HKS Hi Power Dual first impressions/story *no clip*
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12:30 PM: I got a call today while i was in the bank from my local shop, "your exhaust is in." I'm like oh man i'm excited.
1:00 PM: I walk in the shop and end up leaving with 2 BULKY *** boxes. Good word of advice: You definately need a truck/suv to take these home. Definately can't fit these on your Z.
1:35 PM:I get home and open the box like a small child opening a christmas gift. The packaging was very professional, and the exhaust was very snug where it sat. The craftsmanship is AWESOME. I was very impressed! The Ti tips just top it off. Very blingy. Welding on the pipes were art.
5:30 PM: I get home from work and start the install. Let me tell you..No lift, pain in the ***. I used jackstands but throught the install i still had to reach out my arms under to unscrew/screw bolts. Install was fairly simple, but took some time.
9:30: Ok i'm done(Yes i know, i'm slow). Clean up when i find a extra gasket laying around. ****..I just noticed i forgot to install a gasket. Unscrew, put in, install, done.
10:00: Turn on car a joyous exotic sound comes to life. I yell my sisters name out so she can rev the car and i can hear it. I bring in my laptop for instructions to reset the ECU. After i taker her out for a spin. Try to step on it, but asphalt is wet from rain. Fawk it. Definately feel a bit more response, but my butt dyno is very inaccurate/dumb to notice a few performance gains, expecially in rain. I'll report tomorrow under sunny weather. It also smells burnt after you take it out for a spin, but i hear this is normal with a new exhaust.
My opinion on the sound it is a very exotic like sound. Very deep and different from a stock/Nismo sound. Very different from RSR sound. It's a very unique sound. Also the video clips on the internet DO NOT accurately portray how this exhaust sounds. It needs to be heard up close.
Any questions? PM me, i'll get pics up soon.
1:00 PM: I walk in the shop and end up leaving with 2 BULKY *** boxes. Good word of advice: You definately need a truck/suv to take these home. Definately can't fit these on your Z.
1:35 PM:I get home and open the box like a small child opening a christmas gift. The packaging was very professional, and the exhaust was very snug where it sat. The craftsmanship is AWESOME. I was very impressed! The Ti tips just top it off. Very blingy. Welding on the pipes were art.
5:30 PM: I get home from work and start the install. Let me tell you..No lift, pain in the ***. I used jackstands but throught the install i still had to reach out my arms under to unscrew/screw bolts. Install was fairly simple, but took some time.
9:30: Ok i'm done(Yes i know, i'm slow). Clean up when i find a extra gasket laying around. ****..I just noticed i forgot to install a gasket. Unscrew, put in, install, done.
10:00: Turn on car a joyous exotic sound comes to life. I yell my sisters name out so she can rev the car and i can hear it. I bring in my laptop for instructions to reset the ECU. After i taker her out for a spin. Try to step on it, but asphalt is wet from rain. Fawk it. Definately feel a bit more response, but my butt dyno is very inaccurate/dumb to notice a few performance gains, expecially in rain. I'll report tomorrow under sunny weather. It also smells burnt after you take it out for a spin, but i hear this is normal with a new exhaust.
My opinion on the sound it is a very exotic like sound. Very deep and different from a stock/Nismo sound. Very different from RSR sound. It's a very unique sound. Also the video clips on the internet DO NOT accurately portray how this exhaust sounds. It needs to be heard up close.
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lol ^^, just when you think you're done, relaxed, and sweating no more, you find that **** laying around. My luck 
Didn't post pics because i haven't seen interest in this thread lately. I'll take some pics later today!
The weight of the system: I think it's a bit heavier than the stock one..I think. But not by much at all. The stock system is real complex, and has less piping as the HKS is true dual exhaust to the back. But believe me it's not a 100 pound difference and won't make a difference in 1/4 mile times. We all wish we had the bank for a full Ti system.
At least the tips are Ti. They looks fabulous.
Power gain? No noticable difference in torque and no difference you will feel a whole bunch. In the highway you can definately feel the extra ponies when your at higher RPM. Then again like i said. My butt dyno is retarded.

Didn't post pics because i haven't seen interest in this thread lately. I'll take some pics later today!
The weight of the system: I think it's a bit heavier than the stock one..I think. But not by much at all. The stock system is real complex, and has less piping as the HKS is true dual exhaust to the back. But believe me it's not a 100 pound difference and won't make a difference in 1/4 mile times. We all wish we had the bank for a full Ti system.
At least the tips are Ti. They looks fabulous.Power gain? No noticable difference in torque and no difference you will feel a whole bunch. In the highway you can definately feel the extra ponies when your at higher RPM. Then again like i said. My butt dyno is retarded.
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Zexy... just to let ya know.. I got the HKS ti. Exhaust + Kinetix test pipes... Crawford Plenium + JWT pop... on mine... and with a correct launch TIME and TIME again... ive raced my buddies 2002 Vette Conv. Automatic.... so his shifts are perfect for accuracy... and we tested it before the exhaust and after...
Before... he pulled on me...
After... I've held with him EVERY time till around 85mph... so that shows the exhaust did something at least for my car!
Yes I dont have proof to back this with a dyno... I plan too but im a broke after the exhaust lol... I know this gained something somewhere!
second example... on Woodward there is a WRX I always race... prior to exhaust he used to smoked me... now we are even again every race ive did against him!
so just to let people know the exhaust does work to a benefit in power!
At least in Michigan at my level of atmosphere and on all the street / road types we've tested it on
Before... he pulled on me...
After... I've held with him EVERY time till around 85mph... so that shows the exhaust did something at least for my car!
Yes I dont have proof to back this with a dyno... I plan too but im a broke after the exhaust lol... I know this gained something somewhere!
second example... on Woodward there is a WRX I always race... prior to exhaust he used to smoked me... now we are even again every race ive did against him!
so just to let people know the exhaust does work to a benefit in power!
At least in Michigan at my level of atmosphere and on all the street / road types we've tested it on
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From: ORLANDO, FL
Bob,
That's great to hear!! Did you reset your ECU?? I'm hoping to go dyno soon. Also how is the sound with those test pipes? Is it raspy? I heard a HKS setup w/ Ti test pipes/headers: Let me tell you that **** is LOUD. Had rasp but i still liked it.
That's great to hear!! Did you reset your ECU?? I'm hoping to go dyno soon. Also how is the sound with those test pipes? Is it raspy? I heard a HKS setup w/ Ti test pipes/headers: Let me tell you that **** is LOUD. Had rasp but i still liked it.
http://www.bobafettm.com/semesterend.htm
Some pics here... plus a few videos of the exhaust also...
http://www.bobafettm.com/detroitseasonopen.htm
At the bottom of the page more videos of the car
No I have not reset the ECU I plan on doing it tomorrow... but I did blow the check engine light
... also... there is a rattle... ive tried to find it myself but cant so im gonna take it up to the muffler place tomorrow morning and have that fixed...
The test pipes have made it EXTREMELY LOUD! and a lot of people would call "ricey" but I love it!
at Idle its dead silent... as quiet or more so then stock... but once you start to rip through those gears it gets loud fast!!
but just cruising... 2200rpm or so... no noise at all.. and its fine inside the car completely... no droning no head aches... its perfect! I'm extremely pleased with it!
I will have a ton of pictures of everything after the tail of the dragon trip!
Some pics here... plus a few videos of the exhaust also...
http://www.bobafettm.com/detroitseasonopen.htm
At the bottom of the page more videos of the car
No I have not reset the ECU I plan on doing it tomorrow... but I did blow the check engine light
... also... there is a rattle... ive tried to find it myself but cant so im gonna take it up to the muffler place tomorrow morning and have that fixed... The test pipes have made it EXTREMELY LOUD! and a lot of people would call "ricey" but I love it!
at Idle its dead silent... as quiet or more so then stock... but once you start to rip through those gears it gets loud fast!!
but just cruising... 2200rpm or so... no noise at all.. and its fine inside the car completely... no droning no head aches... its perfect! I'm extremely pleased with it!
I will have a ton of pictures of everything after the tail of the dragon trip!
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Thanks for the comment Damien.
The test pipes do make it incredibly loud. I'm thinking of going w/ resonated ones. Sux to hear you got a SES light though
It would definately bug me.
The test pipes do make it incredibly loud. I'm thinking of going w/ resonated ones. Sux to hear you got a SES light though
hey zexy, are those baffles inside the exhaust? I'm just getting my z in a week or two and searched plenty for a loud, stock looking exhaust. I looked and found the hks and figured its a tad pricey for an exhaust but i bet its worth every penny, eh? If u don't mind me ask'n, how much did u pay for that bad boy? And if u could put up some sound clips. Last question, till u put up some sound clips, is it loud or not?
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What are baffles???
In my opinion it was worth it, but there are less epensive options, bt don't you want the best for your Z??
I paid $1320. I'll TRY to put up sound clips but i can't promise anything.
It is definately not loud disturbing. As a matter of fact i want it louder, so i will be going with test pipes, yet again i like LOUD cars. I'm such a ricer, lol. IT definately won't disturb though. Very little interior resonance.
In my opinion it was worth it, but there are less epensive options, bt don't you want the best for your Z??
I paid $1320. I'll TRY to put up sound clips but i can't promise anything.It is definately not loud disturbing. As a matter of fact i want it louder, so i will be going with test pipes, yet again i like LOUD cars. I'm such a ricer, lol. IT definately won't disturb though. Very little interior resonance.
baffles are another name for silencers. cuz when u look at the exhaust they look like they have silencers inside the tips. if i get the hks then later on down the road I'll do some strupp ss headers and hi-flow cats(my dad won't let me do a cat delete, unfortunately), but thanx for the info.
They're not baffles though, it looks like it because the ti tips are adjustable length. So the screws holding the tip's position looks like it's holding a baffle/silencer inside the tip.





