffler heatshield between and the body? IMO Magnaflow and Flowmasters are both extremely loud!
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Old 07-23-2008, 05:36 PM   #3
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You have a number of choices you could buy a whole catback system from Cattman. You can look up cattman on you tube and hear how it sounds and then follow suit by going to the groupbuy section and locating the thread for cattman stuff. That is IMO the quietest sounding exhaust. The other options are Megan, HKS, Greddy but they are louder IMO.

you second choice is to buy a universal flowmaster or magnaflow muffler on ebay (50-100) and a resonator (30) and take it to an exhaust shop to have them weld it in for you (80-200).

as for a hiflow cat isnt worth it as it won't yield any gains for you, todays cats are pretty free flow as it is, a stock cat is just fine.

IBbutdaveyoujustorderedahiflowcat and to that I say thats because of what I am building.
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Old 07-23-2008, 05:39 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CMax03 View Post
If I were you ...I'd find a wrecked 5th gen Maxima and call it the day! Are you sure it's your muffler and not some rocks trapped on top the muffler heatshield between and the body? IMO Magnaflow and Flowmasters are both extremely loud!
yes magnaflow and flowmaster lower end mufflers are loud, IE the 40 series muffler but the 60 and 80 series mufflers are quiet nice...In fact it is what I bought for my next setup with a 3" exhaust
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Old 07-23-2008, 06:02 PM   #5
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Well im not going for super quiet i want some tone to it, just not like the typical import,but the pipe between the muffler and cat is called what exactly? the resonator?
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Old 07-23-2008, 06:24 PM   #6
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exhaust doesnt do anything as far as power goes(from what ive read here) Its just for sound. Keep it stock if you have Automagic. Sometimes I wish I did, like ive said before, that drone on a flowmaster can be a mofo sometimes.
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Old 07-23-2008, 06:35 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MAXIMA_STYLE View Post
Well im not going for super quiet i want some tone to it, just not like the typical import,but the pipe between the muffler and cat is called what exactly? the resonator?
b-pipe but it has the resonator as part of it. so yes you are correct
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Old 07-23-2008, 07:01 PM   #8
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A turbo style muffler will give you a deeper idle and only be a little louder than stock-provided you also have a resonator. Try to find a muffler shop than can mandrel bend a system for you-still, there is only a few hp to be made with the exhaust so I wouldn't go nuts $$$-wise.
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Old 07-23-2008, 07:47 PM   #9
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I bought a universal muffler off of ebay a couple months ago and got it welded on. The muffler was only like $30 plus shipping, and it sounds great! It has a low deep growl to it, and that's it. No raspiness, no bees in a can sound, just a very low deep growl. And it's very quiet, honestly I wanted it to be a little louder...
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Old 07-23-2008, 08:04 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveVQ View Post
yes magnaflow and flowmaster lower end mufflers are loud, IE the 40 series muffler but the 60 and 80 series mufflers are quiet nice...In fact it is what I bought for my next setup with a 3" exhaust

Your going 3" piping wit a 40 series???
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Old 07-23-2008, 08:11 PM   #11
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I just ordered a Vibrant muffler. http://vibrantperformance.com/catalo...ae118c0f0dcb53

Looks very stealthy and nobody here has it so thought I'd try something different. Looks kinda like a black Cattman.
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Old 07-23-2008, 08:28 PM   #12
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Quote:
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Your going 3" piping wit a 40 series???
no, 80 series muffler
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Old 07-23-2008, 08:37 PM   #13
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cool! do you know the difference between getting the cat back megan exhaust and going to a muffler shop and getting their piping and me just purchasing the muffler?
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Old 07-23-2008, 08:56 PM   #14
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cool! do you know the difference between getting the cat back megan exhaust and going to a muffler shop and getting their piping and me just purchasing the muffler?
no difference at all, I just don't like megan I was one of the few that had fitment issues and though it was too loud when you have headers

depends on the shop though, you might be able to put a whole system together and installed for 250-300

as a side note, I'll have an electric exhaust cutout for those times I want to be loud. I looked them up the other day though $250 for one.
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Engine:|JWT Pop||LR Maf||70mm TB||Cattman Headers & Y||Custom Cat||Megan B||Frankencar axle||Timing Advance||VAFC-II||14point7 JAW|
Suspension:|Illuminas||Eibachs||ES bushings||A&G wheel bearings||FSTB||LTB s1||SFC||RSB||RSTB|
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Exterior:|CF Hood||5.5 Sideskirts||5.5 Headlights||Ionic AE Rear Lip||HomoDepot Grilles||PS LED Mirrors||Mach 1 Lip||Tint|
Interior:|Red LED switches/gauges/climate/radio||Sony Deck||Custom painted||Redline Goods boots||Custom Floormats|
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Old 07-24-2008, 06:28 AM   #15
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exhaust doesnt do anything as far as power goes(from what ive read here) Its just for sound. Keep it stock if you have Automagic. Sometimes I wish I did, like ive said before, that drone on a flowmaster can be a mofo sometimes.
What Flowmaster do you have? 40 Series Delta Flow, maybe? I think they sound good (from the outside), and am considering one. But I don't want it to drone horribly at speed. I'm hoping to pick out my own muffler and have a shop make a custom B-pipe and attach it all.

To the OP: I think someone is/was selling an OEM muffler in the 5th gen classifieds... I'm sure that's the cheapest way to go, unless you really want a different sound.
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Old 07-24-2008, 01:48 PM   #16
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What Flowmaster do you have? 40 Series Delta Flow, maybe? I think they sound good (from the outside), and am considering one. But I don't want it to drone horribly at speed. I'm hoping to pick out my own muffler and have a shop make a custom B-pipe and attach it all.

To the OP: I think someone is/was selling an OEM muffler in the 5th gen classifieds... I'm sure that's the cheapest way to go, unless you really want a different sound.
yea alot of people have the 40 series delta flow on maximas and it sounds good and im thinking of getting it but not sure if the muffler shop knows how to get the b pipe
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Old 07-24-2008, 02:32 PM   #17
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Stay stock.
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Old 07-24-2008, 03:14 PM   #18
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Stay stock.
+1
That's what I plan on doing. I am looking for a stock b-pipe now cause the metal hanger is busted/rusted off, but the muffler is still good so I am going to get a b-pipe and a new stock muffler and call it a day
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Old 07-24-2008, 03:24 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by CMax03 View Post
If I were you ...I'd find a wrecked 5th gen Maxima and call it the day! Are you sure it's your muffler and not some rocks trapped on top the muffler heatshield between and the body? IMO Magnaflow and Flowmasters are both extremely loud!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveVQ View Post
yes magnaflow and flowmaster lower end mufflers are loud, IE the 40 series muffler but the 60 and 80 series mufflers are quiet nice...In fact it is what I bought for my next setup with a 3" exhaust
i don't know about flowmaster, but i have to disagree about the magnaflow.. compared to the honda fart cans, megan catback, and stillen catback that i've all heard in person, the magnaflow street series is much quieter.. a buddy of mine has a 6th gen with 2 magnaflow mufflers and a stock catback, and you wouldn't even know he had an exhaust unless he was really on the throttle.. from the outside, it's barely audible upon startup, and cruising behind him and beside him i can't even hear it.. when he's racing though, that's when you hear it... and it sounds nice..
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Old 07-24-2008, 06:31 PM   #20
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exhaust doesnt do anything as far as power goes(from what ive read here) Its just for sound. Keep it stock if you have Automagic. Sometimes I wish I did, like ive said before, that drone on a flowmaster can be a mofo sometimes.
I partialy agree I don't think its the exhaust that does increase the power but the pipe that bends up over the axel is the major cuperit in power loss it is a small non-mandrel bent pipe that totaly restricts the flow. I have the megan setup and I love it it's not too loud but deffinatly noticable and yes I did get a signifigent power gain. I read someone else had fitment issues which I also had however they were slight and easily resolved issue 1: one of the flanges didn't line up fix: heated it up and bent it to fit, issue 2: banging resolved by having a hanger welded onto where the pipe crosses to the passengers side this stopped the pipe from shifting side to side and banging into the factory hanger post, issue 3: leaks fixed by replacing their sh*** gaskets with heavy duty gaskets. All in all I would definatly recomend the megan catback in total it cost me $490 shipped and installed with the second hanger I believe that the cost of the system is comperable to using a universal muffler with custom bent piping. However it is not an easy product to get it took me over a month before I got mine but it was worth the wait. Here is a sound clip and sorry for the long post but I hope it helps you out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoeaiT_kS2o

BTW reving this exhaust does it no justice it sounds 10x better on the road

Here is the cheapest place to get it + free shipping be prepared to wait for it but it's well worth it
http://sportcompactwarehouse.com/meg.../i-175855.aspx
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Old 07-24-2008, 07:23 PM   #21
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[quote=SilverGLE;6534537]What Flowmaster do you have? 40 Series Delta Flow, maybe? I think they sound good (from the outside), and am considering one. But I don't want it to drone horribly at speed. I'm hoping to pick out my own muffler and have a shop make a custom B-pipe and attach it all.quote]


I have the 40 series. with no resonator. Even though Ive been told that no resonator doesnt do much either, im running straight pipe after the cat. i like it, its not ricey, IMO
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Old 07-24-2008, 08:23 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverGLE View Post
What Flowmaster do you have? 40 Series Delta Flow, maybe? I think they sound good (from the outside), and am considering one. But I don't want it to drone horribly at speed. I'm hoping to pick out my own muffler and have a shop make a custom B-pipe and attach it all.

To the OP: I think someone is/was selling an OEM muffler in the 5th gen classifieds... I'm sure that's the cheapest way to go, unless you really want a different sound.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyd2k2 View Post
I partialy agree I don't think its the exhaust that does increase the power but the pipe that bends up over the axel is the major cuperit in power loss it is a small non-mandrel bent pipe that totaly restricts the flow. I have the megan setup and I love it it's not too loud but deffinatly noticable and yes I did get a signifigent power gain. I read someone else had fitment issues which I also had however they were slight and easily resolved issue 1: one of the flanges didn't line up fix: heated it up and bent it to fit, issue 2: banging resolved by having a hanger welded onto where the pipe crosses to the passengers side this stopped the pipe from shifting side to side and banging into the factory hanger post, issue 3: leaks fixed by replacing their sh*** gaskets with heavy duty gaskets. All in all I would definatly recomend the megan catback in total it cost me $490 shipped and installed with the second hanger I believe that the cost of the system is comperable to using a universal muffler with custom bent piping. However it is not an easy product to get it took me over a month before I got mine but it was worth the wait. Here is a sound clip and sorry for the long post but I hope it helps you out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoeaiT_kS2o

BTW reving this exhaust does it no justice it sounds 10x better on the road

Here is the cheapest place to get it + free shipping be prepared to wait for it but it's well worth it
http://sportcompactwarehouse.com/meg.../i-175855.aspx

hmm good advice....i debating if i should get the megan cat back or a flowmaster 40 series delta flow with a muffler shop customizing my cat back with 3' piping? cuz the price for the megan cat back is alot considering i just purchased a stillen y-pipe (got it yesterday) and im waiting to put it all together