Mid-pipe

[Wolvrin704]

Well it looks like I may be in the market for a mid-pipe, but I'm unsure of what I want. My car has had a rattle since last winter whenever its cold out and today I finally figured out its the cats, by tapping on them I replicated the rattling and its internal.

I have a Flowmaster cat-back currently.

So I have some questions:

Is an off-road pipe actually illegal? If so how many people get citated for one, especially in Ohio?
Is an off-road excessively loud comapred to stock?
I've heard an H sounds better with a Flowmaster than an X, is this true? I'll be perusing You Tube to get some comparisons. I really don't have a preference other than X is much more prevalent and H will be harder to find.

I've done some initial looking and I see Pypes has a SS X for under $200. Is this a good deal and does anyone have any experience with that brand? I'd prefer SS if I can get it at a reasonable price. Or is there another brand thats significantly better? I know with off-road I'll need to get MIL's, are they still available?

 

[Black_02_GT]

Youtube potential interests and work from there. I know with the flowmasters the O/R X was almost too loud but didnt actually cross the line. H will be a little smoother since it has somewhere to mix. UPRs x pipe fit okay but of course can still be a pain to put on. I think even here in mississippi not having cats is illegal (not sure on that) but its one of those things that if you're not being ridiculous they dont really care

 

[Mustang5L5]

No cats on a car originally equipped with cats is illegal in all states. It's a federal law against removing emmissions equipment on a polution controlled vehicle.

Even if your state doesn't emmissions test, they need to be there if the car originally came with them.

 

[BurningRubber]

H and Flows sound good, real good. Even though I am running an X pipe with MAC mufflers (chambered, like Flowmasters), I don't generally like the sound of a non-catted X on 40 series Flowmasters. It isn't horrid, but it's also not my cup of tea.

BBK and MAC both make a good H pipe if you are having trouble finding any.

As far as getting in trouble for no cats, that depends on the state. I would say California is by far the worst when it comes to that. In my state we don't even have vehicle inspections nor do we have emissions testing, so it's pretty unlikely that there would be an issue... matter of fact, I've never heard of someone getting a ticket (doesn't mean it hasn't happened) because of no converters. It's usually a noise violation if the exhaust is super loud.

As far as MIL's, I believe they have been outlawed pretty much. No one sells them anymore, new versions of handheld tuners are not allowing the o2's to be shut off from what I hear either. They are possible to make for REAL cheap though, and there are some diagrams floating around online...

 

[eliteJAE]

I just went through the same process lately, and decided on going with a MAC O/R H-pipe. cost me 160 shipped from stangmods, they have a couple left apparently, because i called MAC and they don't have any themselves lol needless to say its kinda hard to find a decently priced o/r h-pipe, but from everything ive heard it sounds pretty sick

my buddy has an 07 GT with flows and an x pipe, and it sounds good, but not as good as it would with an h, its just too raspy

Like someone said above, it is illegal anywhere to remove factory installed cats on a pollution controlled vehicle, HOWEVER, it really depends on where you are from whether that's a big deal or not. where i live there's no emissions testing or whatnot and i have never heard of anyone getting even a noise violation unless its something ridiculous like open header lol my buddies have been runnning around with o/r midpipe setups for over a year so far and everything is good

it will be louder, but itll sound pretty sick with an H pipe. an x with flows just doesnt sound as good as an h imho now an X with some slp lmII's or borla stingers sounds sick, but not with a flows.

if you really want a pypes X, check out Mustang Parts & Performance - American Muscle they got it for ~$160 IIRC.

H and Flows sound good, real good. Even though I am running an X pipe with MAC mufflers (chambered, like Flowmasters), I don't generally like the sound of a non-catted X on 40 series Flowmasters. It isn't horrid, but it's also not my cup of tea.

BBK and MAC both make a good H pipe if you are having trouble finding any.

As far as getting in trouble for no cats, that depends on the state. I would say California is by far the worst when it comes to that. In my state we don't even have vehicle inspections nor do we have emissions testing, so it's pretty unlikely that there would be an issue... matter of fact, I've never heard of someone getting a ticket (doesn't mean it hasn't happened) because of no converters. It's usually a noise violation if the exhaust is super loud.

As far as MIL's, I believe they have been outlawed pretty much. No one sells them anymore, new versions of handheld tuners are not allowing the o2's to be shut off from what I hear either. They are possible to make for REAL cheap though, and there are some diagrams floating around online..

Americanmuscle has them in fact, i just bought a couple of splice-in MIL's from them for and i got them in the mail yesterday they disappeared for a while because they were deemed illegal, but they're back now lol they got the plug in MIL's too.

also, if you frequent any other mustang forums, look around the vendor forums for americanmuscle, i got a SICK discount on these splice in MIL's ($18 SHIPPED) lol just trying to share the opportunity.

good luck man

 

[mazen189]

go with o/r x or h.

and i have to admit, flowmaster do sound better with an H.

and yes, it is illegal for an o/r midpipe, that is why you should keep your stock one.

and as long as your not making your presense known everywhere you go with your car, there

should not be any reason for the cop to pull you over. but it is still illegal.

 

[jomull55]

i also live in ohio and know a few mustangs with no cats... also a few other cars with no cats and none including myself have ever been pulled over for it. I've had 2 different mustang with no cats and never had any problems. Currently running a upr x i got off ebay for about 150$ fits just fine

 

[BurningRubber]

Americanmuscle has them in fact, i just bought a couple of splice-in MIL's from them for and i got them in the mail yesterday they disappeared for a while because they were deemed illegal, but they're back now lol they got the plug in MIL's too.

also, if you frequent any other mustang forums, look around the vendor forums for americanmuscle, i got a SICK discount on these splice in MIL's ($18 SHIPPED) lol just trying to share the opportunity.

good luck man

Awesome, glad to hear that.

 

[02nightmaregt]

X-pipe FTMFW. I have one and when i had my flows it didn't sound THAT bad. I can't stand flows anymore though.

 

[Wolvrin704]

I think that with the Flows I'll go with an H pipe for now and down the road if I get something else I'll swith to an X, but only if I don't like the sound.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Looks like its gonna be an O/R H with MILS for my Santa list.