Berk Vs F.I cat back system question?

dszombiex

I love my FI exhaust and HFC. The quality of materials and workmanship is superb. It has a very aggressive look. This appeals to me but others may want a more stock look.

As far as sound goes, well, I got FI because thats what sounded the best to me. It isn't going to necessarily sound the best to everyone. I'll tell you one thing though: I've been complimented on the street by guys driving camaros, mustangs, and other muscle cars about how good the exhaust sounds. They usually hate how imports sound. I get many compliments on the street. Tony just matched the exhaust to the personality of the car very well.

The exhaust does not produce any noticeable drone unless there is a significant amount of engine load (going uphill).

The Berk CBE is nice, but it doesn't appeal to me due to my personal taste. If someone else likes it thats great. I'm glad we have several options at our disposal.

Edit: Due to Coilovers and crazy low profile tires my clearance on the exhaust is 2 3/4 inches :O

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tommyguns

Tony keep one thing in mind here while you converse with the Berk guy's, there the same guys that are blaming UPS for the way there system fits. Saying that UPS bent hangers on all the systems that were shipped and that they bent the same hanger on the same side on every system, without damaging anything else, according to them it was the forks on the hilo that did it but yet it didn't touch or damage anything else. Add to that, a guy weighing over 200lbs couldn't bend it back, so it was hit just enough to bend a stiff bracket but nothing else. Then on page 3 they finally fess up and admit that it's Berks build and there taking care of the problem and they fit good now. I'm surprised they didn't blame UPS for shipping 2 left side pipes.
Do my berks cbe tips look uneven?
You have to read this, it's just too funny. Keep up the great work and by the way, my system has no drone and sounds awesome and was told this by many people even my wife, who knows sh%t about cars. Quotes from 5 guys out of a hundred saying that they have drone tends to make me think that just maybe they don't know what drone really sounds like.
Now just stay tuned, here comes the bashing these guys are real sensitive when it comes to there exhaust

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09 Sport / MB / 6sd / Nismo"R" Intake / Eibach Pro Kit / Z1 25 row cooler / JWT LW FW / New Short Block 3/11/11 /H&R 15fr 20rr/DBA 4000/FI CB with 12"res./Morel/JL/"Division"mod/SPC/EcuTek/M370/ZEX C SHOT/ART's/NRG

Nick911sc

Great writeup Matt

370Zsteve

Indeed and a +1 to Matt!

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

ZforMe

Was it mentioned that the FI cbe is about 16lbs. or so lighter than the Berk?

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13.369 @ 102.73 Bone Stock. BERK HFC's installed 5/14/09 @ 1490miles, 13.212 @ 106.15. Cobb Post MAF Hoses installed 3/20/10 @ 5,043miles, future: FI exhaust with 18" res and s/s cans.

F.I. Inc.

I do not know the weight of the Berk but our system ranges from 10 lbs lighter than stock to as much as 20!

The lightest option would be our straight through X with carbon fiber mufflers!

Thanks, Tony

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EVL370

Agreed that was a great help.

It's the same old story really

I'm impressed with F.Is quality and customer service.

I'm impressed with Berk being stock looking and sound.

I come from a WRX / Speed 3 background so I'm after somthing tuff.

I have been advised by Tony himself from F.I to go for the 18" res if I had high flow cats. However I am in my early 20s and I wouldnt mind somthing more wild and crazy. Plus I do alot of mountain driving, I dont want my F.I cannons taking out a Wombat.

P.S Matt, what res did your mate have?

Matt

If you have any concerns that your F.I. system may be too loud, go with the 18". If you have any concerns that it may not be loud enough, go with 12". That is, of course, if you're set on choosing that brand.

I'm certainly not trying to persuade you into choosing one or the other, and I absolutely revere Tony and F.I.'s customer service and professionalism, but assuming that both systems you mention in the OP last a lifetime with no mechanical issues (neither show any signs of poor, general workmanship), what's the single factor that you have to live with every day you own the Z? The look/sound/tone of the exhaust!

The system my friend, Zsteve, has 12" resonators, IIRC.

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"Any man who can drive a 370z while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the Z the attention it deserves." Albert Einstein....modified.

Zsteve

My FI CBE with 12/resonators has about the same sound level as you would hear from a V8 mustang, just a little less throatier, but right there with them. I have HFCs to put on but have a stripped bolt so I have to find a good shop to get it off then I will see how much louder it gets. right now its about perfect tone wise. There is drone but you will get that in any exhaust that has very little bends, but this helps in the performance department. It sounds like a muscle car and looks like a ports car.

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2010 LS3 C6 Silver coupe corvette

EVL370

hmmm, might wait and see how the next lot of berk exhauts go out.

If I went with F.I. I think the 12" res might be on the cards for me with carbon fiber mufflers for more a sleeper look. Wouldn't mind matching it up with the berk HFC's. Seems to be very high gains with the berks.

Zsteve

Here is the thing with mods and gains, IMO atleast. I have heard people say that have gained 15 hp/tq from HFCs and then I have seen some only gain 5 hp/tq (FI dyno shows this). I think whatever mod you do first nets the most gains as it opens the airflow to about its max effeciency. The later mods gain some but not as much as if they were the first mod you had done. This being that the flow is already close to perfect. So a HFC as a first mod will net 15 hp/tq, a CBE as the first mod will net 15 hp/tq, and G3 intake as a first mod will net 15 hp/tq. But you will not get 15 + 15 +15 when they are all done. So iwould say if you are only going to do one mod for right now pick the one that you would like to see or hear the most first. For me that was the FI CBE as it looks bad aZZ and sounds bad aZZ.

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2010 LS3 C6 Silver coupe corvette

Matt

Steve, when are you coming back to Augusta? We'll make the community happy and do a HD video of both a BERK and FI drive-by, startup, and revs.

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"Any man who can drive a 370z while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the Z the attention it deserves." Albert Einstein....modified.

Zsteve

Should be there from May thru June. And Im gonna pick your brain about your job as its real close to what I have to do.

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2010 LS3 C6 Silver coupe corvette

BOLIO 671

This would be awesome!!!!!!


EVL370...If you want a louder exhaust, then I would say go with the F. I. but you would need HFC's paried with it...The one's that I've heard are paired with HFC's and seem louder than the Berks that are paired with HFC's...

I personally like the sleeper/stock look, with a nice exotic and intoxicating sound...So I chose to go with Berk

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2013 Nismo Z34 / FI TT #091 / IG: @lilzilla_z34

EVL370

Agreed, any high flowing exhaust needs a good intake system. I'm currently ordering the injen intake in black.


I can only find 2 videos of berk cats and fi exhaust. None are taking off.