When I hit boost I can smell the exhaust in the cabin if the windows are down... a little bit still circuilates back thru the vortex, maybe because I don't have a spoiler.

 

weird, i drive a lot with my windows down and don't notice a single thing. Maybe the vortex isn't fast enough to outrun the exhaust

but in all seriousness, iv'e never smelt anything bad in any of the straight piped vehicles (no cats) i've owned before or currently.

 

I have a G not a Z that might be the difference...

I think even when I was bone stock I could smell the exhaust during extended WOT runs (windows down of course).

 

jeff owns a G. I can smell my car when at stoplights with windows down

 

push the skinny pedal harder!

 

I don think many people have them on 350z's with vortech's.When I had my 350 I looked around like crazy, and I just decided to go with the ART pipes.

 

I was running berks which I think are good quality. The possibility of a bad batch always exists though. I think the amount of exhaust you are flowing, heat your generating and power your making plays a big roll in premature cat failure.

 

Cat failure is soo common, and i guess i want one thing less that i need to worry about and be paranoid about...

And if it gives you extra performance, and a more aggressive sound... WIN!!!!!!

 

Going by your sig, you're putting out about 40whp more than me, so maybe that's a factor? Beats me, but you're right, a lot of different factors play a role.

Common? Really? I've been in these cars for a good number of years and wouldn't call it a "common" issue. Its something that can go, and maybe can go easier than some other parts, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it or be paranoid. Some of us don't want the extra noise, smell, and inconvenience of having to change them out every year for inspection. I'm very happy with my HFCs and I personally think they were worth the extra money in my situation. If I went with a turbo instead of SC, I may have been persuaded to go a different route.

 

If I were you I would go with the ART's they are not as loud as resonated test pipes, and the flow just as well.

From your post this sounds like what you are looking for.

 

I can understand how Cats would improve boost in a turbo system, as the back pressure would force more flow to the Turbo, but I don't see back pressure improving air flow through a Supercharger, as this is run via pulleys and belts. It seems to me, in a Supercharger set up, you want wide open flow in and out. I have ART tubes, and dual exhaust and will be putting in a ProCharger in July. I will be able to post numbers with that set up then. Will be getting a 9# pulley, and will be dynoing with Osiris Tune at Able Racing here in OKC.

 

actually cats reduce flow to the turbo therefore reducing flow and power. If they are after the turbo they increase backpressure which will slow spool and reduce power just like a restrictive exhaust. It's proven that free flowing exhaust (ie: no cats) is a huge benefit in turbos.

 

This would also be the case for superchargers right binder?

In that hp will increase, while boost decreases?