Exhaust Cutout Sizing

[XJSman89]

So I'm buying these as a Christmas present to myself:

Electric exhaust cutouts

I think that those are the ones that I've settled on. They've gotten good reviews, seem to be durable, and are a good price. $227 for a single motor assembly with the y-pipe.

I'm probably going to cut the exhaust off of my parts car just before the muffler and put those mufflers and tailpipes on my 96. I'll put the cutout just before the Y and try to route it towards the side if possible... we'll see how it goes. I don't want it to dump right under the rear seats for sure. ;D

My question is will this work? I've seen in other threads that the stock diameter is 1.75", the smallest cutout from QTP is 2.25". Could a simple adapter work, or should I shop for different cutouts?

Thanks in advance for the thoughts everyone! I can't wait to get it done.

[Aurora40]

After it splits to the mufflers, it is 1.75". Where it is a single, it is 2 1/2. If you are going with a cutout, put it before the resonator or else why bother? Cutouts are for LOUD.

[Blacky Bulger]

Beat me to it!!!

Goodluck with it though!

I would think 2.25" but im not sure or its 2.75"

[lkraft92]

you are always one step ahead of me. i have thought about these for a while but have never decided to get them.

[XJSman89]

I do what I can, Lathan. ;D

Thanks for the info guys, and you're right Bob. I want to do one just to save cost but there's no reason why I couldn't do it before the resonator. If I did it before the cat would it be like running open headers? Because THAT would be fun too haha.

One before the resonator sounds like a good idea. It's a nice place to put it and it can be piped to the side pretty easily.

[Aurora40]

Before the cat would result in the most sound. I would be worried it'll throw a code though. I think post-cat but pre-resonator would still be pretty loud.

[aurora4]

I was just looking at these yesterday, and collins i wouldnt go before the cat. your car will sound like a harley. I had my exhaust off for 2 days and it was fun but too loud for city driving. Let us know what you do and where you put it and how it sounds.

[XJSman89]

That was my thought, thanks for the input guys. I won't put it in before the cat. Having it that loud would be cool, but not if I will only be able to do it for a couple minutes without getting tired of it haha. I like my straights now, they're not too crazy. I want to to still be kinda classy! ;D A little more noise by doing it before the resonator is what I'm going to do. It'll be close to the switch so there will be less of a chance of a wire breaking due to debris and with the cutout it doesn't have to be that loud all the time.

[XJSman89]

Okay so to confirm, since I'm putting the cutout in the section of 2.5" pipe, should I get a 2.5" cutout, or go with a 2.75" cutout?

I had the car up on the lift last weekend replacing the shocks and struts and took a look at the exhaust. I found a problem- there isn't any space between the resonator and the cat for a cutout. The oxygen sensor is in the way, and a cutout can't be placed between them. So my question begs:

I don't have a problem with having it after the resonator. It'll sound the same as my straights, probably even louder since it'll be just under the cabin instead of at the back. But if I moved the resonator back a few inches I could put the cutout in front of it.

Will it affect my cabin noise to move the resonator back a few inches? I wouldn't think that a couple inches would change it much but you never know. I'll probably end up putting it behind the resonator anyway just to be safe and not mess with it... I dunno. Thoughts?

[lkraft92]

i would move the resonator back and put it between the res and cat. that should give you the best sound. it should be obnoxiously loud but awesome.

[XJSman89]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I think I'll scoot the resonator back and put it just after the oxygen sensor. The whole point is to be louder when I want it to be, why not make it a little bit louder than straights while I'm at it? ;D

Any thoughts on the cutout sizing? Should I just go for a 2.5" cutout since it's a 2.5" pipe?

[wireless]

I would go for 2.75" that way it's easier to weld... but that's just me lol

[XJSman89]

If you take a look at this link that shows the product dimensions, it looks like the 2.25" cutout has a 2.25" collar but a 2.5" outer diameter. That would be perfect for me. But if you look at the 2.5" cutout, it doesn't seem to have a collar on it at all. The next step up is 3" so no help with a 2.75" cutout.

That makes me wonder if the 2.25" cutout actually has a 2" collar and it's just marked wrong? And maybe the 2.5" cutout has a 2.25" collar? I'll call them and check it out, they should be able to tell me what I need.

[nelson480]

If i were to do this, it would be right before each muffler

[XJSman89]

Well that's all heresay, because you'll probably want to sell your car tomorrow. ;D

Why would you do one before each muffler? I can understand not wanting to do it before the resonator (I'm still kinda considering it myself) but you would have to buy two cutouts if you did it just before each muffler... If you go right before the Y split you only need one cutout.

[Randy T.]

Don't be scared! Remove the whole resonator. The empty space would be perfect for the cutout location. Then, if you don't like it, you have an extra. Exhaust systems on these cars are usually pretty easy to change, if all goes well easily less than an hour to r&r.

[nelson480]

Dec 8, 2011 0:38:09 GMT -6 XJSman89 said:

Well that's all heresay, because you'll probably want to sell your car tomorrow. ;D

Why would you do one before each muffler? I can understand not wanting to do it before the resonator (I'm still kinda considering it myself) but you would have to buy two cutouts if you did it just before each muffler... If you go right before the Y split you only need one cutout.

Because it would sound like you had an exhuast system when its open, instead of a cutout. I can have this done from my friend who is a metal fabricator for like 60 bucks for both sides, using my existing pipes minus the "out" part of it. Wouldnt be electric, but i wouldnt mind reaching under to bolt/unbolt it if i wanted to change it.

[XJSman89]

Putting a cutout right before each muffler is the exact same thing as having straights. I like the sound for sure though! The difference between putting in a cutout and cutting your mufflers off is almost zero. If anything the cutout would be a tad quieter since some exhaust is still exiting through the muffler. Putting one each just before the muffler is the exact same as one just before the Y as far as sound goes, and will save you some cash. There may be a very minimal difference but it would only be a couple decibels quieter to run two further back instead of just one.

I could see manually unbolting them getting really old really fast, and if you did that you couldn't have it open in the city and close them right away if you wanted to get on the highway. That's what I'm going for with the electric ones.

I've had straights for a while now, and I'm excited at the prospect of a bit more sound. That's why I'd like to move the res back and stick it in there. Especially since it can be changed at the touch of a button! I still think that one cutout for open headers and a separate one for normal straights would be killer.

[nelson480]

The goal is to leave mufflers on, put them as far back as possible to get that sound and fool people when ii wanna lol

[wireless]

Dec 8, 2011 16:16:34 GMT -6 XJSman89 said:

I've had straights for a while now, and I'm excited at the prospect of a bit more sound.

I'm in the same boat as you -- I love how my straights sound, but I'd love to get some cutouts right behind the header. If I did that, I'd probably put my factory mufflers back on..

[nelson480]

make it sound like an obnoxious harley?

[wireless]

Ew, no way, no way this motor can sound that bad

[XJSman89]

Yep, that's my thought. I couldn't afford them at Christmas, I'm waiting til my birthday in March.

I have the muffler delete now. No inspections in Kansas. I've been pulled over before and the cop said he liked my exhaust haha. But I'm going to get a real job soon, I'm getting married, and the time for permanent straight pipes has passed. I like them too much to completely get rid of them though, it wouldn't be the same car without them. So cutouts are perfect.

I plan on using the exhaust system from my parts car as a donor. I still have my 96's mufflers but I'm not sure if they're weldable if I went to put them back on and I would have to cut out the stainless pipes... It's easier to just bolt on a full system and modify it from there. I'm still not sure what brand I want to get... The QTP ones seem to be good though. I've seen good reviews from them, anyway.

The. Current plan, if it will fit, is to put one before the Y for sure. This will give me the straights back. I would really like to but a second separate cutout with a separate controller before the CAT to give the effect of open headers, just for fun. There's nothing in between the headers and the cat, right? Would putting a cutout there be like having open headers?

[wireless]

www.summitracing.com/parts/QTP-10250/

This is the cutout I'm looking at getting. Very easy to do, just gotta jack the car up a bit. I'd have it welded in place.

However, i haven't gotten this yet because when I do this, I want to find some nice mellow sounding mufflers that still have a bit of sound. Still deciding, though..

[lkraft92]

I thought about getting cutouts when I did my exhaust, but I would rather have the electric cutouts because it would be a lot easier to open with a switch than getting under the car and taking off bolts. If the aurora sat a little higher, then I might have done it because it would be easier to get under it without jacking up. So I will wait till I can get the electric ones.

[sall]

Yeah those are only good for track runs. Electric is on demand.

[XJSman89]

Agreed. I considered that for a couple seconds, but I want to be able to keep them open in the city and close them if i get on the highway or need to take my boss somewhere lol.

Can anyone answer my question, though? Would be putting a cutout before the cat be like having open headers? It would, right? Maybe a little quieter but there would be a definite difference between that and straights?

[lkraft92]

it should, i dont see why it wouldnt. i should make it sound mean.

[XJSman89]

I just ordered a single 2.5" electric cutout kit (with controller and stainless Y) from QTP. Sara got it for me for my birthday! Just one cutout for now. the plan is to put it right before the Y to the mufflers. I'm going to do the welding on the system from my parts car and then swap the two once it's done. I still would like to get a second cutout to weld in just after the headers, hopefully I get enough birthday cash to do that as well. I'm excited to install it, it will be nice to have some quiet on the highway again!

I will take pictures and post findings in a separate thread. There are enough questions about it that I think making a how-to would be beneficial.

[RCA1186]

I'm thinking about doing it. Any idea on the cost of the cutout? Yeah I think it should sound like open headers befroe the cat, but might trip the ses if you left it on for awhile would be nice to pull up to someone at a light nice and quiet and then flip a switch and scare the pants off of them haha