is there any point to spending 400 dollars more on the 3.0 inch APS instead of a 2.5 inch borla?...would the gains be worth it or is the 3 inch exhaust really only useful on FI applications?

 

don't get the 3" if you're NA.. very bad idea.

 

+1, you'll gain some in upper range in horsepower but you will see a dramatic loss of torque down low.

 

kk..kind of figured that would be the result but i wasnt sure...what kind of 2.5 inch exhausts will give me the most gains throughout the RPM range? SES, Borla T.D., something from Greddy?

 

Yep, the APS 3" is overkill for N/A cars. You won't gain any HP over the 2.5" and you'll lose torque down low. But if you want a really loud exhaust that sounds great, definitely go with the 3".

 

unless you have heavy NA mods, you might not see gains even on the upper end.. 3" needs a lot of backpressure to be taken advantage of. even when they advertise an exhaust for 2.5, it might be smaller.. hks true dual piping is around 2.25.

 

the Injen SES is a TURE DUAL and it is 2 inch per side. Borla is not a true dual.

 

so SES & test pipes will see the most output gains?

 

not always. depends on where you wanna make the power. Down low TQ of up high HP?

IMO if your NA just pick the one that sounds best to you, since your not going to gain much.

 

aye...not even 10-15 hp from exhaust & tests?

 

most likely no. even if you did, you would be losing TQ in the sweet spot from the test pipes.

best bang for your buck is a plenum spacer

 

lol so basically, N/A you cant make power & torque with intake/exhaust mods? gotta go in & work on the engine?

 

you can make power, just takes more than a simple intake and exhaust.

when you look at intake mod's the best thing is the plenum spacer. Your stock air box is a cold air intake since it is taking the air it gets from before the radiator. your not going to gain much from an intake itself.

best HP gains for NA:

plenum spacer
Crawford headers
cams
test pipes (rasp like a **** though)
tune

 

test pipes but leave the stock exhaust on? tests/aftermarket exhaust takes out too much back pressure or somethin? kill torque?

 

you are going to loose low end torque with the test pipes no matter what if your NA and run test pipes.

pick an exhaust on what sounds best to you.

IMO NA parts are a waste of money, unless you wanna get into the engine and up the compression and add some good cams.

 

gotcha...i was thinkin about just saving up & dropping in one of the procharger setups...centrifugal supercharger + injectors + ECU...5,500 or so i believe + install..but im worried that even running their "safe boost" of 7 psi or whatever it will wear out my internals :/...sorta nervous about forcing induction on a stock revup engine...& if i drop in FI im not gonna have the money to put in low compression pistons or anything like that