This sucks....advice needed.... exhaust related

snailpower · Post by **snailpower** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:53 am

My car has among other things, an HKS "HI POWER " exhaust. Well wouldn't you know that johnny law realized that tonight

. He was really nice about it but said it has to come off b/c it doesn't have a "DOT" stamp on it. Thats all fine and great but i've invested way too much money into this car to just rip the exhaust out from under it. He said he knows its illegal from the way the engine "lopes"

Any way I could go into how I wouldn't get pulled over if I drove a jacked up diesel or a blown big block on slicks dragging sissy bars behind me, but i'll leave that alone. I am asking for legit advice on stock appearing mufflers/ axle back sections that will mate to the HKS unit. For the record.....yes I live in a one horse town that has like 3 cops in it and the next time I drive this thing around town these guys are gonna give my arse a good ream job with a large corn cobb. I shoulda built a big block camaro....

Post by **complacent** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:07 am

TXS Magnaflow axleback FTW.... lemme find you a linky.

edit: found linky

snailpower · Post by **snailpower** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Do you think anyone would trade me an STi catback or would that be stupid? The car wasn't that loud until the tubular manifold went on

Perhaps I could buy a stock STi muffler / axleback. See, the problem is i'm el broko from christmas spending, so whatever I do is gonna have to be excessively cheap. If someone did trade me it wouldn't just bolt up to an HKS downpipe would it? The reason i'm asking is my buddy has an 05 wagon and he wants an exhaust but is in the same boat financially. I gotta go to work, i'll check back in tonight when I get home.

Post by **complacent** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:05 pm

It certainly wouldn't hurt to ask... You might want to try posting in the MAIC classifieds - you'll start out with a bigger audience. Good luck man, sorry to hear about teh po-po.

Post by **Sabre** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:23 pm

The stock STI axleback is a little restrictive, but it will definitely keep you under the radar. That is hillarous that he thought the boxer rumble was b/c of the aftermarket exhaust though. I have a Borla Hush and couldn't be happier. Very quiet around town, flows well, and above 3500RPM, still has a great sound. I do agree that the Magnaflow looks more stock (single tip) than the Hush though. Just more options for ya

spazegun2213 · Post by **spazegun2213** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:29 pm

you can get the borla XR-1. Looks like stock idles a tiny bit louder than stock and its not loud enough that i got a ticket when i had it. Its really deep and is not annyoing or ricey.

Post by **Sabre** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:32 pm

^^^ Ya, it just wakes his parents up at 2AM

spazegun2213 · Post by **spazegun2213** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:49 pm

sabre wrote:^^^ Ya, it just wakes his parents up at 2AM

AND sets off car alarms lol but that was a fluke, and that alarm was WAY to sensitive.

Post by **complacent** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:58 pm

I have been really really pleased with the TXS TBE. It only gets loud when I WANT it to, which is great for me.

snailpower · Post by **snailpower** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:33 am

Cool, thanks for the input guys. I will probably try to go with a little section of an STi exhaust b/c the officer didn't care what it sounded like...He was more concerned with it being "DOT" approved. According to him all mufflers carry a "DOT" stamp of approval

. I'm not sure if thats true or not

. I'm not about to argue with an officer of the law b/c we know where that would lead to. Will I loose a tremendous amount of power by putting on a 2.5" down-pipe back section (for lack of a better term)? If so I will probably install an electric cut out

for those "special occasions"

Post by **Sabre** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:50 pm

Funny, I'e never seen that, but I haven't really been looking either, lol.

Mr Kleen · Post by **Mr Kleen** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:03 pm

contact the manufacturer of your exhaust. chances are the exhaust has been certified for "on road" use. now this certification doesn't stop cops from hating on import cars with exhausts, but it will stand up in court. of course you have to take time off to show up for the court date, but there is a chance the cop won't. well, maybe not in a 3 cop town... sounds like the town I'm from. (notice I said FROM?)

zaxrex · Post by **zaxrex** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:30 pm

If you are worried about sound levels, I have been very happy with my setup. I work in a building that has the Alexandria PD comming an going. Even inside the parking garage I don't get undue looks.

I have headers, bigger turbo, and the TXS turbo back but with a Stromung Dual Tip SS muffler. Even though the STi has a single can, the twin can look goes a long way to looking stock.

Post by **Sabre** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:53 pm

I'll second the twin tip look

The WRX use to come with them, so they just think it's stock, w00t

snailpower · Post by **snailpower** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 12:05 am

I like the duel tip as well, but I just got off the phone with a guy who is gonna trade me an STi factory cat back. I know your probably thinking i'm nuts for trading straight up but i'll have no use for it and he is possibly providing a lift to do the swap. If it's too much restriction on the flow, i'll install a cut out. My turbo is only a VF-34, and will be tuned to 17 lbs so hopefully I will not loose too much hp and tq. As far as the whole "DOT" thing....I just talked to another officer in NoVa and he said thats horsesh*t. The law says that anything louder/larger than stock is not street legal in Va, it has nothing to do with a "DOT" stamp.(he's never heard of such a thing).

hotsam · Post by **hotsam** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:25 pm

My two favorite options:

TurboXS Stealth Back with a muffler of your choice (I use the STi)

-or-

Stromung downpipe with Borla Hush catback.