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I'm thinking about getting an STi UP and DP and gutting the cats. my question is: is it worth it?

I should be able to get the pipes for around $150, then the effort to gut them, then pay somebody to weld them back together (I'm pretty sure at either the UP, the DP, or both needs to be cut in half to gut the cats, no?).

the ups: I save some money and I still look stock to the guys Don Beyer.

the downs: a lot of work for used stock parts and finding a welder worth a damn that won't charge a fortune (thus eating into my cost savings).

my .02usd... STi UP is fine. Comes sans cat which makes a huge difference in spool behavior. DP, if you are looking for gains you are going to have to spend. I believe the diameter of the STi DP is not significantly greater than the wrx DP, i.e. not much of a gain. Don Beyer is pretty mod friendly. Keep in mind a full TBE does very little to alter the function of your car. It's everything BEFORE the exhaust side of the turbo that can change how well or poorly your car will run. I'd be willing to bet that a decent used TBE would be as much if not less than a custom welding job. IMHO it's safe to call a TBE a "minor" modification. Not to downplay the positive affects of a TBE, the results are proven. I'm just saying the exhaust is not going to make your engine seize up or explode. Many, many ppl take their modded cars to Don Beyer. I would be really surprised if you ran into problems. I took my car there when I had my VF-22 installed. there was NO mention of mods on my paperwork... Hope this helps.

colin

As Colin said, you'd probably be better off going with a aftermarket DP. The STI UP would be a good choice for better spoolup. The STI DP is 2.25", so you're not gaining anything at all. Used 3" DP's (sans cat) can be had on ebay pretty cheap (vs. new). I've always taken my car to Don Beyer and never had any problems...

thanks for the info, Colin. I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and buy new. Cobb stage 2 perhaps? and here I just paid off that damn credit card...

the reason I'm a little concerned about Don Beyer and modding was a conversation I had with Henry a while back. when I told him I wanted to get a full TBE (removing 2 of the 3 cats, if I am correct) he said that removing ANY of the cats would void my warrantee on the engine. I have to be a bit cautious as the WRX is my sole means of transportation.

If your looking for a catless, "stock looking" Up-pipe, look no further than the Bosal. It looks just like the stock STi (i.e. w/o the probe) but cost half what a new STI up-pipe costs. It even comes with gaskets for $189.

As for gutting a down pipe, be forewarned it is a "bitch" of a job! There are shory downpipes that come with mounts for the stock heatsheilds so that you still look stock, the oakos comes to mind (www.oakos.com) for $149.

Just so you know. You cannot void your warranty by replacing parts with aftermarket ones. The wording of the law states that the Warantee provider must be able to prove that that specific part caused the failure. No manufacturer can void a warranty on a whim! They will loose in court!

sabre you sneaked in while I was spell checking my post.

yeah, I'll just keep my eyes open for good used stuff. I just don't like the idea of buying used equipment unless I can put eyes on it before the money changes hands. and I NEVER get on the NASIOC "for sale" posts fast enough...

Mr Kleen wrote:sabre you sneaked in while I was spell checking my post.

yeah, I'll just keep my eyes open for good used stuff. I just don't like the idea of buying used equipment unless I can put eyes on it before the money changes hands. and I NEVER get on the NASIOC "for sale" posts fast enough...

"I am very very sneaky" - Mr. Deeds



I've never heard of anyone having any problems there, but it's really up to you.