FR/Borla exhaust observations

Zitrosounds said:

Are you sure? maybe production cars do.

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Yup. I have seen two production R's now, each with shields. This, a fellow member's R model while at MGW getting a shifter installed...

Would some heat shield wrap clamped in place serve adequately in place of the original heat shield? Id like to keep the original exhaust in one piece, heat shield and all just in case.

E-

Thanks for an excellent write, typical of your usual detailed work here. Esp the pix.

Many discuss the sound and how it impacts the FPC sound, but I am curious to know about sound level/amplitude. Does this exhaust make it louder? I must live within 98 dB, so I am concerned that my R, already on the edge, will go over if louder at all. Any more will black flag me.

Any comments re loudness change from stock?

Thanks again for awesome write up. :cheers:

OP,

Another thing I asked today to Borla and FP reps was regarding your comment about the torque spec for the clamp bolts not being enough. They said thats not a good idea and that its normal for the initial warm up to cause the sleeves/pipes to expand and properly seat. Just wanted you to know.

I got my exhaust just now, the instructions dont even have a section about the heat shield. This is very poorly done for $2200 exhaust to be honest with you, so i m not even sure what those 4 small metal wire/clamps are even for. I think its best to play safe and buy exhaust wraps and just use standard flat blade clamps all around. Won't hurt.

UnhandledException said:

I got my exhaust just now, the instructions dont even have a section about the heat shield. This is very poorly done for $2200 exhaust to be honest with you, so i m not even sure what those 4 small metal wire/clamps are even for. I think its best to play safe and buy exhaust wraps and just use standard flat blade clamps all around. Won't hurt.

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Mine should be in next week. Are the clamps for the large heat shield? Are you talking about the cloth style exhaust wrap or something else?

Cfirekirch said:

Mine should be in next week. Are the clamps for the large heat shield? Are you talking about the cloth style exhaust wrap or something else?

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I think you can use the clamps for anything. I am talking about metal/teflon heat shield.

UnhandledException said:

A few observations/questions:

You also say you didnt have to overtighten the clamps. So how did you resolve the issue with the pipes moving?

I have to ask you, why not using just those standard large metal clamps they sell at HD the ones that you tighten with a flat blade to reattach the secondary heat shields? Or what about just getting a new heatshield, the kind that looks like teflon and you can wrap around the exhaust?

It looks a bit too involved to be honest, at this price point this should have been plug and play with decent instructions.

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I'll try to address the questions above in order.

I mentioned that I did have to exceed the manufacturers recommended torque spec in order to stop the system from rotating about itself. I resolved the issue by welding each tube that mates with the rear of the Borla X-pipe section.

The supplied clamps will work fairly well if you know how to install them and are able to tension them before locking them into place. A worm gear clamp from Home Depot probably wouldn't work as well or be as durable, long term. I suppose you could buy the appropriate wrap from the aftermarket and install it such that it covers the same area as the OEM shield(s) but I think we can agree - you shouldn't have to.

At this price point, Borla should indeed have a better solution for the heat shields.

tdzee said:

E-

Many discuss the sound and how it impacts the FPC sound, but I am curious to know about sound level/amplitude. Does this exhaust make it louder? I must live within 98 dB, so I am concerned that my R, already on the edge, will go over if louder at all. Any more will black flag me.

Any comments re loudness change from stock?

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Thanks for the kind words.

Given what you said, I would not install this system (or the ATAK for that matter). If you are on the edge right now you'll definitely be over the top with a non-stock system.

At full song in Sport Mode you would definitely be flagged. I think you are already doing pretty good by starting with an R system to begin with. There would definitely be diminishing returns for you in terms of sound improvement.

UnhandledException said:

OP,

Another thing I asked today to Borla and FP reps was regarding your comment about the torque spec for the clamp bolts not being enough. They said thats not a good idea and that its normal for the initial warm up to cause the sleeves/pipes to expand and properly seat. Just wanted you to know.

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To be clear and to not misconstrue - my comment was that I found that exceeding the recommended torque figure was necessary to reduce or eliminate pipe rotation, not that the torque figure wasn't high enough. In my case, I mitigated the issue by fusing two pipes, thus negating the moment arm or lever arm created by the outward slung mufflers.

UnhandledException said:

I got my exhaust just now, the instructions dont even have a section about the heat shield. This is very poorly done for $2200 exhaust to be honest with you, so i m not even sure what those 4 small metal wire/clamps are even for. I think its best to play safe and buy exhaust wraps and just use standard flat blade clamps all around. Won't hurt.

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I mentioned that the shields weren't given much attention by Borla and I agree that for the kind of money you paid that it should be better addressed.

Cfirekirch said:

Mine should be in next week. Are the clamps for the large heat shield?

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There are clamps for the exhaust tubing and four very thin/narrow clamps for the heat shield.

Need some help, thosenplastic stupid push pins that hold the diffuser, how the heck do you push them back?

Nevermind figured it out

Having issues with aligning the tips. Driver side is fine but the other side is too close to the driver side.

I also have an issue where if I push all the pipes all the way in, the rear most hangers dont stick out from the holes. As a result I have to move the rear section out a bit. Not sure this is okay.

I am also seeing yellowish fluid coming from the connection right after x pipe connection.

Keep your clamps a little loose to allow for adjustment. A second person would certainly help or you can fix the tip into position with wedges, etc, and then work your way forward tightening clamps.

If you measure how much existing exhaust can project into the new pipes, mark them so you have an idea as to how deep you have them inserted. I found the Borla system had plenty of room for adjustment in most every direction. It just takes a little time to get it just right.

Any liquid that came out is probably condensate mixed in with a film from both combustion and a little corrosion.

Epiphany said:

Keep your clamps a little loose to allow for adjustment. A second person would certainly help or you can fix the tip into position with wedges, etc, and then work your way forward tightening clamps.

If you measure how much existing exhaust can project into the new pipes, mark them so you have an idea as to how deep you have them inserted. I found the Borla system had plenty of room for adjustment in most every direction. It just takes a little time to get it just right.

Any liquid that came out is probably condensate mixed in with a film from both combustion and a little corrosion.

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Thanks, when you look from the rear of the car, how far in is your tips?

Also, the rear hangers (not the ones by diff but the ones by bumper), how mi h of the metal piece is sticking out?

The issue I have is, while I can rotate the muffler or the other pipe which allows me to move the tips up/down direction, there is no way to adjust the tips on left/right direction. The problem I am having is horizontal alignment. And it only happens on passenger side. Driver side took literally 2 minutes.

UnhandledException said:

Thanks, when you look from the rear of the car, how far in is your tips?

Also, the rear hangers (not the ones by diff but the ones by bumper), how mi h of the metal piece is sticking out?

The issue I have is, while I can rotate the muffler or the other pipe which allows me to move the tips up/down direction, there is no way to adjust the tips on left/right direction. The problem I am having is horizontal alignment. And it only happens on passenger side. Driver side took literally 2 minutes.

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I'm nowhere near my car at the moment so I can't get you any dimensions, sorry. IIRC, tailpipe projection was a close match for stock.

I had issue with my driver side alignment and found the passenger side to be spot on. I found the same thing regarding difficulty with lateral alignment. All I can say is that there is more adjustment available than just rotation at the muffler - go further forward to the next clamped connection and try adjusting there as well. I went through all of this four or five times and marked everything before taking the system back out and welding. I suppose that the savings you get with respect to shipping a smaller box is negated by time spent aligning numerous connections. Sometimes you just can't win.

Ummmm....I think I'll stay stock. LOL