Hey guys,

Well I have been having some trouble with the test pipes and them causing me to burn oil. Anyways, I am not 100% sure if they are the culprit, but I have put everything back to stock except the bassani catback(I haven't received the Strup headers yet so they are not at fault and I will be installing them when they arrive) and it is not puffing blue when I step on the gas anymore. So I am kinda thinking that the motor may need a certain amount of backpressure. Whether this be for the PCV system or something else.

So I am starting to look at high flow cats for when the car is back from the dealership. What brands do you guys recommend and what brands have you been having good luck with. Crawford, kinetix, etc. Please let me know and thanks in advance.

 

Very easy 1-word answer to this question:

Crawford

 

Kinetix also has a revised version of theirs, from what I recall a member posting here a while back. Personally, I went with the Crawford cats (new, version 2). Good clearance. I've only had them since Friday, but I'm liking them just fine.

 

Hmmmm, I don't think test pipes can cause you to burn oil. But if you sell your test pipes, let me know.

 

Well they may not make you burn oil persay, like cause you to have a collapsed oil ring or broke ring. However, I am starting to think that this motor needs a bit of backpressure to keep it in check. I am thinking oil may have been going through the PCV system and into the motor due to no backpressure. Like I said if it continues to consume oil with the stock cats and manifold back on then I know it is an oil ring. If the oil consumption stops then it is because of the test pipes and them not providing enough backpressure.

Either way, backpressure should not be needed. If this motor needs backpressure to operate correctly then in my opinion something is setup *** backwards from the factory. However all that might be needed to fix it is something to keep the PCV valve in check. My PCV valve isn't fugged either it is still good.

If they aren't the problem I will be keeping them as they made my bassani exhaust sound mean. They had rasp above 3000rpm, but it is tolerable, still didn't sound like a fart can civic, but definately a more ricer sound. However if they are the problem I will sell them, but I don't think you will want them having an 05. You could potential run into the same problem.

 

kinetix


I need to get that bassani sometime; too bad WMS wants so muc for it

 

+1 to either crawford or kinetix

 

crawford or aam (or whatever that other brand is called ian knows what im talking about)

 

I know everybody likes crawlford and kinetex;but does anybody have any kind of experience with the ichiba catbacks? Here is the link

https://g35driver.com/forums/exhaust-vendor/99827-ichiba-headers-test-pipes-stock.html

I continue to ask because crawlfords is expensive.

Thanks!

 

You will be happy with the Bassani. They used my car to prototype that exhaust Oct 2004 and it still sounds so sweet!!! Produced more power and made my car sound mean. Quality work but expensive. You will be happy though.

 

Cool, I am very happy with my Bassani system. It is still cheaper then HKS or Greddy when I was pricing it out. They just need to make some hi flow cats and I will buy them to.

Anyways, quick update. Stock cats have been on for 3-4 days now and I have not burnt one single drop of oil. Did a fresh oil change before we even fired up the car after removing the test pipes and installing the cats. So I figure the test pipes were the problem. Has to be something with not enough backpressure. Maybe the 05 engine is different and requires more backpressure then previous models?

 

I wonder if anyone else with test pipes has had this problem. Wouldn't high flow cats have a similar effect?

 

They might and I am curious before I go dump $375-500 on them and get the same problem. However, the cat is going to give somewhat more backpressure, maybe the motor just needs a bit. I did get a check engine light about 5-10minutes after install and start up with the test pipes. However, the rear 02's should only be there to let you know a cat is clogged or something in the emissions is not right. It shouldn't affect performance correct? There are a few of you running around with CEL on correct and no issues? Or maybe you cannot have a CEL on with this car, but I don't think that should matter. Those rear 02's are just a narrow band sensor(lean or rich)

 

This is very interesting.

A fellow that just put test pipes and a new exhaust system on his '06 G35 Coupe had a very similar oil problem. He posted a question about his increased oil use in our FGC forum and no one knew anything about it. It didn't start until he installed test pipes.

I posted a link to this thread in our forum, so maybe he'll join in and we can figure out what's going on.

I've never heard anything about test pipes causing excessive oil use, but, who knows...

 

I just posted in the thread you started. It has to be related to backpressure and potentially the PCV system. It might just be a problem on the 05-06 REV-UP motors and not the older style.

EDIT: Who has the best price on crawford cats? Or do you have to buy them directly from Crawford?