I was looking at all the up-pipes today and i heard that you can gut your stock one. Since it takes soo long to install/remove the up-pipes, could'nt I just run a gutted up-pipe for those trips to the dealership. I wanted to know if anyone has these on thier car and will they have the same gains as other up-pipes on the market? Will I have any problems with a gutted up-pipe such as a CEL or damaging your engine. If this is not a good idea for my quest for a stock looking catless up-pipe,since I live in CA, will the JDM up-pipe from i-speedusa.com be a good option for me? Thanks for the help guys

 

The dealer is installing my gutted stock uppipe on Monday (the same time that they fix the leaking fuel line that I found on my way home after work on Friday @ 5PM...great.).

My approach was to buy a used, low mileage stock uppipe ($40)and gut it. Takes about an hour.

Being a cheap SOB my rationale was that a gutted stock will give you 80% of the benefit of an aftermarket for 20% of the cost. You might be leaving a couple of HP and a few spoolup RPM on the table but that to me is inconsequential in a mildly modified daily driver (uppipe, UTec, DP when I can decide which one). Plus the thing will fit and be leak free.

The tech at the dealer has done about a half dozen installs and can do it in about 2 hours assuming nothing is seized. I have no interest in doing the install myself.

Big HP applications likely require more complicated and expensive solutions.

Tom