01-25-2012, 11:57 AM | #1 |
Drives: 2011 Cyber Grey V6 Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 133
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MRT v2 Installation + tips.
So i started a thread a few days ago asking for installation tips for the MRT v2, so i though i would try and repay the favors and write up a new thread with my experience combined with the advice given to me by others. I wish i could take credit for the smooth process, but it was due to a lot of great advice. (I'll update this post with pictures later).
Here is the link to the others advice http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197109 First reaction after the install. Drone??? What drone? It's perfect. Before i finally made the plunge and went with the MRT v2, i did SOO much research, watched 100's of exhaust videos, and did my best to compare every exhaust out there, and the only thing holding me back was the fear of the dreaded drone that people have written about. In my honest opinion, i almost wish there was more of it. By no means am I'm trying to belittle others opinions that are annoyed with the "hum" of the exhaust, but personally, that's why i bought an after market exhaust. To make my 32k car sound like a sports car. I know lots of this will be repetitive to others post, but in my pre purchase research, i was grateful for all the repetitive opinions to help me make my decision. At cold start the exhaust is louder, deeper, and sounds great. Once the engine goes through it's 10-20 second warm up time and the RPM's drop below 1000, it sounds EXACTLY like the stock exhaust. Which in my opinion is good and bad. If you are looking for an exhaust that rumbles non stop, i'd look into the MRT v1. What's nice about the MRT v2 is that it can be more tamed and settle when you'd like it to be. Although the exhaust can sleep at idol, once you give it some gas, you will get the sound you are looking for. And it sounds great. When you give it a lot of gas, it's sounds INCREDIBLE. Loud. Mean. To me, sounds better than a stock v8 and equivalent to a V8 i drove with a Corsa exhaust system. (This could be a little bit of a stretch, but it is accurate to what i remember) *Discloser, I also have an Injen CAI that deepened my stock exhaust slightly, so that may contribute to the MRT v2. Another thing i'd like to mention, listening the videos of the exhaust is close to being useless. It sounds nothing like most the videos i watched, and they do not give the exhaust any justice at all. It sounds 100x better in person. ZERO rasp which scared me a little bit in a few of the videos. It sounds deep and clean. Please believe myself, and others, when we say it's better in person. Sounds much better. Now i'm going to return to the "dreaded drone" comment i made earlier. Again, my intentions are to not diminish others opinions and threads about "drone elimination", but it's almost laughable to me that anyone would consider the "drone" as any type of issue whatsoever. Being repetitive, i am on the edge of wishing there was more hum, and that in some cruising situations, i wish the exhaust was louder. Next thing i'd like to mention which i have not experienced yet, is other members on Camaro5 have mention that the exhaust tone gets better over time due to the build up of (some material matter that the car's exhaust produce. Can't remember so some one help me out here please) So others have stated that they are not immediately pleased with the tone of the exhaust, but later could not be anymore happy with it. So that may be something you want to look more into if your initial reaction isn't like mine, and you don't love everything about the exhaust on day one. Now the actual installation. Again, i wish i could take credit to how smooth the installation went, but i had a lot of advice prior to the project. Here is a link to MRT's installation instructions, but the exhaust also comes with a hard copy of them http://site.mrt-direct.com/blog/wp-c...t_91A175-6.pdf The total installation time took me about 2 hours of a decently slow, taking my time to enjoy the instal, process. I had one jack that will be shown in my pictures and obviously did one side at a time. If you don't know where the jack spots on the car are, i'll find a picture to post. Also had a hack saw that worked perfectly fine to cut the pipes. It took about 5 minutes to get through each pipe with a new blade. As you will see, after cutting the stock muffler's pipe, each one will still be hanging by two rubber muffler hangers. They will come off just fine with your hands, you'll just have to work with them a little bit. Another thing i'd like to make clear, the clamps that come with the new exhaust, tighten those things as tight as you can. Once i got it to the point where it was tight and tougher to wrench, i literally cranked the ratchet about 15 more times until i had my entire 180 lb of body weight behind it, pushing as hard as i can. You CAN'T over tighten this clamps. Lots of people have had the passenger side pipe shift a little on them, had to realign, and then tighten again. After about 50 miles of driving with the new exhaust, it hasn't budged. Crank that wrench until you can't physically move it anymore without a pulley system. Another tip that might help future installers, to get the right spot to saw, i measured 3.5" inches from the metal that sticks out in the muffler (MRT instructions show this quite clearly) in 3 different spots on the pipe, then wrapped painters tape around to have an accurate line to help guide your cut. (will be shown in pictures). One thing that might help ease the mind of a non exceptional hacksawer is that the cut doesn't have to be perfect. Obviously go for the best cut you can, but the MRT v2 exhaust pipe slides over and overlaps the existing pipe by a few inches, so if the cut isn't clean, it won't make a difference. After cutting the stock exhaust pipe, if you have a file handy, (which i didn't and it was fine) try and file down the metal shavings on the stock pipe so the new MRT pipe with have an easier time fitting over it. But i had no problem sliding the new exhaust over the existing pipe without filing. If the new pipe is not going over the old pipe easily, try twisting the new muffler rather than pushing harder. Another good tips is once the new pipe is overlapping the stock pipe and in place, you'll obviously have the clamp over the overlapping parts, but let the clamp overhang the from the new pipe to the old pipe by about an 8th of an inch. (I tried to take a good picture of it because i was confused when i was given this advice) I'll try and think of more tips, but at this point, i'm all out of advice. Let me know if you have any questions, and i'll do my best to give my input. Good luck! (pictures to come)
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Last edited by mypuppysirius; 01-25-2012 at 02:27 PM. |
01-25-2012, 12:32 PM | #2 |
Drives: 1997 30th Ann. Z28 & 2010 2LT RS Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Suffolk Virginia
Posts: 1,933
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Glad it all worked out for you . Welcome to the MRT Family !!
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01-25-2012, 01:26 PM | #3 |
Red Brick of Vengeance!
Drives: 12 Second Brick Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: at my pulpit
Posts: 7,745
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01-25-2012, 01:31 PM | #4 |
Drives: 2012 45th 2LT RS Join Date: May 2011
Location: Chico, California
Posts: 1,002
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hey can you provide me with a link to the online installation guide from MRT? thanks. your tips help!
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01-25-2012, 01:33 PM | #5 |
Drives: 2012 45th 2LT RS Join Date: May 2011
Location: Chico, California
Posts: 1,002
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nvm, i found them!
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01-25-2012, 01:34 PM | #6 |
Drives: 2012 45th 2LT RS Join Date: May 2011
Location: Chico, California
Posts: 1,002
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I do have a question though. How high would i have to jack it to be able to work on it well? i dont have one of those fancy things all the mechanics do obviously, but it seems like just a regular jack wouldnt be enough.
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01-25-2012, 01:49 PM | #7 |
www.macsautodetail.com
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So so true... In fact, your repetitive post was the final straw to convince me I want to go with this exhaust!
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01-25-2012, 01:59 PM | #8 |
Drives: 2011 Cyber Grey V6 Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 133
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v6, I had a normal car jack and had plenty of room. It maybe got the car up about 6 inches haha. Let me see if i can get my pics posted in the next little bit.
Dorfmac, i'm proud of you haha. It took me a long time to decide and i'm very happy!
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01-25-2012, 02:21 PM | #9 |
Drives: 2011 Cyber Grey V6 Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 133
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As bad as it looks, the piece of wood with a towel is how i kept the exhaust in place as i cranked the clamps as tight as i could. Worked perfect :thumb up:
Also attached is a pic of the jackstand spots (obviously)
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01-25-2012, 02:23 PM | #10 |
Drives: 2011 Cyber Grey V6 Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 133
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more jackstand spots
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01-25-2012, 06:40 PM | #11 |
having FUN now 13.66@101
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Welcome to TEAM MRT. Nice write up. I agree with everything you wrote.
I have only one suggestion, take a look at your tips in relationship to the openings. You may want to try and get those a little lower (more centered) so as not to cause the diffuser to get over heated and melt (which has happened to others). Might have to bend the hangers slightly. After installing mine, I took my Camaro to MRT about 3 weeks later for them to weld them in place, I was in back watching, and in order to get the tips centered, the guy was literally hanging from the exhaust to get the hangers to move enough for centering.
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01-25-2012, 09:16 PM | #12 |
Drives: 2011 Cyber Grey V6 Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 133
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Thank you for the suggestion rtcat600man. I didn't even think of that. I'll be realigning tomorrow
I'll also put your suggestion int he initial post just incase someone doesn't read through all the comments. Thanks again.
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01-25-2012, 09:38 PM | #13 | |
Drives: 2012 45th 2LT RS Join Date: May 2011
Location: Chico, California
Posts: 1,002
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Quote:
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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01-25-2012, 09:54 PM | #14 |
Drives: '14 Black 2SS RS Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Queens, New York (NY5thGen.com)
Posts: 978
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You may want to get it at least tack welded to keep it from moving out of place. I installed mine myself and one tip looked off center after my first drive. Got under the car and the clamp was tight but I could still get it to pivot. If I tightened it any more, I felt the bolt would break so I just had it welded, but you can have it tacked for less money just to keep it in place.
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