Who has had multiple exhaust/intake setups?
 

After several set ups, I have finally found my favorite intake/exhaust combo. Just a little background on what i've had over the past 2 years. I won't bother mentioning stock.

1. ARK Grip Type 2 with K&N drop ins (dynoed 275/235 with 6k on the car) Nice set up that sounded good.

2. ARK with R2C short ram - Even nicer sound with some growl from the intakes.

3. ARK, R2C with Motordyne ART Pipes- WORST COMBO EVER.....Please do not mix these two ARK/ART together. This combo makes a horrible squeel where a Z would normally hiss. I was gonna modify the exhaust but I ended up finding a FI set up for a great price. Was it the x pipe or the flex pipe? I'll never know.

4. Fast Intentions CBE with 18" resonators, ART pipes, R2C- Great set up good power but the smell from the test pipes was really killing me.

5. Fast Intentions, Stillen G3, Fast Intentions HFC -WINNING! - Finally got off my *** and purchased the G3's and FI HFC's. Now I see what the buzz is all about. So much more low end torque with the HFC's. Sounds amazing to boot. No drone, no vibrations. Fast intentions is top notch.

I am trying to figure out one great set up so I don't have to go through to exhausts. Fast Intentions has become the most popular. I also like the Berks. It's honestly to expensive to have a few different set ups. You buy one set up and pay to install then you sell and lose a money then buy another, install etc.

I've been running 2 setups, namely

1. AAM Short tails, this thing's a seriously mean sounding beast! this can seriously put other CBEs to shame with it's sound. but yeah since it's a muffler delete mod so i lose more power than actually gaining it.

2. Invidia Gemini + Stillen Gen 3, i'm very satisfied with the Gen 3, however, i didn't like the Invidia's sound since i'm coming from a muffler delete sound. this thing's got a good growl on it though but it's just not for me.

3. Possibly Motordyne Shockwave or Fast Intentions in the near future. and probably gonna pick up HFCs :tup:

Based on YouTube videos, Fast Intentions or Berk sounds like the car was meant to be that sound from the factory. Almost every other exhaust Invidia, AAM, Amuse, Meisterchaft, etc all sound aftermarket and alter the sound completely. HFC seem to be necessary because it's apparently the most restrictive part of the entire exhaust system.

Personally loving the Stillen Gen III CAI, Berk HFC's and HKS Hi Power CBE system. There is a very small amount of hiss from the cats, but other than that, the tone and rumble are incredible. The beauty is I can run the car smoothly thru the RPM's and not attract ANY attention until I drop the right foot or shift down hard! Totally stealth when I want it to be and yet oh so beautiful throaty when I step on it.

Originally I had Stillen Gen II CAI and just the BErk's with stock CBE, but couldn't stand the restricted Y-pipe. Great deal came on the HKS and it made the whole system come together. Added the Gen III's a little later and now I'm ready for dyno and tune....

It is not really that expensive of a proposition. I originally ran Berk HFCs and a Tanabe y pipe. When I picked up an Injen cat-back, I sold the Tanabe Y pipe for 70% of what I paid for it. I then sold the Injen cat-back when I had the chance to buy an FI exhaust from a forum member and sold the Injen for the same amount I bought the FI exhaust for so it really didn't leave me that much more out of pocket to try a few setups.

1. G3 intakes, Berk HFCs, stock cat-back: it was very quiet and nearly stock sounding under 3k rpm but really opened up in volume above that. I easily felt the power gains, and still remains the biggest seat of the pants power increase of my powertrain mods. It had some hiss but it was a great setup to start modifying your intake/exhaust as it is nice and tame but sounds much more pronounced when driving harder.





2. G3 intakes, Berk HFCs, Tanabe Y pipe, stock cat-back: One thing I loved was how it was quiet under 3k rpm but really opened up above that. It still had the same tone as the stock exhaust but was roughly double the volume. It had a fair amount of hiss though, and while the stock cat-back kept torque up, it limited hp gains up top. Dyno'd at 309whp/259ftlbs.




3. G3 intakes, Berk HFCs, Injen cat-back exhaust: the first thing that defines this setup; crazy drone. I love loud exhausts but the drone from this setup gave me a headache no matter where I drove and how I drove. The drone was so bad it would vibrate my rear view mirror so much between 2-3k rpm that I couldn't see out of it. It sounded great but it was unbearable, which is why I sold it. Never dyno'd to see if I gained anything.




4. G3 intakes, Berk HFCs, FI 12" resonated exhaust: this is my current and favorite setup, it is pretty much perfect for me. There is little drone and the 'drone' that is present actually adds to the effect as you can feel the exhaust note but it is not overpowering or uncomfortable. It is not too loud when driving normally but sounds fantastic when driving enthusiastically. I'm considering swapping the resonators for the non resonated center section just to get a bit more volume. Dyno'd at 320rwhp and 262ftlbs.

I'll second the Berk/HKS option. I love it for the same reasons, the sounds is pretty darn good. I'm interested in the Motordyne exhaust though.

1. Berk Test Pipes and ARK Exhaust= Very loud whistle/howl nois on decel not a great combo at all...

2. Berk Test Pipes and HKS Exhaust with K&N Drop in Filters= great sound and gained 22whp over stock on Mustang dyno

3. FI Long Tube Headers HKS Exhaust K&N Drop in filters and HPS Intake tubes = AMAZING SOUND!!!!!!!!! did not re-dyno on Mustang Dyno, Got tuned at different shop



Hope this helped.


DAN

Dan, seems like you experienced the same thing with your ARK combo. I seriously didn't want to drive the car at that point!

first setup. Injen intake, tp's (unresonated), and AAM short tails. TERRIBLE combo. LOUD and extremely raspy.

second setup. Injen intakes, tp's (unresonated) CNT CBE. amazing combo. quiet when u want it to be, but screams when u open it up

Yes it was horrible I posted vids in my Journal thread I actually only drove it when my new exhaust came in....back to my coworkers house to put it on the lift to swap out the exhaust :)


Dont think they ever really fixed the issue, other than coming our with "Special" test pipes/HFC and not sure how good that actually works....



DAN

I'm really loving my setup

F.I. CBE 12" resonators, ART pipes, and R2Cs

I notice you did have an Ark exhaust and now have F.I.. What made you make the switch?

When I installed test pipes the sound it made together was a nightmare. Mainly when you were under deceleration. It was a loud squeel.