X-Force 2.5" catback for VE Berlina

[rocks-crewman]

After getting sick of researching new exhausts for the VE, took a drive up to Wangara to MCE to eyeball some systems and make a decision!
Of course window shopping always ends in swiping the card - as luck would have it Terry had a brand new 2.5" X-Force mild steel catback system conveniently sitting on the showroom floor.
As nobody had heard this system in anger, Terry offered to fit it, test is out and if I like-I buy, if I don't- old faithfull goes back on. Fair enough!
Anyway, new exhaust was fitted in about 30 minutes (thanks Holden for making it so easy), took it for a lap and was just what I wanted; nice note but not too loud and no drone - now it sounds like a V8 and not a vacuum cleaner. Card swiped and I'm on the highway giving it a blast. Totally happy so far.
Thanks to Terry and his team for a snappy job with no warning. Would recommend this system to anybody looking to upgrade exhaust to something offering more than the standard system without sounding like a top fueler.
ps - After it was fitted, the end of the pipes came up about 2 inches short of where you would expect to see them. It would seem that Berlinas' (and maybe Calais' as well) have rear bumpers that protrude a fraction more than the SS. Might be due to parking sensors? Anyway, will keep an eye on the rear bumper to ensure hot gasses do not affect it, if any sign of that Terry offered to extend them for me.

[DuffMan]

Wow! i'm surprised to hear that. I would rate my 2.5" X-force as a piece of s#*t that totally sounds like a vacuum cleaner abobe 4000rpm. Just my personal opinion.

Maybe the VE systems are differant though. :D

[BLACK 346]

Wow! i'm surprised to hear that. I would rate my 2.5" X-force as a piece of s#*t that totally sounds like a vacuum cleaner abobe 4000rpm. Just my personal opinion.

Maybe the VE systems are differant though. :D

Not the first time I have heard that, but like you say everyone has
different taste, he is happy and you can't ask for much more than
that. I think Redback exhaust make a crap sound as well, but
heaps of people love them :)

[Delco]

Wow! i'm surprised to hear that. I would rate my 2.5" X-force as a piece of s#*t that totally sounds like a vacuum cleaner abobe 4000rpm. Just my personal opinion.

Maybe the VE systems are differant though. :D

I tried the 2 1/2 system on my VE , didnt rate very highly and made next to no power gains , 3" system made power but droned like a bitch

[DuffMan]

I tried the 2 1/2 system on my VE , didnt rate very highly and made next to no power gains , 3" system made power but droned like a bitch

what did you think of the sound of either system?

[SV8er]

I tried the 2 1/2 system on my VE , didnt rate very highly and made next to no power gains , 3" system made power but droned like a bitch

Have to agree with you Dan , Put a 3" Catback on the other day Supposedly "Drone Free" well it aint on any longer , i found 2,3,4,and 5th ok but 6th gear around 110kph and sitting on about 1600revs it Drones like a bitch in the Cabin on any Acceleration :flipoff:

[BLACKWAGON]

Mine sounded ok with the twin 2.5 stainless xforce after the geaders and cats were done, before the front half was done she was quiet.
I just wanted a bit louder and less poppy in the end and when we removed it noticed how restricted they are at the x merge, which apparently makes the gases bounce around after they pass thru the merge causing the excess pop carackle.
I love the difilippos I had fitted, twin 2.5 stainless. Great sound, more power etc and no drone until............once the cam was in I found a bit of drone, not much tho, around 60 in 5th if driving under load, and 100 in 6th under load obviously bcs of the different power at those rpms.

[GMMAD]

Have to agree with you Dan , Put a 3" Catback on the other day Supposedly "Drone Free" well it aint on any longer , i found 2,3,4,and 5th ok but 6th gear around 110kph and sitting on about 1600revs it Drones like a bitch in the Cabin on any Acceleration :flipoff:
i just put a x force 3" on it has 0 drone and sound sweet

[EXCESSV]

i just put a x force 3" on it has 0 drone and sound sweetthere are no problems with them on cars before the VE
on the VE it is drone city!
its to do with the accoustics of the car. most exhausts out there especially dual 3" drone on the VE
its a problem all exhaust shops are having with the dual 3" systems

[Belzey]

I tried the 2 1/2 system on my VE , didnt rate very highly and made next to no power gains


Different strokes for different folks, and most people putting exhausts on are not after big gains just some sound.

And rocks-crewman I think it is great that you are happy with your system :) congrats.

[Troy-77]

We have installed the full 2.5 X force system to our R8.
IMO it was the best thing to do to the VE as now it actually sounds like a V8.
Not too concerned bout power gains as it is powerful enough (for a shopping trolley) and brings a smile to my face every time i turn the key.
rocks-crewman enjoy the new sound. :headbang:

[rocks-crewman]

Thanks dudes,
Due to the plethora of systems available, it seems to be a bit of a lottery finding an exhaust one is happy with. Especially since VE exhausts are at least twice as much $$ as for VY's etc. I would love to go the whole hog on an exhaust for my car, but $4-5K for a full stainless system like Di-Fillippo is $4-5K less to spend on a new iron horse in a few months. So a cat back will have to do (for now).

Hmmm, Gixxer, Viffer, ZX-10, Fireblade, Duc, R1; the choices for a bike are almost as bewildering as for that of an exhaust! Better than having few choices I suppose.

[jaykay]

At least on the next cruise we will be able to hear your sleeper...Any plans to tune it ?

JK :)

[Frenchy VX SS]

See its funny how people see drone in different levels.
I have the 3" cat back and do not notice a thing! Driving around in 6th isnt a normal thing for me tho, but even still compared to other cars i have owned and driven, its DAMN quiet imho!
Len, do you drive in 6th often?? Personally i never use it, so to me its basically for driving to kalgoorlie or going across the nullabor :confused:

As for service, typical Terry and MCE style.... can never fault them, try finding a exhaust shop in perth that would do that for you huh!!

Great results tho R - C, your happy with it and thats the most important thing mate...enjoy

[BLACK 346]

See its funny how people see drone in different levels.

I think it is called cloth ears :stick:

[Frenchy VX SS]

I think it is called cloth ears :stick:

Haha true...
Maybe the mining machines i work around may have something to do with it...Huh, what did you say ? :confused:
:rofl:

[BLACK 346]

Haha true...
Maybe the mining machines i work around may have something to do with it...Huh, what did you say ? :confused:
:rofl:

:rofl:
I am hearing you mate, just not that well.

[SV8er]

See its funny how people see drone in different levels.
I have the 3" cat back and do not notice a thing! Driving around in 6th isnt a normal thing for me tho, but even still compared to other cars i have owned and driven, its DAMN quiet imho!
Len, do you drive in 6th often?? Personally i never use it, so to me its basically for driving to kalgoorlie or going across the nullabor :confused:



Matt , Yeh tend to use 6th gear a bit as i do a few trips per year to Mandurah and Busselton ..As you stated 6th gear is not the Norm for you and prob would be the same for a lot of other people .

Dont get me wrong with the 3" Cat Back System it was far better than my Modified Exhaust that i have at the moment (Drone wise) , but as i was only changing systems to get DRone Free i considered i did not want to pay all those extra $$$ and still have a Drone in 6th gear ..

What i couldnt understand with Xforce is why they bring out a Soft and a Loud system for the 2 1/2 " System , but not for the 3" System ??

As Kel Said " Different strokes for different folks " and R-C is happy with it (Which he should be ) as it is a good bang for bucks System.

Cheers

[Delco]

i just put a x force 3" on it has 0 drone and sound sweet


Is that on a VE or VX , vastly different systems ?

[Frenchy VX SS]

Matt , Yeh tend to use 6th gear a bit as i do a few trips per year to Mandurah and Busselton ..As you stated 6th gear is not the Norm for you and prob would be the same for a lot of other people .

Dont get me wrong with the 3" Cat Back System it was far better than my Modified Exhaust that i have at the moment (Drone wise) , but as i was only changing systems to get DRone Free i considered i did not want to pay all those extra $$$ and still have a Drone in 6th gear ..

What i couldnt understand with Xforce is why they bring out a Soft and a Loud system for the 2 1/2 " System , but not for the 3" System ??


Cheers

Yeah thats a fair call for sure mate. Im hearing you with the loud and quiet system. Maybe its just the rear mufflers that change it from loud and quiet ??

[rocks-crewman]

At least on the next cruise we will be able to hear your sleeper...Any plans to tune it ?

JK :)

Yep, next on the cards is a CAI and a tune. You can certainly hear it now although it is not as boisterous as some other VE's out there. Looking forward to the next cruise....

[rocks-crewman]

After driving around with the cat back for 2 weeks decided to go the extra yard and gets some headers fitted. I rang Terry earlier this week and he recommended Pacemaker short headers.
So I rocked up at lunchtime today and Terry and his staff fitted the new headers, extended the rear pipes about two inches to make them level with the rear bumper, modified the cats for the bigger headers and threw on a K & N filter for good measure.
The result: Nicer note outside and actually quieter inside, in fact when driving 'normally' its almost as quiet as the original system. Plant the slipper however and the throttle response and crisp note quite noticeable. The most pleasing aspect is there was a bit of a resonance inside the car when the engine was under load but on light to medium throttle. It was a tad annoying to me, but it has now totally gone. Yay!
One downside however, Terry discovered an oil leak at the bottom of the engine when it went up on the lift - looks like the rear main seal has a small leak. Holden will be getting a call on Monday.
Thanks to Terry and the boys at MCE for installing exactly what I wanted for a fair price. Their service and workmanship is the best.
Now, get the oil leak sorted, and then maybe a tune.....