You can just shift into 5th and save the $250 for a hooker...

=====

Vacuum leak fixed; after many WOT runs...Hi-flow cats on an otherwise stock exhaust butt dyno results; wow, I was shocked to noticed a large difference! However, I had an OEM cat that was 70% clogged while the other one was fine so no idea what kind of gains I received...

Sound...Surprisingly it was the opposite of how I thought...It's louder at idle and in the lower RPMs, but when you hit WOT I can't notice any difference in sound...This is all in cabin of course...

 

Bacardi, I hope my labor target is accurate, I cant imagine it being too much more than that as I have had several friends get custom exhausts made for not much more. I don't want to mess with any other exhaust components, since I have my ridiculous Camaro for that. A subtle pur is what I am looking for under light throttle.

I found the cats at the site below which has wildly fluctuating prices. Like I mentioned, I bought mine for $75.00, but I checked last week and they were at the market price of around $120.00...but now they are $80.00 - better pull the trigger now if you are in the market.

No Limit Speed

Enjoy! I used google's shopping feature to find the best price.

 

Thanks, this may help out other members; Mine were installed this past Wednesday, bought them two weeks ago for $115/each shipped ebay as I get a total in 5% cashback/ebay bucks from ebay purchases...I frequently use the google shopping feature and check my browser history from two weeks ago...Cheapest was $114, guess I should of waited...lol

Since clogged cats seems to be an up and coming problem on STRs approached the 100K mark, not a bad idea for other owners to pick up a pair at this lower than usual price, just in case...

 

I thought while wer'e on the subject of hi-flow cats...After installing EGR tube with new EGR tube gaskets and both cats, CEL w/RP returned. There remained a small exhaust "ticking noise" under load....mechanic found crack in passenger exhaust manifold, at the exit where the exhaust pipe bolts. Ordering new EGR tube gasket to exhaust manifold, bolts holding EGR tube to exhaust manifold, exhaust manifold gasket, and exhaust manifold. Anyone know where to procure a used passenger exhaust manifold w/heat shield?

 

BS, you're just impressed with our bargain hunting skills...

Disclaimer, nitrous propaganda: Think Arctic cold nitrous would of prevented the manifold from cracking? Damn our hotter than lava 3lb pulleys...

I've checked my sources and nothing...However there are a/m headers:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...e-v-8-a-20791/

The link to the actual headers is dead, but call them directly if that's something that interests you and perhaps they're still available...

 

Here is my quick update on my install or lack there of of my magnaflow cats and x pipe. I took the car to a very reputable shop where my family and friends have gotten their custom and simple exhaust jobs done for years. I figured it would be a smart decision to use the same company and felt good after speaking with the owner over the phone.

Today we took the car in and the owner didnt seem to enthusiastic or willing to do it. He waited to the last minute to put it on the lift and quoted me $450, because of the tight spaces and excessive measuring. I think he quoted me that high of a price because he simply didnt want to do it. For a reputable exhaust shop thats been in business for year, I figured this would be rather straight forward.

I have another shop that quoted me in the mid $200's initially, so in a few weeks I will try round 2. Thought I would share my experience for those thinking of doing this mod.

 

rasputin, the job is fairly straight foward without tight spaces, and $200-250 but not more is reasonable.

 

BFSgross - I appreciate the response and that is my understanding after reading the 3-4 members who have gotten the work done. We'll try again in a few weeks.

 

Just curious to why you are installing the X-Pipe if you're keeping your X-Over res?

 

I would think that he would be removing his X-over resonator. At least that's what I'm looking to do with the setup.

 

I have been very happy with the hi flows, x pipe and borlas. I dont like butt dynos and assuming but this combo showed power on a dyno. I dont think the power to price ratio is quite where I would want it to be but we are a little more limited on mods then some cars so you do what you can.

Bacardi the 3# and the nitrous is a great combo no needto ditch the pulley. I think once my 112 is ported it will be even better. I just ordered a new big thick heat excanger and larger pump for the added capacity to try and get anoter option for heat before going killer chiller as a last resort. The nitrous makes a lot of power on these cars I just have to decide when the sc is off if I am going to direct port it touse a real shot or stay pre blower with the little 50shot.

 

I'd guess it would be a good combo for pure quickness/speed, but the beauty of nitrous is that the car is running stock 99% of the time as Jag intended...

 

it was 70$, so why not? if I can get it installed for about the same amount, I am sure it will make it a bit louder. just to be specific this is the center res after the cats towards the center of the car. I could very well be wrong, but it looks to me like if I delete one set of resonators, rather than all, I can incrementally make it louder to my liking. considering I am going off of no sound clips or dyno numbers, someone has to pioneer this right? i will be more than happy to share the results in HD. ECD....2-3 weeks

againt my goal is high flow cats, x pipe + install being around 470$ net, and selling my cats for $100 a piece bringing it around $370. if i cant, all forum members can take note of what not to do

 

I see where your going. Jag just intended it to be a little slow for my taste

If a 70ish hp bump is enough then it's a pretty easy task. I have my stock SC pulley if you want it.

 

There isn't a "set" of resonators, there's just one...From front to rear, it goes from two manifolds, to two cats, to a single "twin" / X-flowing res to two mufflers...In my mind, the answer to "why not" is it's a waste of money with zero performance gain...Many have claimed X/H pipes make cars quieter but since we already have one, I don't see it doing anything with the res on...Now if you plan on removing the res in the future, that's a different story, but again, you can buy a louder X-flowing res which you'll pretty much NEED if you don't want highway drone...


You're killing me with the stocker; lol Do you know of any shops in GA that can remove pulleys without cutting them off?

 

Yea buckhead import performance has a puller and is a real good shop. I just left there looking into my new heat exchanger.

The reason I love the 3# also is I got into it with an 03-04 cobra on the way home and my remote opener isn't on the bottle yet so motor was all I had

 

Bacardi, I appreciate all of your responses, this is good dialogue and good for other forum members to read along.

I apologize for not being more specific about the resonators. I was thinking about my previous Buick from a few years back. I changed my oil about two months ago, so again the memory is fuzzy. You are correct, its 2 cats, center resonator(quasi x pipe), and two mufflers.

Pardon for the novela below, but you leave me no choice. For those of us with budget, sound, and performance in mind we do not have many options. My goal is a mix between subtle growl (think AMG) and maybe 10rwhp if I am lucky:

Option 1: $800-$1900 Online catback, bad bang for buck performance, strong sound reminiscent of a 4.6 mustang which is not what I want. see Mina or Eurotoys

Option 2: Custom mufflers - 2X $150 mufflers, replacing the stockers for $450-$500 total. Bad bang for buck performance, strong sound, cheaper than option 1. Add $200-$250 plus for the x pipe.

Or, do what I am trying to do, which is remove the most restrictive part of our exhaust system, the cats, for performance over sound, and removing the stock center res in place of a straight through x pipe. All for around $500, or $400 less if I can sell the cats which are *always* in high demand for the palladium.

After looking at the center res again, its my assumption that removing it and replacing it with the magnaflow x pipe is doing to increase the performance ever so slightly and refine the sound while making it slight louder. As soon as mine is sawed off I will take pictures so we can all see whats inside of it. It appears to be a quasi third muffler with baffling or sound deadening in it. The x pipe I have is a simple piece of metal so I am rather sure its going to up the sound ever so slightly.

I plan on owning this car for awhile if it doesnt kill my wallet for repairs, so an extra $150 for an x pipe plus install is not bad if its not 100% effective. I have unfortunately wasted my money on worse things in life. my ECD is 1-3 weeks, I will keep everyone updated. Thanks for listening.

 

After all of this talk about sweet sounding exhausts, I couldn't help but decide to take the first step myself. I recently removed just the rear boxes to see how the exhaust sounded with just the resonator. My god is that intoxicating and I am now hooked into purchasing a more permanent solution.

Looking around online and this forum, I decided to stick with stock 2.25" piping running a dual in/out center muffler to straight pipe out the rear. More specifically, I am thinking of replacing the center resonator with the Borla Turbo XL muffler, LINK, and the two boxes at the rear with with these tips LINK. I realize that the tips are more spendy than the comparable Magnaflow, but these ones retain the 2.25" inlet - important for retaining torque from what I've read.

I've got enough Amazon.com reward points to pay for half the cost, so I am not too concerned with that aspect. I haven't gotten the courage to change out the cats yet, but maybe in another 20k miles when I break 100k on the odometer.

I have before videos with the OEM boxes on, and with the boxes off. I will definitely take a video once I pull the trigger, order a set and have it installed.

 

Wow, very creative thinking! That is going to be loud, which is what it sounds like you are going for. I think the other plus is the simplicity of the install and the weight savings - I look forward to all your videos.

 

Nice ideas for exhaust configurations. Mods, including a free-flowing 2.5" exhaust, has only increased the hp and trq. of my 03 STR. Compared to stock, she'll easily walk the old STR she once was. Though I hope to track test her...feels like a 4.7 sec. 0-60 with a 12.7 1/4. Pop on a K&N a/f., Mafioso air intake tube, low temp. thermo., hi-flow cats, 3 lb. pulley, port/polish the blower, and free up the exhaust (est. 475+ hp)....