Tiny 2" mid pipes??

[drhill]

Hello Gentlemen,


Just recently purchased a Vortech supercharged Marauder (looks to be an early Reinhart kit with aftercooler) and I noticed no exhaust work has been done other than welded in flowmasters. The car has a 3000 stall and 4.10 gears and I'm about to get the tune touched up and the car dynoed.


I see the tiny 2" pipes coming from the 2nd pair of converters running to an h pipe and then to the mufflers. Any idea on how much HP gain would be had by upgrading this pipe to 2.25" or maybe 2.5"?

I searched the forums but most guys seem to be doing the entire exhaust which I cant do (and will never do 'cause it's the wife's daily - she likes power but not noise)

Thanks!

[RacerX]

I would do LT headers and the rest of the exhaust. Probably good for at least 30rwhp. Nice car! Pics?

[drhill]

Thanks - I wish I could get the 30+rwhp but can't do headers and cats etc...smog in California and it's the wife's car...she doesn't like headers. The cost or the noise/headaches.

The car was a good deal, friend needed the money but it needs some cosmetic work and had all the usual LCM, EATC, blend door stuff. Pics would not be impressive Except most of the engine is powdercoated!

[1stMerc]

Pm babbage and see how he likes his setup. I believe he has a Magnaflow dual in and out as a mid section into the mufflers. Might be to your wifes liking noise and power wise.

[fastblackmerc]

I went with Mustang shorty headers, custom down pipes, two hi-flow cats, custom X pipe, polished SS Magnaflows and factory tips. All the pipes were 2.5", mandrel bent, SS.

[JOEMERC]

I know and dealer brochure claims 2 1/4 exhaust ,only part of our exhaust that size is the tailpipes .

[Chayton]

your wife daily drives a supercharged marauder? that is awesome!!

[drhill]

yep - the wife LOVES the Marauder. She likes a touchy gas pedal so the 4.10's are in her wheelhouse. Our kids love it too...when I get situated on this site I'll put up a vid of them rocking out in the back seat...they're little, 1.5 and 3.5 yrs.

My point with this was to maximize HP gain for least $ spent...from my experience that means eliminate the weakest link which clearly looks to be the section of 2" pipes (and those facotry mufflers which are already gone) I assume the next restriction would be the 4 cat h pipe but at that point I'm spending lots of money instead of a hundred or two for two sections of pipe and an H or X. I'll probably try it anyways but I really wish the dyno guy was closer so I could do a before and after...on my setup I would venture to say at leat 10 rwhp to go from 2 to 2.25 mid pipes...

[lilmarauder]

I believe the actual inside diameter on the h pipe section is 1 7/8.

[babbage]

on my setup I would venture to say at leat 10 rwhp to go from 2 to 2.25 mid pipes...

If you get 2.25" crush bend it equals 2"
If you get 2.5" crush bend it equals 2.25"

Mandrel bends are the best- if you can find a shop. Mid pipes are bottleneck for sure. Over the axle pipes are 2.25" from factory. 1 7/8" in the middle is smallest part.

[JOEMERC]

And right before pipe enters muffler looks like its down to 1 7/8 or even a little smaller than that .Would have been nice if they could have put some type of shorty headers like they had on Fox body mustang's, on our cars instead of those restrictive logs they call manifolds on these motors.

[drhill]

Unexpectedly had some free time today, dropped by the trusty local muffler shop, for not much more than a c note got 2.5" pipes from back of cats to my flowmasters....which were 3" in and out for some reason. You're right, with the crush bends it's probably down to 2.25 in areas...but even the muffler guy had a hard time believing this thing had those tiny 2" or less pipes...I'll have it on the dyno in the next month or two to see how it does!

[Baaad GN]

Jessssssssss I have 3 inch which split into two three inch pipes, not to loud! Ah but I only have a v 6 so I guess that helps.

[Baaad GN]

Oh drhill the car I'm talking about is my wifes to!

[drhill]

Car definately has a deeper throatier sound with just the larger mid pipes...and a bit lounder all around. It did sound strange (very high pitched but quiet) with the stock pipes and flows though. I'd say it's a worthwhile mod for those on a tight budget.