Topic: Exhaust for my Kappa

[roxer]

I am in the hunt for an exhaust system. I have done a lot of reading on here and the BB.  Watched several youtube videos and listened to some clips.  The only one I can tell the difference in is the SOLO SR.  The others, including mixing in the Magnaflow, sound too similar.  I did see this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpNV8zjhAXg#t=13, but I don't  know if it is a shorty or not.

My car has the Solo HFC installed and that added a bit of sound.  I am looking for a deep throaty sound, not that loud obnoxious sound like I heard with the SOLO SR.  Can I get that with the Mach, or do I have to turn to the Magnaflow/Solo Mach Shorty?

[HotScott]

I love my Solo Mach Shorty with Hi Flow Cat, I think it sounds great and everyone else that has heard my car likes the sound.

[Jim]

I run the Mach with the Solo HF cat on mine and really like it. My wife drives the car as much as I do and when I put the Mach on, she didn't even realize it at idle or cruise but when I hit the pedal, she asked what I had done. Even she was impressed with the sound.

[Robotech]

I love the Magnaflow on my Sky but then again I am a bit partial to them. The Magnaflow, I feel, has a throatier growl to it than some of the other exhausts I've heard.

[DeepBlueGXP]

Problem with the Magnaflow is that the front of the exhaust tapers down to 2.5 inch diameter, where the Solo is straight 3 inch diameter.  If you get a Solo, tell them you have the high flow cat and they will send you an exhaust with the 02 bung welded in the right location.

[mjaybird65]

I have the HFC and Mach Shorty (Rear Center Duals) on my GXP.  With the top down this setup is a beast and sounds great.  With the top up, it's a bit much for long drives.  Reinstalled the stock cat now for the cold weather months.  I think the Mach would have been a better setup for me, but the decision to go with the RCD is where I'm at.  I may talk to SOLO to ask about adding resonators to tone it down a bit with the HFC.

[Sting Ya]

Original set up was a Solo header ,Werks high flow cat, and Magnaflow exhaust had a nice bark to it when you got on it but did not drone you out in everyday driving now with the Hann turbo set up I'm looking at some different options to work on this winter . Flowmaster makes an Outlaw Series  race muffler that I'm going to try mocking up , the dimensions are close to what I have now and from what I have read a non restrictive or open  exhaust system is a plus on a turbo car . I need to have some type of muffler in the area that I live so if someone decides to look under the car there will be some type of muffler in place .

[Rogue]

We have two Sol GXP's. Mine is a coupe with the HFC and Solo Mach Shorty, stock outlet location. The Mrs has a roadster with a HFC and Magnaflow with a 3" inlet fitted in place of the 2.5" from the factory. The sound of the two is a bit different. The Magnaflow is a bit mellower, not quite as loud. The Solo has more bark, but not to the point of being obnoxious. Neither system exhibits unpleasant drone with the top in (coupe) or top up (roadster). The Rear Center Duals seems to be the system with the most reported drone.

[roxer]

Super thanks for the great observations and recommendations.  Rogue's comments make it a little harder and I like the mention of "mellower" sound.  But then the SOLO is a shorty and not the standard Mach.  With DDMWork's Halloween discount, I decided to do the Mach hoping it would mimic the Magnaflow.  Here's crossing fingers.

[jlettiere]

Recently install a Solo Mach Cat Back on my Redline. I don't think that you will be disappointed

[NuCKnFuTz]

http://youtu.be/8DN33pI9PBg

Quick video of my mach shorty with the solo high flow cat

[boboborino]

We have two Sol GXP's. Mine is a coupe with the HFC and Solo Mach Shorty, stock outlet location. The Mrs has a roadster with a HFC and Magnaflow with a 3" inlet fitted in place of the 2.5" from the factory. The sound of the two is a bit different. The Magnaflow is a bit mellower, not quite as loud. The Solo has more bark, but not to the point of being obnoxious. Neither system exhibits unpleasant drone with the top in (coupe) or top up (roadster). The Rear Center Duals seems to be the system with the most reported drone.

Reassuring! I have what my wife calls Compulsive Comparative Shopping Disorder When shopping for our exhaust I was not sure between the magnaflow and the solo.Not just Sound but aesthetics and price were equally important. Price went out the window hence the solo RCD on our vert. I'll never regret. Rogue you are the first "first hand"review I have come across that compares the two (solo and magnaflow) and I say thanks, even if it's a little late for me hopefully it will help future members with CCSD



Bert

[roxer]

Problem with the Magnaflow is that the front of the exhaust tapers down to 2.5 inch diameter, where the Solo is straight 3 inch diameter.  If you get a Solo, tell them you have the high flow cat and they will send you an exhaust with the 02 bung welded in the right location.

Bought the SOLO Mach from DDM using the holiday code. I sent an email letting them know I had the HFC after I saw your post.  Must have gotten it too late because unfortunately, I got the one with out the moved bung. Now got to send it back to SOLO on my dime to get the right one. O2 sensor hits the frame rail. Sucks. That's not mentioned on DDM's web site. Be nice if it was a selection if you have the HFC so I didn't have to deal with this.

[Gentleman Jack]

That would be a great note to send to Dave.

[roxer]

That would be a great note to send to Dave.

I did.  Bet it's a week or two before I get a reply. Now I have to decide if I want to put my old exhaust back on just so I can drive the car.

BTW, should I get this welded together when I get the right pieces on?

[Jim]

That does suck.... I ordered mine directly from Solo and never knew that they welded the O2 bung in a different location for use with their HF cat but they did ask which mods I had on the car so obviously they knew what to send me.

I wouldn't worry about welding once you have it all installed. I check mine every few months and haven't had an issue with the clamp setup at all.

If it were mine, I would buy a bung and take it to a muffler shop and have them weld it where it needs to go and just plug the other one. Beats having to ship one of those big boxes back and shouldn't cost more than $20.

[Sting Ya]

Dave is really good about getting back to you especially if you have a problem I have talked to him personally on more them one occasion with some issues and he always returns my emails usually with in a day or two unless he is at a show somewhere the Sema show in Vegas  ended yesterday he may have been attending .I think I would take Jim's advice and run over to a muffler shop and have a bung welded on .

[roxer]

If it were mine, I would buy a bung and take it to a muffler shop and have them weld it where it needs to go and just plug the other one. Beats having to ship one of those big boxes back and shouldn't cost more than $20.

So do you know exactly where it's supposed to be installed?  There is no documentation about that on Solos or DDMs site. Where would be the best place to snag a bung that works?  Parts store?

[roxer]

Just called three places and they are all around $55 for the bung welded.  So not getting done today without knowing where to put it.  There goes my discount. 

[DeepBlueGXP]

$55 is crazy, takes about 5 minutes to weld.  do you know anyone with a mig welder?
 New bung is supposed to be welded 2.5 inches aft and 1 inch down to the right side
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[roxer]

$55 is crazy, takes about 5 minutes to weld.  do you know anyone with a mig welder?
 New bung is supposed to be welded 2.5 inches aft and 1 inch down to the right side
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the measurements. It's Saturday and the only places open are muffler shops. It's what I am stuck with.  I talked to Rich at Solo and he gave me the same instructions, but he said I should take the car to them instead of the front pipe. Most likely I will take it off and take it to them. Easier for me that way.

[roxer]

Got it done after taking to to three shops. The other two didn't want to touch it becuase it involved modifying the exhaust and was "illegal". So the last shop did it with a phone call to Rich at Solo.  Cost me too much, that's for sure. So I came home to finish installing my charge pipes just to find out two of the t-bolt clamps I bought with them from DDM were too small.  This weekend sucks.  Off to Napa tomorrow. Time to cool mods for a while...

Mach sounds smooth. Really like it. Thanks for the input from all. 

[DeepBlueGXP]

Hope you also got the extender that goes between the O2 sensor and the bung.

[roxer]

Hope you also got the extender that goes between the O2 sensor and the bung.

Extender came with the SOLO Cat.  Front plug and bung too.  Glad I had the plug and bung because the last shop didn't. Rich was great helping me out. On another note, with the Z0K suspension, that 3" exhaust doesn't have much ground clearance. Already scraped it once.

[mjaybird65]

The shop should have been able to adjust it enough so that it tucks up in the tunnel as nicely as the stock exhaust.  I have Eibach springs (1.5" drop) and have never had a clearance issue with my SOLO exhaust.