I have stock exhaust system and I plan to keep that, but i heard the Y-pipe improve the performance of the car. What does it really do?

 

huh? No one know about Y-pipe?

 

It does about as much as the number of replies you've gotten.

 

Not entirely true. The Unlimited tuning Y-pipe was dynoed at 9 hp, I believe. But please try the search function next time. You'll find plenty of topics.

 

Derek173 might disagree slightly....I witnessed a 13.9x at over 100 mph on his coupe with only a K&N, Z-tube, and a y-pipe.

 

Pertinent data: he drives a 2004 5at.

 

To answer your question about what the Y-pipe does, it is just to bridge the gap between the cats and the exhaust (muffler and tips).

I prefer to avoid the y-pipe completely (going with Borla or other similar systems).

With that said, the sound of the Fujitsubo system is un-freakin-believable (I mention this because it uses a Y-pipe.....probably one of the best y-pipes). If I was going on sound, that's what I would go with. It's Ferrari-esque.

I have the Crawford cats and Borla exhaust. It sounds great, just not exotic. It's more "American sounding"....if that makes sense.

I've yet to get my car dynoed, so I can't speak of any gains, although I know they are there.

 

I just put on my Tanabe y-pipe to finish out my exhaust system, and I cant really notice any difference....it sounds the same to me....

but it would probably be good to change out the stock y-pipe with a less restrictive, lighter aftermarket one......just my thoughts....

 

Finally someone who has the Tanabe Y.

How would you rate the quality of material and fitment? I assume the 70mm collector (~2.75") was a direct mate to your new exhaust.

I was going to keep stock exhaust but replace the CATS with Crawford's instead. Thought the Tanabe Y was meant to hook up stock exhaust.

????

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

The quality of the Tanabe y-pipe was good....fitment was excellent, fit like a glove to the stock cats and the Tanabe midpipe.

 

It's good to spend your money on something you can't audibly or otherwise notice? If you guys have decided to mod, at least do a baseline and go back with all your mods on to see what worked and what didn't.

 

well I know my Tanabe ypipe is less restrictive than stock and matches with my Tanabe exhaust system so now the air is flowing better throughout....basically my car should be breathing/performing better now I have a true cat-back system. I'm fine with it.

 

No one really answered the question. A well designed aftermarket "Y" Pipe will flow better than the stock "Y". Without the heat shields it's lighter, the bends are smoother. Also the stock "Y" has crush bends and the aftermarket ones are mandrel bent to maintain the inside diameter around the bends and therefore flow better. If you go the "Y" pipe route, be sure to get one with the mesh metal flex joints like the stock "Y".

Lou

 

Hey! I have a 2003/5AT

I installed a OBX y-pipe that I got from e-bay for $120. Unlike the z-tube I could tell right away that the car was making more power above 3500rpm. Look at the stock y-pipe you can see where it kinks and restricts air flow the OBX y-pipe eliminated this. Can't wait to hit the drag strip with you Chicago X hopefully with this spacer I will be even quicker.