[sfm16123]

I know the bulk of what i payed extra for the SES was for the 17's [8D] but does this "sport tuned" exhaust mean i should save my money on an exhaust and just go with a header? or should i still get an exhaust before considering buying a header. I'm sure a fs exhaust is infact much better than stock but is it worth the $$?

and also, how good of an idea is it to just take the header off before going for emissions testing and replace the stock? it's only once a year in GA...

opinions please please!!!

 

[In Focus]

i got the exact same question!!!

heres a lil sound clip of my stock 09 ses sounds mean!!!!

 

[focusin]

Sounds good for stock.

"sport tuned exhaust" means you have one less muffler than the standard focus (the lunchbox as we call it). Its just to make a better sound, no power gains from it and if I were you unless your REALLY happy with it sound and don't want more power get a catback. You will see the best gains from a header with a full exhaust.

 

[sfm16123]

so it wouldnt be a bad idea to go ahead and get a header and maybe a catback later for the hp? anyone have numbers for 08-09 hp gains?

 

[sfm16123]

and is it gonna be loud enough to get pulled over with stock output otherwise?

 

[focusin]

A header will of course make it crazy loud BUT you have an option to get the Focussport Stealth exhaust. So far its the quietest out on the market other than Borla (borla is IMHO best but crazy expensive) I have the non-stealth FS with out a header and the exhaust is quiet already.

You will not see the most gains with a stock exhaust and aftermarket header but you will see a few. After adding an exhaust it will be much more free flowing, and that will show/feel the best.

 

[UnFocusedST]

I love my trubendz I put on my 2.0L. Sounds great. Also I'm running a turbo with no cat and its not really loud. The turbo kinda dulls down the sound like a cat does. In fact I think my car is quieter with the turbo than the stock cat.

 

[tb1999]

I've had the FS stealth exhaust for about 18 months. It sounds quiet unless you are getting on it. At idle and just putting around town, it's very low key.

Even after I added a header, it still kept things pretty quiet. But I do have an issue with my header. It's the one from the F2 website. It fits and looks fine, performs great etc BUT, the flex pipe they provide is crap, it's just flexible enough to prevent damage to the exhaust or header from stress cracking, BUT I cant keep gaskets in it, the 2 flanges where the flexpipe connects between the header and fron resonator are constantly being "tweeked" under load, and the gaskets just blow out/burn through.

First Ijust thought it was a cheap gasket they provided with the header, but then when I replaced it with a heavier gasket, they just lasted a few weeks more.

I don't have any better recommendations, but If you are concerned about noise, and don't want to be changing these gaskets every couple of months or so, then I would avoid the F2 header.

 

[TommyBlackST]

I have the F2 header v3 as well...my flex part of the flex pipe got messed up either by my friend driving the car and running over something or the flex was just crap. I put on a new flex and my car lost all of it's raspiness...quieted down the exhaust volume so much it sounds like a different exhaust system... I have the trubendz 2.5" w/hfc + I added a "resonator" (like a really skinny muffler 15" long) just before the Magnaflow muffler that comes with the Trubendz kit I bought...my car is quiet, yet smooth and deep... sorta like barry white...NOT INTRUSIVE at all in the cabin since I got a new flex...

Note: "flex" is not the whole assembly, just the flex part of the pipe. This is what I got replaced....sounds good so far...not sure about the gaskets...I reckon I asked the muffler shop to weld everything up so I'll see...

 

[warneej]

do an exhaust first, you will probably fail emissions with a header on your car since you will then have no cats left...mine smells a little and if i can smell it then i know the "sniffer" can smell it.

deleting the second cat will not fail you, but if you remove all you will, if not for the CEL you'd get then it would be for the aftermarket tune you'd need to remove the CEL and if not for that you would because you have no cats lol

 

[focusin]

^^
Do you have emissions testing in FL Evan? He's in GA so he may not need to worry about that, I know I don't []

 

[warneej]

hell no we don't have that crap

but in the ATL area they do

idk if its just an OBD scan or a full sniffer test tho...regardless you have to be careful

 

[TommyBlackST]

We got the sniffer here in Memphis Tn...I specify city because some parts of Shelby county don't have to go thru inspection... I pass perfectly with a header and HFC... no probs..

In fact it's that way across the state... some counties, cities whatever... you gotta get sniffed...others you don't...

 

[warneej]

yeah but you have a HFC, whereas i have none..an HFC will 99.9% of the time pass emissions

 

[sfm16123]

well its once a year so i could just bolt the cat back on for emissions testing. and if i get stopped by the cops is it just a fix it?

 

[focusin]

^^

Its not just bolt a cat on kinda deal, the duratec has a header/cat manifold. That means you will have to do the header swap every time you need to do an emissions test. If it is to loud it all depends on the cop whether you get a sound violation ticket ($250 down here) or just a fix it ticket.

You could sacrifice a small amount of power and install a high flow cat and be legal all year round.

 

[jetrinka]

I would be money on the stock SES exhaust of the 09 models is the exact same as the stocker exhaust on the ST's of previous years.

 

[focusin]

^^
I am pretty damn positive of it.

 

[tb1999]

F2 header flex = junk

Note: "flex" is not the whole assembly, just the flex part of the pipe. This is what I got replaced....sounds good so far...not sure about the gaskets...I reckon I asked the muffler shop to weld everything up so I'll see...

I've been thinking about rebuiling my flex, good to know it will be worth the time and $$. If you compare the stock flex with the part sent with the F2 header it's night and day!

 

[jetrinka]

Yeah the F2 flex doesn't actually flex much... lol