12 March 2006, 21:26
Ticcie, the Ferrita 3in SS system is an excellent choice. With your car being lowered, the Ferrita system should bolt right on.
I agree that you should try it as-is first, to see if there are any alignment problems.
The one thing that I think that you will need to do is to modify the right rear crash guard. Some people remove it. I prefer to modify it and keep it in place.
I especially like the Ferrita downpipe. It is well designed, and the materials are first rate. The support bracket and band clamp that are installed at a bellhousing bolt work very well to support the weight of the system, and to help locate the downpipe. The bracketry allows for the variation in turbo location with the 90+.
The old style manifold has the threaded hole for the oxygen sensor. The 90+ does not. You will need to add a bung for the O2 sensor. I welded the bung onto the downpipe, in a position to make it easy to replace the narrowband O2 sensor. If you are planning on installing a wideband O2, then you would locate that down below, near the transmission.
As far as noise goes, the Ferrita system is acceptable as-is. The muffler gives a rumble like thunder in the distance. It does not sound like a ricer with a fart-can tailpipe. I installed a Moroso Spiral Flow muffler on the Streak because the owner is about my age, and a loud exhaust was not his goal. Excellent flow and good power from an exhaust system that would not rust out in 3 years were.
My experience has been that with a single muffler system, you can have good flow or good noise reduction. You choose one or the other. If you want good flow AND good noise reduction, you have to go with two mufflers, or with a muffler and a resonator. The Ferrita muffler surprised me: it gives good flow, and it does a good job at noise reduction as well. Most aftermarket mufflers cannot do both jobs.
A flex coupling is optional. I install flex couplings because the flex coupling isolates the turbo from any stress induced by the exhaust pipes/muffler moving around. I also like the additional amount of adjustability that a flex coupling gives me when I mount the pipes and hook up the rubber hangars. A flex coupling just makes an installation easier, and helps reduce the stress on the turbo and manifold.
When you install your Ferrita system, and if you find that you need just a bit more room under the axle, then you might fabricate a couple of mount extensions like I did in the following pictures:
http://www.pbase.com/stealthfti/image/37579796
http://www.pbase.com/stealthfti/image/37579900
Being able to lower the muffler about 1.5in REALLY helped out. I made the first set for the Streak. And I went back and made a set for Ted's car as well. On Ted's car, those two extenders made everything fit and align perfectly.
I am sure that you will love the Ferrita system. It is well worth the price and the effort of installation.
TF
I agree that you should try it as-is first, to see if there are any alignment problems.
The one thing that I think that you will need to do is to modify the right rear crash guard. Some people remove it. I prefer to modify it and keep it in place.
I especially like the Ferrita downpipe. It is well designed, and the materials are first rate. The support bracket and band clamp that are installed at a bellhousing bolt work very well to support the weight of the system, and to help locate the downpipe. The bracketry allows for the variation in turbo location with the 90+.
The old style manifold has the threaded hole for the oxygen sensor. The 90+ does not. You will need to add a bung for the O2 sensor. I welded the bung onto the downpipe, in a position to make it easy to replace the narrowband O2 sensor. If you are planning on installing a wideband O2, then you would locate that down below, near the transmission.
As far as noise goes, the Ferrita system is acceptable as-is. The muffler gives a rumble like thunder in the distance. It does not sound like a ricer with a fart-can tailpipe. I installed a Moroso Spiral Flow muffler on the Streak because the owner is about my age, and a loud exhaust was not his goal. Excellent flow and good power from an exhaust system that would not rust out in 3 years were.
My experience has been that with a single muffler system, you can have good flow or good noise reduction. You choose one or the other. If you want good flow AND good noise reduction, you have to go with two mufflers, or with a muffler and a resonator. The Ferrita muffler surprised me: it gives good flow, and it does a good job at noise reduction as well. Most aftermarket mufflers cannot do both jobs.
A flex coupling is optional. I install flex couplings because the flex coupling isolates the turbo from any stress induced by the exhaust pipes/muffler moving around. I also like the additional amount of adjustability that a flex coupling gives me when I mount the pipes and hook up the rubber hangars. A flex coupling just makes an installation easier, and helps reduce the stress on the turbo and manifold.
When you install your Ferrita system, and if you find that you need just a bit more room under the axle, then you might fabricate a couple of mount extensions like I did in the following pictures:
http://www.pbase.com/stealthfti/image/37579796
http://www.pbase.com/stealthfti/image/37579900
Being able to lower the muffler about 1.5in REALLY helped out. I made the first set for the Streak. And I went back and made a set for Ted's car as well. On Ted's car, those two extenders made everything fit and align perfectly.
I am sure that you will love the Ferrita system. It is well worth the price and the effort of installation.
TF