low end torque loss w/ catback
06-01-2003, 01:06 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
low end torque loss w/ catback
First mod I made was a 3 inch HKS carbo TI CAT-BACK. The sound was great, but the car lost a lot of low end torque. I just sold it and put my stock exhaus back on, and man the car is much faster. Spools up quicker, pulls harder than with the HKS. I was reading the turbo mag exhaust shootout on the toilet for the 564th time, and notice that their power numbers were all up in the 198-200+ range. This shootout was suppsed to be with a stock car. Most of our cars who are stock only may around 165+ hp stock at the wheels. Some even less. My point is take 165, add it to 14, ( the rounded off highest performing exhast) and you have a whopping 181 horsepower. Nowhere near 200. Did anyone else notice this or am I just being an idiot?(could be the case). I am looking for mods tht increase low end torque! Does anyone know of anything to help increase low end torque? PS. driving around town required more throttle pressure from a dead stop with the aftermarket exhaust. I am not bashing HKS at all, I have been using their products for years on other cars with great results. Is 3 inches just too big for a stock wrx? has anyone else noticed this phenomenon with any other aftermarket exhausts on a stock car?
06-01-2003, 01:32 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Diego
Posts: 1,780
Car Info: Boosted Geo Prizm
You should have reset your ECU so that it would learn the exhaust changes. I went from a hi-flow cat to a catless setup and full boost went from 3k to 4.5k. In a couple days the computer learned the new setup and went to under 3kRPM to get full spoolup.
06-02-2003, 09:33 AM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
One possibility is that I believe Turbo mag was using some sort of engine tuning device. This makes a whole world of difference. I have learned that with the WRX you can't just bolt up a bunch of parts without tuning the car. If you don't the car won't always adjust to the new parts and you won't get the most power possible from them. Vishnu Racing recorded gains of almost 30 hp (probably at the crank) just by remapping the ecu on a stock WRX. Also I have heard that backpressure helps improve low end torque while flow helps improve top end power. So the stock exhaust pipe may actually be better for torque.
BTW. . . an Up-pipe may help the low end power by helping the turbo spool faster (max boost about 500 rpm sooner).
BTW. . . an Up-pipe may help the low end power by helping the turbo spool faster (max boost about 500 rpm sooner).
06-03-2003, 05:16 PM
#12
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Posts: 306
Car Info: 03 Sonic Yellow WRX Sedan
just get a HKS downpipe... fit & finish is great, bolts up perfectly to stock exhaust. (make sure to remove the factory donut gasket and use the supplied gasket, nuts and bolts)
i am a happy customer and everyone i have sold one to have been quite happy as well. its also very well priced... you can get it for about $185 shipped from most online shops. www.gruppe-s.com for one has it for that price and you get an O2 sensor CEL eliminator.
i am a happy customer and everyone i have sold one to have been quite happy as well. its also very well priced... you can get it for about $185 shipped from most online shops. www.gruppe-s.com for one has it for that price and you get an O2 sensor CEL eliminator.
06-04-2003, 10:28 AM
#14
2006 Mt Hammy Car Show Winner
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA
Posts: 2,730
Car Info: Black 03 WRX, White 04 E46 M3
all uppipes are the same. Go with a gruppe-s one it does the job and is only $139. Also stop asking whats the best, use a search and see waht people say.
