Performance Help
07-04-06, 06:17 PM
#1
Performance Help
I read your reply to my post in the 400h forum Lexmex, but I figured I should continue it over here. I have a few questions so I'll just number them out.
1. Weapon-R intakes. I read somewhere that the "Secret Weapon" intake is the best. But, everyone with RX3's has the "Dragon" intake. What is the difference here? Also, the cold air box will make a big difference right?
2. Exhaust. Are there no catback exhausts for the RX300? I've looked everywhere. I know that a direct flow magnaflow muffler will give my car the nice deep and smooth tone I want, but I was hoping for some more perfomance. Any suggestions? The RMM exhaust looks really big and bulky, but is that a full exhaust system?
3. Is a magnaflow high flow cat converter the best to get?
1. Weapon-R intakes. I read somewhere that the "Secret Weapon" intake is the best. But, everyone with RX3's has the "Dragon" intake. What is the difference here? Also, the cold air box will make a big difference right?
2. Exhaust. Are there no catback exhausts for the RX300? I've looked everywhere. I know that a direct flow magnaflow muffler will give my car the nice deep and smooth tone I want, but I was hoping for some more perfomance. Any suggestions? The RMM exhaust looks really big and bulky, but is that a full exhaust system?
3. Is a magnaflow high flow cat converter the best to get?
07-04-06, 08:22 PM
#2
Super Moderator
I will start off in reverse.
3. Magnaflow in my opinion makes the best aftermarket performance catalytic converters. Now in most places in the U.S., they will not let you replace a perfectly functioning catalytic converter. My issue was a bump from road debris on my main OEM cat, and the RX actually through a CEL on that one. In Mexico (as if they care) and in the U.S., that allowed me legally to replace my cat. Luckily, my exhaust shop had Magnaflows, just had to wait 24 hours for them to locate the right one, and welded it on. The Magnaflow with the old precats actually recorded better emissions than with the OEM cat on, since the Magnaflow is a 3 way cat (does the work of the main cat and the two precats). The one I mentioned on my homepage is the correct one to get.
2. Well, a catback for another vehicle could be modified for the RX300. I was not going to spend big $$$ for something I could make myself. The problem is that the OEM resonator really is necessary, and even with my Sankei one, I still get a drone. However, the real power comes from having a direct flow muffler and wider pipe after the cat.
The RMM is just a muffler, but a darned good one.
After thinking about this a little more, my advice is to increase the width of the pipe after the resonator (rather than the cat) to about 2.5 (from 2 inches stock) and get a 2 inch wide direct flow muffler (Magnaflows are excellent) or the RMM. APC mufflers are what I would recommend if you want to save some $$$ but still get some power. I think I had the 1020 model of the APC Intimidator after I chopped off that OEM muffler.
1. Cold air box first. If you can get it without sitting on that wait list at Weapon-R for long, it is a step up over the OEM box. The OEM box can develop a gap(s) where hot air can find its way inside. I used to duct tape it shut for drag racing before I did my custom setup you saw on my homepage. Several CL members over the years had it, but never with our ram air system, which truly helps a lot. If Weapon-R had not taken so long, I would have used the cold air box on my system without a doubt, but my current system with heat shield works just fine, too.
Dragon Intake v. Secret Intake
Get the Secret one. Most had the Dragon due to it being the only one offered for a long time, not that it cost less. The power difference there has a little bit to do with the physics involved with two different velocities (swirling effect). I use a similar concept with that silver PVC piece, the one with wire mesh, you saw in my homepages.
3. Magnaflow in my opinion makes the best aftermarket performance catalytic converters. Now in most places in the U.S., they will not let you replace a perfectly functioning catalytic converter. My issue was a bump from road debris on my main OEM cat, and the RX actually through a CEL on that one. In Mexico (as if they care) and in the U.S., that allowed me legally to replace my cat. Luckily, my exhaust shop had Magnaflows, just had to wait 24 hours for them to locate the right one, and welded it on. The Magnaflow with the old precats actually recorded better emissions than with the OEM cat on, since the Magnaflow is a 3 way cat (does the work of the main cat and the two precats). The one I mentioned on my homepage is the correct one to get.
2. Well, a catback for another vehicle could be modified for the RX300. I was not going to spend big $$$ for something I could make myself. The problem is that the OEM resonator really is necessary, and even with my Sankei one, I still get a drone. However, the real power comes from having a direct flow muffler and wider pipe after the cat.
The RMM is just a muffler, but a darned good one.
After thinking about this a little more, my advice is to increase the width of the pipe after the resonator (rather than the cat) to about 2.5 (from 2 inches stock) and get a 2 inch wide direct flow muffler (Magnaflows are excellent) or the RMM. APC mufflers are what I would recommend if you want to save some $$$ but still get some power. I think I had the 1020 model of the APC Intimidator after I chopped off that OEM muffler.
1. Cold air box first. If you can get it without sitting on that wait list at Weapon-R for long, it is a step up over the OEM box. The OEM box can develop a gap(s) where hot air can find its way inside. I used to duct tape it shut for drag racing before I did my custom setup you saw on my homepage. Several CL members over the years had it, but never with our ram air system, which truly helps a lot. If Weapon-R had not taken so long, I would have used the cold air box on my system without a doubt, but my current system with heat shield works just fine, too.
Dragon Intake v. Secret Intake
Get the Secret one. Most had the Dragon due to it being the only one offered for a long time, not that it cost less. The power difference there has a little bit to do with the physics involved with two different velocities (swirling effect). I use a similar concept with that silver PVC piece, the one with wire mesh, you saw in my homepages.
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