Accessport question: a cheap/safe way to go Stage 2?
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 871
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: '02 WRX, Aspen White, Stage 1 Cobb
... just tryin to save money cuz someone hit my car when it was parked... now, i've got to figure out how to pay for the damages
Originally Posted by WRX_2NR
I've done the uppipe (its good for spool time and safely increasing boost) I'm not a big fan of a cat infront of the turbo
A TBE will already include the downpipe. The downpipe is a good way to keep stock muffler or don't have enough money to do the TBE and will later choose a cat-back system
Both up/downpipes are good mods to do. A full TBE will be a much better choice, but your spending a little more $$, but the TBE will remove the 4th cat from the car
Stock the car has 4 cats, upipe = 1, downpipe = 2, actual cat = 3, catback = 4
If you remove most or all cats your car will free flow alot more and your car will benefit. I have heard of problems with removing all cats though, the car needs some back pressure, so most people keep the 3rd cat (also good to keep for visual inspection)
A TBE will already include the downpipe. The downpipe is a good way to keep stock muffler or don't have enough money to do the TBE and will later choose a cat-back system
Both up/downpipes are good mods to do. A full TBE will be a much better choice, but your spending a little more $$, but the TBE will remove the 4th cat from the car
Stock the car has 4 cats, upipe = 1, downpipe = 2, actual cat = 3, catback = 4
If you remove most or all cats your car will free flow alot more and your car will benefit. I have heard of problems with removing all cats though, the car needs some back pressure, so most people keep the 3rd cat (also good to keep for visual inspection)
The car has 3 cats and the backpressure you loose after the turbo is not a bad thing. Unlike N/A cars, turbo vehicles dont lose anything when you open things up after the turbo.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 65
from things that i've read:
the UP has the advantage of better spool up (and if you are worried about it, removing the cat which may cause damage) but the dis-advantage is that you lose some low end torque.
let the debate begin...
the UP has the advantage of better spool up (and if you are worried about it, removing the cat which may cause damage) but the dis-advantage is that you lose some low end torque.
let the debate begin...
Guest
Posts: n/a
This may be a noob question, but given that I live in California... with a gutted or aftermarket dp would I still pass smog? I have my 04 wrx running the cobb AP stage 1 map but I'm interested in going to stage 2. I don't want to have to change anything before a smog check, then revert back to return to stage 2. Anyone have any experience with this / ways to do it?
Originally Posted by schtoofa
This may be a noob question, but given that I live in California... with a gutted or aftermarket dp would I still pass smog? I have my 04 wrx running the cobb AP stage 1 map but I'm interested in going to stage 2. I don't want to have to change anything before a smog check, then revert back to return to stage 2. Anyone have any experience with this / ways to do it?
Last edited by MO REX; Jul 28, 2004 at 04:20 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 720
From: The Hunted Forest
Car Info: Mazda Protege '02 (Wishing protege has AWD and a H6 twin turbo)
Originally Posted by MO REX
Im not sure about the emissions question but I wouldnt think a factory gutted downpipe would be good enough for stage 2 (not sure though). I would think you need to go with a 3" DP and it would be nice to have a bellmouth or divorced wastegate design. Cobbs catted DP has a metallic substrate cat that has (according to Cobb) the best balance of emissions and flow.
Originally Posted by RoadSpike
The bellmouth DP would never pass smog just on the purely visual portion of it. However according to cobb it would pass the sniffer test. If you have some friends in the smog world i'd look them up and see if they would overlook a minor detail
Cobb told me the same thing but they said that I would need to make sure that the cat was good and hot before the test. I live in Missouri so we can get the visual done by a certified shop and after that we go to the government run emissions test shop. Is that how it is in California?
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 720
From: The Hunted Forest
Car Info: Mazda Protege '02 (Wishing protege has AWD and a H6 twin turbo)
Originally Posted by MO REX
Cobb told me the same thing but they said that I would need to make sure that the cat was good and hot before the test. I live in Missouri so we can get the visual done by a certified shop and after that we go to the government run emissions test shop. Is that how it is in California?
I can't even stress that enough..
For example if i wanted to put a CAI i'd need to have a carb EO number just to have it refereed then it would pass. Without the ever "special" number it will not.
In other states i've been told its just sniffer pass and your good. In CA its you can't modify jack on the engine or you get busted.
VIP Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 975
From: Fremont
California smog sucks! I know many people personally that passed smog last year, but now with this dyno sh*t, they failed. Thank god our cars are dynoed exempt! You should pass smog with the an after market up pipe without the cat. Down pipe is another question. The up pipe is almost impossible to see unless you go under the car, and for the 04's you need to take off the guard. I don't think most places will take off the guard, but you never know. The down pipe is very visible and you can see the cat pretty clearly. If I had to guess, up pipe will pass smog, down pipe no.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 30
From: CHICAGO
Car Info: 2003 WRX
Originally Posted by WRX_2NR
I guess I'm smoking crack!
Only 3 don't know why I thought it was 4, but thats not the point
You should be able to run stage 2 with a gutted DP
Only 3 don't know why I thought it was 4, but thats not the point
You should be able to run stage 2 with a gutted DP
