2003 R50 Performance Exhaust Options

[pathlesstaken]

So after getting the K&N CAI installed and everything (seemingly) working correctly, I'm going to work on the exhaust. My problem is that when I called my mechanic about an exhaust, stainless steel, high flow cats, etc. he told me that no one makes a dedicated system that he could locate.I have an inspection due in a couple of days and am willing to put down some serious coin for a good performance exhaust, I just can't find one and didn't see any suggestions in the R50 forum, what do you guys reccomend?

[laxman0324]

There is an HKS (I believe) system that WAS made for our Pathfinders, but it has been out of production for a long time. Full custom is the only way you will get this done.

[pathlesstaken]

There is an HKS (I believe) system that WAS made for our Pathfinders, but it has been out of production for a long time. Full custom is the only way you will get this done.

full custom, hmmmm. What about piecing together various performance parts from different manufacturers? does anyone make anything for the second gen R50's?

I don't even know where to start for a custom job...

Edited April 30, 2010 by pathlesstaken

[180sx]

custom job. Get a good muffler (like flowmaster 40 or 50 series) and have someone weld up some mandrel bent piping in the metal of your choice. Wala. Custom. Any muffler shop should be able to do this. Just make sure its MANDREL bent piping, or your wasting your money (no crush bent or press bent piping).

 

Jose

[EmptyV]

I threw on a dual in dual out Magnaflow. I also removed my spare tire carrier and threw the wheel into the Safari Basket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billy

Edited April 30, 2010 by EmptyV

[PwninOBrien]

You would be hard-pressed to find any shop with a mandrel bender, they are far too expensive. You can always buy pre-bent pipe and take it to the shop and they can cut it up and make it work. Unless you buy a pre-made system then you're probably stuck with a crush-bent system. I suggest Magnaflow mufflers, they have a great warranty and are made of stainless steel. If you get stainless pipe then the exhaust system will outlast the car (except for the hangers).

[pathlesstaken]

You would be hard-pressed to find any shop with a mandrel bender, they are far too expensive. You can always buy pre-bent pipe and take it to the shop and they can cut it up and make it work. Unless you buy a pre-made system then you're probably stuck with a crush-bent system. I suggest Magnaflow mufflers, they have a great warranty and are made of stainless steel. If you get stainless pipe then the exhaust system will outlast the car (except for the hangers).

Yeah Im going all stainless, my stock exhaust is pretty rusted up, to the point where the rear resonator broke off when I hit a major pot hole. Anyone have part numbers for the magnaflow and flowmaster? also I need some high flow cats...

[Kingman]

All you need to know when buying mufflers is the in/out locations and the pipe diameter. Match that to the muffler brand you want and you're set. They don't make specific mufflers for vehicles, they're generic.

[180sx]

You would be hard-pressed to find any shop with a mandrel bender, they are far too expensive. You can always buy pre-bent pipe and take it to the shop and they can cut it up and make it work. Unless you buy a pre-made system then you're probably stuck with a crush-bent system. I suggest Magnaflow mufflers, they have a great warranty and are made of stainless steel. If you get stainless pipe then the exhaust system will outlast the car (except for the hangers).

 

True. And if he is going SS then he would have to order pre-made pieces anyway. So yea...

[exit34rocker1017]

for custom cat back exhaust, what diameter of piping is good? i heard 2.25 from cat back to muffler then 2.5 out?

[skulptr]

magnaflow muffler number is 11385.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GpeHGHipiw

 

flowmaster equivalent is super 40 9525454

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO4Ak0_x3A4&feature=related

[TooQForYou]

That's not an entirely accurate comparison, as the QX4 with the flowmaster is a 98-00 model which has the 3.3 liter engine, while the 01+ have the 3.5 liter.

[fishinpathy]

Sooo.. glad about this topic, one of my cats crapped out and instead of going oem I want something different. I like the two in two out configuration and like either magnaflow or flowmaster. Listened to the two on line, and both sound really nice. Anyone know how it sounds inside on a long road trip for either of the two would help, and what is it like when towing. I'm leaning more to the flowmaster 40 series for sound and I've used it in other V6 trucks (not dual in dual out though) but I like the stainless option of the magnaflow, and the cats will be magnaflow. No rear resonator, dual piped out to the side or around the spare (the spare may may be going on hitch anyway). Anyone have a better way of exit, dual rear or both to the side... for moderate trail driving? Edited May 3, 2010 by fishinpathy

[morpheus]

I don't have any experience with magnaflow, but I used to run twin 2 chamber flowmaster mufflers on my 5.0L mustang. I loved them. Extremely loud on the outside behind the car, but almost whisper quiet inside the car.

 

I had cheaper "super turbo" mufflers on it before and you couldn't hear yourself think in the car on the highway. With the flowmasters you could talk in a normal voice.

[Kingman]

I love the sound of Flowmasters, they are deeper and burly while at the same time being a little quieter on smaller engines. Magnaflow seems to have a way to make things extremely ricey. I used two Toyota 3.0Ls to compare, identical engines besides the mufflers. My buddy's Truck SR5 had a Flowmaster 40 series and the 4Runner had a Magnaflow. The Flowmaster sounded amazing, the Magnaflow was gnarly, ricey, and just plain obnoxious. Both had no cats (straight piped) and stock engines.

[TooQForYou]

That's odd. With pathfinders I've always heard the flowmasters sounded ricey and the magnaflows sounded better. Just what I've heard from others though.

[Tungsten]

its a small v6, anything will sound ricey

i have a flowmaster 60 delta flow and a magnaflow cat and it sounds beefy but almost too loud inside the car

 

the whole custom exhaust thing was a massive headache from my experience though, it took me almost a month to get everything right

[pathlesstaken]

its a small v6, anything will sound ricey

i have a flowmaster 60 delta flow and a magnaflow cat and it sounds beefy but almost too loud inside the car

 

the whole custom exhaust thing was a massive headache from my experience though, it took me almost a month to get everything right

haha, that's why I came here first. I would run a straight pipe, but the gub'ment man says I has to have me some cats.

[pathlesstaken]

All you need to know when buying mufflers is the in/out locations and the pipe diameter. Match that to the muffler brand you want and you're set. They don't make specific mufflers for vehicles, they're generic.

I was more worried about the loss of torque/hp due to changing the back pressure.

[skulptr]

haha, that's why I came here first. I would run a straight pipe, but the gub'ment man says I has to have me some cats.

i'm running straight pipe from the cats. its only loud inside cause i havent extended them out from under the chassis yet lol.

 

and that qx4 vid is a 3.3, i talked to the guy about it. he used to have the flowmaster on there, he said it popped alot in higher rpms, and the magnaflow has a deeper tone throughout, less rice more balls kinda sound.

[PwninOBrien]

I was more worried about the loss of torque/hp due to changing the back pressure.

 

I highly recommend Magnaflow over Flowmaster. Flowmasters are more for sound than performance whereas the Magnaflows are flow-through and not baffled like the Flowmasters. As far as backpressure is concerned, you want to use pipe as close to the factory diameter as possible. Most exhaust shops would recommend going no more than 1/2" larger; any larger and you start to lose EGV's and you will start losing low-end torque.

Edited May 9, 2010 by PwninOBrien

[Phantom01Pathfinder]

Ive got an '01 with a magnaflow muffler and stainless steel tubing. only from the muffler back. i didnt want to deal with a whole system, plus it wouldnt be all worth the small performance gain. installed at 80k miles and currently have 112k. Sounds pretty good at all rpm ranges, especially between 4-6k. its a dual in single out, with 2.50" tubing, exiting close to the factory location.

 

trust me, go with magnaflow, you'll be much happier.