Just wondering what people thought would be the best of JUST the two options below

1) OEM exhaust piping - no cat, and highflow back (i.e my exising]

2) complete single straight through 2.5"-3" stainless steel exhaust pipe, from DP to tail.

Reaons for both, for & against,

2.) Better noise and probably a lifetime guarantee from the manufacturer if its a fully stainless system. Looks too - I think the Milltek sys on the Fabia looks better with its twin pipe setup.

Cons - as ever, cost!

Steve

I'd go with 1) as it's cheap, and I wouldn't expect you seeing significant performance gains by replacing it with 2). No idea how it sounds but i suspect it's a bit noisier than the standard PD100 one I had

Chris

I'm having the Blueflame one fitted sometime in December (all going well) assuming I can find someone to do so etc. I've had an offer from someone here to fit the gear but will have to check if availability etc is there to do it.

You've already got a pretty high-flow system anyway though, so the difference may not be all that big

I presume the miltek is just centre sect. and back box, does it increase any power on its own? I know on a petrol it can add 20 bhp. What noise increase is there on a miltek?

... I wouldn't expect you seeing significant performance gains by replacing it with 2). Chris

My Fabia vRS was rolling roaded at 129.5 BHP before Milltek, and 137.5 BHP after it was fitted.

Difference between the two systems will essentially be nothing more than the bore, and quality of the materials used. - Oh, and I guess lack of backbox - would literally be a straight thru system - one pipe from start to finish, but with some form of tailpipe I guess...

Don't think you'll seem much difference with a cat back in terms of power...perhaps 8-10bhp.

Is really for looks and sound...most gains will be had in changing the dp/cat...less restrictive, less back pressure, better flow...I assume.

Best system is whatever meets you're requirements. You pays your money at the end of the day.

Well, I'm talking about fabricating something slightly on the cheap, but not sacrificing on the quality of materials. Basically need to find 12 foot of 3" stainless pipe and a backbox.

Not sure how the downpipe from the manifold will be affected. Might need a peek under the car. If I was going to fabricate a straight through system, I was thinking why not just have pipes coming out behind each front wheel? (kidding)

Well' date=' I'm talking about fabricating something slightly on the cheap, but not sacrificing on the quality of materials. Basically need to find 12 foot of 3" stainless pipe and a backbox.

Not sure how the downpipe from the manifold will be affected. Might need a peek under the car. If I was going to fabricate a straight through system, I was thinking why not just have pipes coming out behind each front wheel? (kidding)[/quote']

So effectively you want what the pretty much have on touring cars....I think they're pretty much straight through all the way.

Was wondering how you would get round MOT is terms of emissions and sound levels. Also not sure about soot levels increasing ue to no boxes being there.

After speaking to Blueflame, they also assure me thier exhausts are quite a bit lighter than the std. one.

So effectively you want what the pretty much have on touring cars....I think they're pretty much straight through all the way.

Was wondering how you would get round MOT is terms of emissions and sound levels. Also not sure about soot levels increasing ue to no boxes being there.

Yup, pretty much dead on Adrian.

I have what is essentially a straight thru box now, apart from it has a high flow backbox, and I think another silencer/box about half way down the middle, before it jigs out to the nearside.

I don't mind about noise, and emissions shouldn't alter really? There's no cat now, and no cat on the proposed system. I'm going to run my current setup for a while, but in the future if I ever get uprated injectors, the exhaust bore will need increasing to get the extra pressure out again.

Yup' date=' pretty much dead on Adrian.

I have what is essentially a straight thru box now, apart from it has a high flow backbox, and I think another silencer/box about half way down the middle, before it jigs out to the nearside.

I don't mind about noise, and emissions shouldn't alter really? There's no cat now, and no cat on the proposed system. I'm going to run my current setup for a while, but in the future if I ever get uprated injectors, the exhaust bore will need increasing to get the extra pressure out again. [/quote']

What bore are you running now? Bigger bore dp going into you current "cat back" may well suffice.

I have a 3''dp/cat going into a 2.5'' cat back.

www.tdiclub.com members use straight through systems. No cats or silencers.

I'd go for this option. If you dont like it you can always fit a silencer.

My Fabia vRS was rolling roaded at 129.5 BHP before Milltek, and 137.5 BHP after it was fitted.

But I'm assuming you're comparing Skoda OEM and not butchered OEM

Chris

What bore are you running now? Bigger bore dp going into you current "cat back" may well suffice.

I have a 3''dp/cat going into a 2.5'' cat back.

Thats the whole point - I'm running standard oem exhaust pipe - only change made at all is the highflow back box' date=' and a bit of pipe put in where the cat was. The bore of OEM exhaust is quite small. This is the pipe on the end of the chopped out cat.

[img']http://altarmoore.com/jason/CATALYTIC/mini-cut-pipe.jpg[/img]

Running without a backbox is a no no IMO, you need backpressure in an exhaust to make them work propperly, they are also made to a "tuned" length - so if you do make your own system measure your old one for total length and keep it as close as possible to this.

Dont forget also that stainless steel is louder than mild steel (dont know why)

so without a box i would of thought would be unbearable on a road car!

I have gone for the Blue Flame Exhaust on my Fabia VRS. It is a full system including the High Flow Cat and a 6x4 oval tail pipe. I think that it looks good, it doesnt sound too intrusive but it is slightly louder than the standard.

You also get to hear the turbo spin up and down a lot more.

As for extra performance I dont think that I have noticed any significant power gains.

I suppose at the end of the day it depends on what you want. I managed to get in my opinion a good deal for the full exhaust from blue flame as a much lower price that other ehausts, and that included the high flow cat. Also managed to get them to put a different tail pipe on.