[txbigdog00]

I just got the approval from my financial planner (aka: spousal unit) for a new exhaust. Being totally taken off guard by her sudden understanding (?) of my obsession, I now need to hurry up and figure out which exhaust to purchase before she regains motor function and changes her mind. I seriously need help with this decision!!! Any advice would be tremendously helpful!



Dan

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[flash]

hoo boy have you hit on a touchy one - it has been the subject of many heated discussions, and for me a long ongoing string of tests and trials



the bottom line is that it comes down largely to what you want - to date, the RS Barn cat-back is the only bolt-up system that has been shown not to lose midrange torque - some others make claims of gains, but fail to provide any charts backing it up, and all independent testing shows that any such gains are up over 6k, and not at all that big, and come with mid range torque loss



that being said, tone is more important to some than ultimate power - also, maximum weight savings is more critical to some - appearance is more important to some



so, again, it comes down to what is important to you

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[RS Barn]

I really like the RS Barn cat back exhaust. Direct bolt up, Runs great, Sounds Awesome. You can also add a Header later for huge low and mid range gains when financial planner is on vacation.

I would contact RS Barn and see if there are any package deals or freight allownace.

Pepe ( Stock Boy)

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[NeedPorscheSpeed]

[quote name='RS Barn' post='48420' date='Feb 28 2008, 09:03 PM']I really like the RS Barn cat back exhaust. Direct bolt up, Runs great, Sounds Awesome. You can also add a Header later for huge low and mid range gains when financial planner is on vacation.

I would contact RS Barn and see if there are any package deals or freight allownace.

Pepe ( Stock Boy)[/quote]



Sniff, sniff... I smell a rat! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> But, since it's you, Pete, it's okay. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Dan,



I love the play on words in your title. Very creative and clever! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Mark]

No matter which you choose, you will save a ton of weight. I am very happy with the 2 RSBarn cat backs on my cars.





And that was pretty funny Pepe. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[RS Barn]

While the owner is out testing cars or at the Dyno I get to #1 clean up and #2 look at the computer.

I see some Dyno charts testing different "Mufflers" What does that mean?

Pepe

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[smtcapecod]

I like RS Barn's price and their obvious interest in the community.



If cost is no object, I'd pick Supersprint over B&B -- if the unit is available in the US at this time.



B&B is purty but a little raw for the price for my taste.



FWIW, I picked from similar options for my A6 4.2L and ended up going with a Stebro muffler set, custom mid section. Worked out OK in the end but muffler Stebro sold me were set up for earlier, pre-2002 models and required modification. They are also straight through, so I got to play with midstream resonators to get the right kind of baritone burble without ricey cackle.

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[RS Barn]

The real problem is what works on these cars. I could have not got involved in making systems and just sold existing product (and made money). I just wasn't convinced products available really worked.

I am still testing mufflers and resonators and nothing has surpased my original products.

Flash just spent 1K and I just spent close to that to have less than positive results.

I will test any product you are willing to offer me at no charge.

Pete

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[Mark]

The main reason I went with RSBarn is I know the testing that was done and heck the exhaust on my car (provided it is still the same exhaust Pete?)has probably been on the dyno more than any other 968 exhaust, it came off the test mule. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[968crazy]

I just bought a B&B new for $725 and am quite happy with it. Sounds great without being annoying.

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[flash]

yup - pete and i have both been spending countless hours and dollars testing different systems - we were chuckling about it just the other day - i think we each have about 10 grand wrapped up in cat-back systems and tests of them



before anybody starts asking, no, i will not be publishing charts comparing them - i'm not getting into that mess again - trust that i will run what works best, as clearly between the two of us, we have gone out and tried everything, and could run anything we wanted - for me, bias will be to the best street performer, nothing else



anyway, i though i would try another setup or two a try - i gave a shot to a company that showed me charts on other cars and everything for the stuff they manufacture - they had gains on everything they tried, and more than other companies - i figured, "what the heck?" - even though it was a straight through system, i let them convince me to give it a try - as jaded and skeptical as i was, it was hard to ignore their data



unfortunately, our car is an oddball - just like almost everything else we have tested, while there was a small gain way up top (over 6.5k), there was low and more importantly mid-range torque loss - might work really well on a race car, but totally useless on a street car



conclusion - you can't reduce the back pressure without that loss occurring - period - straight through systems don't work



i'm done testing cat-back systems



i will have the system restored this week to what i had when i took it back to hershey last year - that has proven to be the best setup so far, given the mods i've done

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[Torbjorn968]

[quote name='flash' post='50883' date='Apr 14 2008, 03:18 PM']i'm done testing cat-back systems



i will have the system restored this week to what i had when i took it back to hershey last year - that has proven to be the best setup so far, given the mods i've done[/quote]



Which is the RSBarn system?



//T

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[banditsc]

http://www.rsbarn.com/968headers.html

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[Rutger Gert-jan]

Just curious,



what makes the RS Barn (cat-back)system the better system? (Flash, I presume you are runing RS barn..) The only real difference to me is the rear muffler. Or should I use the headers as well to get the best from it? At the moment I am using Cargraphic (cat-back) with no resonator. Will the RS Barn header connect to the original cat??



regards,



Rutger

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[Mark]

The header will require a different cat. The header will also change the note on your exhaust but I don't mind it any longer. In fact I'm not even sure what mine sounds like any longer since Pete has been playing with my car and I know it's had a couple of exhaust changes while it is up at his shop, temporary or permanent I do not know.

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[flash]

it's a combination of components, tube shape, etc that makes it work - mostly it has been a LOT of testing of different things and figuring out the combination that works



what i have now we have dubbed the prototype for the "RS Barn Stage 2 cat-back"



there will be more info very soon as the jig gets made for the pipe, and we gear up for production



those who have stage one need not fear that they are missing out - the stage 2 is really more to benefit those who have headers, flywheels and such - it just allows optimization of those mods - while tests have shown a bit more torque, i don't really think it is worth swapping out the stage 1 cat-back if all you have is the chip and airbox



it does tuck up better too



we'll get sounds samples out soon as well

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[Renalicious]

[quote name='flash' post='50919' date='Apr 14 2008, 05:58 PM']we'll get sounds samples out soon as well[/quote]



lol, I'll believe it when I hear it <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Great news about the exhaust however! And it's interesting just how oddly tuned these cars are from reading this conversation. Maybe it's the whole 3L 4-banger deal that is causing problems with these exhausts O_o My friend keeps trying to convince me to head to the local brake and muffler shop and get a new exhaust installed so I can get the sound, but I keep telling him that I'll only settle for RSB. He thinks I'm crazy, but I trust that it's the only system that is proven to do wonders for my car's performance. When I do get the system it will be headers + cat back + chip, which should give a nice kick in the pants <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



So this new system you guys are working on, that's stage 2 only? What is someone gets cams in the future and makes it a stage 3?



BTW, I've heard that cams change the exhaust note in some way, how exactly would they do that on this car? Would it end up being deeper? louder?

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[flash]

lol - yeah, doing the recordings has been a logistical issue - should have an opportunity coming up soon though



the problem we think is going on with the complexity of tuning the exhaust is due to the pulse timing established by the intake manifold - it seems that the dual resonance intake manifold does not like to have its flow disturbed by pressure changes that occur when opening up exhaust



this should work for stage 3 as well, though at that point, a free flowing systems will probably work better - the upside is that the stage 2 should be able to be converted to a stage 3 by the deletion of 2 components and insertion of another



film at 11 on that one



pete can tell you what the cams sound like on this car - i can't really be a judge of the sound, since the one time i heard them, there was a very poorly functioning aftermarket intake manifold on the car (which i think is now either a doorstop or a planter)

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[Rutger Gert-jan]

Just my thoughts...



To me it sounds strange that a company like Cargraphic would make a system(N-GT Class )that does not get the best out of our cars (exhaust wise). But then again, even Cargraphic can not provide a chart with the gains <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



http://www.cargraphic.de/stepone/data/down...anlage_N_GT.pdf





What I really would love to see is a simple chart, just like the chip shoot-out, comparing all the different exhausts to each other(fitted to a stock 968*). From the previous posts it is my understanding that this has been done....and if the resluts are available, why not put them on the forum?





And if it shows which system is the best I can start saving....or be happy with my system <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />





Regards,



Rutger



* or a 968 with a stage I chip+ air box mod.

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[flash]

the simple explanation is that since there is no real gain to be had with any of them all by themselves, and nobody wants to see proof of losses, they aren't particularly inclined to pony up a system for testing



since you really cannot compare one system on one car to another on another car, and the logistics of swapping systems on a car so as to test them all on the same car on the same day are incredibly complicated, it effectively precludes that from ever happening



there have been some A-B tests, but not all at the same time in a "shoot out" like i did with the chips, and not all at the same location or by the same people, or even on the same cars



to date, the ONLY system that we have seen documented proof of no loss is the RS Barn system - ALL others showed losses somewhere undesireable - the RS Barn systems has also been shown to produce the best net gains when used in conjunction with the chip and airbox mod - those charts are out there now



i wish i had data that i felt comfortable posting on the cargraphic, but i don't - that which is out there though does not support the claims i have heard associated with it - i would say it is probably the closest of the rest to stock

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