De-Cat Pipes - What Would You Recommend

[S5TVR]

Can anyone recommend a set of de-cat pipes for a T350. I've come across the set from TVRcarParts.com and from PDQ, but can anyone recommend anyone elses pipes. Also, does anyone have any experince of the tvrcarparts.com or PDQ pipes ?.

[Spoonman]

I've got the TVRcarparts decats. They took a long time to arrive, but seem fairly well made.

[S5TVR]

Spoonman said:

I've got the TVRcarparts decats. They took a long time to arrive, but seem fairly well made.

Are they stainless steel ?

[Spoonman]

Uh, I think so. Although I can't remember how to check these things...

[hollowpockets]

iv also got the tvrcarparts items, yes they are stainless steel but i dont know what grade, anyhoo - the noise is insane, the car can be heard over 2 miles from my house.

[Daftlad]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Page 2 onwards. NTel has some interesting things to say about decats on here.

[earlyriser]

Oh god! I can feel another round of voluntary expense coming on

[tail slide]

Daftlad said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Page 2 onwards. NTel has some interesting things to say about decats on here.

After careful research wanting the optimum on the 4.5, I've gone for a set of PDQ's. Not cheapest because it's stainless and a very long cone for optimum performance, proven after numerous alternatives were tested on TVR's own dyno by TVR exhaust designer John Quick.

Pic here;

http://www.pdqdevelopments.co.uk/ExhaustSuspension...

Edited by tail slide on Thursday 13th December 18:50

[NTEL]

S5TVR said:

Spoonman said:

I've got the TVRcarparts decats. They took a long time to arrive, but seem fairly well made.

Are they stainless steel ?

They are not all stainless steel. The manifold mating flanges are mild steel. (oh, and no, I don't make theirs)

[Fly Boy]

I can reccommend a set of "Ntel's" de-cat pipes.
Stainless steel, awesome sound(I hate these American words)& they are a VERY REASONABLE PRICE...

FB
ps The welding is top notch too- I should know, I inspect welds for a living....

[Daftlad]

tail slide said:

Daftlad said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Page 2 onwards. NTel has some interesting things to say about decats on here.

After careful research wanting the optimum on the 4.5, I've gone for a set of PDQ's. Not cheapest because it's stainless and a very long cone for optimum performance, proven after numerous alternatives were tested on TVR's own dyno by TVR exhaust designer John Quick.

Pic here;

http://www.pdqdevelopments.co.uk/ExhaustSuspension...

Edited by tail slide on Thursday 13th December 18:50

Paul,
How will you manage with the increased noise level?

[tail slide]

Daftlad said:

Paul,
How will you manage with the increased noise level?

By keeping standard rear silencer - ran it last year with your de-cats(thanks!) which kept it around 100db.
The cats are just slightly restrictive but silencer design is fine, it seems.

Top end felt freer and, only with full throttle, suitably sporty with pops n' bangs but not deafening. Would be similar on a Sag I imagine.

Edited by tail slide on Friday 14th December 08:16

[Daftlad]

tail slide said:

Daftlad said:

Paul,
How will you manage with the increased noise level?

By keeping standard rear silencer - ran it last year with your de-cats(thanks!) which kept it around 100db.

Top end felt freer and, only with full throttle, suitably sporty with pops n' bangs but not deafening. Would be similar on a Sag I imagine.

The Lout is just having a 12K service, chassis polished, a clutch, engine mounts, new pads and fluid. Then home to sit in warm garage and be largely un-used for 18 months. Won't be spending any money on de-cats till it's ready for use again (after I've got this silly racing thing out of the system).

[tail slide]

'Silly racing thing' likely to stay and take over!

Esp when it all goes well

[Daftlad]

tail slide said:

'Silly racing thing' likely to stay and take over!

Esp when it all goes well

If I enjoy it and still have some money left at the end, I can probably state that all went well. Sucess can be measured in more ways than one....

[tail slide]

Daftlad said:

tail slide said:

'Silly racing thing' likely to stay and take over!

Esp when it all goes well

If I enjoy it and still have some money left at the end, I can probably state that all went well. Sucess can be measured in more ways than one....

so, you'll go back for more! Oops, veering off-topic I suppose.

[Spoonman]

Got the standard rear silencer on mine too, by the way. Heard too many rumours about aftermarket boxes having a negative effect on performance.

Would it be worth upgrading the entire system to larger bore pipes, though?

[S5TVR]

Spoonman said:

Got the standard rear silencer on mine too, by the way. Heard too many rumours about aftermarket boxes having a negative effect on performance.
Would it be worth upgrading the entire system to larger bore pipes, though?

My experience is that the T350 set up is very sensitive to air flow. It is well known that the original back box from the factory is restrictive and robs some horsepower, which is why people go for after-market systems. I have now gone a stage further and have removed my JP back box and have had a straight-through free flowing custom system made up incorporating larger cherry bomb silencers. 2 things I have noticed already:
1. I will need to get the engine mapping tweaked as there are some minor flat spots,
2. The engine feels like it is developing more torque at lower revs and I'm convinced that it is noticeably quicker up to 3k revs (I haven't had much of a chance to go higher due to recent weather).

I will be going back to Austec to get the mapping tweaked and it will be interesting to see the effect the new system has on power and torque.

I would imagine that rumours of negative effects are because to get the best out of a new back box, you'll probably need the engine to be re-mapped.

[Hilti]

Does the standard system on a T350 rob power. I was told that the factory had tested all the aftermarket exhaust systems and the standard was the best for power?

J

[S5TVR]

Hilti said:

Does the standard system on a T350 rob power. I was told that the factory had tested all the aftermarket exhaust systems and the standard was the best for power?
J

I have no first hand proof that the standard system does rob power, but I thought it was generally accepted that it did, which is why many people have opted for an after-market system.