Just installed my Labree pipes this afternoon. The install was pretty easy actually. With all the test pipe threads I knew exactly what I needed to do before I even started. Getting the 2 out of 3 bolts on the exhaust manifold from the engine bay worked great. With enough extensions (surprised I had as many as I did), and an elboy joint, those bolts were not bad at all. I only have 10K miles on my Z ('04), so the bolts were not badly frozen on there. Most of the time on the install was spent running from the garage to the basement to get different tools.

Overall the install took about 3 hours give or take. The driver's side cat was 10 times harder to remove then the passenger side. I would say 2/3 of the install time was spent on that side alone. Once the cats were off, the pipe install was smooth sailing. Fitment was great.

And now the most important part of this thread, the sound. Startup was a little different. The initial little "boom" was much more aggressive. Not stock sounding at all. When driving it, it was just as I expected, awesome. Besides the hiss it gets when decellerating while in gear, it really sounded nice. The only trouble is my car has been uninsured and sitting in storage for 7 months, and insurance wont kick in again for another week or two. I only took it around the neighborhood for the test ride, so I couldnt get on it much at all. Ill post up a better review of the sound and performance gains later on. Hopefully a vid will come too.


One more thing. I know the cons of test pipes (smell, rasp, etc.), but when idling, could anyone give me a description of how the car acts. There seemed to be a lot of blue smoke. Im not really that worried due to the fact that I just deleted the cats, and the car hasnt been driven for 7 months. Any feedback is appreciated. Otherwise Ill just wait till they are fully "broken in". I know this concern has been addressed before, but I just wanna be certain about it.

BTW, only other mods currently are intake, and apexi n1 exhaust. Stock headers, y-pipe.

 

the smoke should go away once broken in. where did you get your test pipes and how much? pics?

 

350zmotorsports.com..... $395 free shipping. I didnt take pics cause my camera was busted. I didnt do the non-fouler trick yet as I didnt have time to pick em up, and I was dyin to get the pipes on. When I jack it up again to put the non-foulers in Ill snap some pics. But believe me, these pipes are beautiful. Worth 400 bucks

 

i don't think you should be hearing that hissing on deceleration.....

 

its normal. i hiss on decel too.. a few people do..its dependant on the Y pipe or midpipe. I didnt hiss when I had my aps exhaust on (currently on stock exhaust)

 

that thing has to be kinda loud with an apexi n1 exhaust. those testpipes are supposed to be really good, so keep us updated if anything changes.

 

I love my Labrees. I too get the hissing on decel, I have Borla TD exhaust. You should not need to do the non-foulers for these. I never got a CEL and I have had the TP's on since February. Congrats on your install, you'll like the sound when you get on the open road and get on it.

On a side note, has anyone had emissions testing done with the Labrees installed? Here in TX they just hook up the tester to the OBD port. I wonder if I did not get a CEL would I still pass emissions test.

 

anyeon with labrees and stock exhaust care to make a sound clip? I cannot find any?

thanks,
adam

 

apexi n1 for a Z is one of the quietest exhausts out there so I think you're wrong

 

i take it that there different from all other N1 exhausts for other cars, that are notorious for being the loudest then!

 

Yeah, Apexi N1's are usually pretty darn loud.

Quietest exahust for the Z as far as I know is the Fujitsibo Stainless.

 

I thought you pierced your lip at first glance at the topic....

 

haha you mean you saw "lip-ring" instead of "la-bree" ?

 

I have the same hissing when I decelerate, altho I am using Strup test pipes with Nismo Headers and exhaust. It gets a little annoying at times, but they have only been on for alittle while.

Also I just reset my ecu by disconnecting the battery and the CEL went away. I have a 04 as well.

 

Yeah Im not real worried about a CEL, I mean if it happens it happens, easy to fix anyway. As for the hissing, I haven't experienced it enough to know if its really that annoying. If it is, then Ill go with a new y-pipe.

 

^^^ you need an after market y-pipe to get rid of the hissing

 

^^^i think the aftermarket y-pipe is more annoying then the stock one. i just took mine out, i hate embarassment. but then again it depends what kind of y-pipe you get.


tommy

 

what kind did you have?

 

Topspeed/Prospeed. cheap chinese made y-pipe. i was okay until i put the test pipes in. i guess all that flow was too much for the flex joints.


tommy

 

What do you guys think of Invidia Test pipes on with a JIC Y-pipe and stock exhaust?? i havent had a chance to install the test pipes but lately i have been wondering about the hising and everything that comes with it. any opinions??

G