Z CRUZN

May be old news for some or not that big a deal for some, but I thought I'd share a bit about a purchase & install I made. As posted on another section, I ordered a set of M2 test pipes & an M2 y-pipe from Marinelli Motorsports (vendor here). After going thru several average priced hi-flos & test pipes, I decided to go a little less expensive this time & see what happens. I don't know if I should post the prices here since we have to PM m-motorsports for the prices, but I will say the test pipes & y-pipe were under $200 total...shipping included - quite a bit less than what I have paid in the past!!

Anyway, I installed the pipes tonight - fit was perfect. I ran the test pipes & the y-pipe into my Nismo exhaust I've run for the past 6+ years. Although this M2 y-pipe is almost an exact match to the Nismo y-pipe, it does sit a bit higher at the collector end thereby not pulling down on the cat pipes like my original Nismo y-pipe did & cracked multiple sets of HFC's. Of course, the rasp is there while putting your foot into it for those curious. With the Crawford headers into straight pipes into a Nismo exhaust, the sound is pretty raw & wild at WOT- a sound that I've been used to for years so no biggie. As before, at idle it is pretty quiet.

Anyway, just wanted to inform a few people if you're looking for an inexpensive setup. Time will tell how these pieces perform as per cracking, etc. I'll update if need be. Until then, I'm quite happy with the fit during install, the welds, the collector on the y-pipe (a little sloppier inside than the Nismo y-pipe, about the same that I've seen on several others I've run and/or helped install in the past). Here's a few shots of the packaging, the welds, the inside of the collector and the installed look. Hope this helps any of you. Oh, the inside diameter of the test pipes are 2.25" & the collector end of the y-pipe is 3.00". They also came with all hardware & gaskets.

singh

iTrader: (2)

cool story bro

KingBaby

iTrader: (3)

I agree aswell to the fact that the information stated in post number one is cool...

I'm running the y-pipe too..

viceversa

iTrader: (1)

wow that is a pretty good price for test pipes and a y pipe. sound clips?

Z CRUZN

Sorry, no sound clips.....Probably one of the loudest setups, tho - the Nismo is notoriously loud with headers & test pipes..it's pretty rude at WOT. Under subtle acceleration, sounds pretty aggressive with a little rasp. Under full acceleration, loud as hell with rasp at 2-3k RPM & when you let off gas as it revs down.

I've almost forgotten how sweet the Z sounded when I first installed the Nismo exhaust with the stock headers & cats 2 weeks after I bought the Z - hahaha! Now, it just sounds wicked sick -

2004Black350z

iTrader: (37)

post vids or ban

BakaN20

iTrader: (26)

Sweet setup, I got resonated v2 mr test pipes. I am going to replace my jacked up nismo y-pipe with the m2 y-pipe soon. Any reason why you didn't go resonated or the hr-style y-pipe?

Z CRUZN

No particular reason I went with test pipes vs. resonated except that I've been running TP's for a while & don't mind the rasp that occurs under certain circumstances. I know there's been many posts about losing a bit of low end torque/hp with tp's, but I've been running a 3.9 rear gear since I've had tp's & hi-flos so I've never really noticed any loss down low. Other than that, I was going with the inexpensive price on this setup just to see how they looked, installed & lasted vs. more expensive setups I've run. Like one fella on here somewhere said (paraphrased): "I've seen expensive pipes crack after 6 months & cheap ones last for 2 years - who knows."

mgrotel

iTrader: (3)

what size is your midpipe? so you have a 3" ID ypipe hooked up to a 2.5" ID midpipe?

Z CRUZN

Actually, I believe the Nismo mid-pipe (from y-pipe to muffler) is 3" diameter. I may be wrong, but regardless, the new y-pipe flange fit onto the mid-pipe flange perfectly. I bought the Nismo setup 6 years ago & I thought I remember the specs called for a 3" mid-pipe. Will have to look that one up - memory's shot - ha!

cabos g35 coupe

did you try that m2 y pipe yet??

Shawz1102

iTrader: (1)

Hey op, can you please explain to me how some of the y pipes can crack hfc? i mean i understand what you mean by the collector end of the y pipe sitting low, but how can that exactly affect the hfc? i mean at the end, regardless of what y pipe it is, it bolts onto the mid-pipe and cats... Unless it's the weight of the y pipe that's pulling down on the cats? Cant be possible... please enlighten!

Z CRUZN

Hi Shawz1102......By all means I'm not an engineer, but from my past experiences with the Z (since '04) I've had the same luck that many others have had when it came to the Nismo y-pipe & hf cats or tp's - cracks. My first experience occurred back in '05 when my first set of Crawford hf's cracked at the exit side bend (both cats). Doug (CrawfordZ owner) mentioned he'd had several cases of this occurring with the Nismo y-pipe, so he began reinforcing the bend (where the brackets were welded on the hf's)& put a set of those on for me at his shop in Nashville. 2 years later, same thing. By then I'd read several postings here about the Nismo y-pipe putting stress on the aftermarket pipes - it may have happened with other y-pipes as well, but I only searched for Nismo results. I'm not saying it happens on ALL Nismo y-pipes, but it happened often enough from what I read & talked with others about.

As for the new M2 pipes & y-pipe I put on, when I installed them, I was just trying to state that there seemed to be less stress on the exit side of the tp's from the y-pipe pulling them upwards or downwards due to their design, shape, slope front-to-back, etc. than what was there before with the Nismo y-pipe. Beyond that, I have no expert knowledge of what causes the cracking. I'm hoping that less stress means longer lasting - ha! We'll see. So far, 2 months or so & no problems.

This may not have answered your question, but I was trying to relate my personal experience.

Shawz1102

iTrader: (1)

^^ thanks, your post helped. i guess it's due to stress like you said and also the amount of vibration from the engine the pipes have to endure

BakaN20

iTrader: (26)

I got the megan racing one, the vendor told me that it was a little better than the m2, for an extra $10. Haven't been able to install it. Wasn't able to remove the old nismo y-pipe, need to take it to the shop, but here are some pictures if the op doesn't mind, i'll remove them if he does:






Compared to stock de y-pipe

Toby-22

iTrader: (25)

those ypipe they sell for $45 +shipping new on ebay, i have 3 of them and i love em. Get those if you want an even cheaper ypipe. World of a difference vs stock DE ypipe (running stock exhaust now). actually felt a huge difference between the two

gvulakh

iTrader: (2)

I saw this y-pipe on ebay as well and it is about $90 shipped. I was skeptical on this y-pipe because of the bargain basement price. I emailed the seller and he said it was stainless steel and stated it was made in Taiwan. So I stayed away from it but if it lasts for the op and he's happy with it.............

I run a Top Speed 3" exhaust. Does anyone else have a Top Speed exhaust using this y-pipe on an HR? Sound difference? Noticeable gains? Longevity?

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Would appreciate if you would inspect the pipes after 20,000 miles. Reliability is key.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

I can not take credit for the phrase, but have posted it several times. Members have posted My $200 test pipes are cracked after 5,000 miles. Other members have posted I have 30,000 miles on my $50 eBay test pipes and they are fine. Unfortunately there are too many variables to give us any objective guidance.

Z CRUZN

davidv - I knew I read it somewhere here several times...didn't remember that it was you! (At least I gave the "unknown" writer credit in my post - ha!). As for the 20k mile statement, I'll be happy if the tp's last that long, for sure!!! After 2k miles, still look like new........BTW, I spent $166 total (shipped) on the M2 tp's & y-pipe from m-motorsports, a forum vendor here (around $76 on the tp's & $90 on the y-pipe).