So I'm waiting for my MCS to arrive, rather be built and I'm already buying mods for the thing

So I'm looking at exhausts now and I notice that there are two variations. Single sided and dual sided.

What are the pros and cons of each, why do some vendors make a dual and others a single?

I was leaning towards the miltek only because I had their stuff on my S4. But I really like the ALta but its single sided. Do I lose anything by going one way or the other?


~Will

 

you lose weight.

Matt

 

The top tested systems "generally" appear to be the dual muffler systems. Going the single route will save you approximately ten pounds in weight. A con, as I have heard, not sure if they fixed it, with single sided exhaust systems, there appears to be a fitment issue. Nothing major, but when you look at the tips coming out the back bumper, they do not sit perfectly centered. They are off to one side... I even remember reading somewhere that a MINI owner had the paint bubble off from the exhaust touching. I think there was a discolorment of the tips issue as well with the Alta, but I believe they fixed that now on the new(er) model systems. Personal preference of course, of yeah, if you are installing the system, the dual mufflers are not a lot of fun if you are installing it by yourself!

 

Randy Webb doesn't like the single sided exhausts...

"...I don't like the single sided muffler systems as much - the Alta, the Mania NRP, the Quicksilver - for a couple of reasons. They don't split the flow, which is more restrictive, and you just can't get the things to hang right! They melt the rear valance and rattle at idle as they hit it. They are usually non-offensive in sound, and they are definitely lighter than the twin muffler systems, so they are not all bad...."

 

I'm going with a single sided, with a Cooper valence. Should hang just fine. Right now, I have the one-ball, and at first it was a bit crooked, as I'd lost weight off of one side, but some percussive maintenance fixed that!

If you look at the flow path to get the exhaust to exit the center, after the battery box, you get lots of turns, which is bad. You can go all the way, like TonyB, and ditch the battery box and go straight through. Im not going quite as far, with the Cooperish 2 1/2" exhaust and Cooper rear valence (it was a bit less than $25....) The key is the flow. Don't get restrictive mufflers, and don't bend the pipes any more than you have to.

Matt

And I beg to differ on the flow being split having higher capacity. It depends on the size of the pipes. If the secondaries are less than 71% of the diameter of the main, they have less cross sectional area. Then there's the drag created at the flow split..... Size the pipe correctly, get the straightest path you can find, and end up with the lightest, most powerful you can do. The limit is the noise, and that's where muffler/ressonator selection comes into play.

 

Randy's opinion, Matt. Not mine.

 

If it is a single pipe coming down, then I am skeptical that splitting it into 2 pipes is really needed. It's more for looks than anything else. My opinion only. The dyno is where the facts are laid down.

 

Something Minor and is not present everywhere.. Some State inspectors (im in VA) will not let the car pass if the system is Modded (changed at all) or if original had two Mufflers hanging in back (i know there not both mufflers)and now theres only one. As i said this is minor but something to check on

 

I'm in one of those states. We'll cross that bridge later

 

why not keep the one-ball and add a header? I would think you might get a better HP gain that way?

The stock tubing is good (dia wise) and the one-ball basically gives you that single sided exhaust system. About the only difference might be the degree of muffler restriction.

I did the one-ball and for the money I think is pretty good. I can't tell what it did for the car, outside of improved sound because I did the pulley and CAI at the same time. Of course the 3 items did greatly enhance the car.

I was leaning towards adding a header as the next step. I'm hard press to spend 500 - 1000 for a cat back system.

keep me posted for I have been on the fence. If anyone has a one-ball plus header would love to hear from you or header with stock system.

Bahamabart

 

I'm extremely interested in this Dr Obnxs. Please keep us updated on how this goes.

I know I prefer a single sided exhaust, but I haven't decided yet if I would want to use the Cooper valence.

Would a Cooper exhaust fit the S, if you used the Cooper valence?

 

Don't hold you're breath, I run lots of projects in parallel, and none go very fast.
1) Low cost exhaust.
2) Ported SC (SC arrived, off to M7!)
3) eRAM
4) AGS (TB on way....)
5) Rear Brakes
6) Rear Video
7) Data logging for custom tune via MTH....
8) Automatic IC sprayer, how could I forget this one!

Data logging is getting the most bandwidth now.

For the exhaust, I'm torn on SS with some $ or just go for 2.5" capacity and low ball mild steel. I think I can get my exhaust guy to bang that out for real cheap in his shop. I don't know about the cooper exhaust on the S, doesn't the Cooper not have the battery box?

As far as the header, OBX is out of stock! And the low cost Pilo isn't out yet. I found a higher cap OBD II (if there is such a thing) cat for $75 at Dr. Gas's web site. So that's in the works, but all the offerings now are too expensive for my tastes...

I've got the one-ball now, and it's OK, but the muffler stays on the wrong side to just drop it and go cooper valence. In hind site, it may be cheaper in the long run to skip the one ball, and just drop a high flow muffler where the old resoonator was and pop that out the back! My shop did the one ball for $90 for me, and add $100 for a SS muffler and a bit for a tip, and there you go! Anyway, I think I'm leaning twards the el-cheapo for the exhaust, so I can finish the rest of the list and still afford the mortgage!

Matt