Gutting vtec exhaust

I took off my stock exhaust last week and removed the baffles from the canisters.  I had a friend who tig welds cut the cans open and weld them back together - looks as good as stock.  The baffle material and pipes etc inside the cans weighed between 10-15 pounds and needless to say my exhaust is much lighter now as a result of this.  The sound is improved although not as loud as I was hoping.  The exhaust note is a lot deeper and probably twice as loud as stock at an idle and at low rpms although it doesn't seem much louder at higher rpm's.  I love my stock pipes now!  I never had a problem with the way the stock pipes looked I just wanted something louder without shelling out $600 +  
It feels like the bike has a little more power but it's hard to tell without throwing it on a dyno.
If anyone else is interested in doing this any machine shop or welding shop would do it pretty cheap for you.  I paid $125 for the cutting & welding.
:wheel:

I'd like to see a chart with all the exhausts and their db ratings.   I should run out side and measure the db level on the stock exhaust. :D

moved

How about a picture of the work. Got any???

DTfan2, April 03 2003,04:23How about a picture of the work. Got any???

Yeah, and a sound clip if possible?

I just finished modding my VTEC exhaust as well; however, I took a different approach. I simply removed the exhaust from the bike, then cut-off the end caps.
The bike sounds great--very similar the Laser exhaust.
�Attached are few pics; I'm leary about doing a long detailed write-up--I don't want to put the effort into doing a long write-up just to have it deleted.

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Pic showing the saw I used to cut-off endcaps. Very tough metal. Not sure a hacksaw will work.

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Pic showing the innards of the exhaust--can you figure out how the exhaust fumes are routed?

(IMG:http://myweb.cableone.net/mage1969/exhaust3.jpg) (screen.width/2)){this.width = (this.width/2)}" onclick="javascript:window.open('http://myweb.cableone.net/mage1969/exhaust3.jpg','','scrollbars=1,toolbar=1,resizable=1,menubar=0,directories=0,status=0')" border="0" alt='Posted image'>
Pic showing exhaust after completion, notice the exhaust appears stock and un-tampered with. If I would have painted the cut-off pipes black, it would appear 100% stock.

Total cost: $2.19, had to buy a new blade. No new bags to buy, sounds excellent, passengers legs will not be burned; No performance difference noted--feels the same, no faster no slower. Shows no signs of running lean, no missing, no hesitation.

I probably could use a dremel to cut it open too. :;):    Do you have a pic of the innards that were removed?

I took the plunge and with the help of my friend we cut off the ends of the pipes as well just like in the pics and just bolted the covers back on.  I think that it sounds real good.  I rode it around without the inside and it was just way to loud, and at the light the rumble was just too much.  So i put the inside back in and it is real nice now.  If need be, according to my friend, we can cut a larger hole in the back of the silencer stuff on the inside and it will be louder.  For now it is fine.

I guess the recessed top exhaust is the main outlet, the bottom is an intlet which backfeeds to the cavity behind that wall and back out thru the 2 extended pipes.

HispanicSlammer, April 11 2003,03:38I guess the recessed top exhaust is the main outlet, the bottom is an intlet which backfeeds to the cavity behind that wall and back out thru the 2 extended pipes.

I believe that to be correct. One can assume that cutting off the endcaps renders the rear baffle inoperative. If I were to do it over again, I'd seriously think about drilling a large hole between the two existing outlets (as opposed to cutting off the endcaps)--I may even have some angled pipe welded over this new hole, to direct the noise left and right.

From the looks of it I think there are 3 seperate walled off sections like that.  They all seem to be about the  same volume so there must be some sceince to that.  

I can see how it muffles the sound but the restriction is still about the same, since there are 2 more cavitiys like this in front of that one. I doubt you opened up any performance there, just the wieght of the end peice.

HispanicSlammer, April 11 2003,12:15From the looks of it I think there are 3 seperate walled off sections like that. �They all seem to be about the �same volume so there must be some sceince to that. �

I can see how it muffles the sound but the restriction is still about the same, since there are 2 more cavitiys like this in front of that one. I doubt you opened up any performance there, just the wieght of the end peice.

I do not consider this a performance mod, heck the $600 Staintunes only add 3-5 HP. This is an acoustic mod, which would be my only reason for buying an aftermarket exhaust. I don't care about weight either, if I did, I wouldn't have purchased a VFR to begin with.

How loud is this mod on the highway? One thing I like about the stock set up is how quiet the bike is at cruising speed.

Stock is pretty quiet, now there is some noise that sounds good.  If you want it really than take out the baffle part, but the droning is tremendous.(to me)  There is still room to make 2 more holes on the back part with a hole saw of about 1 1/2 inch, if you want it louder.  So far I personally didn't get a chance to hear it on the highway since it is raining again today, but will post as soon as I do.

alsvt, April 11 2003,17:11

Great thing about Staintunes, get tired of the noise or going on a long trip?  Just pop the baffles back in the end of the pipes! :beer:

tim02VFR, April 11 2003,16:33How loud is this mod on the highway? One thing I like about the stock set up is how quiet the bike is at cruising speed.

I cannot hear the exhaust (with this mod) above 65MPH, even less with ear plugs in. Sounds mean through town though.

I took it on the Highway today and could not hear it.  In town it has an awesome growl.  I am very happy with this mod.

Snafu, April 06 2003,17:06I probably could use a dremel to cut it open too. :;): � �Do you have a pic of the innards that were removed?

I wasn't able to get a dremel to work. I tried the fiberglass cutting wheel, and also the standard heavy duty wheel--both disintegrated. However, there may be another cutting wheel (that I'm not familiar with) capable of cutting this metal. The Navigator saw only cost me $55.00 at Wal-mart.

mage1969, April 12 2003I wasn't able to get a dremel to work.

A dremel won't cut it (pun intended), so to save buying a power cutter like Mage1969 I used a hacksaw.  Two new blades and 30 minutes PER muffler later ( I kept telling myself how "great" it was that I was saving $55 bucks  :shake: ),  my Vtec has a bark as mean as it's bite.   Since I have a bafflectomy on my 94, I sort of knew what it was going to sound like.  Check out the sound file on the "play VFR sounds" button on the left panel.  Miguel was able to load it for me.

the $600 Staintunes only add 3-5 HP

That's a pretty good power increase.

You can hear what it sounds like by clicking thru the VFR sounds player on the left.

Mage,
How did you get the ends back on? What did you use? I really want to do this mod. I heard the Two Brothers pipes on someone else's bike and was not impressed. I love the stock pipes but would like them louder.

ALSVT,
How did you bolt them back on?

The original poster welded his back on. �The others, including myself, have left the cans open and replaced the cosmetic chrome cover. �Listen to it on the "Play VFR sounds" button if you haven't all ready.

The chrome covers started to yellow a bit so I took the exhaust down again and lined the inside of the covers with some muffler repair kit that had insulation and some sort of holding goop that I got from autozone.  I took the yellow of the covers with never dull. While it was down I put in the other hole since I was taking it apart any way.  I made one hole on the back with a 1 1/2 inch hole saw and am pretty happy with the way it sounds now.  There is still room for another hole the same size.  I cut the original back of the exhaust with a saws all.  I think that is how it is spelled. Now there is a definite bark to the bike.  In the future I can always make it a little louder.  If you make bothe holes you can bang the two remaining long pipes out thru the back which is now open.  If not they really arent noticeable if you paint them black to cover the exposed new metal from the cutting process.

I did this mod this weekend. WOW! Sounds awsome. I'm glad I did not drop the money on an aftermarket exhaust. I used a air powered cutoff tool to open the exhaust. I used a hole saw to put a 1 1/2 inch hole in the rear of the packing on each pipe. The exhaust sounds like a V motor but with a grunt. Personally it sounds like an italian sports car. The end caps can still go back on the exhaust after cutting off the ends they bolt on more toward the back of the exhaust.

So for those that like the stock pipe look and want some good sound this is the way to go.

Anybody know where mage1969's pics went?  I'd love to see what I'm cutting into before I start cutting. :D

DarrenC, July 02 2003Anybody know where mage1969's pics went? �I'd love to see what I'm cutting into before I start cutting. :D

Pics are back. I just changed providers and needed to update the links.

Thanks!

Thanks to veefer02 I have an extra set of pipes. �Thanks Gary!!! �I just dropped them off at a weld shop in town. �I told the guy to just take out the baffles and put everything back together. �On the way home I started thinking...

Can't I just cut the two extended pipes (after the recirculation) back enough so that the main outlet flow goes directly out the endcap's two holes??? �Does that make any sense?

I'm trying to cut down on the recirculation and have more of a straight pipe approach. �Is this do-able?

Thanks!

How does the bike run? Does it run the same? I don't want to mess things up by reducing back pressure.