Ztek and Fabspeed exhaust install w/pics

I did the install this evening everything went smooth! I started with the Mufflers out since I had Fabspeed muffler bypass pipes. The removal of the mufflers is a 30-45 minute job. Last weekend I pulled removed the headers 30 minute job. To make the job easier I ordered new header bolts, new gaskets, and new muffler to cat clamps. I had the Zero-tek mufflers and headers which were delivered about a week ago. I did not want to do the install until I had all of the parts. So I figured it was not going to happen this weekend. To my surprise when I got home this afternoon I found that Fedex dropped off the remaining pieces Fabspeed cat bypass pipes and Fabspeed V clamps for the tips. The entire install (Mufflers and headers were out) including removing the cats as they were still in took 3 hours. I do have air tools which made my life a bit easier. A couple things that you need to thinks about when doing this install. I would call this a 4-5 hour job tops. Of course if I did it again I could cut that down to about 3-31/2 hours knowing the things that could have been avoided. - use zip ties to hold the header gasket while you get the header bolts started. clip after you get 2 bolts in. - Header bolts are Torque to 19Lbs - Use liquid wrench on all bolts prior to removal (This especially includes the 02 sensors) - Screw in the 02 sensors on the cat bypass before you tighten the hanger clamps and bolt to the header - when removing or installing the mufflers a ratchet type wrench comes in handy (If you are on a small tool budget, I saw that Costco sells these for about $25 for a set) The bottom nut would be a bitch without it. The top nuts are a snap especially with an air ratchet. - No brainer of the day make sure you install the header bolts by hand I used a long socket and extension to start them. -You may (it is easier)have to unbolt the two 10mm bolts holding a water line to get to one of rear header bolt on the passenger side. - My fabspeed Cat bypass pipes did not come with hardware (May have been an oversight) I did use the 6 of the old header bolts and new nuts. So you might need some additional hardware. Tools I used: 13mm tall and short socket (Headers bolts, mufflers nuts, Cat nuts) 10mm short socket (H20 Hose, V clamps) 17mm short socket (Cat/muffler clamps) 1/4 socket wrench 1/4 Air socket wrench long extension 20mm wrench ( 02 sensor) 13mm ratchet wrench zip ties and wire snips Oh how does it sound??? PERFECT!!! In no way is it as loud as the Stock headers, Cats, and Muffler bypass. The tone is very raspy and mean. I had the PSE on my 01 996 this sounds very similar yet different maybe a little louder but the growl sounds deeper hard to explain. No CEL yet. I got done around 7:30 so I only took it around the block. I plan on taking the car out on a drive tomorrow to get a better feeling for the sound and the seat of my pants feel if any. The appearance is KILLER! I have it in my plans to detail the engine, I just have not gotten to it. All and all so far I am very happy with the setup. $1600 for a full exhausts back to the engine and dropping 48Lbs is a great value! BIG THUMBS UP to Fabspeed and Ztek all of the parts fit togeather perfectly. This was one of my fears, that the fitment would be off on one or more of the parts. Everything went togeather perfectly. Nice and snug! Here are some pics I will take better shots tomorrow and continue the review...

Pics of the Ztek Mufflers and headers.

Looks good, why not just go with fabspeed all the way, to have a matched system?

Very question I was going to ask Chris Either way, killer looking system!

I took the $999 Ztek challenge/gamble. The bypass pipes were an afterthought. All Fabspeed would have been $3200+ compared to the $1600 I spent... I sold the fabspeed Muffler bypass pipes/tips I had and planned to spend $1500 for PSE which I loved when I had it before. I was curious as the product looked good from the photos they had posted. I think the moral of the story is that you don't always have to be taken advantage of just because you have that gold crest on your hood. I am pretty sure if Ztek made bypass pipes they would not be much different then the Fabspeeds. They are pretty simple in design your connecting point A to point B and there is little room to do it. So I am not sure what a matched system would achieve?

Nicely done, I really like that setup. 50lbs is a lot actually. Most of all I'm glad you like it. Interesting that it's milder than the bypass pipes only. So any chance of a dyno? Does it feel any faster? Are the headers lighter than the stock? How much weight do the cats save? Sorry for all the questions. Looks really nice. I might have to get that just to save weight.

Nice write-up. Exhaust "system" looks good! Thanks for sharing!

i'm guessing that it doesn't sound much louder to you since you're coming from muffler bypass tips. i am quite sure if you had had mufflers on there previously, you'd say there was a considerable diff in volume with the addition of headers and cat bypasses. the cats trap a lot of sound and the headers bump the volume up quite a bit as well. nice write up and great pics. the stuff looks very nice installed. that stuff always looks so good when it's new. i wouldn't bother with the engine detail. all those shiny pieces will be brown in two weeks what kind of tips are those? i really like them and i'm in the market for a set myself. i'm shocked your car did not trigger a CEL immediately with no cats. that is very strange. keep you fingers crossed

Expect a CEL soon I'm afraid.

First hand experience with your own car or speaking to something you just read? All of the research I have done I read that CEL is not guaranteed to come on. Some people have stated they have never had a problem or others when they did the CEL code was removed and it took the CEL a while before reapearing. No matter what thanks to DD I have a OBDII reader coming so it should not be an issue. It's loud but not as loud as the Muf bypass and cats. I think it would make a great setup if you could not take the noise level of the muf bypass. I forgot to weigh the Cat bypass but they say 20Lb less then the stock cats. Header weighs 6Lbs and Mufflers weigh 15Lbs (Each) Tips are Tequipment I had them on my old car and loved them fortunatley they were on this car when I bought it. That was my number one gripe about the fabspeed bypass the tips. They were small and ugly IMHO also they stuck out further. These are nice and fat looking. I plan on running it on a Dyno, TimW said he would record a sound clip so we are going to set that up sometime soon. Maybe today.

I'll have to start shopping for those tips. They look sharp. With regards to the CEL, I don't see how you could not get one. I know it's 50/50 with the high flow cats, but with the bypasses I don't see how it wouldn't trigger a CEL immediatley. If the oxygen sensors are back there to at least partially monitor the cat's performance, removing the cat's altogether should trip it instantly once your car gets up to temperature. Have you put some mileage on it yet?

My friend had them on a '03 car, instantly got a CEL repeatedly, ended up taking them off (cat bypass pipes).

50+ miles this afternoon had the car through all RPM range, gears and had her up to 120. No CEL. I try and find a dyno this week. TimW and I will be meeting up this week to record a sound clip.

I did another 30 mile drive today still no CEL. I am loving the sound, Tim and I will be meeting up this week to record some sound clips.

I am also looking to install a new exhaust system on my 99-996. Up until reading your thread I was going with 100% Fabspeed. Are you able to advise contact details for soucing Ztek components?

the car looks killer. cant wait to see dynos.

Tim W. and I after a year of talking about meeting we finally met up... I can see that we will become great friends. He really is a neat guy! Anyway he pulled up in his stunning SG C2. Car is very sharp I will be in great company on our runs through the mountains. His observation was the exhaust is loud ha ha. He can elaborate. I think it sounds like music to my ears. The camera cut out on each of our runs I am not sure if it was due to the wind or the sound overload. Here are a couple of clips. Click on image to go to the video clip 5MB: More are coming...

11.2 MB Click on Image to get the video:

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Pulling out...

Last one drive by the camera sound cuts out...

sounds brutal. love it.

geees, is that what i sound like now? those cats bypasses definately add a little more volume. great job on the video clip. nicely done. did you trip a cel yet?

Volume a bit... CEL not yet.

any difference in power (seat of the pants)? im so close to placing the order after hearing your clips.

I did not really want to comment on that until I get the dyno done. I have a really good feeling there is a definate performance gain.

what the normal base line for a 3.4 liter? approx 250-255 to the wheels?

From my experience, when you open up the exhaust like this you'll be gaining top end horsepower at the expense of a little torque down low. You should see some nice gains above 5000 rpms.

Eric: Great to meet you today! Ok, I have to say this. I have garage envy. He has the coolest garage. I went home to my place and was ashamed of my garage Here are MY observations. Disclaimer - My observations only. It is really loud when you get on the throttle. Not to bad when you are just motoring around. The cabin noise is there but there was no drone. We were able to carry on a conversation without shouting at each other. The car felt really responsive and pulled really hard at the higher RPM's. I would say you will need to be careful if a cop is nearby and you will scare the poop out of the POS cars with those huge fart cans on them We will get together again here soon my friend! Our wives can discuss our car "sickness" hahahaha

Can I trade-in the wife as part payment for the upgrade??

Holy krikey that is loud. I got pulled over just playing that on my laptop in my car.

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Is it just me or does that exhaust sound kinda high pitched.. not deep or "growling"... ? Or is that because he has the cats bypassed?

I have fitted the fabspeed muffler only and sounds great. I was wondering if there is a real cost/benefit to going that next step and changing the headers and or removing the cats. Any comments?

i got substantial dyno verfied gains using the suncoast headers. i am going to try cats next.

I will help you out on the Fabspeed... I give Rennlisters smoken prices. Great system and I have run it on my own C2. Dan [email removed]

does the sound of the ztek in those clips sound the same as the fabspeed mufflers?

i had ztek headers and when i got them and took my stock headers off and compared them to the ztecks...i returned the zteks. the ports on the zteks are smaller than the stock cylinder ports.....which would cause major turbulence, and loss of power....i dont think u can do much better than porsche stock headers. hopefully u got a better batch!

does anyone think that the sound from Ztek is kind of like a civic sound? (from the attached clips) It is not raspy or gurglely. Just kinda whiney? No diss intended Sandoval!

I should have made a new recording after I put the OEM Cat's back in the sound was 1000X better then before. Not as obnoxious more of that deep and throaty sound I was used to with the PSE. I could also hear the engine again.

Sandoval, did you sell you car w/ the mufflers & headers or are you selling them, I am looking for a set. I am considering joining the dansk GB for the super sound muffler, as it sounds raspy, which I like, do you think the Ztek muffler alone sounds raspy/PSE like or more muscle car like?

Hey Sandoval, I had the Fabspeed bypass pipes on but got quite a bit of resonance/drone at freeway speeds, 65 - 80. Do you notice any of this with the ztek's? Thanks!!

I just installed the Zteks last night and honestly they sound really nice. I was a little worried they'd be too loud and obnoxious but not at all. In fact on a scale of quiet to loud I'd say they are about a medium. They are a little throatier and when you stop on it you can tell but it's really not that much lounder. They aren't 25lbs lighter than the stock ones though maybe 17-18lbs. The reason they are so loud in his video is because he has headers but more importantly no cats. I tried that once with a different car and it was a total mistake. Probably as loud as no mufflers. I fired up my car when I had the mufflers off and I couldn't stand it. I don't know how you guys can take it that loud.

I actually prefered the sound of the Ztek Muffler& Header WITH the stock cats. Te Cat bypass made the car VERY loud a little resonance. After putting the stock cats back in I could hear the engine again and the Ztek mufflers sounded REALLY good. Deep, throaty no resonance. I don't think the catbypass pipes would have grown on me just too loud.

I also have the Ztek header/muffler set-up. Very nice sounding WOT and civilized when cruising.

cool - thanks!!

Nice meeting you on friday, every day. Here are two short videos and the dyno printout from friday. Your gains suprised the heck outta me! http://site.zerotek.net/996-001-01.mpg http://site.zerotek.net/996-002-01.mpg