Custom exhaust on a D5?

[stephenevans99]

I'm thinking of getting a stainless cat back for my 2004 S60 D5, not really expecting any significant power gains - that's for the forthcoming remap. Really after a quality made exhaust system with adds a little deeper tone to the exhaust note.

I've been looking at a few companies in the N/West & Midlands area and just wondered of anyone has personal experience with them.

MIJ Exhausts - a few interesting threads on other forums about their dubious quality a few years back, but also a fair few decent recent reviews.

Blueflame Exhausts - some decent reviews and I think Liddo had one fitted to his Volvo but wasn't overall impressed with the sound (or lack of it).

Pipe Werx - Excellent reviews and fairly local to me. Pipe Werx are at the top of my list at the moment, but has anyone here used them before.

Suggestions and criticisms most welcome !!

Steve

[y2blade]

Following with interest, as I'm wanting to go down the same route with mine.
:)

[stephenevans99]

I know I'm short of a few cylinders, but do you think it'd be asking too much to sound like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UL-GWO9dw3ZhM&feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=d16QxB-c8Og

[M-R-P]

Casey's turboback sounds pretty dam good, he posted a vid on his intro thread.
not sure what brand it is.

[stephenevans99]

That does sound nice, I may have a trip out tomorrow to visit Pipe Werx and see what they recommend. My main concern is getting something that ends up droning the hell out me on Motorways.

[graemewelch]

That does sound nice, I may have a trip out tomorrow to visit Pipe Werx and see what they recommend. My main concern is getting something that ends up droning the hell out me on Motorways.

2.5" with one silencer on rear. Wont be two loud. Diesels are quieter than diesels. Id sort you a system if you wernt so fsr away

[stephenevans99]

Hi Graeme, have you had any experience with de-cating a D5 resulting in dash warning lights?

I should imagine a de-cat on a D5 wouldn't effect the MOT either.

[Chad]

Try tiptop exhausts in Birmingham.

They have done quite a few exhausts for us.

And on the D5's. they have de-catted a few D5's for us and no lights on the dash.

They do sound quite tasty after a custom exhaust!

[graemewelch]

Hi Graeme, have you had any experience with de-cating a D5 resulting in dash warning lights?

I should imagine a de-cat on a D5 wouldn't effect the MOT either.

Diesels dont have emision tests so no worries there

[stephenevans99]

Had some free time this morning so I decided to visit Pipe Werx approx 10 minutes off the M6 in Lathom, near Skelmersdale.

I spoke to the chap in the office who immediately offered to put my car on the ramp to take a look and explain to me what they could do.

They've give me a few options: a custom 2.5 inch cat-back for £375 adding a downpipe & de-cat for an additional £150.

He told me that they would tailor the exhaust to sound exactly how I would like it, finished off with a tailpipe of my choosing. I was shown a few examples of their work and the quality of their welds was fantastic.

Just got to decide whether it's a cat-back or full system I want. Decisions, decisions....help

[caseyt5]

Mines from the turbo back with a decat and a silencer on the rear inside the car its nice and quiet with a deeper note outside on full accel its loud but you still can't hear it inside can post any vids or if anyones local there more then welcome to come and have a drive and a listen :)

[madness]

this is one of our customer's car. it might give you some diesel guys ideas- he wanted a stage 3 clutch but the increase on the engine is more than the warranty would cover .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoglm8p_RHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoet3oVte_U&list=UUxQ2lbk2_O7Uq4f7IKHswXg&index=4&feature=plcp

i was really inpressed with it - its the best d5 i have seen and i think most of it done himself.

his user name is ttromeo2002 and there are more than 10 videos on there so i wont post them all but it has a customer intercooler, exhaust and other mods.

[smithy]

Try tiptop exhausts in Birmingham.

They have done quite a few exhausts for us.

And on the D5's. they have de-catted a few D5's for us and no lights on the dash.

They do sound quite tasty after a custom exhaust!

ive always found him to be rubish myself mate ,the is a better one just off the small heath bypass called torque tubes and they do plasma welding.

[stephenevans99]

I do like the sound of that S60 in the vid that Madness posted....not sure about the quality of the system though. The downpipe was a series of pipes welded together rather than one pipe mandrel bent. Not sure if this is the norm? Definitely sounded the part though.

[graemewelch]

I do like the sound of that S60 in the vid that Madness posted....not sure about the quality of the system though. The downpipe was a series of pipes welded together rather than one pipe mandrel bent. Not sure if this is the norm? Definitely sounded the part though.

You coulldnt duplicate those bends on a mandrel bender. When the radious is so tight you have no choice but to use pre bend pipes butted up. I would of tig welded them but still a hood attempt.

[stephenevans99]

Got my car booked in for next Wednesday. I'm going to hang around, hopefully being able to take lots of pics as it's being made.

It'll be interesting to watch them fabricate it & hopefully I'll get the right results sound wise.

[V70 Graham]

Got my car booked in for next Wednesday. I'm going to hang around, hopefully being able to take lots of pics as it's being made.

It'll be interesting to watch them fabricate it & hopefully I'll get the right results sound wise.

Looking forward to your write up/pics next week.

[stephenevans99]

Visited Pipe Werx today to get my custom exhaust made up and fitted. Turned up at 10.00am as planned for my car to go straight on the ramp.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03301.jpg

Jeff soon took to his tools and removed the original exhaust including the downpipe.

Making the downpipe was probably the trickiest and took slightly longer than planned.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03313.jpg

Once the downpipe was finished, the rest of the system looked as if it was fairly straight forward to fabricate.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03334.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03310.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03335.jpg

After the centre box was fitted, the car was started to see how it sounded. At this point the exhaust note was great - a nice deep 'burble' but didn't seem too loud. Jeff offered up a secondary box to see how quiet it would become, with 2 boxes in place the sound was probably the same as the standard Volvo setup. I decided to keep the single box.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03326.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03339.jpg

The total time spent on the exhaust was approx 5 hours, the guys at Pipe Werx are very professional and it was a pleasure to watch them work.

On the journey home, I have unfortunately discovered that the system is slightly too loud for my liking. It's just too 'boomy' when on the throttle such as getting up to speed on the motorway. I spoke to Jeff on my return home, and I can bring the car back on Tuesday for a small secondary silencer to be fitted. 10 years ago, I'd probably thought Hell Yeah - but I'm bald and getting old & it's just too loud.

Overall I can highly recommend Pipe Werx and I got to ride in Jeffs remapped RS4.........possibly the fastest car I've ever been in.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03316.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03314.jpg

[stephenevans99]

A quick vid on how it sounds....sorry about the wind. I'll do a better one tomorrow if the wind dies down.

http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo S60 D5 2004/?action=view&current=MOV03346.mp4

[graemewelch]

NShame they never tig welded it after you put a large sum of money in there bank account. But being a welder im fussy about what welds are put down

[stephenevans99]

Wasn't sure whether it was tig or mig as that's not my thing. If it's not tig welded and it needed to be, that's a shame - but I'm sure mig welding is perfectly fine. I'll put it to them when I return on Tuesday.

Thanks for pointing it out to me though.

[graemewelch]

Wasn't sure whether it was tig or mig as that's not my thing. If it's not tig welded and it needed to be, that's a shame - but I'm sure mig welding is perfectly fine. I'll put it to them when I return on Tuesday.

Thanks for pointing it out to me though.



Im not knocking it. Im just a tart and like to tig everything. Mig is a lot quicker. No one sees it under the car anyway. Its the sound thats most important anyway

[stephenevans99]

I imagine the only thing that was tig welded was the tail pipe as this was done in a different manner and the results were far neater as some of it can be seen.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/stephenevans99/Volvo%20S60%20D5%202004/DSC03347.jpg

I'm still very happy with the results and think am I being a little 'old' regards to the sound....I'm gonna do a few more miles in it over the weekend and see if I get used to it. Otherwise, it's back to Pipe Werx for an small silencer to be added.

[stephenevans99]

Just returned from Pipe Werx after they have fitted an extra silencer box. The job only took them 45 minutes and I'm now much happier with the result. It's a little quieter on tickover and not as loud when on the throttle, the important thing for me is that the droning has gone between 2500-3000rpm. The car now sounds great throughout the rev range (for a diesel) without attracting too much attention.

Again, great guys at Pipe Werx, I would recommend them everytime.