uh, I can't explain it real well, so I'll just post the saved file from aim....



You g uys might know him from hte "other forum" Brandon Matthews aka No7Yet:



TheNewWazoo: remove cat

TheNewWazoo: gasket exists between flanges (i.e. the front cat flange and rear connecting pipe flange)

TheNewWazoo: trace gasket on paper

TheNewWazoo: reinstall exhaust

TheNewWazoo: get straight pipe

TheNewWazoo: argh

TheNewWazoo: gotta run again

A3Dee: ahh.. hurry back.

TheNewWazoo signed off at 3:00:57 PM.

TheNewWazoo signed on at 3:40:13 PM.

A3Dee: wb

TheNewWazoo: re

A3Dee: rather, is it safe for you to talk?

TheNewWazoo: yah

TheNewWazoo: it was safe before, just my boss is more important :-)

A3Dee: heh, well understandable.

A3Dee: well, what I was last gonna say was... so I trace the gasket on paper... show it to the shop.. tell them I want 24" of 2.5" straight piping?

TheNewWazoo: yup

TheNewWazoo: measure the length of the cat to make sure tho

A3Dee: and that would actually work?

TheNewWazoo: I don't think it's different between TIIs and N/A, but...

A3Dee: most likely not, but it's good to make sure.

TheNewWazoo: tell them "I need you guys to weld up a 24" long (including flanges) piece of 2.5" pipe with flanges that match <this>"

TheNewWazoo: come back in two hours, pay $40ish, and walk away w/ a "race pipe" :-P

A3Dee: ok.. so they'll wield up the flanges as well to match the drawing of the gasket? Right. I got it.. lol

TheNewWazoo: they'll have flanges in stock that'll match

A3Dee: heh, yeah $40 bux is ALOT cheaper than $400 for hte kit from racing beat.

TheNewWazoo: no shizzl

A3Dee: steve thinks I should go ahead with the racingbeat one.. instead of doing a shop.. im like.. uh, no.. Atleast I think that's what he said yesterday lol

TheNewWazoo: well, the RB piece is a downpipe/presilencer

A3Dee: well, true

TheNewWazoo: it's much much much nicer

TheNewWazoo: and wil sound ASSLOADS better

A3Dee: but really expensive.

TheNewWazoo: but for on-the-cheap, yeah

TheNewWazoo: you'll still have precats to worry about, too

A3Dee: well.... if/when I get the straight pipe.. im gonna be buying the $187 header...

TheNewWazoo: the RB dp elminates those

A3Dee: hmm.. I thought after you put the straight pipe on you get rid of all the cats?

TheNewWazoo: nah, just the main cat

TheNewWazoo: it'll make sense once you get under the car

TheNewWazoo: (hence, my maxim of "start fixing now, ask questions as you go")

A3Dee: true, you could be right.

A3Dee: yeah... I knew.

A3Dee: know*

A3Dee: I won't be doing it really.. until nov-dec.

A3Dee: that is *IF* I get my job, and money coming in.

TheNewWazoo: ah

TheNewWazoo: then fuxx0r the straight pipe

TheNewWazoo: just get the RB dp

TheNewWazoo: it pwns j00

A3Dee: im only waiting til then, cause that's when this years autox is done, so I don't get bump'd up to CSP until Jan.

TheNewWazoo: bah

TheNewWazoo: no offense, but

TheNewWazoo: you suck too bad to worry about what class you're in yet :-P

TheNewWazoo: worry about that after you start vying for 1st place in class :-)

A3Dee: hmm... if you get the RB dp don't you have to get something else to replace the other? ugh im confused.

A3Dee: I'm NOT gonna win my class...

TheNewWazoo: the RB dp replaces the precats and connecting pipe

TheNewWazoo: the header

TheNewWazoo: replaces the precats, connecting pipe and maincat

A3Dee: there is *no* way I can beat the 944.. I rather move up to CSP and try to win people in there, than to stick in the class I'm in now.... it gets boring after a while... trying to beat the same person I'm unable to beat.

A3Dee: ahh, I get ya.

TheNewWazoo: argh

TheNewWazoo: n/m dp provides dp and presilencer

TheNewWazoo: replace precats only

A3Dee: er, now you're confusing me lol

TheNewWazoo: headers replace all cats and connecting pipe

A3Dee: ok.. that's what I thought.

A3Dee: sorry, you had kinda confused me - like that's not hard.

TheNewWazoo: headers sound ultra-mega cool

TheNewWazoo: heh

TheNewWazoo: tis okay

TheNewWazoo: for now, just gut them :-P

A3Dee: hmm.. everyone says that putting a header on my car or any rx7.. is not gonna sound cool, and people will hate you. I just reply with "whatever" lol.

TheNewWazoo: whatever :-P

A3Dee: hm, my parents will not let me. Hell, I don't even htink he's gonna let me mod this car.. he said.. that he might be buying me either a 1st or another 2nd gen for a race only car.

TheNewWazoo: Apexi N1 + RB header/presilencer = teh badass

A3Dee: agree, but $$$$ expensive.

TheNewWazoo: even if you have a race car

TheNewWazoo: why shouldn't you mod your street car to make it more fun to drive?

TheNewWazoo: hell, that's the one you spend the most time in

A3Dee: eh, I told him that.. he's ilke "i'll talk about it with you when I get home" - I sometimes wish I just lived on my own.. .to not hear him talk.... bleh.





So, is there a chance for me to get the exhaust shop to weild the pipe for me? That, and how big is it around the Flange? Is it the same for all models? I have an 88 GXL.

just get the Bonez race pipe, it is $150 and it replaces all 3 cats, and comes with all the flanges you need, just get a couple bolts and nuts, it even tells you how to install it on the site, I believe it is rx7.com, one of the sponsors here may have it also, I got it, I installed it, very simple, makes a little bit of a difference, probably more if your cats are clogged. makes the car a little bit louder though.

yeah and if you're running oem mufflers you're going to probably hate the sound, mine had alot of rattling that became very apparent after ditching the cats.

Well, my plan was if I could do cheap mods first:



get the exhaust shop to wield me a pipe from the cat-back... put a header(maybe) and mufflers on.. for now.



As I don't really have the money to spend much right now....

really? mine doesn't rattle at all, it actually sounds pretty nice at idle, and isn't even noticable under power, maybe you have something loose? I still have the stock mufflers btw

look for used racing beat stuff, it never goes bad. btw the t2 and na cats, are the same externally. what you can do i hollow out the first 2 cats (once you look under there all will become clear), or they may already be if the car has more than 100k on it. and make the main cat bypass pipe.



mike

Gettinga pipe made will just not work. Ther are angles involved where the cat would be. Is easier to just get a race pipe that was already made cause is has been engineered to fit.



THe racing beat system is worth the money, it iwll out last the car and it fits. And the noise willnot go thru the metal like normal exhaust pipe. So the car would be quieter underneath.



Too bad, I just sold my n/a system really cheap, youshould of asked sooner.



Trust me for, using normal exhaust tubing will not last. THe racing beat units will out last the car in the long run.



C

Ive had a custom pipe in my car for 5 years, still looks brand new and like its original equipment. If you go to some **** shop, they use **** materials. This year I did get the whole system done in stainless, but from the engine to the converter is 5 years old, still looks great, I even have pics of the whole thing actually. Christi- any exaust shop should have the flange, its the same as any other car, but if you want you can order a flange and a heavy duty gasket from MazdaTrix.

Ive had a custom pipe in my car for 5 years, still looks brand new and like its original equipment. If you go to some **** shop, they use **** materials. This year I did get the whole system done in stainless, but from the engine to the converter is 5 years old, still looks great, I even have pics of the whole thing actually. Christi- any exaust shop should have the flange, its the same as any other car, but if you want you can order a flange and a heavy duty gasket from MazdaTrix.[/quote]

Exactly, Mazdatrix will have the heavier duty flanges. Regular flanges at a exhaust place will just not last the hot breath from the rotary.



C

Ive had a custom pipe in my car for 5 years, still looks brand new and like its original equipment. If you go to some **** shop, they use **** materials. This year I did get the whole system done in stainless, but from the engine to the converter is 5 years old, still looks great, I even have pics of the whole thing actually. Christi- any exaust shop should have the flange, its the same as any other car, but if you want you can order a flange and a heavy duty gasket from MazdaTrix.[/quote]

Exactly, Mazdatrix will have the heavier duty flanges. Regular flanges at a exhaust place will just not last the hot breath from the rotary.



C[/quote]

I was talking about the gasket, MazdaTrix uses mild steel, good quality stainless is a better choice and any exaust shop has that.

Bah. I think I'm really confused and about to give up :( I don't understand. I'm REALLY confused to be honest with you.



I Think.... what would be easier on my part. ... is to get a high flow cat.... that way it replaces all the cat, and it's still legal. It's not really taking off the emissions either. (Or am I wrong?). Like we have emissions in FL.



I'm not really lost... I guess you'll can laugh at me now.

I would go with a converter and a pipe to replace the 3 converters. It wont be THAT loud, and will pass emissions no problem. If you cant find a exaust shop to make the pipe for you, order one from Bonez, there is even one on Ebay right now used, but the bidding is kind of high for a used part in my opinion. If you can find a shop to make the pipe, Im running a Catco converter from Summit, cost a whopping $60. Here is a pic, hope it doesnt come up too big. Its all stainless EXCEPT the pipe to the engine a bit before the converter, thats aluminized and its 5 years old and still holding up great.

I like that. Looks nice... is it something of what I was speaking of above, or the high flow cat?



May I ask, if you know... .do you know the part number?



I'm trying to explain to my parents, perferbly my father that the high flow cat, and what you have is NOT the samething as the cats on *MY* car. Because we had to replace the main cat a few weeks ago (last month really...) he thinks we already replaced the "cat".... I'm not sure how to really explain this, without showing him personally, as he seems to either be 1. un-interested or 2. Not fully understanding, and thinknig what we did replaced the cat, when really we didn't.

Your looking at a custom pipe that goes to a single high flow converter. If you replaced the main converter a month ago, im sure it wasnt cheap right? You could always try to run the single converter you just put on there and have someone make a pipe to replace the other 2, the main converter has the air tube in it right?

I dont know the part number, call them and ask for a Catco converter, its sold with or without a air tube, and with or without flanges.

Your other 2 converters are in bad shape?

I wouldnt get a header, not sure if its worth the work to tell you the truth.

No, It was not cheap. Almost $300 to replace it. I was in shock.



Air tube? I'm not sure.



The problem is that, a exhaust shop will not make the pipe if you tell them the truth of what you're using it for. Because it takes off emissions. Even if Florida does not have emissions, they still won't do it.



I'm not sure if the pre-cats are in bad shape, but I know the main cat was, which was replaced by the exhaust shop for a new one.



What did you get on yours? the catca coverter with the air tube and flanges right?



Hmm.. I dunno. I would love the header, just cause I like how it sounds with it..... but I guess people will call it too loud and ricey.



I'm just curious. I don't really know what I want. Either the straight pipe and try to get the exhaust shop to make it for me, somehow, someway.... or a high flow cat.



but isn't the catco coverters for a boinger car?

There are others running a catco converter, a converter is a converter. The new RX-8 has some special new converter material, should be nice to see if we can adapt it for our cars.

I got the air tube for the 6 port actuators, and no flanges, its all welded

Its not your local shops fault, its a Federal Law not to remove emissions, you will have to find a shop that will do it, tell them its for off road use, as long as you keep one converter on there, they shouldnt mind. No reciept, cash deal helps as well.

This is another reason I say you can buy a pipe already made with the Bonez pipe.

Okay.. so my next question.. what is the size of the Flange anyway? If I do deciede to go with the straight pipe from the cat-back... then well ya I will need to correct information...



I dunno. I have a few ways of doing it, but in a cheap since, and I'm not sure which is good, which one will increase performance, etc.

The flange is a standard thing, not Mazda specific. I hope your not going to try to make a pipe yourself? Its not a staright pipe, it has bends in it, look at the pic of my exaust to get a better idea. You can order the flange from MazdaTrix, with a gasket if you want.

Not extactly what yours is.



A exhaust shop can make you a straight pipe. Read what I first posted as to what I'm trying to say.

When I said straight pipe, I meant you cant use a STRAIGHT PIECE of pipe, meaning you cant try to make something yourself. Of course I know they can make straight pipes.



I think Ive gone cross eyed now.

Me too.... sorry. I think i'm confused and it's not helping out my problem....

If you just got a new converter put on the car... sigh.



Why don't you just save up some money if your exhaust system works fine right now, then buy the RB exhaust, you apparently don't even have to smog the car so you can get the header+presilencer and just put it on yourself. Apparently one can find these RB exhausts used, and they definately will be in good condition even used, I have it on my car and it has very good build quality, the posts saying how it will out last the car are quite accurate. If you're interested in performance the header has great results. The stock manifold is a big heavy bathtub type designed to minimize noise and pollution, and is definately not beneficial to performance.

I think my mufflers were a bit tired and had some internal rust issues... I just want to make sure she's aware that putting a system that flows freely up to her old mufflers may make some shortcomings in the mufflers apparent real fast that never were a problem when the stock manifold and cats were present to shield them from the wrath. Mine sounded fine for the first week or so... but progressively got noisier probably as the packing (what was left) disintegrated... and eventually they just started getting loose/falling apart.. I could hear loose junk shake around inside when I smacked from underneath... like you would when checking for bad cats... but my point is this problem wasnt a noticable problem until switching to the header+presilencer... which definately accelerated the destruction of the mufflers.