We do the "one ball" for $275. It started as a budget option for autocrossers, includeing Jeff McCrae, who was 10th at nationals. We have not yet done a before and after dyno on it so I don't have good power numbers for you, but my guess is that it makes a few horsepower IF you use the factory madrel bends. I have seen one of these systems where a muffler shop bent the tube from the tunnel tube to the muffler with non mandrel bends. Compromising flow and diameter will not help the HP output. We have built a jig for the exhaust so we can use all factory pipe bends.

The sound is slightly louder than stock, although it's not particularly cool sounding in my book: The Borla street system sounds much better at a similar volume level. Final analysis: not a bad budget exhaust. -Eric

 

Has anyone recorded a sound clip if so please post.

 

Check out my track video. i have the resonator removed and have also done the air filter mod. The thread is a couple of posts down but here is a link to the thread...enjoy...

Track Video Thread

Amit

 

>>I think that Helix charges $350 for the "one ball" installed. They had a couple on the shelf last time I was there.

Even at $275, that a bit much. Is that to buy the new sytem? A competant muffler shop couls easily modify your existing stock system in about a half hour for <=$50.

This is the exact same mod that I had in mind. I picked up a second stock cat back for free and planned to play arond with it. I'm glad others have already tried it and reinforced my belief that this would work well. I'm always after the minimal $ mods that will allow more performance for the same amount of money.

_________________
/// M3 - Attitude! = MINI Cooper S

 

I also have a complete spare MCS exhaust. Since it is one piece before I cut it I will make a buck of it with a 2x4, plywood and blocks of wood to register all planes and dimensions so that I can reproduce another system to the exact dimensions with larger mandral bent pipe, flanges, performance silencer and muffler.

 

A friend of mine gave me his stock MCS exhaust. I plan to one ball it and for my MC.

I wonder how I could do an airflow test to measure the difference between a stock MC exhaust, a stock MCS exhaust, and a one ball MCS exhaust....

 

There has to be some improvement after all the exhaust will have a shorter path.
Has anyone ever done this mod and put it up on a Dyno ? or anyone recorded any difference with a G Tech, gas mileage difference or just seat of the pants.

 

I'm pretty sure Randy dyno'd this a while back. I believe that the results were less than stunning...like a 1/2 an hp or something...

 

Just my 2 cents. I expect that you're not going to get much from this mod horsepower-wise, since it's probably not the most restrictive part of the exhaust system. (Someone once told me the resonator was.) And the exhaust gases don't care if they have a shorter distance to cover before they're free!

However, at about 15 lbs./HP, just removing the weight (22 lbs.) would be the equivalent of adding 1 to 1.5 HP. I've read other threads on the topic of weight savings and, at $33-50 per HP, this would be a pretty cost-effective mod in anyone's book.

 

We dynoed the one ball versus stock on a bone stock MCS last week for Jeff Jacobs (sixth in G Stock at the national championships). He wanted the one ball primarily for weight reduction. If there was any power loss, or more specifically a torque loss, he wasn't interested in keeping it one-ball isolated from other mods.

The results were positive if not earth shattering. We did four runs with the stock and four runs with the one-ball. As is our usual testing methods we took intake temps before the run and recorded peak intake temps during the run (peak IAT is the most important constant that must be measured to get good dyno numbers). We also recorded the usual stuff like engine coolant temp, spark advance and wide-band O2 readings. The MEAN results are notated below.

Stock:
RUN 2: ECT: 199 IAT: 91 PEAK IAT: 134.6 HP: 148.4 TQ: 135.1

One Ball:
RUN 6: ECT: 196 IAT: 97 PEAK IAT: 140.0 HP: 150.5 TQ: 135.2

The numbers are relatively high for a bone stock car because we didn't have time to go through the parasitics calibration, but that has no bearing on the difference between the two curves. As one might expect the curves are almost identical until about 3400 rpm when the one ball starts to delta.

Racer-Tom: the price is $275 because of the time that it takes to make one of these exhausts fit properly utilizing the factory mandrel bends. We have to make a jig to ensure proper fitment and then test it on a car before we sell it. Some people have welded shop-bent tubes in lieu of the mandrel-bent factory tubing, which compromises the diameter and flow of the exhaust. I wouldn't be surprised if those systems lose power compared to stock. Obviously, this system is no Borla, but it's a nice, low-budget alternative. We can even weld on fancy tips if that's what is needed. The system is too big to send UPS so if you want it from us, you gotta stop by the shop.

If anybody wants to see the dyno curves, email me and I'll send them to you, but be patient, we're at SEMA all week and won't get to it until early next week. Cheers, Eric.

 

These results are making an aftermarket exhaust system much less appealing if one is not concerned with the exhaust sound. Bang for the buck. I like that.

 

Hey, Eric--

What can you report about the sound of the one ball? Any chance you've got pictures of the setup you're using for it? I don't really understand the "bend" discussion. Sorry...I'm a little slow!

 

>>Racer-Tom: the price is $275 because of the time that it takes to make one of these exhausts fit properly utilizing the factory mandrel bends. We have to make a jig to ensure proper fitment and then test it on a car before we sell it. Some people have welded shop-bent tubes in lieu of the mandrel-bent factory tubing, which compromises the diameter and flow of the exhaust. I wouldn't be surprised if those systems lose power compared to stock. Obviously, this system is no Borla, but it's a nice, low-budget alternative. We can even weld on fancy tips if that's what is needed. The system is too big to send UPS so if you want it from us, you gotta stop by the shop.
>>
>>If anybody wants to see the dyno curves, email me and I'll send them to you, but be patient, we're at SEMA all week and won't get to it until early next week. Cheers, Eric.

Shop around. I saw somewhere else on this site that someone got the piece welded in for $60 at a local muffler shop. And Eric's probably right about that not being mandrel bent, but you should be able to find a shop that has or can make a correct mandrel bent section. $275 sounds very high fo such a simple mod.

_________________
I’ve owned cars that blow – this one blows the bloody doors off. [img]albums/album25/ama.gif[/img]
Alta pulley, Stebro exhaust, Pipercross intake, Progress rear anti-sway bar.

VinceAndJessica.com

 

Eric, Thanks for the input, I knew less restriction and path lenght would lead to more HP the loss of 22 lbs. doesn't hurt either. Now I'm wondering about using the stock straight piece into an after market free flow SS muffler then some mandrel bent pipe pieced together out the back. Does anyone think the stock pipe which is 409 SS is to small an ID to gain any real HP. Has anyone tried this?

 

Well for 275 you get your new exhuast done by soemone who cares about Mini's. He has taken the time to test the setup and use the corect pipes. Plus you are 15 minutes away from the best Cheesesteaks on earth. I think it is worth it.

 

So Doug, are you an old vdub guy ? if so then you know we like to work on our own cars and if I can make something for it all the better.

 

Just for the record, that is about the same hp the Magnaflow gives and is lighter. Though some think it wouldnt be a bad idea to actually add a little weight in the rear so that is not as much of a big deal. This is interesting, i might have to look into this.

 

>>Just for the record, that is about the same hp the Magnaflow gives and is lighter. Though some think it wouldnt be a bad idea to actually add a little weight in the rear so that is not as much of a big deal. This is interesting, i might have to look into this.
weaverpsu, I think you may have misunderstood the Helix one ball results in comparison to Randy's Magnaflow testing the Magnaflow was making more, I'll have to go back and read it again.
I still think more HP/TQ are posssible with the stock straight pipe using a free flow SS muffler in place of the stock silencer on that side as in some of the after market CAT backs. The limiting factor is the ID of the stock pipe.
I like the idea of more for less " Buckminster Fuller "

 

>>I'll be at the track this weekend and will be taking some incar footage of me driving. There should be plenty of clips of my modded exhaust. I'll also do an inside and out comparison of stock, modded, and magnaflowed exhausts so everyone gets a good idea. There are going to be 10 MCSs there and I know of at least two who have the Magnaflow. Check back Mon/Tues.
>>
>>Amit
Thanks for the video. Did I miss your comparison of stock, modded, and magnaflowed exhausts?

 

i think you misread Eric's numbers. Here they are again.

Stock HP: 148.4
One Ball HP: 150.5

Eric has tested the magnaflow to make around 5 horses, but that was on a modified MINI.

 

Has anyone had a system fab with a flowmaster or a Borla turbo from a local shop. Back in my days we did not want to pay the price for the expensive systems for the mustangs so we ordered the correct flowmasters and built our own. If you want polished stainless, then fine. I want something that sounds and runs good.

Any thoughts?

 

me too!
That's what I'm after and I think it's very possible.

 

I asked the same question along time ago, It would sure be lighter and cost a lot less.If you do please post .

 

My bad, i did misread the numbers

 

I'll start on the stock MCS exhaust Mod with pictures ( new camera in the mail) and DIY info when done. Currently doing a DIY intake.
Does anyone think a G Tech. would be a good product to establish a base line for before and after or is there something else out there besides Dyno time to do this with. :smile: