Easy change! and it sounds GREAT!
- Thread starter Viperfreak2
- Start date
Does the RSI exhaust eliminate the cross-over?
Borla took my car for two weeks to design a cat back exhaust. Their first design eliminated the cross-over, cat straight to muffler & tail pipe. The sound was horrific, flappy at normal operating temp. They ran several scenarios ending up with the crossover & high flow muffler. The sound is throatier than stock, and feels a bit quicker but have not substantiated my gut feel with a dyno test.
Would the "cherry bomb" fix the sound problem created by the straight exhaust? I got the impression the muffler could not handle the air flow, but that is just a guess.
Borla took my car for two weeks to design a cat back exhaust. Their first design eliminated the cross-over, cat straight to muffler & tail pipe. The sound was horrific, flappy at normal operating temp. They ran several scenarios ending up with the crossover & high flow muffler. The sound is throatier than stock, and feels a bit quicker but have not substantiated my gut feel with a dyno test.
Would the "cherry bomb" fix the sound problem created by the straight exhaust? I got the impression the muffler could not handle the air flow, but that is just a guess.
The only thing that is specific is that they must be 2.5" inlet & outlet. As I recall they were about 27" long. From what the guys at Pep Boys told me is the 2.5" is only available in one length. So you really can't go wrong. Anything else let me know. [email protected]
Dawg2Snake
Enthusiast
OK, I got my side sill off on the passenger side. Kind of a pain, but successful nonetheless. Even after loosening both muffler clamps I could not get the muffler off - even banging on it with a hammer and using liquid wrench on the fittings... So I eassembled it and left it as is. Any suggestions as to how to get the mufflers off??
Maybe there is a Viper exhaust shop in Phoenix that would tackle it for me...
Maybe there is a Viper exhaust shop in Phoenix that would tackle it for me...
You may have to loosen the rear exhaust mount on both sides. That is what I did. I also levered the rear crossover section to the rear to help. Took a bit but it worked. Just wish I would have been as successful in the "easy" portion. I was not able to get the wheel well liner to move enough to access the front fasteners. Could be build variation. I have thought about cutting a notch in the liner to match the one in the sill. Then making a black cover to add back when finished.
Ron, there was a noticeable difference in sound quality and level when the cross-over was removed. With the top and windows up the interior noise was significantly different then stock. Borla ran several more tests to find the best combination, I am very pleased with the final result. Sound level is about stock, but the quality is much better imo throught the RPM range.
JM
Smog Dog
Enthusiast
I finally made the change today at 5800 miles. Thanks to Viperfreak2, Viper SRT for posting the pictures (which were extremely helpful), and to Russ Oasis for his tip on the 33 1/2 inch pipe. I am not as fast as the rest of you guys are. I spent a half day doing this job, plus the time running to the local Midas shop to get the pipes. All worked out well, and the miles on the car didn't seem to make the mufflers any harder to get off. I like the sound---louder, but not outrageous. On the highway in 4th or 5th the noise is not a problem. Thanks again to all for all the help!
Bill
Bill
doctorbob
Enthusiast
I went the opposite way....took my SRT to Bill Luke Dodge and had the nose and sills covered with 3M stuff and a Corsa exhaust. I had the sills repainted prior to the 3M. My cost $2000 
Russ Oasis
Enthusiast
Bill,
Glad you like the change. Yes, it can take a little longer until you figure the body parts out. Just to set the record straight for everyone else (you had to get this right or it wouldn't have fit)...but the the pipe you had made is TWENTY THREE AND A HALF INCHES.....not 33 1/2". Right?
Glad you like the change. Yes, it can take a little longer until you figure the body parts out. Just to set the record straight for everyone else (you had to get this right or it wouldn't have fit)...but the the pipe you had made is TWENTY THREE AND A HALF INCHES.....not 33 1/2". Right?
Smog Dog
Enthusiast
Hi Russ, No, I used a 33 1/2 inch pipe, just like you said in your post. I just went out to my garage and measured the mufflers.....they are approximately 34 inches long.Thanks again!
Bill
Russ Oasis
Enthusiast
OK Bill, I guess I forgot the lengths already. Glad that it worked out for you.
Viperfreak2
Enthusiast
Lesson learned: Be careful about the replacement length and adjustment. If the overall length is even 10mm short, you will get a very annoying NVH (rattle) problem. It took me a while to find it, but the pipe replacement was a little short and it caused the rear crossover to touch the frame. The gap from the factory is tiny, so the length adjustment is critical. Make sure to put a small spacer between the frame and the crossover, right behind the tip before tightening the clamps.
LittleFish
Enthusiast
Great tip! I just removed the second muffler last night and noticed the movement of the crossover. I plan to take my glass pack and the stock muffler to a shop today to have them make the extensions exact. Thanks again for the heads up.
dave
dave
Russ Oasis
Enthusiast
I found that if you make the replacement piece EXACTLY the same length as the muffler you're replacing, then it is very difficult to stretch the pipes far enough apart to slip the replacement pipe in. That's why 1/4"-1/2" shorter seems to work better. After the pipe is slipped in, the overall length of the assembly should still be the same as you shouldn't jam the pipes together as far.
Smog Dog
Enthusiast
The 1/2" shorter worked fine for me. I also took a measurement on the pipe off the rear fender liner to make sure the opening was at the same location when I put the rocker panel back on the car that it was before I removed the muffler. I also took care that it was the same on both sides of the car.
Bill
Skip White
Enthusiast
I have did the exhaust upgrade to my car. I used stainless Bullit mufflers on the car. The car sounds unbeilevable. I never new the car could sound so good. I also removed the secondary cats, and I think this added to the sound and improved the HP. The side sills are cool, and only slightly warm to the touch after sprinting thru a few gears. I have pics of the procedure if anyone would like. The Bullit mufflers are all stainless and use no fiberglass in them. They only cost around $50.00 each. The look like a work of art. There lenth is about 18 inches long, and one more nice thing about them is they are one half inch smaller in diameter. As many of you know the oem muffler is usually touching the insulation inside the sills. This is the best mod for the money I have ever done to a Viper, and I've spent over $50,000.00 over several years on these cars. I mean it to be the best for what little it cost and has so many improvements on the car.
Skip White
Skip White
Hans Christian
Enthusiast
Hi Skip,
Thanks for sharing.
If you wouldn't mind, I would love to get pics of your installation procedure.
I hope to do this change myself over thanks giving.
My email is [email protected]
Thanks
Thanks for sharing.
If you wouldn't mind, I would love to get pics of your installation procedure.
I hope to do this change myself over thanks giving.
My email is [email protected]
Thanks
ARMORGOD
Enthusiast
LittleFish
Enthusiast
Thanks for all the great info on this post. Your comments and enthusiasm allowed me to make this modification. This board is fantastic!
I just finished the install. Pep boys didn't have cherry bombs in stock so I went to O'reileys and got Thrush packs (told them to order Cherry Bombs). Had a local muffler shop weld on extentions...of coarse they screwed up the size. Fixed the screwup and bolted the packs on without any problem (except I bought U-bolts at muffler shop, they were not heavy duty and I twisted the nuts off while tightning them up - Buy HEAVY DUTY they work great).
The procedure would have been painless had I went to Autozone (they have the best pipe selection in Springfield) and have heavy duty U-bolts.
Anyway the car sounds great. Definately louder at idle and on the gas. I love the cackle when you let off the exhaust! I didn't think the burn in would be so bad. I took my wife on a road trip to go shopping and we almost died at a stop light. Almost toxic. Much better after driving 50 miles although the smell was still there at about 100 miles but not near as bad. The smell is not exhaust just paint/metal burning.
When we stopped after about 20 miles, smoke was coming out of the pipes and rolling up between the top and the trunk. My wife was not overly impressed with my tinklering with the car but that is just her. She did notice how we turned heads of people who couldn't see us intially. They just knew that a 'cool sounding car' was behind them. Once they turned, they just gawked. A couple of kids where walking away from us up around a corner. They stopped and had turned around to wait for us, we came around the corner at about 40, I dropped it to second and hit it, they were cheering as we went by.
So, don't be afaid to make the change! Follow the directions of the earlier posts. Getting the sills off is not that difficult, go slow and you will be fine. There are two nuts on the top, above the Viper badge that are tricky. I found it easy for me to use a small 10mm wrench to loosen those up and slide the sill out. My mufflers came right off after spraying them with WD40 and letting them sit over night. I spent about 4 evenings of 30-45 minutes each to get it done. I can't think of anything that wasn't already explained here other than
DO NOT TAKE YOUR WIFE UNTIL THE BURN IN OF THE PACKS IS COMPLETE.
I just finished the install. Pep boys didn't have cherry bombs in stock so I went to O'reileys and got Thrush packs (told them to order Cherry Bombs). Had a local muffler shop weld on extentions...of coarse they screwed up the size. Fixed the screwup and bolted the packs on without any problem (except I bought U-bolts at muffler shop, they were not heavy duty and I twisted the nuts off while tightning them up - Buy HEAVY DUTY they work great).
The procedure would have been painless had I went to Autozone (they have the best pipe selection in Springfield) and have heavy duty U-bolts.
Anyway the car sounds great. Definately louder at idle and on the gas. I love the cackle when you let off the exhaust! I didn't think the burn in would be so bad. I took my wife on a road trip to go shopping and we almost died at a stop light. Almost toxic. Much better after driving 50 miles although the smell was still there at about 100 miles but not near as bad. The smell is not exhaust just paint/metal burning.
When we stopped after about 20 miles, smoke was coming out of the pipes and rolling up between the top and the trunk. My wife was not overly impressed with my tinklering with the car but that is just her. She did notice how we turned heads of people who couldn't see us intially. They just knew that a 'cool sounding car' was behind them. Once they turned, they just gawked. A couple of kids where walking away from us up around a corner. They stopped and had turned around to wait for us, we came around the corner at about 40, I dropped it to second and hit it, they were cheering as we went by.
So, don't be afaid to make the change! Follow the directions of the earlier posts. Getting the sills off is not that difficult, go slow and you will be fine. There are two nuts on the top, above the Viper badge that are tricky. I found it easy for me to use a small 10mm wrench to loosen those up and slide the sill out. My mufflers came right off after spraying them with WD40 and letting them sit over night. I spent about 4 evenings of 30-45 minutes each to get it done. I can't think of anything that wasn't already explained here other than
DO NOT TAKE YOUR WIFE UNTIL THE BURN IN OF THE PACKS IS COMPLETE.
Skip White
Enthusiast
As Little Fish mentioned, use an oil penetrent where the old mufflers are clamped. I forgot to do this on one side and like to never got them off, then I remembered to try this and they sliped right off. I really do recomend removing the sec. cats. They must be what is holding in so much of the heat. I can't believe how cool the side sills are on the car now. That is worth a lot, and when summer comes around, I will not have to suffer with all the heat build up in the car, and after the car sits for a while you will be able to get in the car and not roast.
Skip
Skip
LittleFish
Enthusiast
Skip, Are the secondary cats in front of the muffler? I need a bit of help on how to do that. Thanks for any help / pics.
I forgot to say that we ran 80 back from Branson (40 miles) and I could have sat a baby's butt on the sills....still cold. It was 50 degrees out which may have been a factor but to not even be warm was quite impressive.
Also, the underside of my sills is completely shot. Will take them off and have repainted, just need to decide if I will 3M or get the Autoform side skirts. Living on asphalt roads with lots of marbles & tar have taken their toll.
Thanks again for everyone's help on this.
Dave
I forgot to say that we ran 80 back from Branson (40 miles) and I could have sat a baby's butt on the sills....still cold. It was 50 degrees out which may have been a factor but to not even be warm was quite impressive.
Also, the underside of my sills is completely shot. Will take them off and have repainted, just need to decide if I will 3M or get the Autoform side skirts. Living on asphalt roads with lots of marbles & tar have taken their toll.
Thanks again for everyone's help on this.
Dave
Skip White
Enthusiast
Yes the sec. cats are directly in front of the oem mufflers. The place where you cut them off is at the bend in the pipe, and the pipe is a bit oval shaped. So when you make the new replacement pipe you will have to swell it a bit more to fit over it. You will have to weld it all the way around. You will have to get under the car to complete the weld, but there is a large hole in the underside to access this. The car can not be on the ground, or you will not be able to get to the area of the pipe to complete the weld. I strongly recomend a good muffler shop to complete the install. You can cut the sec. cat off and take it in to them. They will see the car still has the primary cat on it and not even be aware of the car ever having a sec. cat on it. Then you can have a pro do all the fitment of the pipes and new muffler. I stongly recomend using the Bullet muffler on the car, as I can't imagine anything sounding better. Here is the site for these. [email protected] Jeff is a very knowledgable guy on exhaust. He will tell you why you should not use glass packs on the car.
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