ok, ive been looking over exhaust parts for a while, and i think thats my next step on my 96 wagon.

has anybody changed out they're downpipe, catconv, and/or muffler for a higher performace piece on an N/A (non-turb) wagon? if so, what/how did you do it? im wondering if i need to go to a shop and have the pieces welded together, or if i can do a clamp job and be fine. the less money i have to spend the better. seems everything i find, is different from what i have in a major way, so i will definately have to put together a custom piping job, but i would like to hear some experienced opinions

 

For Exhaust upgrades

You can buy flanges here...
http://www.turbo-performance.com/Pro...ll_flanges.htm
http://www.hahnracecraft.com/hahn/parts/install.htm
http://www.roadraceengineering.com/f...andgaskets.htm

You can buy pre-bent mandrel bends here...
http://www.roadraceengineering.com/mandrelbends.htm
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...&storeId=10101
http://www.4customexhaust.com/components.htm
http://www.hedman.com

Some folks replace pre-cat with a downpipe...

-EDIT-
Build your own downpipe with Slater turbo-to-downpipe flange

3 inch downpipe by Jesse
http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index...howtopic=43241
http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index...howtopic=41173
-EDIT-

http://www.eurosporttuning.ca/Mercha...Code=VL-S70-en
Our 850 96-97, C70/S70/V70 -98 Turbo FWD models only 3" stainless steel turbo down pipes are designed for both street and track use. Each kit comes with an interchangeable center section, which allows you to switch between a catalytic converter and straight pipe for added performance on the racetrack. The system will bolt directly onto the factory cat back system or our stainless steel performance cat back system. The kit is a bolt in system and comes with O2 sensor holes.


You can buy high-flow cat convertor here...
http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/02converters.asp
http://www.discountconverter.com/news/obdii.htm

Muffler ideas here...
http://www.flopro.com/FloPro.htm
http://www.precisionkelowna.com/exhaust-flopro.html
The Flo-Pro muffler has proven itself to beat the competition with a louvered pipe design, which accelerates the exhaust flow through the muffler. The louvers also give you a deep performance sound without the use of fiberglass that eventually blows out. The Flo-Pro mufflers are also designed to boost the horsepower generated from your vehicle.

Dynomax, WLK-17223
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...rt=WLK%2D17223

Borla
http://www.borla.com/welcome

Hooker Aero Chamber
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...60&prmenbr=361
http://store.summitracing.com/defaul...4922711+300044

Manifolds and Headers
Some folks are replacing their factory exhaust manifold with one from a late model S60R.

 

wow, that is a lot of links! thanks very much for the resources

i noticed a little over half of those are for turbo models, and you listed some that i did have in mind, such as magnaflow and dynaflo

however, im really looking more for stories on how others have changed out the pipes/cats/muffs on their non-turbos. my two main concerns/ questions are

- with the magnaflow muffler, the way the inlet/outlet ports are placed, in comparison witht he factory, i would have to create a somewhat elaborate piping system - instead of coming in one 'side' and out the other, the mags are coming in one 'end' and out the other. is there going to be enough room under the car to have several bends in the piping to adjust for this?

- assembly: does the piping have to be welded together, or would a series of clamps and connectors be sufficent, and still get the same performance? or, in other wording, would it be feasible to sort of 'piece' a piping system together, or must it be welded together for the strength?

 

I would be surprised if you couldn't find the right inlet/outlet setup with magnaflow. There are several other companies -- Dynomax, Random Technology, Catco -- you can try.

I prefer flanges that can be bolted together. Some folks like clamps. Don't forget the flex pipe and bunges for front and rear O2 sensors.

 

It shouldn't matter how the exhaust is set up, either way the pipe will be sealed and connected and bolted to the car so it's not dragging on the road. I wouldn't wast time with welding unless you are good at it or some one you know is. There is nothing wrong with flanging the two ends and then clamping them together and hanging it from the car. And when it comes to performance you don't want "several bends." Since you are going towards the performance side no muffler is worth putting huge restrictions on your pipe, that would just cancel out the effect of the muffler I bet. Try and make the pipe as straight as you can possibly get it. If you need to down grade to a muffle to work then so be it, or hell, don't even use a muffler.

 

Well as you said your n/a, you have no downpipe.

 

thx guys, much appreciated

one more ?

- robert, you said dont forget 02 sensors - do i need a certain type of cat / muff to accomidate those?
- also, i live in kansas, so a cat is not... how do i say this ... 'required' in my area. i think if i were ever to move to cali, i would need it, to meet emissions standards, but here, theres a lot of leaneancy (sp?) on exhausts. i think daily i hear a car with no muffler, just strait pipe from the manifold to the rear of the car, large offroad-style trucks with open headers, cars with no windshields, etc. granted, they cant pass an inspection, but that too is not required for a vehicle to be street legal, it just helps with insurance. can i go 'around' a catconv? or does there need to be one for a sensor?

 

Take a look under your car. You will find a front O2 sensor. This is required by the ECU. After your engine has warmed-up (ECU takes reading from Engine Coolant Temp sensor), the ECU starts to take readings from the front O2 sensor. The ECU leans out the air/fuel mixture. Takes another reading. Leans out the air/fuel mix. Takes another reading. Oops too lean, Adds fuel to air/fuel mix. Takes another reading. Adds fuel to air/fuel mix. Takes anther reading. Oops too rich, leans out the air/fuel mixture. End Result -- the ECU controls the air/fuel mixture by bouncing back and forth between slightly too lean and slightly too rich.

After your catalytic convertor, you will find the rear O2 sensor. The ECU takes a reading. If readings are out-of-bounds, it will trigger a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and turn on "Check Engine" light. If you remove catalytic convertor, the ECU will trigger a DTC.

 

i was out and around earlier for a bit, drove past an exhaust shop, figured id stop and talk to the guy.

after a look around my car, he tells me 2 things, right off. one, its a 2" pipe. good to know. he says he can step it up to 2 1/4 inch, no prob, and shouldnt chance the sound of the car too much. then, he looks at the rear of the car, and tells me somebody had done something to it before, but removed it - im guessing before it was sold. this is total news to me, because according to carfax, i am the first private owner. before me, it was a fleet vehicle for a bank, which bought it new. i looked under it myself, and made him show me what he was talkin about. sure enough, you can see the difference in the pipes. somebody had this car as a private auto, and was toying with the exhaust. it appears, that they had a strait pipe from the exhaust, all the way back, to something like a coffee-can muffler, similar to http://store.summitracing.com/defaul...rt=WLK%2D17223, but a lot shorter. must have replaced factory parts before they sold it. the tip isnt even the same type of metal as the rest of the exhaust, which i never noticed before.

after showing me this, he asks me why i need to change the catcov, if its working fine. after a few minutes, hes tellin me theres no real need to do it, untill its broke, and if i combine a higher flow cat with magnaflo muffler, it would sound rediculous, for this type of car.

a few more minutes with him, he tells me a rough price. With a universal magnaflo 4" round, 18" long muff, and step up to 2 1/4" piping, after the converter, welded together, with a staneless tip to fit nicely (nothing fancy, just a round polished tip) would run somewhere around $350. it would have a noticibly lower tone, but not sound like a 'ricer', which is exactly what i want. currently, the factory muff is in front of the rear axle. he would have to move it behind the axle, and probly shorten the tip some so its not protruding past my bumber.

... thoughts?

 

Do you have anywhere at home or a friend that has a garage or something? Messing around with an exhaust system is not hard at all. If you have a spot, a flash light, a jack and 4 jack stands I say do it yourself and save your $350.

Why do you want it to be welded? I replaced the exhaust on a cady about 3 months ago and my tech center from the cat back, took like an hour to do, we weren't working full blow or anything, slow pace and what not. It's simple to do...

Get it jacked up and on the stands as high as you can for the extra room. I'm still not sure as to what all you are trying to do but you can use a hack saw, torch or power hack saw to cut the old exhaust off. You'll need the proper hangers and clamps, tubing and a set of flange makers. They look like cones, you insert the cone part into the tube and hit it with a hammer and it will like spread the opening. Reverse that cone and stick the other exhaust tube in that open space of the cone and hit the tip with a hammer and it will decrease that diameter, insert the two and typically that is where you install a clamp and hang it from the car.

If you want to do it all yourself then let us know, we'll be more the willing to give you a hand and almost full blown manual. Or you can just pay him all that cash. Remember though, you'll appreciate your car more the more work you put into it with your own hands, then again that's only true if your car is your "baby."