[FAQ '00R] aftermarket exhaust info.

[Andy M]

Here is a first crack at beginning an FAQ series of threads... Many folks, both existing owners and new owners, ask about exhaust system upgrades on the 2000 Cobra R. Although the existing stock exhaust system on the 2000 R is pretty good, many of us have upgraded to the Bassani "hiflow" system to get more HP and torque as well as that incredible sound.

First, the existing exhaust system consists of a Bassani X pipe (this is the pipe which is shaped like an X and connects directly into the headers at the rear of the motor just in front of the transmission) with stock "street" Cobra (1999) Catalytic converters (all 4 of them!!) and then it has a Borla side exit CAT-back exhaust attached to the rear of the X pipe. The Borla exhaust consists of a single center mounted pancake looking resonator and two mufflers to rear and on each side of the resonator...then to twin outlet side exit chrome tips on each side of the car just in front of the rear wheels.

The Bassani aftermarket exhaust consists of a new X pipe with only two hiflow (very small) Catalytic converters (on the street legal version) and then the CAT-back exhaust consists of a single straight through design muffler and then to side exit polished stainless steel tips which are flatter but wider than the stock tips.

Here are some pics of my mechanic doing my install so you can get an idea of what it looks like?... (will post later..)

Here are some past threads which discuss the BASSANI exhaust systems...

http://www.forums.svtperformance.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6203&highlight=Bassani+Bassini

http://www.forums.svtperformance.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5489&highlight=Bassani+Bassini

I will post some pictures I have of my Bassani installation when I get a few extra minutes to upload them to the yahoo photo server. I will also post (somewhere, not sure yet exactly where??) a sound clip of my R with the Bassani exhaust installed.

The Bassani part numbers are as follows:

1. Bassani X-Pipe (part #2KCR-3) $440
2. Bassani Cat-back (part #2KCR-420) $612

I had mine installed at Houston Performance for $1200.00 total cost.

 

[Andy M]

here are the pics

Click here to view the Bassani exhaust pics

then click on the Bassani link

btw: Ken brought it to my attention that the Bassani "aftermarket" exhaust also is 1/4" larger diameter than the stock system, further increasing air flow.

 

[TcM-668]

FAQ Additional Bassani Exhaust Install Info

Welp...finally got the guts to start hacking on the R. Other than cut fingers and the odd bruise, it was relatively painless.

Jacked the front up on th K-member and put the jackstands on th lower A-arms. Jacked the rear up by the differential housing, and placed the stands on the lower rear A-arms. Had to jack it up a bit in the front, get the stands in, then go to the back, and repeat. I could not get my jack under the rear with the front way up off the ground. Be sure to chock the wheels until they are all off the ground.

FIRST THING --- disconnect the positive lead on the battery. You will be working in close proximity to the main power lead on the starter, and that can cause problems if shorted ... I know this from exoperience !

REMOVING THE X-PIPE

Once the car was up and on stands, I used a 22mm wrench thru the passenger side wheelwell to break the O2 sensor loose, and turned it out by hand.

Then, I used a 3/8 drive 15mm deep socket with a U-joint wrapped in electrical tape (to keep it from flopping around) and a 12 inch extension to remove the passenger side nuts. The passenger side lower stud was all fouled up (rust, maybe crossthreaded etc.) ... Don't know the story on that, but everyone seems to be having issues with that side. I worked it loose by hand first, and then used an impact wrench and worked it back and forth and worked them off.

Same basic setup with a 6 inch extension on driver side. All other O2 sensors can stay on the X-pipe untill you remove it. Just be sure to take the connectors loose, and don't bang the O2 sensors up.

The collector stud/nut is an M-12 metric stud, and I replaced the flange nuts with 7/16 Tri-Alloy washers, M-12 stainless steel nuts, and a lot of anti-sieze. Be sure to get M-12 nuts ( if replacing them ) as the dealer may show M-10s for the stud size and that is wrong (At least on the Rs).

2) 13mm nuts on the back mounting bracket on the X-pipe and 4) 15mm nuts, and the X-pipe is ready to drop out. Just wiggle it back and forth and it will drop out. Be careful you are not under it when it comes down. If you slide some cardboard under the car prior to dropping the X-pipe and muffler assy out, you can drag it out from under a little easier.

Both rear O2 sensors were galled in the bungs so I had to get new ones. The front ones had almost no anti-sieze on them. This is not the first time that has happened to me so I did not even bother trying to take them off. The O2 sensors are the same as the 99/01 Cobra so that helps. The passenger side collector gasket is also a Cobra common item.

XR3Z-9G444-?? Front O2 Sensors (Green) 2 Each
XR3Z-9G444-AA Rear Driver Side O2 Sensor (Blue) $ 79.20 list
XR3Z-9G444-CA Rear Passenger Side O2 Sensor (Purple) $ 79.20 list
XR3Z- 9450- AA Passenger side Collector gasket $ 7.22 list

run in the 2 rear ones, and the driver side O2 sensor and reverse the removal process. Be sure to put plenty of anti-sieze on the threads. Make sure the anti-sieze is compatible with O2 sensors.

While hanging the X-pipe, I found it was easest to line up the passenger side collector, wedge the muffler connections together, and start the nut on the passenger side upper stud and run it down snug. That will hold the X-pipe up enough to get you started. If you cannot get the rear hanger to line up, then just spray some silicone on the little rubber isolators, take the hanger off, place it in the X-pipe bracket, and start the nuts, then replace the rubber isolators.

You are half way there.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

REMOVING THE MUFFLER

I chose to take mine off in 1 piece. You can take it apart by breaking the band clamps loose and pull the respective parts off.

Just hose down the rubber hangers and pins with silicone spray, move them back and forth to work the silicone in and they come right off.

Hang the center section on the rear hangers and line up the muffler to the X-pipe. Set all 4 bolts (14mm on both nut and bolt) in place and tighten them down evenly. I added an extra washer (5/16) on the bolt side so that there is a washer on both the nut and bolt side. Take a U-bolt clamp (or band clamp) on the driver side muffler input pipe to secure that pipe.

Then hang the resonators and side pipes, be sure that the hanger pin is under the exhaust tip. Then place the remaining clamps on the resonator-muffler connections and the resonator-tip joints. just lightly snug down the clamps, and then check the alignments. Once everything looks good, evenly tighten everything down.

I used Walker 2.5 inch muffler band clamps instead of the U-bolt type clamps on the muffler-resonator joint and Summit 2.5 inch T-bolt clamps for the front muffler and exhaust tip joints, and there is a little slop in the exhaust tip joint with the T-bolt clamps, so I'll go back and tighten everything again, and it should be OK. If not, I'll drop in some more Walker 2.5 in band clamps. (I did go back and replace the T-botl clamps with band clamps)

I used band clamps so that I can take things apart if I have to ... Not easy to do with U-Bolt type clamps cause they crimp the pipe.

You know, there was this one time, with a band clamp ....

Anyways ... It sounds absolutely wicked without the muffler, and not too bad with it ... I agree, it does sound like a race car now ... It has a real deep rumble now and really howls when you wind it up.

Now I need to figure out how to hack in some dumps, so I can bypass the mufflers while running on the track ...

Total install time about 6 hours including the time to run and get the O2 sensors, bandage fingers, etc .

Hope this helps the new folks with their installs should they choose to do this themself.