MOTs and exhausts?

86JR

86JR

86JR

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So a while ago I had the centre silencer/resonator changed to straight stainless pipe on my A3 to try and get some noise into the cabin as apposed to just hearing the whine of the FSI.

This didn't really work - you can only hear anything on boost at 2.5krpm and above and because it is torquey and S-Tronic it changes gear at 2krpm.

So tommorow I am booked in to do the same but with the rear backbox, so my car will go Precat- Cat - Straight pipe - Tailpipes.

On saturday I am going to gut the pre-cat too:

- Lower exhaust temperatures (EGT'S)
- Less lag
- Slightly deeper exhaust note

I rang my insurers and they didn't charge me any extra because the modifications are for noise and not performance and I still have my proper CAT - the pre-cat is an EU thing for brand new cars apparently - it only works when the car is cold.

I am guessing it might be really loud but then again maybe not - the turbo itself acts as a silencer and the cat is MASSIVE, atleast 15 inches long and very wide - and if it is I will have my centre silencer put back in.

Can I ask where I stand on the Law - all of the garages I went to for a quote state that I will pass the MOT fine as long as I have a CAT or if it is a diesel - a DPF. But obviously they are trying to sell an exhaust to me!

Anyone else care to differ?
 
If a cat is obviously missing, it will fail.
If the car fails an emissions test, it will fail.

So if your cat is gutted without being obvious, only the last one could fail you. Bear in mind your car will be tested against the Euro spec it had to meet from the factory so considerably more stringent than e.g. a 2003 equivalent.
 
Update.

I specifically asked them to align the tips the same as the OE ones. I know one of the OE is shorter than the other and that that can't be done but I didn't expect this:

OE:
1970437_637901926247572_541056424_n.jpg


Now:
1507871_653360718035026_458830174805403805_n.jpg

10171682_653360674701697_2466738603048915884_n.jpg

10252093_653360698035028_7509010833249839690_n.jpg

So not only are they not level but they are sticking out sort of facing the middle of the car! Welded on too so I am going to have to get someone to cut them off and weld them on properly!

Sound wise, it sounds nice when starting up and pottering round at low rpm but as soon as you put your foot down it is boomy and overpowering and basically sounds like there is no exhaust at all - let off and I get popping and banging (even though I have a cat and a precat) honestly it is embarressing I just drove through Liskeard past a few parked cars and set off all the car alarms!

So I am going to have to fit my centre silencer / resonator and see if that makes a difference although I might buy a proper magnaflow one - all this because I didn't want to spend £1100 on a full Milltek :/
 
I removed the centre only at first and it make about 2% difference in sound output - you could only hear anything on boost at WOT which is not often as these have so much torque off boost/ low boost/ not WOT compared to HP...

I am hoping fitting the centre back on will make it civilised.
 
i wouldnt be happy with the tail pipes. they look well off.

am i correct in thinking that they are welded onto the oem rear box?

I think if you want a nice exhaust, youre going to have to just buy a nice exhaust. I cant see that doing a load of mods to the OEM exhaust will produce anything like the sound you are looking for.

In my experience the milltek will be a quiet/zero boom exhaust that comes alive on WOT.
Is there not an option to look for a second hand one?
 
That is my problem with milltek - I want a slightly loud exhaust all the time not just on WOT - because I am hardly ever on WOT in this car - S-tronic changes up really quickly.

I would say OEM is 1/10 loud and this is around 7/10 and 10/10 at WOT I would like 5/10 all the time. Hence why I went custom!

The OEM rear box is gone they replaced it with straight pipe!
 
do milltek offer resonated and non resonated variants for your car? if so then go non resonated and that should put the sound level higher without being ASBO.
 
They only offer resonated.

AFAIK their package for my car also includes downpipe and sport cat which is why it is £1070 + fitting. But then I need a remap at £500 from R-Tec otherwise it will trigger CEL so that is £1500+ all in one go. I just wanted to do a bit at a time, I have a lot of expenses for example I am sure my SSD will fail soon so there is £300.
 
Download an mp3 of an F1 car. Play on stereo while you drive.

Then when you grow out of your boy racer stage you won't have embarrassing bits hanging off your car :D

Also I would want my money back for that exhaust as that is an awful job.
 
I was tired so I just left as it was - they have a lifetime warranty for any issues but I am guessing they will tell me to do one.

Just going to take it elsewhere.

I haven't looked properly yet but looking side on it looks a lot like MILD STEEL behind the tailpipes when they specifically stated I couldn't use my original tailpipes because they were mild steel and mild won't well to stainless. I shall be annoyed if this is the case. I quite like the look of them, when it is aligned properly and a bit quieter I shall be happy but it is slowly adding up to the same cost as a Jetex backbox (although also known to be too quiet).

Got a headache currently as any hills mean resonation inside my head :(
 
I have a Miltek resonated on my 1.8T (20VT), (cat back) and it sounds great and starts to get loud at 2800rpm.

Great for around town but a bit of a pain on the motorway at 70mph.

The resonated system is obviously more expensive and I can only image the non-res is too loud. (at least for me).

Mine cost £412 new. I know your 1.8T is a different engine but I don't see why it would be more expensive.
 
So apparently fitting my centre resonator will cure all issues.

So I will go and do that and see if it does!
 
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