anyone with y-pipe as only exhaust mod?

[sirmaxalot]

Just like the heading says - i want to know what just adding a y-pipe to a stock exhaust system sounds like. does it produce a deeper exhaust tone somewhat like an aftermarket muffler would? what does it sound like and how loud is it from inside of the car? how about how does it sound from the outside? i want my stock exhaust sound slightly more aggessive, but not how aftermarket exhausts sound. i want people who hear the car from the outside to think it is a stock setup that sounds aggressive from the factory (if that makes sense), that's why i don't want to mod the muffler. Thanks!

[BP2K2Max]

lots of people do that. i plan on it myself. i'm goint to get a y pipe and mid pipe for my exhaust while leaving the stock muffler. i've heard that the addition of the y pipe won't be too much of a noise increase. inside the car is said to be slightly louder cuz the driver sits over the y pipe.

[THT]

You'll hear a couple of things at WOT. First, a whooshing sound after 3,500RPMs; that's due to the removal of the precats. Second, your overall tone will get higher in pitch but not horribly. Third, depending on the brand of y-pipe you get, you MAY get a bees-in-a-can sound. All this, you will hear in the cabin. I wish I could tell you how it sounds from the outside but I'm never outside my car when it's moving

~THT

[BP2K2Max]

^ that's one clean lookin max.

My only experience witha y pipe was after i already had a full cat-back without a resonator so the noise was pretty horrendous. you can help stop the "bees in a can" sound with a little heat wrap over the flex section of the pipe.

[THT]

Thanks!

The only caution I have about wrapping your flex section with exhaust wrap is that it will accelerate the rate at which it rusts.

~THT

[JMAX829]

Actually when i first had my y-pipe before my exhaust, it wasn't loud at all and it give a deeper throaty tone than stock. Mine was from Budget, it didnt have any bees in the can sound, its cheapest ss mandrel bent y pipe you can get right now on the market (excluding any gd)

[BP2K2Max]

Originally Posted by JMAX829

Actually when i first had my y-pipe before my exhaust, it wasn't loud at all and it give a deeper throaty tone than stock. Mine was from Budget, it didnt have any bees in the can sound, its cheapest ss mandrel bent y pipe you can get right now on the market (excluding any gd)

even with a group deal it's hard to beat budgets prices. mine was a budget. $181 shipped is a hell of a price for a quality y pipe.

[sirmaxalot]

Thanks for the replies, they were very helpful. One more question, is there any vibration or sound of vibration from the y-pipe since it sits right below the driver's seat? I don't want to take away the smooth sound and feeling that the max's engine is known for. Thanks again.

[THT]

There will be slight vibration through the accelerator but you'll only notice it if you're a VQ fanatic that's obsessed with it's smoothness

~THT

[BP2K2Max]

just some advice. if you take it to a shop to have it put on, i'd go to nissan and get a new harware set for the bolts for it. the bolts that are on there now are probably rusted to hell and hard to break free. just give them the new hardware kit from nissan and tell them to cut your old bolts off. i got charged an extra hour labor just for the removal of the bolts when the guy could have cut all six in 5 minutes. the new hardware may cost $20-$30 but it'll save you ~$70 in labor.

[THT]

But do it yourself. If you don't have the tools, go out and spend the $40 to get them; they'll last longer than you will. If you don't have the time, set aside two hours (plenty of time for this mod) on a Saturday. The only way you learn about a car is to actually get under (or in the engine bay) and get your hands dirty. If you think it's too hard, I've got a story for you. I had only done oil changes on my Max before I did the Y-pipe installation and I did it just fine. Trust me, follow directions of existing How To's and you'll be fine.

~THT