how to get that subaru sound ?

umboma · 27 May 2015 at 16:19

ok, another question, as my cat is done for, is it against the law to drive a car without one, I'm thinking I'll run a straight pipe until I have enough cash to change the whole thing and get a new cat fitted.

ubersonic · 27 May 2015 at 16:22

acemastr said:
They have equal length headers = no rumble... i have the same engine

Are you sure about that? According to wiki the 4U-GSE* is only used in the GT-86 and FR-S, and the FA20D* is only used in the BRZ, it seems unlikely Toyota would let Subaru put it in the WRX...

*Same engine with different names if it's in a Toyota/Subaru.

Amos91 · 27 May 2015 at 16:22

If you want a bit of a roar an open cone induction setup will certainly give you that.

acemastr · 27 May 2015 at 16:24

ubersonic said:
Are you sure about that? According to wiki the 4U-GSE* is only used in the GT-86 and FR-S, and the FA20D* is only used in the BRZ, it seems unlikely Toyota would let Subaru put it in the WRX...

*Same engine with different names if it's in a Toyota/Subaru.

Close enough lol, I just have the big thing that they're missing... a turbo!

~Divine~Wind~ · 27 May 2015 at 16:26

umboma said:
ok, another question, as my cat is done for, is it against the law to drive a car without one, I'm thinking I'll run a straight pipe until I have enough cash to change the whole thing and get a new cat fitted.

Nah as long as yer car has valid MOT and insurance AFAIK it's fine.
It would count as a modification tho so make sure to inform your insurer.
Wouldn't want to have an accident and the claim be declined for non declared modifications.

Begbie · 27 May 2015 at 16:36

Pretty sure you're wrong.

If a car has a cat as standard, it's part of a MOT check to make sure it's there. Well post 1992 IIRC.

ubersonic · 27 May 2015 at 16:59

Begbie said:
Pretty sure you're wrong.

If a car has a cat as standard, it's part of a MOT check to make sure it's there. Well post 1992 IIRC.

You're right "a catalytic converter or particulate filter missing where one was fitted as standard" is grounds for rejection, however in practice most testers don't care.

Traffic_Warden · 27 May 2015 at 17:05

You want to make a mazda sound like it has a boxer engine? Why not just buy a subaru? After all, they are amazing :cool:

acemastr · 27 May 2015 at 17:15

^^^^

All these people who think it's the boxer engine that makes the sound are rather wrong, it's the unequal length headers that do it, any 4 pot can sound like it with the right header configuration.

bradUK · 27 May 2015 at 17:48

Expected far more flaming in this thread....

ubersonic · 27 May 2015 at 18:09

bradUK said:
Expected far more flaming in this thread....

He's after the exhaust note, a flamer kit won't really help much.

p1RATE · 27 May 2015 at 18:30

umboma said:
lol, only reason i'm doing it is because the cats had it and need a new one so thought i'll try and get a nice sound while at it.

Edit: found this, might give it ago https://www.funkypower.co.uk/catalo...=UNIVERSAL+BACK+BOXES&level3=&id_product=5630

That will do the job.

Note that its a universal back box though and not a bolt on, you will have to get this welded in. I noticed that you don't want to spend a fortune so if you head over to ebay you can pick these up for £30-40. Gives you a bit more towards the cat. Also that comes with a bolt in silencer which is basically a bung which will reduce the size of the exit hole, these are pretty affective at reducing the booming noise.

bradUK · 27 May 2015 at 18:57

ubersonic said:
He's after the exhaust note, a flamer kit won't really help much.

As soon as I posted that I though "It won't be long until someone mentions either flamer kit or over fuelling"

rodenal · 27 May 2015 at 19:29

acemastr said:
^^^^

All these people who think it's the boxer engine that makes the sound are rather wrong, it's the unequal length headers that do it, any 4 pot can sound like it with the right header configuration.

Not sure that's quite correct - the flat 4 and manifolds make the sound from what I understand

Take that s2000 video on the previous page as an example, it just sounds a bit broken.

From memory an inline 4 can never sound quite the same due to the firing order vs the side by side order of the boxer

OK you can stick unequal length manifolds on anything, but it'll probably sound rotten and cost rather a lot

Clarkey · 27 May 2015 at 19:52

p1RATE said:
That will do the job.

Note that its a universal back box though and not a bolt on, you will have to get this welded in. I noticed that you don't want to spend a fortune so if you head over to ebay you can pick these up for £30-40. Gives you a bit more towards the cat. Also that comes with a bolt in silencer which is basically a bung which will reduce the size of the exit hole, these are pretty affective at reducing the booming noise.

Also pretty could at restricting the engine. I have one for mine, only ever use it if I have to run the engine on the drive. A 4.5" cannon is going to look pretty daft on the back of a normal 2l Mazda 6 too.

acemastr · 27 May 2015 at 20:03

rodenal said:
Not sure that's quite correct - the flat 4 and manifolds make the sound from what I understand

Take that s2000 video on the previous page as an example, it just sounds a bit broken.

From memory an inline 4 can never sound quite the same due to the firing order vs the side by side order of the boxer

OK you can stick unequal length manifolds on anything, but it'll probably sound rotten and cost rather a lot

Mine is a boxer engine and sounds exactly the same as my dads 4 pot mercedes but has a deeper tone

rodenal · 27 May 2015 at 20:09

Which is pretty much exactly what I'm saying?

Its basically a 'v' engine - an inline 4 will never sound quite the same.

For me it's a bit like saying a straight 4 with exhaust mods sounds the same as a straight 6 but not quite as deep....

Clarkey · 27 May 2015 at 20:13

I don't see that the cylinder arrangement makes any difference. It's just to do with the timing of the exhaust pulses and how they come together in the collector. If it has 4 cylinders you can achieve it, that S2000 sounds pretty close to a Suby to me. It's all kinds of wrong, but it works.

rodenal · 27 May 2015 at 20:15

I think you're right in that respect, but my understanding is that it's the layout lends itself to a certain firing order which in turn creates the sound?

Meridian · 27 May 2015 at 22:00

rodenal said:
I think you're right in that respect, but my understanding is that it's the layout lends itself to a certain firing order which in turn creates the sound?

My understanding is that the firing order is different, but the firing rate is still even, with identical spaces between firing on both in-line and flat engines. As others have said, the syncopated sound of the Subaru engine comes from the unequal length headers: because the sounds from each side have different distances to travel to be heard, the rate does not sound even with these fitted. People who fit equal-length headers (usually shorter, for better performance) lose the characteristic sound because now the travel distance is the same for both banks.

how to get that subaru sound ?

Can't type for toffee