MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Modifications & Technical Area => Performance Modifications => Topic started by: keano on April 13, 2011, 09:43:07 am

Title: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 09:43:07 am
Hi guys,

I'm on the path to stage 2 so the downpipe is on the cards. The car is already mapped to stage 1, but will I experience any problems (flatspots/codes etc...) with a 3" downpipe whilst I wait for a stg2 map?

Thanks in advance,

Nick  :driver:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: Homer on April 13, 2011, 10:26:26 am
There are diff views on this, having spoken to a tuner he says that most tuners are able to set up the stage one to be able to use a donwpipe. You might want to speak to the people who did your remap to see if they can do this for you.
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 10:28:48 am
Im running a full TBE with 3" downpipe on a Stock map and I dont have any problems at all....though its screaming for a remap  :signLOL:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 10:31:44 am
What size is the system after the downpipe Alex? Just for curiosity's sake.  :happy2:

My exhaust guy wants to make me have a 3" system throughout! I'm scared haha
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 10:32:55 am
3" all the way through.

Milltek ED30 specific turbo back (the later 3" version)

Bloody massive pipework - scared me when I fitted it compared to the original
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 10:35:06 am
Ooo gosh. That is big! (that's what she said)   :grin:

I feel abit better about it now then.  :happy2:

Cheers Alex!
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 10:35:45 am
 :happy2: No worries

It certainly makes it alot louder. Stage 2 on a non res milltek TBE is quite a unique sound thats for sure  :grin:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 10:44:13 am
What would your views be on a  3" downpipe and center section. But leaving the back section on.

It'd work out hundreds and hundreds of pounds cheaper for me, but I believe i'd still have the same power benifits?  :confused:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 10:48:32 am
Personally, if you are going to do it, do it properly

The rear silencer is slightly restrictive, plus to have a 3" downpipe and center youd need a special adapter to reduce it down to 2.5/2.75 (i cant remember which it is atm lol), and as the factory silencer has the rear silencer and center silencer as one piece, youd have to cut the silencer out and join it up.

The main bottleneck is the factory downpipe as its smaller and has a precat which impedes exhaust gas flow, so yes there will be big benefits just from that.
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 10:54:19 am
This is something I found the other day which put the ideas into my head  :chicken:

an intake is fine on stage 1. If you fit the exhaust you will need to get a stage 2 map

Ed666999 is correct that if you want performance you only need the downpipe.  All you get with the cat back part of the exhaust is more noise


Just been on the milltek website and it says down pipe must be fitted with Milltek cat back....??

What downpipes can be fitted with the standard exhaust?

thast rubbish.  Purely to make you buy the full system  from them.  All you need is a reducer from 2.75" to 2.5"(for the GTI 200ps) and 3" to 2.5" (k04 TFSI) is all that is required to mate it to your standard system.  My Pipewerx downpipe had the reducer built in and went from 3" to 2.5".  Sounded great as well.

Janner- why would I need to go to stage 2 to fit a new exhaust? I have known people to fit a new exhaust without even having a remap. Do you mean its only worthwhile if I was to get a remap stage 2? Thanks

When you fit the downpipe, it removes the pre-cat and fits a free'er flowing 2'nd cat.  This means that the lambda sensor readings on the exhaust will be outside the normal range and more often than not you will end up with an engine management light flashing up.  This doesnt necessarily mean you need a stage 2 map, as a stage 1 car can have those sensors mapped out with no issues, but if your sticking on the downpipe you may as well go stage 2 IMO.

Quite alot of guys on here have run the Miltek with a reducer with zero issues, same with blueflame and pipewerx.
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 10:57:32 am
Milltek downpipe and a 3" to 2.5" convertor and your sorted  :happy2:

I get no emissions lights on mine either!
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 11:00:47 am
I may have a decat at the moment (but it doesn't include the PRE-cat) and I don't have a light.  :evilgrin:

Do you have a sports cat in your system?
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 11:04:22 am
So you may have a decat downpipe or was the cat removed further down and the precat left in place?

Aye i do. 200cell  :happy2:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 11:10:49 am
The main cat may have been was removed and replaced with a straight pipe.

But i believe the pre-cat is right next to the turbo right? (which is still there)

Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 11:17:06 am
Correct

So either a straight through from the downpipe to the center, or replace the downpipe with a 100 cell sports cat one, which is as good as a decat anyway on performance measures

Or a 200cell normal one for MOT passing exhaust emmissions  :happy2:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: MattPoss on April 13, 2011, 12:50:42 pm
Sorry for jumping on the bandwagon here but I'm guessing that I'll be alright with a Piper 100cel Cat with a Milltek Non Resonated system after that?! Still pass an MOT?!

The car will be on the stock map aswell until such time I have the pennies for an intake and Stage 2 map :party:

Matt
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 12:51:56 pm
From what ive read, a 100cel cat isnt street-legal as such and the emissions levels wont pass the MOT check.
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: MattPoss on April 13, 2011, 12:53:41 pm
Ahh, in fact come to think of it, I'm sure it has something stamped on the side of the cat.

Matt
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: TrickGTI on April 13, 2011, 03:08:33 pm
I checked my emmissons the other day with the decat and it was only just out. with even a 100 cell on mine it should breeze through. As for the downpipe I had big flat spots untill the map was changed I think some cars seem to be fine and some don't like it like mine never.  :smiley:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 04:23:23 pm
Is it a gti or an Ed.30 you have Trick?

I'm really unsure what to do now  :sad1:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: TrickGTI on April 13, 2011, 04:34:11 pm
Gti. It should be fine on yours as your already stage 1.  :happy2:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 04:36:48 pm
 :love:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 04:37:13 pm
All this talk of stage 1 makes me want to go get mapped  :signLOL:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 04:40:02 pm
I can't believe you aren't already Alex.

The difference is unbelievable. Infact. If i were you, i'd go straight to stage2
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: alexperkins on April 13, 2011, 04:41:51 pm
Insurance is the show stopper  :sad1: Admiral wont cover the map
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: jon-tfsi on April 13, 2011, 05:30:15 pm
I'm just going to point out that the standard exhaust is only 2.25", just incase people are ordering reducers.

Performance downpipe to standard cat-back seems to work just fine though without hindering performance on stage 2 or 2+.
The stock GTI exhaust sounds great IMO and with a performance downpipe sounds even better  :happy2:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: keano on April 13, 2011, 05:32:48 pm
Is the pipe still 2.25" on the Edition 30 Jon?
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: jon-tfsi on April 13, 2011, 05:59:06 pm
Yup the exhausts are the same size on both the GTI and ED30
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: Saint Steve on April 13, 2011, 06:08:03 pm
:happy2: No worries

It certainly makes it alot louder. Stage 2 on a non res milltek TBE is quite a unique sound thats for sure  :grin:

It is  :innocent:

and very addictive Keano...  :grin:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: Bernhard30 on April 15, 2011, 09:21:22 pm
Just to add my experience here.

Ed30, Revo Stage 1 and Autotech HPFP put on December. "Fab."
Couple of months later after buying some bits Milltek DP and Cat (200 Cell), plus Dbilas intake put on.
Map not altered, now it's just Darth Vader under the bonnet and more of a fruity burble outside the car.
Car feels more sprightly over just the Stage 1, so "Even More Fab".

No issues, flat spots or warning lights, just a bin grin on my face. 
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: PDT on April 15, 2011, 09:33:47 pm
^^^ marks car sounds awesome, took it for a good thrashing test drive yesterday  :happy2:
Title: Re: 3" downpipe with stage 1 problems?
Post by: berg on April 16, 2011, 09:23:21 am
i am going 2+ end of the month but getting the pipewerx 3" downpipe and sports cat only. i want to see how it sounds/drives and then can take it back for the tbe at a later date