I want to install an exhaust cut out on my 305. My exhaust setup is completley stock.

Where is the proper place to have it installed?

Should I have a turndown, or have it exit to the side?

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/exha...-you-ever.html

That sticky has a bit of info about cutouts and open exhaust, might help you more than I can. I'm also in the process of installing my cutout, just finished up Hooker 2055's.

 

Cool thanks. Ill read through that thread. Please post a video of your setup when done. You will probably have it done before I do. Im sure youve read through it all ready, where do you plan on installing your cut out?

 

the best place to put it if your gonna get the best out of it, and the sound you want is before the cat. and if your putting it there...good luck trying to get it to fit on the stock y pipe. thers no room. best option would be get rid of the cat and put it there. i tried to fit mine before my cat, yep...no work. haha.

 

Ok, how much louder will the car be without the cat, with the cutout closed?

 

a significant amount. look up some videos on youtube. if you end up keeping your cat and put the cutout after it, its pretty much pointless IMO. others may disagree. wat are you looking for to do with the cutout?

 

Ill look on youtube. I just like the idea of having a quiet car, then flipping a switch and have it loud. My car is my DD, I want a loud muffler, but dont want to have to deal with it loud all the time, and would like it to be real quiet when I want it to be. Also I dont wnat to settle for a medium tone muffler. Haha, you know?

 

yea i get ya. my car is my dd too and i had my cutout all ready to go but wouldnt fit the stock y pipe so i just sent it back to qtp. not worth the hassle. im getting my headers soon and then eventually ill get my cutout again with no cat. if i were you seeing as you are in high school from your agressive look thread haha id just save up for headers if i were you. especially since the stock manifolds are crap and the ypipe. once your exhaust is upgraded, the cutout will sound awesome wen its open. thats just me though

 

Alright, thats what I'm debating on, headers or the cutout. I might go ahead and get the cutout, then later move to headers and y pipe when I can afford a quality set.


Edit

Im going to go ahead and get the cut out. Does the cutout exit need to be turned down? I read somewhere it can cause heat problems with the floor pans and carpet, but cant remember if it was on a third gen.

 

Or have both. This setup is a direct replacement for the OEM cat. The cat is a Magnaflow universal.

 

link please

 

Yeah, please post a link. I cant find that part.

 

Its a custom job. Take an OEM cat, cut off the converter section, you will only reuse the ends. Graft the universal cat and y-pipe section from exhaust cut out kit onto the ends and bam, there you go.

Here are the parts I used.

Mac "test" pipe - 48792
DMH cutout - 2030sf
Magnaflow cat - 99659HM
Race Ready swivel turn down - 815-STSS300

Here is my thread.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/exha...cat-setup.html

 

there are some test pipes that they sell with cutouts installed on them already. im not sure what the company name is but its not too expensive. looks exactly like the setup youve got there

 

Never heard of those. But its a logical product. I bet they don't have cats though.

 

nope, its your same exact looking setup. with a spun converter and the cutout. just its an electric cutout

 

Cool. Let me know if you think of the company. My cutout is electric by the way.

 

ooo. you shouldve put a patent on it hahaha. and yea if i remember it ill let you know

 

The only "proper" place for an exhaust cutout is..........on the shelf at your local autozone.

 

Yup, because Autozone totally sells electric cutouts. But thanks for your incredibly insightful reply.

 

I don't know why you'd say that. You know, there are some people out there that use their cars for more than just racing. Although I primarily use my bird for racing, I like to take it to car shows. That crowd (and the police for that matter) aren't too fond of open headers. A cutout is a good compromise, open exhaust at the track, quiet(ish) on the street.

Anyway, if you're going to get a cutout, go with a Summit one. They're $30. Only catch is they aren't electrical, there are 3 wing nuts that hold the cover on. But really, that's a 60 second job at most, not worth another $100+ for a switch.

As for my placement, I'm putting mine where the cat used to be. It's going right after my Hooker 2055 y-pipe, and I'm making an extension for the cutout to reach the length of the original cat, using the ball flange end like 87350Iroc mentioned. that way I can reuse the hanger the stock exhaust sits on. Like Ghost said, the stock y-pipe is crap, there's no place to put a cutout in. You would have to move the cat back a few feet and place the cutout in it's original location, or do like I am and removing the cat completely.

Honestly, if you aren't looking for performance primarily, and are more looking for a nice sound, there's no need for headers. Before I put my headers on, I unhooked my exhaust after my cat, and started my car up just to see what it sounded like. I was pleasantly surprised. It had a nice deep growl to it even with stock exhaust manifolds and the cat still attached. You could just cut out the cat, put the cutout in it's place, then piece the cat in right after the cutout. Very cheap if you can do the work yourself, yet very nice sound.

As far as placement goes, mine is coming out to the side, for ground clearance and ease of access. I'm not really too worried about heat problems, as it's like a foot at most from the side of the car.

I'm fabricating my extension tomorrow, I'll hopefully get a video of it then. Had a few delays today while installing a new temp sensor and a 180 thermostat.

Hope this helps!

 

This is what my Summit exhaust cutout looks like. I'll get pics of it and my extension when it's made, and what it looks like on the car.

 

I was wondering if the electric part was really worth the extra 140 bucks.


Im just going to buy the non electrical summit cut out. Then later I will buy the electrical part. Hopefully I can fiind a cheap electrical cut out valve at the Fbody gathering this weekend.

I do need a 2.5" cut out right? My whole exhaust setup is stock.

 

I'm about 99% sure the stock exhaust after the cat is 2.5". The previous owner of my car put new exhaust all the way back after the cat, so I'm not completely certain. My Summit cutout is 2.5" though. The way it's designed though, it can actually be used as a reducer if I looked at it correctly. My Hooker 2055 y-pipe comes out at 3", and it slips over the reduced ends. I thought that was the primary purpose when I bought it, but the clamps that came with it didn't fit, being 2.5". So I came to the conclusion that I can weld/3" clamp my Hooker y-pipe over one end of the cutout, and slip a 2.5" extension inside the other end, and weld/2.5" clamp that side. I'll know more tomorrow when I actually fabricate the extension. Right now it looks like I need about 7-8 inches of pipe + the cat flange.

Edit: Just pulled out my calipers, and the middle part of the Summit 2.5" cutout is slightly over 3". The outside edges of the ends measure about 2.67". The inside edges of the ends measure about 2.53". So I'm guessing you could clamp the 2.5", but would need to weld the 3" for a good seal.

 

Sure. I actually don't see much value in having a cutout if its not electric. All the sudden you come across a nice stretch of road. You going to pull over, crawl under you car, and open up a nice hot cutout? Then close it back up before you get in town/neighborhood?

Sounds terrible to me.

 

IMO a non-electric cutout is more for strip use, You drive to the drag strip, take it off, make some runs, put it back on then go home. An electric one would be more for what you and i want a cut out for, ride around town not causing yourself to go deff, then open it up when you pull up beside a mustang, and also that way when you get pulled over for a sound violation you've already closed it and you can rev it up to prove to the cops it wasn't you lol.

 

oh i don't know why i forgot about this one, if you don't wana get out of your car to uncap a plain cut-out that cost $30, but you don't wana spend $150 on an electric cut-out, why don't you get a manually operated cut-out for only $60? This is from jegs, it only comes in cast iron, and be aware they say in the description that it will NOT always seal 100% of the time. http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performan...ductId=1287065

 

dont even consider the cast iron one with the pull cable from jegs. it will rust within a few weeks and its awful quality and the pull cable usually snaps after a year. if you will spend the money, get a stainless one. better quality, it wont rust, it will last forever. and if i were you, id go with a 3 inch cutout. the y pipe is 2.5 inch, but you dont want it to be the same exact size. you want it a little bigger cuz that will make the weld alot easier.

 

I found a good deal on a Race Land electric cut out. Im going to order it tonight. Hopefully I will get it before the weekend, and I will post a vid!

Thanks for all the help and input in this thread, except for that one post.

 

Who said anything about a race car???
Even then it should have mufflers..........unless its a promod or funny car.....
My point is that a properly designed and sized low restriction exhaust system will out perform an open exhaust all day............and not sound like chit doing it...
unless you are over the 400hp mark..........which is unlikely if your in a DD a hi-flow cat and 3inch cat-back is more than enough.......especially if you are not running a crossflow type muffler........and for that matter the y-pipe will be more than sufficient at 2.5inch upto 400hp...........
All I'm saying is open exhaust has no place on a street car.

 

I was going to say the trash can...

I think they make a car sound like a dumptruck, street or track, just nasty sound.

Louder isnt always faster..

 

Plus if you don't open both sides your not going to change much.

 

I have to ask, do you actually race? Do you know how many people run open headers at the track? The only place mufflers have at the track are on stock cars. Why post on an open exhaust thread if you think open exhaust sounds like crap? I think it sounds great, hence why I gave my input. I just raced my "street car" last night with open headers for the first time, I dropped half a second.

 

OP stated first post, factory stock exhaust. The exhaust manifolds run into a y-pipe that runs 2.5" to the cat and back. If you place the cutout after the y-pipe (how would you even place it before the y-pipe?), it's open exhaust through one pipe.

 

what track is open monday night for TnT? link?

just because you dropped some ET from removing the stock exhaust just means the stock exhaust SUCKS, which it does. Unless your building a max effort race car open headers, or headers w/ 12-20" extensions are unnecessary, a properly sized free flowing exhaust will only loose a tiny amount of HP

 

This argument is silly. Electric cutouts are just plain fun. Nothing more. If thats not your brand of fun then fine. I don't see the need to argue over it.

 

My point was it's not going to give him anymore power unless you can open both sides. On a stock engine it will be very little if any.

 

This was the OP purpose for the cut-out "Ill look on youtube. I just like the idea of having a quiet car, then flipping a switch and have it loud. My car is my DD, I want a loud muffler, but dont want to have to deal with it loud all the time, and would like it to be real quiet when I want it to be. Also I dont wnat to settle for a medium tone muffler. Haha, you know?" No where did he state he wanted more power and thats it period.

 

Pretty much right after the Y-pipe. I put mine under the heat shield where my cat. used to be.

 

that dougs cutout looks nice, I have mine installed under my passenger seat area. Just don't order the Summit brand cutout. I am in the process of returning my second Summit cutout being they are junk(leak bad) made in China. Hopefully I'll have better luck with the QTP cutout I ordered.

 

Made in China? Un-freaking-real...

 

Thanks for all the helpful input. I recieved my cutout, and am taking it to get installed tomarrow.

My question now is, where do you all run the wires from the cutout. I read something about an interior drain plug, were is this located?

 

There is one in front of the shifter. Good location.

 

I ran my wiring under drivers kick panel then behind the radio, behind the passenger kick panel then under passenger side door sill plate. Then went under the carpet by the sill plate/ passenger seat. There I drilled a small hole so the wiring would fall out near the cutout.

 

I wired mine over top of the cat. heat shield, through the plug under the center console and my switch is in my ashtray.

 

I just ran my wiring through the shift cable hole.


I got my cutout installed today. Its awsome. It's not even that loud. Mainly just deeper. Exactly how I wanted it. I dont understand how people can be so against it. I've heard magnaflows and flowmasters louder than my cut out. Maybe its because I'm still running a cat?

 

I have been racing seriously since the early 90's then it was Top Alcohol Funnycar and ProMod. Moved into the world of Outlaw Street in the late 90's. Where THE RULES called for full exhaust beyond the drivers seat. These are cars that at the time were running low 8's in the 1/4. now its mid 7's.......................on 10.5" tires..........
So dont tell me about the race track and mufflers son.....
You just dont know what fast is all about.................When a street leagal car is putting down numbers that promods are impressed by.................you tell me

If you dropped 5/10's with a cut out that tells me whats behind the cut out is junk.
Install a properly sized low resrtiction system with a non-crossflow muffler and see 3/10's ontop of that 5/10's......

 

hey man, watch out if by some chance you have to return it.. i had to return mine and they chard a 20% restocking fee and they send you a check back in the mail......never got my check and its been 3 months. had to call the credit card company. i wont ever do business with them again. word to the wise

 

The whole debate over racing isn't neccesary. I dont race the car, at all. I drive it to school and back. I just wanted a nice loud sound without having it loud all the time.

Here it is installed.

 

where did you end up putting it? and did you keep your cat?