Infinity Design Intake installed

[Victorofhavoc]

If you want to improve the sound of this car, in addition to an intake I strongly recommend a downpipe, specifically the TSP one because it doesn't require a tune. I'm running the DP and a front pipe and the engine sounds significantly better than when I just had the front pipe on for several months (front pipe alone added only a nominal amount of low end to the exhaust tone). While the K20C is an amazing engine and produces a lot of power, it is not the best sounding in my opinion but the DP gives the exhaust a much more dynamic tone. You can actually hear the engine singing up top high in the rev range while also giving low end growl. The car sounds much more mechanical especially in the Sport settings, but gets back to stock levels of quiet in Comfort. And if you want your car sounding more mechanical in all aspects, I would also suggest looking into the Hybrid shifter. The shifts feel and sound more mechanical in a good way. Not like a gated Ferrari or anything but it's an audible improvement.

Not everyone wants to remove emissions control devices.

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[LunaticSM]

Not everyone wants to remove emissions control devices.

I totally respect that. It's worth noting that the TSP one has a pretty robust cat on it that doesn't throw an ECU code.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

I totally respect that. It's worth noting that the TSP one has a pretty robust cat on it that doesn't throw an ECU code.

It's still not as efficient as factory, especially when cold.

The even bigger problem is the crack down on tuners (and soon to be consumers) of defeat devices. If your tuner of choice gets a knock on the door, a lot changes for your tune support. Today it's up to the state to enforce emissions control on your vehicle, but if you cross state lines you're also violating federal laws.

For the record, I've owned and modified many cars with high flow cats, and I always lived in this bubble in my head that "little me with my one tuner car isn't doing as much damage as <insert random projected target> so it's not so bad...". Well, having a degree in chemistry, I finally sat down and did the math...my catless racecar emits as much co2 (and tremendously more microplastics and caustic brake dust) in 8 track days as a v8 f150 does driving 12k mi. For this reason, I'm looking at various race cat options for it. It'll suck that I'll have to change it every 40 or so events for roughly $3k, but that's part of the game. My position on it has greatly changed after having kids and after making friends with various federal agents and epa chemists.

I'm not judging anyone for choosing to go the hfc route. If you go down this path and you're aware of all the pros and cons before making your choice, then it's just a personal choice and is what it is.

 

[StingertimeNC]

Buzz Kill! LOL. High flow cat isn't that bad right?

Other thing is, what if I never get a high flow cat? Just keep running my tune with my stock cat in place, no biggie right?

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Buzz Kill! LOL. High flow cat isn't that bad right?

Other thing is, what if I never get a high flow cat? Just keep running my tune with my stock cat in place, no biggie right?

 

[optronix]

Not everyone wants to remove emissions control devices.

This is definitely part of it, but if I'm being 100% honest it also just comes down to laziness. I don't want to overhaul the entire exhaust if an aftermarket cat-back can accomplish roughly the same auditory goal.

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