Roush Exhaust questions - 02 S281E

washMO66

Founding Member
Oct 30, 2001
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Washington, MO
OK I have owned my car for two days and I have an empty feeling inside because it is still totally stock and I haven't spent any money on it yet.

To preface my question, I have not crawled under my car to examine every nook & cranny yet, that I will do this weekend.

Right now I'm looking for the quick hits that make any car run better, breath in, breath out. As I understand it, the 02 S281E has a X- pipe, 2.5" exhaust up to the mufflers, then it tapers down to 2.25" out of the mufflers and out the tailpipes. Obviously I am not thrilled about the exhaust tapering down and I am looking for recommendations to open it up.

So here are my specific questions;

1. - From the muffler back is there an aftermarket solution that I can buy that is a full 2.5" or larger?

2. - Are the cats that are on the car high flow or should they be replaced?

3. - Aftermarket headers - What is on the car factory and what are my options

4. - Air intake - What are my options to help it breath better.


I think that is it for now, just some quick hits to get the first of many itches fixed...

Thanks
 
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washMO66 said:
OK I have owned my car for two days and I have an empty feeling inside because it is still totally stock and I haven't spent any money on it yet.

To preface my question, I have not crawled under my car to examine every nook & cranny yet, that I will do this weekend.

Right now I'm looking for the quick hits that make any car run better, breath in, breath out. As I understand it, the 02 S281E has a X- pipe, 2.5" exhaust up to the mufflers, then it tapers down to 2.25" out of the mufflers and out the tailpipes. Obviously I am not thrilled about the exhaust tapering down and I am looking for recommendations to open it up.

So here are my specific questions;

1. - From the muffler back is there an aftermarket solution that I can buy that is a full 2.5" or larger?

2. - Are the cats that are on the car high flow or should they be replaced?

3. - Aftermarket headers - What is on the car factory and what are my options

4. - Air intake - What are my options to help it breath better.


I think that is it for now, just some quick hits to get the first of many itches fixed...

Thanks

Intake:
Chicane RIPP Kit http://www.chicanesport.com/products/publish/article_3.shtml

Cats:
There are replacement cats that utilize 2 cats instead of four. Magnaflow makes a nice Catted X-Pipe (2 Cats). I used it and loved it combined with the Magnaflow Cat Back system. For sound quality, Bassani sounds best IMO
 
Exhaust

Your car does not have headers if it is stock from Saleen. You just have exhaust manifolds. You can get a pair of long tube or shortie headers with high flow cats and an x or h-pipe.

The pipes are necked down after the muffler aren’t they? If they are I don't know of a solution and still have the center exhaust in the back. Unless you hand make something.

Intake

If you have the money you can remove the stock supercharger and replace it with a higher efficient twin screw sc from kenne brown or whipple.
 
Tmack said:
Exhaust

Your car does not have headers if it is stock from Saleen. You just have exhaust manifolds. You can get a pair of long tube or shortie headers with high flow cats and an x or h-pipe.

The pipes are necked down after the muffler aren’t they? If they are I don't know of a solution and still have the center exhaust in the back. Unless you hand make something.

Intake

If you have the money you can remove the stock supercharger and replace it with a higher efficient twin screw sc from kenne brown or whipple.

Which KB supercharger? The 1.7 or 2.2? The one on there is a whipple 2.3 I believe.
 
washMO66 said:
OK I have owned my car for two days and I have an empty feeling inside because it is still totally stock and I haven't spent any money on it yet.

To preface my question, I have not crawled under my car to examine every nook & cranny yet, that I will do this weekend.

Right now I'm looking for the quick hits that make any car run better, breath in, breath out. As I understand it, the 02 S281E has a X- pipe, 2.5" exhaust up to the mufflers, then it tapers down to 2.25" out of the mufflers and out the tailpipes. Obviously I am not thrilled about the exhaust tapering down and I am looking for recommendations to open it up.

So here are my specific questions;

1. - From the muffler back is there an aftermarket solution that I can buy that is a full 2.5" or larger?

2. - Are the cats that are on the car high flow or should they be replaced?

3. - Aftermarket headers - What is on the car factory and what are my options

4. - Air intake - What are my options to help it breath better.


I think that is it for now, just some quick hits to get the first of many itches fixed...

Thanks


http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=604565

that's a bassani o/r x pipe with borlas. i'm about to throw on some bassani mid length headers. bassani ain't cheap but they sound awesome. depending on which headers you go with will require different x pipes. bassani only works with bassani...BBK LT's you'll need a dr. gas x pipe, etc., etc. get an off road pipe and you'll notice a HUGE difference. that's all i did and the borlas really opened up.

chicane intake, all the way...
 
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ok to start

pulley from chicane
either focus fuel pump( with kenne bell bap)
or twin cobra pump setup(with new tank, cobra tank is baffled)
bassani long tubes, into off road x-pipe, with mil elims(so check eng light wont come on)
jlt cold air kit( goes in fender well so its a real cold air, unlike the hot air kits that sit in the engine bay)
TUNE on a dyno jet, youll need this bad!

after that if you dont like it, go with the kenne bell 2.2( your bottom end is forged)

also log onto modularfords.com there is guy dain over there building an E car,
he could be very helpful to you.
 
Your car has a Very Efficeint BLower on it right now i dont care what anyone Says. It a whipple 2300Ax (2.3L) And Is Capable of high boost. You can make 500rwhp Easlily with that Blower.

INDUCTION:

You need a Bigger Throttle Body a Accufab75MM Would be Perfect. Id Upgrade to a SCt 2400 Big MAF too. Get that Jlt Cold air intake as well.

EXHAUST

Long Tube headers create More hp than Shorties, but less torque than Shorties. LOng tubes with an Off road X-pipe would really open the car up.

TUNE

A custom SCT Tune, NGk TR6 spark Pugs, And a Reichard Racing 3.0 Supercharger pulley will increase boost, and will make your car scream. Id also suggest some 3:73 Gears as well.
 
Lots of excellent feedback here which is exactly what I wanted. Different opinions which is also good and it gives me an excellent starting point to begin my research.

I will most likely go the route of headers, off road X-pipe and a pulley swap and tune to start.

I had the car up on a rack today when I got it inspected and it only has one cat per side, someone had mentioned that it had four total???

Tell me about this elusive tune that everyone speaks of, keep in mind that to me on my 66 a tune was a day on the chassis dyno changing the timing and jetting. Where around the STL area can I get this done? Who is the most reputable tuner for modulars that has a chassis dyno so they can proof thir work?

Again, I am very excited to get going on the car so when I get it out in the spring it will be putting down close to 500HP at the wheels.

PS - I heated up and took off the big SALEEN sticker on the windshield, the dealership sticker on the back and the hornet alarm stickers on each side window. I am a minimalist when it comes to the flashy stuff and I like very clean looking cars in that their performance speaks for themselves.

Thinking about getting personalized plates that just say "E"

TB
 
Two cats no way. Must Have an Aftermarket One on it already i Belive.

The Tune, is a Hand held Tuner (SCT Xcalibrator 2) and it does a Million things to Better Increase Performance in your car. Check out http://www.sctflash.com/ And look at the Xcalibrator 2 on there, and also ask them any questions you have. You could have someone Make you a Custom tune for your car and have the them download the tune into the Xcal2 when u purchase it, so then when u recieve the tunner, you just download the custom tune into your car, thats what i did and man what a difference. Mike at KemPerformance.com Did my Custom tune if your Interested.
 
00-Saleen said:
Two cats no way. Must Have an Aftermarket One on it already i Belive.

The Tune, is a Hand held Tuner (SCT Xcalibrator 2) and it does a Million things to Better Increase Performance in your car. Check out http://www.sctflash.com/ And look at the Xcalibrator 2 on there, and also ask them any questions you have. You could have someone Make you a Custom tune for your car and have the them download the tune into the Xcal2 when u purchase it, so then when u recieve the tunner, you just download the custom tune into your car, thats what i did and man what a difference. Mike at KemPerformance.com Did my Custom tune if your Interested.


I'll take a pic of my exhaust, it looks pretty damn stout already. The mufflers are tiny and it has incredible sound......
 
Congratulations on the car. I’m the proud owner of #12.

Sounds like you have some great plans for it. I’ve been modding my car and have gotten some great advice from Joe at Chicane and Eric at XMP. Someone on here mentioned the heat exchanger was too small, I don't agree. The real issue is an extremely inefficient intercooler. Chicane has one that’s rock solid. It and an accufab 75mm TB netted me 50rwhp. No joke. About the smallest pulley you can run right now is a 3.75” without making changes to the fuel system (but you’ll still need a tune). A KB BAP and 55lb injectors will suffice for a smaller pulley then that. The car has a high flow pump on it from Saleen so you don’t need a SVT focus pump. A cobra pump wouldn’t hurt though. You can then run a 3.25” or 3” pulley and be somewhere near 550 to 600hp. Then the issue is belt slippage and tire traction.

As far as a CAI, don’t waste your money unless you want it for the looks. Our car has the filter hanging outside the fender and gets plenty of cold air. You might hurt performance a little actually because most CAI’s are chrome and they get hotter then the black unit we have. This per Joe at Chicane.

Also, you’ve probably noticed the diesel sound of the car. They weren’t built with the tightest tolerances, so when you up the boost, expect some blow by. I’ve been loosing oil out of the dipstick because of it. You’ll want to check your oil often. Could just be my car though.

My car actually has spent some time in the shop recently with a leaking radiator and getting the oil loss checked out. Turns out our cars use Fluidyne aluminum radiators and my split on both sides. I thought I had a blown head gasket so I lucked out there.

Anyway, good luck and keep us posted. :nice: