chubs22

Decided to install the axle back on the wife's car after replacing some exhaust hangers on mine. Relatively easy install, but dealing with exhaust hanger are always a PITA. Revved the engine a bit with the mufflers off... I would totally recommend it to anyone doing an exhaust install. Car sounds amazing with no mufflers





Out with the old exhaust





Fills the hole nicely... TWSS




Quick clip... Sorry it was so windy I will make a better video when it is less windy

dul311

Installed mine on the same day! How do you like it?

After driving my car for a few hours, I noticed a few things. First, the exhaust gives the car a throaty presence it simply didn't have before. However, it does give the car a droning sound right around 1800 rpms. I wish that sounds started a bit hight on the tach similar to the G35. I could hear the drone even with the music turned up. I will have to see how this exhaust settles in.

Question 1 - Did you use the stock "spring-loaded" bolts to connect the new exhaust? On mine, I had to crank it down all the way but I don't think it was a particularly a tight fit. I think it's just that the little notch on the bolt made contact with the stock exhaust side. The guy I purchased the exhaust from recommended replacing those bolts with standard bolts.

Question 2 - Would a F-Sport intake increase the droning noise? Or would it just give it a growl at WOT?

Question 3 - Did your Tanabe come with 2 gaskets? Mine only came with a gasket for the left muffler/pipe to connect to the main exhaust. But there was no gasket included for where it bolts to the factory exhaust.

Thanks!

Dul311

chubs22

I actually don't mind the drone too much. It is so subtle and compared to my forester it sounds like a stock exhaust. I actually would prefer the exhaust to be a little louder, but I'm sure my wife would not be too happy if it were since it is her car

I ended up using the stock spring bolts. I'll check after a while to see if there is an exhaust leak. If there is i will get new bolts. I tightened them down all the way too.

I don't have to F-Sport intake on my car, but from my experiences with intakes (mainly the cone ones) is that you really don't hear the intake noise till you go full throttle. At partial throttle all I have ever heard is a slight swishing sound of air getting sucked into the intake.

My exhaust only came with one gasket... the one to connect the other muffler to the center pipe. I reused the stock donut gasket that connects the Tanabe to the mid pipe.


Hope that helps

dul311

Chubs22,

Thanks for the quick reply. I am actually considering taking my exhaust off. I'm often on the phone on long drives and the drone would drive me nuts. I am researching exhaust dampers. If you noticed, the stock exhaust has one on the drivers side muffler. It's the rubber piece. Based on the research i have done, the dampers help get reduce the drone.

I agree with you on the intake. My experience in the past has been as you described it; intake sound at WOT.

Thanks again,

Dul311

knguyenk

Sounds like me when I only just swapped to the F Sport exhaust from the Tanabe, the F Sport was so annoying for me for the first 1000ish miles. It would hold a note that had the frequency to vibrate my eardrum to the point that it would give me a headache. It almost made me regret giving my Tanabe to a good family friend of mine. But after the exhaust broke in, it doesn't do that anymore (vibrating my eardrum) and got quieter and the drone that I got was "almost" nonexistent.

When I first installed the Tanabe Medallion Touring exhaust 3 years ago, it was a bit loud for about the first thousand miles (nowhere near as ear vibrating as the F Sport). After it broke in, the Tanabe quieted down to a stock yet sporty note which lets itself known when you got WOT (or at 3500 rpm when the exhaust sound dies out and gives way for the intake). F Sport intake definitely aided in the WOT sound. Would of never swapped the Tanabe for the F Sport if it wasn't for the car having every F Sport accessory.

dul311

knguyenk,

Thanks for the feedback. At the moment I am actually exploring the option of removing the stock rubber dampener (on the driver's side muffler) and re-attaching it to the tanabe.

Also, it is important to note that i bought my Tanabe used. It was a few months old. It was in pristine condition. I was also suspicious that perhaps I needed to use some sort of a gasket between the tanabe and the factory exhaust. However, I am told that there is no gasket on this section of the exhaust.

knguyenk

The gasket that you mention that fits between the factory midpipe and the Tanabe is the 17451 part that is shown in this part diagram (http://is.sewellparts.com/images/oem...000/176073.jpg) referenced from this thread (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...t-gaskets.html). With some searching the part number for this particular gasket is 17451-0P022. During the installation if you didn't have anything else come off after removing the spring bolts from the midpipe, then this "donut" gasket should still be on your car on the factory end. That gasket will be the reason why that particular section does not sit flush when you tighten the spring bolts down.

The only gasket you get when you buy the Tanabe new is the gasket between the two flanges that connect the driver's side muffler to the passenger's side and y-pipe. It's the thin piece of metal that has perforations/dimples in it.



I've tried looking into what the damper on the stock exhaust does with no real conclusive result on what function does it serve (sound or vibration, etc.) and the Tanabe doesn't have the u-shaped holder for the damper.

dul311

So I ordered the Lexus/Toyota gasket only to discover that the gasket was already on there. It was just stuck on the mid-pipe which is why most think there is not gasket there.

Anyway, i decided to remove the exhaust. I couldn't deal with the drone noise. I'm sure for most, it wouldn't bother them but I am sensitive to that sort of noise so I pulled the exhaust off and put it on Craigslist/eBay.

From the research I have done, dampers are key for both stock exhausts and aftermarket exhausts. I read on one post where the aftermarket exhaust required you to remove the damper from the stock exhaust and place it on new exhaust. The damper is mainly for reducing/eliminating vibration. I pocked around on other forums for other cars, and found that people were creating home-made dampers using u-clamps.

Anyway, thanks for all of the responses and feedback.