Applicable to: '99-'05 1.8 liter
FM had a special on this dual tip muffler. They had some that they sent back to the manufacturer for reworking. According to FM, mine should be the same as what they normally sell.
The installation was relatively easy (rubber hanger battles aside) until I got to the additional hanger. ATTENTION HITCH OWNERS: After removing the stock muffler, I installed a hidden hitch receiver which ended up interfering with the new hanger. It might be possible to position the receiver to accommodate the hanger, but I do not know because I did not want to oval the holes that I had already drilled (the chassis metal is too hard to drill anyway). I took it to a muffler shop to get them to weld a hanger to the receiver which cost around $70; I did not want to weld it without a lift. Cutting the bumper was not terribly painful, but I was careful to align the template the way that I thought looked right. It is hard to not deviate a bit from the template. It is also hard not to leave burrs and be less smooth than stock, but the result looks good when more than one foot away. Next came muffler alignment: the passenger's side hung lower than the driver's side. FM said that ! the height difference is normal and that I would need to use hose clamps on the passenger's side rubbers to lift that side up. The clamps worked, but the highest I could get it is still not quite high enough. Another former Miata owner confirmed the same issue with a turbo dual exhaust. I think that FM could and should have done a better job on the alignment.
LOUD. Plain and simple. It will not burst your ear drums, but I do wear ear plugs most of the time that I drive the car now. I had already been considering it with the stock muffler and this muffler convinced me to protect my ears. It is particularly loud at WOT and outside the car (the turbo owner noticed me at an autocross because of the sound). It also drones more on the highway. I do not recommend this for daily drivers who care about their hearing. It sounded a bit farty to me at first. I think that it sounds the same these days after well over six months, but I do not mind it. It generally sounds nice, but I cannot wait until I am no longer using this Miata as a DD. Their choice of nickel construction was great; I probably would not have bought it otherwise. I also really like the design of the hangers: instead of infernal knobs that the rubbers refuse to go over, they put a kink in the hanger that works well and is easy to slide over. I do not notice any performanc! e increase. Overall, I am satisfied: I think that the symmetry and design look great and the sound is great for a weekend road warrior.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99-'05 1.8 liter
Flyin Miata Turbo Dual on NB 1.8L with FM Turbo mid pipe
Easy installation took about 1hr to install (already had FM turbo mid pipe in from the previous weekend when clutch was installed). Very nice, I can't do it justice - the quality is superb, beautiful exhaust, clean welds HUGE pipes and tips sothing you'd expect to see on a modified Mustang. You could shave with the reflection on this thing and it was very well packed. If you havn't messed with your exhaust in a while buy a can of PB or liquid wrench and soak the bolts the night before, a 1/2" impact gun with the air turned waaaay up will make things much easier to get off. The install was well detailed with picts and they even include a self adhesive decal to assist in cutting the bumper. A dremel worked well for me with a router bit followed with a bit of sanding with 400 grit paper and it was done. They did include a metal gasket to mate to the FM turbo mid (the mid is a must if you're going the turbo route). Now the sound - heh they arn't kidding when they say don't ru! n this w/o the turbo (my turbo's on order from Bell shoud be here in a week so I went ahead and did the act extreme clutch, lightened flywheel and the full exhaust prior to the turbo install). Running without the turbo this exhaust is LOUD, my wife was driving on the HWY about 1/2 mi behind me with the windows up and the stereo cranked and she could still hear me at hwy speeds. This will definitely get you noticed by the police so umm yeah if you come up on a cruiser I strongly suggest poping the clutch till you're out of their sight hehe. With the turbo I expect it to be a bit quieter but not too much so. Don't ge tme wrong the exhaust purs and under hard exceleration cars in the vacinity can be expected to get out of your way and roll their windows up but it's a georgous sound much like a cobra or somthing pushing 350HP +, def not ricer. Even idling at lights it sounds great. FM has made a great product, although a bit pricy it's def worth it with a lifetime waranty and e! ase of install. Performance - with the FM mid pipe and the turbo duals the car has picked up around 15hp mostly in the mid to top end, this is quite a nice bit of extra ump prior to turbo install. I'm very pleased with the results, can't wait for the turbo - Bell sys 4 on order :-) Will post more on the sound levels after turbo install.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
2004 Flyin Miata Duals- Catback only for 2001 Miata LS
I had this exhaust installed at a local muffler shop.They guys who did the work told me that it "almost" bolts right in, however, they had to play around with it becuase the brackets did not align perfectly. Nothing major just takes a little more time to get it installed properly.
SOUND: They sound good, honestly I was expecting a little deeper tone less tinny however its still impressive but would be better if it was deeper. Put it this way, you can hear the car coming from down the block but its no Harley or Z06. The guy at the muffler shop told me that these exhausts tend to deepen in sound with time. Will see, so far had them on for 1 month. I also have the goodwin air intake on and this exhaust completely drowns out the nice sound of the intake. POWER: Slight increase top end in 4th and 5th on highway over 70mph. I guess the FM straight pipe and RB headers should be next... Are they too loud? No. Are they fun? Heck yeah! Oh and they really look great..
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Duals and cat with pipe
Looks really cool, loud as hell! It is so loud it is irratating. Too Bad as quality is excellent and looks are great.
If you like great looks and loud it's your baby. If you want looks and mild sound, too bad.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 +
N/A dual exhaust from Flyin' Miata
Flyin' Miata is always good to deal with. The exhaust is extremely high quality and the tips are fantastic! Sound is great! Installation is simple and fun. Cutting the bumper is not difficult at all. I used a coping saw. The cut is not the smoothest, but it works well. Hardest part was getting the old exhaust off of the rubber hangers. The new one slides on easily. Once this baby is on, attention comes from all directions!
This exhaust is excellent in quality and appearance, but the $450 price tag is steep. I'm not quite sure the price is justified. I was deciding between this and the Racing Beat duals, but there was overwhelming support for the FM duals. If you've got the money, get them, if not, maybe the Racing Beat is an acceptable alternative. Also, a putrid smell of burning oil comes out at first, but once it burns off it goes away. I was told that it is the oil from the manufacturing process.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter
Flying Miata's Dual N/A Exhaust from Dealer Alternative $590.00 Non-resonated
I've only had the system installed for 2 weeks, but I can tell you it's well worth the money!
Since I had a non-factory catalytic converter, I had a local muffler shop do the install. Good thing I did, because it was not a simple bolt-on, due to previous welding done around the converter. I elected to go with the non-resonated version of the dual exhaust, simply because the resonated one was back-ordered for a month. Otherwise, I would have probably gone with the resonated...guess I'm getting older. The exhaust note is wonderful and a real head-turner at WOT. The supplied template as a little confusing, so I pretty much eye-balled the cut out, based on the factory location on the right. Also had my car re-painted afterwards, so it turned out pretty good and looks like it came from the factory. People will definitely notice the stainless duals out back! You'll also notice the extra push in your back. This system definitely adds some horses and you'll get addicted to reaching the redline on each shift.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
A stainless steel muffler with dual exhaust pipes.
This is the sound I was looking for! For all those who have said that the M2 duals are barely louder than stock, I disagree. The tone is MUCH deeper and simply wonderful AND the volume is probably 20-25% louder. Definetly not annoying to anyone I have had ride with me, but surely noticably louder. There is zero highway drone (this is one thing I was slightly concerned about before purchasing). With the top up, the only noticable resonance is from 1400-1700 rpm where there is a VERY LOW bass note (obviously nobody spends a lot of time in this range, but it is fun to keep the car in gear as you come to a stop cause it sounds so cool)! With the top down, the exhaust sound is wonderful! Deep and almost rumbly. The most noticable feature is that you now hear the exhaust from the left ear more which is probably the reason for the increase in volume (Stereo sound!).
Appearance wise, I love it! Before installation, I thought the 3.5 inch tips looked a bit overwhelming, but on the car, it is perfect. It makes the rear so much classier and more mean looking. Installation was straightforward. The hardest part was getting the old muffler off the rubber hangers. Channel lock pliers are key, as is plenty of silicone lube. The template was off, in retrospect, by a 1/4 inch too far laterally, but it really is not noticable unless you really stare for a long time. Overall, I absolutely love my choice. The sound and appearance just make the car so much more fun to drive (if that were possible!). Highly recommended modification. I'd do again in an instant.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Aftermarket Dual exhaust for 99+ M2. Requires cutting rear bumper per template
The product was shipped right away. The people at the Dealer Alternative were prompt and helpful. The product arrived well packaged without damage. It looks great and the duals have very pretty polished tips. I have never removed/installed a muffler before this task. I took a long time removing the stock muffler from it's hanger. I was worried about cutting the bumper correctly so I spent 30 minutes measuring according to the instructions, taping on the template, measuring again, eyeballing, partially hanging the duals etc. The result? Off by 1/2 inch! Yikes! The sound? Fantastic. The note gets deeper as the system warms up each morning. It is also addictive, so I put more throttle in and hence, I think this system is bad for the MPG... There is no boom or whine. It is not a 'Honda-Boy' exhaust.
I'd bet the problem with the template being off is not uncommon with the product, as more than one member of our local club has exactly the same issue. I'd buy the duals again, but cut the bumper 1/2" to the right (inboard) next time... I will be going to the muffler shop soon and see if they can move the left tip to the inboard 1/2". I will post an update with the results. Ten minutes into the maiden voyage after installation a pickup pulls up as I am driving and a girl hangs out of the truck screaming 'I Love Your Car'.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
This is the high flowing beefy dual exhaust you want for your turbo Miata!
Product is high quality and fairly easy to install. I installed the front turbo section FM1D, as well as the turbo dual exhaust in under three hours and I was taking pictures and what not! The only problems I had were the location of one bracket for the rear exhaust was not very well indicated. You also did not know which way to turn the bracket. Didn't matter much since you had plenty of room to work with and it was very apparent once you got the exhaust in which way the bracket went. The other tidbit of trouble I had was removing the rear O2 sensor! I had to take a hammer to the crescent wrench in order to knock it loose. I had soaked it for an hour and it still was a pain!
Make sure you get a good sized bottle of penetrating spray and silicone lube. Both will come in handy removing and reinstalling the new pipes. Note if you don't already have your turbo Bill is not kidding when he says it is damned loud! It sounds like one of those midget cars if you give it the gas, above 3-4k rpms... The low rumble is unbelievable though. I never knew my Miata would be capable of that amount of rumble I put to shame a ton of Honda's, talon's, etc... Very nice job from the folks at www.flyinmiata.com !!!
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to '99 + 1.8 liter
Dual exhaust for 99+ NA 1.8L.
Actually delivered one day earlier than expected.
All stainless steel construction. Very easy to install. From start to finish 1.5 hours. That includes setup and clean up. Very simple instructions and installation.
I also beleive that the bolt included with the new hanger needs to be a little longer. I beleive the reason is that in the picture included with the instructions the new hanger is mounted BETWEEN the heat shield and the frame. In this scenario the bolt would be the right size. However on my 2000 Miata the shape of the heat shield prevents the holes in the frame,bracket, and heat shield to line up if mouunted in this fashion. I had to mount the new hanger below the heat shield. This requires initial mounting of the bracket at a 90 degree angle from the correct posistion to get the bolt started. Once the bold is started you can tap the hanger around to its correct position and tighten the bolt. Other wise the installation was very straight forward. Watch out for the edges of the heat sheild, they are sharp. OUCH!! As for the sound, It is everything I had expected. Very nice!! Not too loud, but loud enough to get noticed.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to '99 +
Dual outlet muffler w/ resonated polished tips
I can't imagine anyone having a bad comment about this exhaust. The sound is so good that I hardly drive around with the radio on anymore. Nice and mellow, and very sweet when coming up on that 7000 RPM shift? Do I reccomend them? Hell yeah! Would I buy them again? In a heartbeat.
I could've lived with the muffler not being polished (like the BSP duals) - but that's no big deal. One ride, and you'll be sending your $ off to Bill for these )
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to:
Stainless steel way fun dual exhaust system that sounds "poy-fect."
Yep, it's expensive. Nope, Deal's Gap 99 wouldn't have been the same without it. In bang/buck it's still right up there with Voodoo. Gotta have it, if ya have to explain it, you wouldn't understand anyway!! Vrooom!
Leon, you're right. It's waaay louder than stock. Yep yep yep!
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Rear muffler section for 1999 Miata, with dual 3.5" stainles steel tips. Workmanship is top-notch--everything is stainless steel, and the tips and muffler are polished to a brilliant sheen. It is almost a shame to stick under the car where it will collect all the road grime. The pipes are big and meaty, and mandrel bent. All the welds are super-clean, and the tips are quite thick--I won't be worrying about these babies rusting out anytime this side of World War III.
A piece of cake to install. Since the car is still fairly new, the bolts were a piece of cake to take off. The hangers were a little tighter, though, but with some pulling and a lot of silicon lubricant, they came off as well. The new exhaust hanger bolted right up as advertised, and both pipes hang evenly out the back. The only hard part was cutting the bumper for the other tip--it was easy enough to do, the template was right on, and the instruction were perfect, but I felt pretty squeemish about cutting into my car. Also, the cutout from the factory is tapered inwards, which is impossible for you to do the otherside. However, with the exhaust in place, you can't see the difference without lying under the car. Difficult to remove without leaving damage, since I would think the bumper would look ugly with a cutout that doesn't have an exhaust pipe to fill it.
Once in place, it started right up with a throaty growl and no exhaust leaks. At low rpms, you'll have people looking around for the Camaro Z28 or Mustang GT--it's that throaty. At rpms, you get this beautiful crackly/wail kind of sound that should scare the pants off the kid down the street with the hopped up Civic. At cruising speeds, it is barely perceptible, and won't give you a headache on long trips. And in a word, they look incredible--the car looks so much meaner with those twin pipes sticking out the back. I've gotten more comments from complete strangers walking up asking about it then I ever got from the car itself.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
These are Dealer Alternative's new Dual Exhuast setup for the '99 Miata. They are well made from THICK stainless steel. The system consists of a new muffler (Chromed w/Flying Miata logo) and two pipes (2 1/2" dia.) coming out to either side of the car with the end tips 3 1/2 " dia of Brushed Stainless. This replaces everything from the flange right behind the rear axel, back on the car.
Following the directions, it took me about 3/4 hr. to install. This includes a lot of time getting ready to make the cut required in the rear bumper for the new pipe, (which is the only reason that it couldn't be put back stock in 20 minutes). I wish a longer bolt were included for attaching the extra bracket, but IMHO, I don't really think the extra hanger is needed. I did end up having to take it to my local Meinike Muffler shop after installation though. In my car at least, the flange is not lined up on the same angle apparently as the sample car used for R&D. This caused the new pipe side to hang about 1 1/2" higher that the original side. The muffler shop had to heat the STOCK pipe before the flange and bend it til they were both level. This was not a lot of bending, only need a degree or two on the face of the flange. It it were a single pipe exhaust, I don't think it would make a difference, but with the two pipes, they need to hang exactly level, or it looks bad. BTW, the reason the guy at Meinkie did't heat the FM pipe was that he took one look at those huge, thick, stainless steel pipes and decided that his torch wouldn't make enough heat to properly bend them, (which speaks well of the R&D behnd them -- they'll probably NEVER wear out). It cost me $10 for the bending, well worth it. Now, you are all wondering how they sound. In a word -- GREAT!!!! They have a mellow, deeper tone about them. Also, LOUDER, if you get my meaning. But not excessively loud. At 55/60 in 5th, they have a deep rumble that makes you know they are there. When starting from a stop, if you really get on it, you will have every cop in a three block radius starting to look for you. The good part is, because of the deeper roar, they will probably be looking for a car considerably larger than your Miata. I would recommend these pipes to anyone who wants to make a difference in their Miata, in looks, sound and performance.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter
Dual Exhuast for turbo applications, full stainless steel, catback
Excellent quality, nice thick flanges, quick and efficient delivery. I previously had the Brainstorm duals (non-turbo) with a connecting pipe resonator and high flow cat, and really liked the low burbling sound at idle/slow speeds...it was quite quiet (relatively) at higher speeds. The FM turbo duals (no cat or midpipe resonator) is HUGELY different in sound. At idle, tone is quite deep and rumbly, and from around 2500-5000 it screams! For some reason, it does quieten down above 5000 and mellows out. I've had many positive comments on the sound at the local autocross. Spool up time has dramatically reduced as well going from 2.25 to 2.5 inch pipe and removing the cat.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
[4/19/2004] Reviewed by: dan geary - mrfusion@cox.net
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter
1st generation dual exhaust non-resonated
DO NOT get any other exhaust, dont compare any other exhausts... this dual exhaust is the best. purchased for around $580, which is relativly expensive...but... i think it was grossly UNDER priced! sounds amazing. best upgrade ive ever done to my car. hard to describe the way it sounds,but no longer like a wimpy miata
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97
FM dual tipped exhaust
Looks great and mean, i also have a jackson racing supercharger which i believe makes this combo REALLY loud. I would not recommend this combo for anyone who likes to drive around unnoticed. It's a little too loud for me, but after cutting the rear bumper and spending the coin on the exhaust system, its here to stay.
Good instructions, easy to install, don't buy it if you don't feel comfortable cutting a small portion of the bumper.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter
One word “wow”. I love the sound of my car. After 168000 miles my Miata finally has a voice and it loves to sing. I was originally only going to replace the Cat (FLP High Flow Converter from Finish Line Performance). Since I was replacing the cat I wasn’t concerned with the condition of the bolts. Removed one and broke the other three. I installed the new cat and was about to install the connecting pipe of the original Cat back when I decided to replace the whole thing. (What actually changed my mind was the sound of the car with no cat back on at all…scary loud)
I called The Dealer Alternative and asked how long it would take for their N/A Duals. I was informed that they were on back order (I almost died), but they did have a used one that had a slight ding on the connecting pipe. They said they had no idea how long it was used for…my thought was my car has 168K on the original this one has got to have fewer. Ordered on Monday arrived on Friday (installed on Saturday morning). I am amazed at the quality of the new system, when I looked for the slight ding it was a small scratch. Since the old system was already removed it took five minutes to install the connecting pipe, about fifteen minutes to align the template, another fifteen to twenty minutes to cut the hole (only takes an exacto knife no fancy drills, Dremel, coping saws or saber saws the plastic bumper is really soft) and another fifteen minutes to install the muffler.
I love the look of the Dual exhausts, but the sound… “Wow!” Through out the rev range it is very bassy sounding. The resonator does a great job keeping the volume down. At freeway speeds it is very mellow almost too quiet. In the lower RPM'S nice mellow bass...not tinny sounding like some Honda/Mitsu exhausts I've heard.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to '90 - '97 1.6 liter
Dual exhaust for M1 Miata, comes in a complete kit, replaces everything till the cat.
I don't have anything to add to the other reviews, I recomend you read them before going on to the installation. It was very helpfull to me. The kit it self is very nice, top quality product and well made. Arrived promptly, although it costs 600$. It was the best addition to my car so far. I see a lot of (subjective) power gain on 3000+ rpm range. Not so sure about low end torque, at least it feels faster off the line. One thing you should definitly do is to replace the cat bolts, they are nearly impossible to remove the second time, and definitly soak it over night, makes things easier. Took me about 2 1/2 hours to install (1/2 hour on one cat bolt) and 15 minute test run around the block to get hooked on the sound. It's deep and just the right note, might be a bit too loud for some but I like it.
I didn't run into any problems during cutting, it was quite easy with a coping saw and a file. It's about 2000+ miles on my car and no problems what so ever. This is a must buy for the miata maniacs.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to '90 - '97 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Price $580 from The Dealer Alternative
Installation Time About 3-4 hours total
Installation tools Metric sockets/wrenches, Jig saw or Coping saw, Air powered cut off wheel or hand held grinder, WD-40
SCCA BS/CS (might be contested at national level due to modification of rear bumper)
While this is a rather expensive modification, the results are really top notch. I do not think that this exhaust will make anymore or less horsepower than the other aftermarket exhausts for the miata. But, your going to sound like your making alot more power. This is a very high quality, full 2 1/4 inch stainless steel cat-back system. Both tips are resonated & fully polished. the sound is hard to describe...it not longer sounds like a four banger. It has a much deeper, throaty sound...and it's a bit loud for some people's taste.
Installation is fine until the *dreaded cut*...which isn't too bad. Cover the area where you will be working with some wide masking tape so you can sketch out what you are going to do. I would cut it about 1/8 of an inch smaller than the template indicates. This is due to the 'round over' the factory cut out has. The new cut will look a little bigger if you cut exactly on the line.
I used a low speed jig saw to cut out most of the hole. I snapped the blade so it was just long enough to pass through the plastic and not cut into random objects. Be careful, and pay attention to what is behind your cut. You can not do the entire cut with the jig saw...you will get to a point where it will hit something solid & bounce out of the cut. Finish off the cut with a fine toothed coping saw.
Once you have the exhaust installed, it is going to slap against the rear part of the frame when you really toss the car around. It will be a rather loud metallic *thunk* from the rear of the car during hard conering.
The first fix for this is easy...Buy two large hose clamps (around 4 inch, IIRC) and put them around the rear most exhaust hanger rubbers (the ones by the tips). Now you can tighten or loosen the clamps to limit the free travel.
If you often beat on your car (autocross, etc.) this may not be enough to stop the slap. In this case, we will need to take more drastic measures. Figure out what part of the frame you are hitting & remove it. I used an air powered cut off wheel, but a hand held grinder will also do the trick.
Opinions
Very well could be the best upgrade that I have done on the car. It is a bit pricy, but you are paying for a great system. Like most all Flying Miata Products, this part is highly recommended.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Dual pipe muffler, polished stainless still, very good quality.
The installation of the muffler is almost as easy as it gets without using a welder to put the muffler on. The only thing that may be hard is using the template to cut out a opening for the driver side tail pipe. I seem to lose low end power with this muffler, however highway driving is more spirited. I consider it loud compared to the factory exhaust note. The factory note would be perfect if it was just a little louder. The quality of the muffler is very good compared to many other mufflers like ultraflows.
The price is kind of expensive considering it is $450+ and doesn't include the whole catback system. I have seen some very nice Greddy and HKS exhaust for $500 and includes everything. Difficult to remove without leaving damage
A duel chrome tip stainless steel catback with polished canister
Received order in about 6 working days. Exhaust came with gasket,screws and extra hanger used to mount 2nd chrome tip.also templete included for cutting out space in bumper for 2nd tip.I cut the area out fairly easily after measuring a couple of times.I used a dremel tool that makes it a then had a local muffler install.the cat back.The night before I put some sort of lubricant to the bolts on the catalytic converter.and they came off easy with the use of air socket wrench.Total install less than 1 hr.using power tools and a lift.
In my opinion this is the best looking exhaust available for the miata.The 3.5 tips look really cool.they give the Miata a low growl that means business.I did not notice any low in power gain matter of fact I thought it was slower by seat of the pants feel...under 4000 rpm.....but later that day I added the JR racing header....this really brightend up things completely...accelleration is brisk and the car feel much more powerful and fun to drive.Definately a must have cat back and header combo
A catback system featuring a unique muffler with twin chrome 89mm tips
The package includes everything necessary to transform your stock exhaust system into a freeflowing high quality dual exhaust system. It replaces everything from the catalytic converter back with a stainless steel exhaust that exits your miata with <TWIN> chrome 89mm baffled tips. The complete installation required 5 hours. But I spent 2 of those hours removing a single rusty nut from the catalytic converter. Once I had the old system removed, installation was went quick. I spent an hour getting up the nerve to cut my bumper (required for the 2nd exhaust tip). Using Bill Cardell's instructions, I placed the adhesive backed template on the bumper and measured, remeasured, and measured again. Making the cut isn't difficult but you only get one chance to do it right so take your time and make sure before you cut. Once the cut was made, I installed the muffler using the existing hangers plus the one added required for the new exhaust tip. I then installed the straight pipe from the catalytic converter to the new muffler. I did make a few modifications to the system after installation was complete. I installed (wrapped) a hose clamp around the two rubber hangers closest to the bumpers. I did this for two reasons. First, Bill mentions on hard corners, the exhaust will flex causing the larger tips to hit the rear frame (making a clunking noise). 2nd, I found it easier to adjust the height of the tips to a equal distance from the bumper by simply tightening/loosening the clamps. Works great. I also have the rear skirt on my 93 LE and had to cut and modify it as well. This is not covered in the instructions but in my opinion should be. Another template should be included to ease the process here. Once installed, the consensus from my family of miata owners was very positive. These things look and sound very COOL. Like everyone, I've ordered and installed products and once installed, had my doubts and later removed them. Well, let me say this is one of the best mods I've made to my miata.
I ordered the exhausts from Dealer Alternative and rec'd them in less than 4 days. I have found this to be typical of Dealer Alternative. To borrow the Ford motto, Service is Job 1 from Dealer Alternative. Unlike other miata suppliers, my experiences have been completely positive from this company. Keep the quality products coming Bill!
This is a two-piece, stainless-steel cat-back system consisting of a straight pipe from the catalytic converter to the rear axle, and a muffler with two tailpipes, one for either side of the car.
I bought the system at Gold Rush on Sunday morning. There wasn't time to get it installed, and I couldn't exactly carry it home inside the car, so I expected to have it shipped from Colorado later in the week. Instead, Bill Cardell delivered it personally to me later that day on his way out of town. Apparently the Dealer Alternative's reputation for customer service is well-deserved.
Everything in the box was nicely polished and neatly wrapped. The system looked very solid and well-built. All hardware was included, with two exceptions: no gasket was supplied for the catalytic converter joint (I replaced the cat in my Miata a few weeks earlier, so I reused the same gasket), and since I had removed the rear shipping hooks, I had to dig up one of the bolts that held them on, as it's used to hang the new exhaust tip.
Except for one minor step, installation was straightforward. I unbolted the stock muffler from the cat (two 14mm nuts), unhooked the five hangers, and dropped the old unit out. I also deleted the hanger just aft of the cat, since the new system doesn't use it (as I understand it, later Miatas don't have this hanger anyway). I used Liquid Wrench on the nuts a few minutes before removal; even though they weren't rusted together, they still seem to require a lot of torque to remove. A silicone spray lube also works wonders on the hangers.
Now for that one minor step. The stock exhaust has a nice contoured cutout in the right rear bumper for the tailpipe exit. To install a dual exhaust, you need to duplicate this cutout on the opposite side of the bumper. A self-adhesive template is supplied for this purpose. It wasn't easy to make the cut, but I finally got up the nerve to do it by convincing myself the rear bumper could probably be easily replaced. The instructions weren't crystal clear about how to align the template, but by adjusting its position until it matched the other side, I managed to figure it out.
| Back to Product Reviews | 25 January, 2009 |
| [Home] - [FAQ] - [Search] - [Sponsors] - [Forums] |
| [Garage] - [Clubs] - [Contact Us] - [Disclosures] - [More...] |
Copyright
©1994-2024, Eunos Communications LLC
|