Exhausting question
Discussion
Sorry, don't mean to hijack gateeast, but when TVR were still around and a customer asked for a sports exhaust to replace the standard one, what would it have been? Straight through pipes, cherry bombs or were both on offer?
I'd be tempted to change mine at some point too, but I don't want insanely loud, just a deeper and louder bass sound. There are plenty of clips on the net but many make the exhaust sound raspy which I'm not so keen on, although that could just be the recording?
I'd be tempted to change mine at some point too, but I don't want insanely loud, just a deeper and louder bass sound. There are plenty of clips on the net but many make the exhaust sound raspy which I'm not so keen on, although that could just be the recording?
When I bought my Griff, the box had been sleeved (I didn't know it at the time) but all the cats/pre-cats were intact. It was actually quite quiet......but then I removed the cats (which meant I had no silencing) and that was VERY loud and too harsh for me.
I now have no cats or pre-cats (ACT s/s headers) and a standard box and I think the volume is just right. It has a nice rumble at low revs and a great big roar and full chat.
So what I'm trying to say is that the cats do a lot of silencing. If you have the cats, you don't need much else. However, if you plan to or have removed the cats, be careful what you choose. Exhausts are not cheap and you don't want to be disappointed.
come to the Growl and check a few out first.
I now have no cats or pre-cats (ACT s/s headers) and a standard box and I think the volume is just right. It has a nice rumble at low revs and a great big roar and full chat.
So what I'm trying to say is that the cats do a lot of silencing. If you have the cats, you don't need much else. However, if you plan to or have removed the cats, be careful what you choose. Exhausts are not cheap and you don't want to be disappointed.
come to the Growl and check a few out first.
daveb500 said:
I now have no cats or pre-cats (ACT s/s headers) and a standard box and I think the volume is just right. It has a nice rumble at low revs and a great big roar and full chat.
That's kind of what I'm after and yes I should get myself down to the Growl, but sadly not this summer. 
As you say it's an expensive mistake if you're not happy with the result. I know the MOT issues with the cats out are probably on hundreds of past threads, but does this ever present a problem for a healthy engine? So many people seem to be de-catting these days that I'm guessing not?GJR said:
daveb500 said:
I now have no cats or pre-cats (ACT s/s headers) and a standard box and I think the volume is just right. It has a nice rumble at low revs and a great big roar and full chat.
That's kind of what I'm after and yes I should get myself down to the Growl, but sadly not this summer. As you say it's an expensive mistake if you're not happy with the result. I know the MOT issues with the cats out are probably on hundreds of past threads, but does this ever present a problem for a healthy engine? So many people seem to be de-catting these days that I'm guessing not?
). The ACT pipes have interchangable cats (at a price of course). I think the standard cat's might actually do more silencing than the main box does. Are you replacing the main system because it needs replacing? If you opt for a cherry bomb with full standard cats, it might not be enough. The next step then would be to remove the pre-cats. No MOT issues and that might provide the noise level you are looking for.
The advantage of the ACT headers with a standard exhaust is that it should provide a little extra BHP/ torque and it looks nice
It's very difficult to choose without hearing them and the recordings on youtube don't really help much because the sound tends to be distorted.
Where are you based? I'm sure there must be a selection of people with different exhausts in your area that would be more than happy to "make some noise" for you.
SORRY gateeast - just realised your thread has been a little hijacked
. Anyway, I guess the same applies to you too.Edited by daveb500 on Tuesday 13th July 10:32
GJR, Is yours a 500? If so I've had the silencer sleeved, i.e back box split open, Horse hair wadding removed, perforated pipe cut out and replaced with a straight through solid pipe. HOWEVER make sure that after the new pipe is welded in that the wadding is replaced. Reason being is that you can't weld all the way round the new pipe so gasses still escape into what would be an empty chamber, this is the rasping, tinny banging you can hear, replacing the wadding deadens this a bit and give a fatter rounder tone. Still v.loud, mines be measured at about 112db at 4k revs!
gateeast said:
Thanks all.
I have decided to go for the ACT Cherry bomb full exhaust (big thanks to Tim).
As its a pre-cat hoping for loud but not too loud - just enough to scare old people.
I've got this with ACT manifolds, quad exit and slightly bigger exit pipes and its very bassy and about 120db at tickover. Also had them 2" longer to try and reduce the crap build up at the back end which it has. Sounds like a fighter plane above 3k. Bought some single pipes which I haven't tried yet as I thought it may be too loud.I have decided to go for the ACT Cherry bomb full exhaust (big thanks to Tim).
As its a pre-cat hoping for loud but not too loud - just enough to scare old people.
Edited by gateeast on Tuesday 13th July 14:49
FFG
Edited by FlipFlopGriff on Wednesday 14th July 15:22
daveb500 said:
(bad luck if you're not going )
Indeed. ) I've lost count of the times that I was 'definately going to be at the Growl this year' and then not been able to. In answer to your earlier question I'm (or at least the car is) in the south west and it is a 500. It's been SORN'd for a while now but hope to get it back on the road before the winter, though not in time for the Growl. Because it has been off the road for a while there's bound to be other issues that need addressing first, but the exhaust is something I'm considering in the near future. As said though, you got to hear them for real before making a decision. I've been watching Quinny's and other's video clips, but I suppose video microphones were never designed for that kind of noise so you don't get a true representation.
GJR said:
daveb500 said:
(bad luck if you're not going )
Indeed. ) I've lost count of the times that I was 'definately going to be at the Growl this year' and then not been able to. In answer to your earlier question I'm (or at least the car is) in the south west and it is a 500. It's been SORN'd for a while now but hope to get it back on the road before the winter, though not in time for the Growl. Because it has been off the road for a while there's bound to be other issues that need addressing first, but the exhaust is something I'm considering in the near future. As said though, you got to hear them for real before making a decision. I've been watching Quinny's and other's video clips, but I suppose video microphones were never designed for that kind of noise so you don't get a true representation.
Edited by daveb500 on Thursday 15th July 16:21
Quinny said:
Mine's got no cats, & Clive's Y Piece mated to this JP sports exhaust
Its far to loud...
I let Ash drive it the other day, while I followed in his... He was half a mile in front and I could still hear the bellow over his exhaust
I was going to wait for the winter to get it sorted, but its so bloody offensive, I've managed to get it booked in, in August..
Not sure what we're going to do yet, but probably start of by increasing the size of the silencer..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUB9CUny0EQ
It's each to their own, but for me, I never changed the main exhaust knowing that I would change the manifolds and CAT's before that. These are the biggest silencers in the system. When you remove them, then you've gotta have the main exhaust correct to get a decent noise. It seems many people have continued to modify by doing the 'sports' exhaust first, then the de-catting and then realised it's a bit OTT as per Mr Quinn.Its far to loud...
I let Ash drive it the other day, while I followed in his... He was half a mile in front and I could still hear the bellow over his exhaust
I was going to wait for the winter to get it sorted, but its so bloody offensive, I've managed to get it booked in, in August..
Not sure what we're going to do yet, but probably start of by increasing the size of the silencer..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUB9CUny0EQ
I'm not saying mine makes the best noise, but I absolutely without a shadow of doubt will not change my standard main exhaust for a sports/cherry/strawberry/hacked about/one off special/ear bleeder/advertise my presence to the entire community every time I breathe at the throttle/agricultural tractor pulling contest sounding exhuast.
I like to do many miles in my car touring and when you're driving through the Alps, cruising on the motorway, pleasantly sliding through provence, the noise of some of the exhausts would not only P me off, but also everyone else . . I'm not saying many of the owners on here are exhibitionists, rather that I'm not at all and would prefer to be able to make progress without always flagging the fact I am to those who may contest this is a course of action by having an excessively loud exhaust . . you'll never fully get away with it in a TVR, but there's a limit I think.
Mines more than loud enough and has the right balance of bassy note and snarl under acceleration to keep me happy and not offend the rest of the world. I suggest that the best combination I hear is a de-catted manifold combined with a standard rear section, as you may have predicted I would as that's what I have
I do remember reaching the summit of Ventoux ahead of BB a couple of years ago and most people noticed my arrival . . . . you should have watched their faces as BB reached the summit!
Fully de-catted with Offords cherry bomb conversion, you couldn't sneak up on Thor gargling with acid ,ball bearings and nails in that thing. 
Mr MoJo said:
kamacasininja said:
how's about a set of these bad boys?
I'm presuming as you cant open it that you climb over the door to get in Dukes of Hazzard stylee That is of course if you havn't been playing with Photoshop again That's exactly my point Quinny, removing the CAT is always going to do this. Fair enough on 10yrs, what I'm flagging is that if you've got further mod's in the wings it's worth taking the learnings from those that I have been there and I don't mean I'm the mesiar of mod's, just there's been a few threads recently that have come to the same conclusion as you have. I drove mine for 6yrs with a completely std exhaust set up from head to tail(apart from pre-cats) which went after a couple. I wasn't remotely tempted to change the exhaust as I knew the first thing I'd change in the system would be the manifolds as the rear section offers little or nothing in performance gains, just volume. I've also taken the decision that changing the manifolds will only happen when they need it, not before as the money's better spent on tyresn suspension, brakes etc etc
Having had years of listening to many TVR's, Number 7's 400se (4.3BV really)sounds the best . . But as a single exit pipe I'll never replicate it with the Griffith.
My Dad's totally std 4.5 Chimaera still sounds really good as do the other standard systems I hear.
I'm sorely tempted sometimes to put the cat back in as the amount of additional crap that comes out the back without it makes for bloody hard work keeping it in A1 condition, but I won't.
I'm also still on the original manifolds (not bad as it went thru 80k miles coming back from the Classic), so we'll have to see what we do when they give up as I want to keep the capacity to put CAT's in if/when needed and gain performance. I'm sure for example that changing to Tim's performance manifolds it would quieten down again due to the difference in design once they had some miles on 'em and that's no bad thing in my ears.
Having had years of listening to many TVR's, Number 7's 400se (4.3BV really)sounds the best . . But as a single exit pipe I'll never replicate it with the Griffith.
My Dad's totally std 4.5 Chimaera still sounds really good as do the other standard systems I hear.
I'm sorely tempted sometimes to put the cat back in as the amount of additional crap that comes out the back without it makes for bloody hard work keeping it in A1 condition, but I won't.
I'm also still on the original manifolds (not bad as it went thru 80k miles coming back from the Classic), so we'll have to see what we do when they give up as I want to keep the capacity to put CAT's in if/when needed and gain performance. I'm sure for example that changing to Tim's performance manifolds it would quieten down again due to the difference in design once they had some miles on 'em and that's no bad thing in my ears.
Johno said:
I like to do many miles in my car touring and when you're driving through the Alps, cruising on the motorway, pleasantly sliding through provence, the noise of some of the exhausts would not only P me off, but also everyone else . . I'm not saying many of the owners on here are exhibitionists, rather that I'm not at all and would prefer to be able to make progress without always flagging the fact I am to those who may contest this is a course of action by having an excessively loud exhaust . . you'll never fully get away with it in a TVR, but there's a limit I think.
Mines more than loud enough and has the right balance of bassy note and snarl under acceleration to keep me happy and not offend the rest of the world. I suggest that the best combination I hear is a de-catted manifold combined with a standard rear section, as you may have predicted I would as that's what I have
Thank you, I share such thoughts where the Griff is concerned for similar reasons. But did you notice significant driveability and power gains just with the decat thing? Not interested in a dyno offering. Just simply a seat of the pants appraisal Johno.Mines more than loud enough and has the right balance of bassy note and snarl under acceleration to keep me happy and not offend the rest of the world. I suggest that the best combination I hear is a de-catted manifold combined with a standard rear section, as you may have predicted I would as that's what I have
Difficult to give the comparison as I only de-catted at the same time as changing to Emerald, re-looming the engine, changing fuel pressure, injectors, 72mm plenum and a couple of other bits.
The only comparison I can draw is when I put in the old Y piece to go for the MOT and then that's not long enough for a comparison and the ECU cycles changes to the set up to compensate.
Sorry. . It was a case that I saw little point in de-catting (at least the main one) until I could re-map the engine to suit and I was already having to run an MA chip after the re-build for a while until I decided on which ECU to go with.
I suppose the only comparison I could draw would be that the engine does feel better able to breathe higher up the rev range, but I can't comment on low rpm driveability as mines a different set up. I'm sure if like Quinny your CAT is knackered it'll feel much better.
The only comparison I can draw is when I put in the old Y piece to go for the MOT and then that's not long enough for a comparison and the ECU cycles changes to the set up to compensate.
Sorry. . It was a case that I saw little point in de-catting (at least the main one) until I could re-map the engine to suit and I was already having to run an MA chip after the re-build for a while until I decided on which ECU to go with.
I suppose the only comparison I could draw would be that the engine does feel better able to breathe higher up the rev range, but I can't comment on low rpm driveability as mines a different set up. I'm sure if like Quinny your CAT is knackered it'll feel much better.
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