Am I crazy for removing my Berk mids?

[cadeucsb]

I am almost full bolt on...missing down pipes. I have the full berk sport setup (mids and axle back). I need FBO so I can run some of the new Cobb stuff.

I want to install catless downpipes, but two things have kept me from it...

1. rasp: i despise it
2. emissions testing: dont want to have to swap DPs for testing in March.

My thought is to install DPs, but swap back in my stock mids, which should ALMOST fix both issues. Rasp reduced and secondary cats installed, which can pass emissions here in CO (assuming i find a DP fix for ODB testing).

My concern is that I am throwing a restriction back into the mix (stock mids) and dont know if that kills the idea. Or if the DP install adds enough additional breathing to offset it.

Not willing to go catted DPs...too pricey, too much performance left on the table and from what I have read the cats degrade over time and cease to do their job.

[Spoolin Montego]

If you have a visual inspection your car may also fail the test because of the downpipes however. I have almost FBO with stock mids and stock axle back, sure you will gain more power having them in but it's not going to be a huge power increase. I would estimate it at around 10-15 horses max.

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by Spoolin Montego

If you have a visual inspection your car may also fail the test because of the downpipes however. I have almost FBO with stock mids and stock axle back, sure you will gain more power having them in but it's not going to be a huge power increase. I would estimate it at around 10-15 horses max.

I dont think we have a visual inspection here in denver (that I can recall, anyone correct me on that).

Yea I am not worried about leaving the power behind, more worried that i need the system breathing as easy as possible (to run aggressive maps) and it not doing so because of the stock mids back in the mix

[sparkyblue]

I get zero rasp or drone with my VRSF DP's and Berk Resonated Mids & Sport Axleback.

Sounds amazing in my opinion!

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by sparkyblue

I get zero rasp or drone with my VRSF DP's and Berk Resonated Mids & Sport Axleback.

Sounds amazing in my opinion!

Did you run the berk setup prior to the DPs? Curious how much louder it gets. Good to hear there wasn't rasp tho

[oldmarco]

I took off my berk mid pipes and put my N55 mid pipes back on. No drone no rasp. Then sold the berk mid pipes. But only downside is the berk mid pipes sounded alot better than the N55 mid pipes.

[Colt]

The N55 mids are 2.25", while the Berk is 2.5" with a 3" resonator right? I would imagine berk would be louder..

I have to get catted DPs because of my nazi state. So I don't have a choice there. And I'm almost certain if I had the secondary cats in my midpipes and catless dps I would still fail, but vise versa would not fail

[Mr Kleen]

Originally Posted by Philip@McKennaPerformance

I took off my berk mid pipes and put my N55 mid pipes back on. No drone no rasp. Then sold the berk mid pipes. But only downside is the berk mid pipes sounded alot better than the N55 mid pipes.

I'm not happy with the sound of my catless DP and stock N55 exhaust. Why did you swap back to stock? How does the sound compare between the Berk mids and N55 mids?

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by Mr Kleen

I'm not happy with the sound of my catless DP and stock N55 exhaust. Why did you swap back to stock? How does the sound compare between the Berk mids and N55 mids?

is it raspy? what dont you like?

I think I am pretty set on going to the stock n54 mids and catless DPs. It sounds like there isnt much downside power/function-wise and the upside of rasp prevention and emissions passing is pretty appealing.

[Mr Kleen]

On cold starts it's crazy loud, especially in the enclosed garage I share with my 4 neighbors. I think the car sounds like a farm truck with an exhaust leak at just about anything short of WOT. The sound at WOT and the pops and gurgles on the overrun are great, but that's it. I'm considering going back to the stock DP and getting a different exhaust, trading some power for better sound and quiet startup.

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by Mr Kleen

On cold starts it's crazy loud, especially in the enclosed garage I share with my 4 neighbors. I think the car sounds like a farm truck with an exhaust leak at just about anything short of WOT. The sound at WOT and the pops and gurgles on the overrun are great, but that's it. I'm considering going back to the stock DP and getting a different exhaust, trading some power for better sound and quiet startup.

could you swap in stock n54 mids to quiet it down a bit?

[oldmarco]

Originally Posted by Mr Kleen

I'm not happy with the sound of my catless DP and stock N55 exhaust. Why did you swap back to stock? How does the sound compare between the Berk mids and N55 mids?

Main reason I swapped back was just that I had N55 mids laying around and there's no performance benefit on berk mid pipes vs N55 mids. So I sold the berks. But the Berk mid pipes definitely sounded much better.

[Dackelone]

Why not get some 200 cell cats or even some DP/cats from a 1M ? (I assume you are a N54 ?)

1M dp's flow more than N54 dp's.

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Why not get some 200 cell cats or even some DP/cats from a 1M ? (I assume you are a N54 ?)

1M dp's flow more than N54 dp's.

Assuming your directing your comment at me. I am an n54. But do the 1M DPs flow enough to support aggressive aftermarket tuning. For example the Cobb maps require aftermarket DPs.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by cadeucsb

Assuming your directing your comment at me. I am an n54. But do the 1M DPs flow enough to support aggressive aftermarket tuning. For example the Cobb maps require aftermarket DPs.

I think it was Harold (HPA) who reported it was not necessary for 1M's to replace the cats/DP's for big power gains(over ~400 Hp tunes).

So yes, I think 1M dp's would work fine on your car.

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I think it was Harold (HPA) who reported it was not necessary for 1M's to replace the cats/DP's for big power gains(over ~400 Hp tunes).

So yes, I think 1M dp's would work fine on your car.

Interesting...thx for the heads up...that would be the perfect solution... emissions, sound, power.

[Grayson]

I had AR Catless DP's and the full Berk Street and it was loud. So loud that I got pulled over in California and ticketed.

Despite that, the main thing I hated about the system was it smoked like crazy. Every time I pulled up to a stop light some concerned citizen would tell me my car was smoking. And it stank.

I know run stock DP's but I'll be going with the AR Race Catted DP's soon. I'll also be throwing the Maddad full system on in favor of the Berk.

[blakelocati]

If you do remove the mids and are interested in selling them, let me know. I'm looking to pick up a set.

[Exite]

Maybe the berk mids sound a lot different than n55 mids, but I found changing the n54 mids out for n55 made the car sound much better with the berk race axel back. Before with the race axel back and the n54 mids the car sounded like a giant 4 cylinder to me. At WOT they both mostly sound the same.

Yes it has added some rasp removing the cats, but my exhaust no longer resonates with shitty trucks with flow masters or civics with fart cans. I've had people say it sounds unusual but sweet.

To be completely honest these engines make some really weird exhaust noises. Just gotta roll with it. I'm guessing it's because the turbos make boost at such a low rpm so the engine is always on/off boost which changes the sound all the time. A turbo car like an evo9 unless you're around 3000pm and mashing the pedal the turbo isn't really doing anything so the exhaust is more predictable and really only changes drastically when you mash the pedal.

[RimasRS]

I saw somewhere speculation that if you will go w/o catted downpipes with stock catted midpipes secondary cats will not last long they will be clogged. Because primary cats burning/cleaning by heat from the turbos.

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by Grayson

I had AR Catless DP's and the full Berk Street and it was loud. So loud that I got pulled over in California and ticketed.

Despite that, the main thing I hated about the system was it smoked like crazy. Every time I pulled up to a stop light some concerned citizen would tell me my car was smoking. And it stank.

I know run stock DP's but I'll be going with the AR Race Catted DP's soon. I'll also be throwing the Maddad full system on in favor of the Berk.

I remember reading that catted DPs degrade over time and stop being effective. So at some point they become really expensive catless DPs...that is what steered me away from that idea.

Is there really much of a difference between the full Maddad and Berk Sport systems? I did extensive research and those were my final options but couldnt find enough of a difference to sway me either way. I just lucked out with an uber end of year sale on the Berk.

Originally Posted by blakelocati

If you do remove the mids and are interested in selling them, let me know. I'm looking to pick up a set.

If I do, I will def post them for sale...recoup some of that DP money

[My135]

I had AR catlxx DP, Maddad resonated mid-pipe and AFE cat back exhause which is almost 99% equal to a straight pipe setup. It is loud but I like it.