question on exhaust matching

[evolegacy]

OK, i know i talk and talk and talk about my exhaust, but its my current project for my car and this is the LAST thing i am going to ask.

I know that the OBX 2.5rs headers WILL mate with the EJ25D motor in my 98 2.5GT, my question is will the Apexi N1 Exhaust system for the 2.5RS be long enough and fit properly under my chassis w/o mods or with minor mods to the plumbing?

With the broken header issue, and everyone telling me that it is common for the borla headers to break the way mine did, I went with Reason's idea of going to the OBX headers since they not only increase power but still have the boxer rumble, I didn't order them yet due to insufficient funds, and the fact that my custom exhaust will not fit properly with this setup. hence the question about Apexi's system

Like I said, last question about this and then I am done with the exhaust project.

[decke48]

no the rs exhause wont fit (because of the shorter mid pipe) you can have an exhaust shop fab you up a extender piece

[evolegacy]

no the rs exhause wont fit (because of the shorter mid pipe) you can have an exhaust shop fab you up a extender piece

:smt012 ......what do you think is the best choice for a mid-pipe? and do you know where i can find an axle-back N1? i really wanna stay away from getting custom again because the shops around here kinda suck, quality wise (been back at the shop numorous times for rewelding leaks).

[Reason]

Also the hangers are wrong and the pipe is bent slightly different. But a Universal N1 muffler and have a GOOD exhaust shop do the work.

[evolegacy]

bah, im on the edge of saying fuck it and going to stromung's cat-back.... :smt011

my old man said he's pal's wth a shop near his place, talked to me about going there to get the headers welded, and also said he does custom jobs as well, so i might talk to him about getting a quote for a cat-back 2.25 setup w/N1, going to keep the magnaflow cat if its still good.

hmm, maybe he can get taht bolt out for me as well, lol.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

obx's still have a boxer rumble?? I though they were Equal length?


oh and couldn't you use a stromung midpipe and then a 2.5RS axle back to save money off the $400+ stromung axle back? The difference in length is only in the midpipe if I remember correctly.

[evolegacy]

thats what i thought but i am still researching that. If its an O.K fit then im gonna find an N1 Axle-back, hell of a lot cheaper than the stromung but still nice sound.

as for the rumble, ask reason about it since he told me that it still has it and yes, they are EL.

[Reason]

as for the rumble, ask reason about it since he told me that it still has it and yes, they are EL.

Nah you will loose the boxer rumble with EL headers. They are said to gain more power with them. Maybe if you have more aggressive cams you will get it back but I don't know.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

thats what I though I'm guna go with borla knock-offs a magnaflow highflow cat and a STi axle-back

[Reason]

If I were you I would listen to more sound clips of those STi axle backs on a NA subie, I think they sound like shit, too raspy. Too many people on here tried it and went with something different. But then theres that 2-3 people here that like the rasp....

[rougeben83]

They are said to gain more power with them.

It's not hearsay, it's a fact:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/03/3253935407_7a50966109_opng-2.jpg

More info:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthr ... ?t=1698802 (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1698802)

[evolegacy]

well im sold, im buying me a set of OBX's when i can. got to find a machine shop that can take that broken stud out or i might just bore the hole out larger and tap/die it to a larger stud. shouldnt cause issues as long as the studs are not bigger than the header mount holes right?

[Reason]

Awesome, I always here people say this or say that. I don't believe anyone on the net till I see graphs or done it myself. That link is helpful, thanks :smt023

[Reason]

well im sold, im buying me a set of OBX's when i can. got to find a machine shop that can take that broken stud out or i might just bore the hole out larger and tap/die it to a larger stud. shouldnt cause issues as long as the studs are not bigger than the header mount holes right?


I know someone who can do it, if you don't mind driving to RI to get it done. I just dropped a set of heads off to get cleaned.

[rougeben83]

Awesome, I always here people say this or say that. I don't believe anyone on the net till I see graphs or done it myself. That link is helpful, thanks :smt023

yeah, there's a couple of dyno graphs done in the past, like 4-5 years ago, so it's a bit of a pain to dig them up. At least someone redid the comparison with a little more in depth analysis now...

[evolegacy]

I know someone who can do it, if you don't mind driving to RI to get it done. I just dropped a set of heads off to get cleaned.

PM sent

[BlackBK]

I really have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to lose the boxer rumble by going with ELs. I just installed my UEL knockoffs this past weekend and I almost wanted to blow a load when I first started her up! The rumble sounds like nothing else I have ever heard on the road...besides another subie that is. That is just my take on the subject...

Check out my video in the sound clips thread.

[Reason]

I really have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to lose the boxer rumble by going with ELs. I just installed my UEL knockoffs this past weekend and I almost wanted to blow a load when I first started her up! The rumble sounds like nothing else I have ever heard on the road...besides another subie that is. That is just my take on the subject...

Check out my video in the sound clips thread.

Some people prefer power over sound and or looks.

[rougeben83]

I really have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to lose the boxer rumble by going with ELs. I just installed my UEL knockoffs this past weekend and I almost wanted to blow a load when I first started her up! The rumble sounds like nothing else I have ever heard on the road...besides another subie that is. That is just my take on the subject...

Check out my video in the sound clips thread.

How a car sounds is subjective. I honestly can't stand some of the extremely flatulent sounding exhausts that people try to pass off as "boxer rumble", but that's just me.

My best advice to someone that comments about the "boxer rumble" (which is really just because of inefficient manifold design and not because of the boxer engine configuration itself to begin with) and EL headers is to drive a car with EL headers. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll forget the farting with the extra 10 or so hp youre gaining EVERYWHERE in the powerband.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

If I were you I would listen to more sound clips of those STi axle backs on a NA subie, I think they sound like shit, too raspy. Too many people on here tried it and went with something different. But then theres that 2-3 people here that like the rasp....

well I dont really know what elce to go with the wrx cat-back Isn't any bigger than stock piping and the n1 nockoffs and OBX cat-backs for the 2.5RS on ebay are twice as much as i got my STi cat-back for and I have no clue what they sound like and I'm not paying for stromgung that alot of people have said is raspy too. if its that bad il get a resinator put in or a different axle back

[impreza_GC8]

I love the UEL vs EL debate on N/A cars. Really guys, you will never feel the difference and I'd rather have a great sounding car that I can be proud of and enjoy than be able to brag about a few horsepower and still be slower than most cars on the road.

If I were you I would listen to more sound clips of those STi axle backs on a NA subie, I think they sound like shit, too raspy. Too many people on here tried it and went with something different. But then theres that 2-3 people here that like the rasp....
I love mine. Borla header, OEM cats, de-resonatored STI midpipe, STI axleback. It is beautiful yet understated. Very rumbly at lower rpms, quiet when off the throttle, has a great tone under acceleration.
In contrast, my friend's 07 2.5i with Borla header, high flow cat and STI exhaust sounded like crap. I think the difference is in the cats.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

I love the UEL vs EL debate on N/A cars. Really guys, you will never feel the difference and I'd rather have a great sounding car that I can be proud of and enjoy than be able to brag about a few horsepower and still be slower than most cars on the road.

some people like the sound of hondas

[Reason]

Your car is also boosted, I'm talking on N/A cars for whatever reason it sounds like junk.

[impreza_GC8]

Your car is also boosted, I'm talking on N/A cars for whatever reason it sounds like junk.
My N/A RS is the one with the Borla header and STI exhaust. My boosted wagon has a 3" catless DP to a resonatorless EJ22T exhaust. It sounds odd in my opinion but I don't want to buy a nice 3" catback for it. I prefer the sound of my N/A RS actually, it has more boxer grumble down low.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

Your car is also boosted, I'm talking on N/A cars for whatever reason it sounds like junk.
My N/A RS is the one with the Borla header and STI exhaust. My boosted wagon has a 3" catless DP to a resonatorless EJ22T exhaust. It sounds odd in my opinion but I don't want to buy a nice 3" catback for it. I prefer the sound of my N/A RS actually, it has more boxer grumble down low.

Does your RS have the stock cats? and it has a resonatorless midpipe, wouldn't removing the resenator make it even more raspy?

(is the resonator the thing with the heat shields on it that looks more like a cat on the sti midpipe?)

[sexystover]

Your car is also boosted, I'm talking on N/A cars for whatever reason it sounds like junk.
My N/A RS is the one with the Borla header and STI exhaust. My boosted wagon has a 3" catless DP to a resonatorless EJ22T exhaust. It sounds odd in my opinion but I don't want to buy a nice 3" catback for it. I prefer the sound of my N/A RS actually, it has more boxer grumble down low.

Does your RS have the stock cats? and it has a resonatorless midpipe, wouldn't removing the resenator make it even more raspy?

(is the resonator the thing with the heat shields on it that looks more like a cat on the sti midpipe?)


yes thats the resontor and yes in theory it would make it louder and give it more rasp but what he is ppointing out is its only raspy with high flow cats

[rougeben83]

Your car is also boosted, I'm talking on N/A cars for whatever reason it sounds like junk.
My N/A RS is the one with the Borla header and STI exhaust. My boosted wagon has a 3" catless DP to a resonatorless EJ22T exhaust. It sounds odd in my opinion but I don't want to buy a nice 3" catback for it. I prefer the sound of my N/A RS actually, it has more boxer grumble down low.

Does your RS have the stock cats? and it has a resonatorless midpipe, wouldn't removing the resenator make it even more raspy?

(is the resonator the thing with the heat shields on it that looks more like a cat on the sti midpipe?)


yes thats the resontor and yes in theory it would make it louder and give it more rasp but what he is ppointing out is its only raspy with high flow cats

you cant compare exhaust sounds between turbo and n/a cars even with the same engine configuration, really. It's like comparing apples and oranges. The turbo not only reduces the overall volume of the exhaust, but quells the uneven exhaust pulses that UEL manifolds (OEM/Borlas) create as well. It's the reason why I'm running a resonator-less, hi-cat DP exhaust on my swap, but its significantly quieter than the EL header/nearly 2 foot long resonator to the same STi muffler when I was n/a.

[Reason]

Your car is also boosted, I'm talking on N/A cars for whatever reason it sounds like junk.
My N/A RS is the one with the Borla header and STI exhaust. My boosted wagon has a 3" catless DP to a resonatorless EJ22T exhaust. It sounds odd in my opinion but I don't want to buy a nice 3" catback for it. I prefer the sound of my N/A RS actually, it has more boxer grumble down low.

Does your RS have the stock cats? and it has a resonatorless midpipe, wouldn't removing the resenator make it even more raspy?

(is the resonator the thing with the heat shields on it that looks more like a cat on the sti midpipe?)


yes thats the resontor and yes in theory it would make it louder and give it more rasp but what he is ppointing out is its only raspy with high flow cats

you cant compare exhaust sounds between turbo and n/a cars even with the same engine configuration, really. It's like comparing apples and oranges. The turbo not only reduces the overall volume of the exhaust, but quells the uneven exhaust pulses that UEL manifolds (OEM/Borlas) create as well. It's the reason why I'm running a resonator-less, hi-cat DP exhaust on my swap, but its significantly quieter than the EL header/nearly 2 foot long resonator to the same STi muffler when I was n/a.

And that's why those STi axle backs sound like crap on NA cars.

[impreza_GC8]

And that's why those STi axle backs sound like crap on NA cars.
Again, I disagree, I think mine sounds great. I believe the difference lies in the cats. Pending a sound clip I suppose we will just have to agree to disagree.

[rougeben83]

And that's why those STi axle backs sound like crap on NA cars.
Again, I disagree, I think mine sounds great. I believe the difference lies in the cats. Pending a sound clip I suppose we will just have to agree to disagree.

I liked my sti can when I was N/A too. Again, exhaust sounds are very subjective. Some guys can't stand the exhaust of ANY 4 banger, some hate the loppy-almost-choking-on-its-own-fumes idle of a cammed pushrod v8, etc etc.

[Huffer]

You're going to have agree to disagree. "quality of sound" is so subjective. Let's concentrate on the technical aspects of exhaust gas flow!

[chuckthefuk]

Best bang for you buck is this combo:

UEL knockoffs on ebay
Univesal 2.25" catalytic converter
exhaust shop custom made cat pipe (use the RandomTech design thats what I did)
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/03/randomcat-2.jpg
Any impreza cat-back exhaust will bolt up to your stock hangers except for the hanger by the axle-back
Cut the hanger and reweld it to the proper orientation.

NOTE: if you move your cat to the RandomTech position then your going to have to extend your o2 sensors. its a few wires that you extend. 5 mins of solder and shrink wrap.

-Chuck