The complete Megan Racing catback info thread. Pics, vids and dynos!

Since the other Megan Racing catback thread was getting a bit too large and cumbersome to navigate for information, here is the complete rundown in one place.

If you are either new to the forums, or have been under a rock for the last 6 months , Megan Racing and I have developed a catback for the Legacy GT. Visually it was inspired by the last gen BMW M5. Modest sized, staggered twin tips, a clean and classy european style look that I feel compliments the character of the LGT very well.

It is constructed completely from 304 stainless steel. The midpipe is 3" in diameter, and splits to 2.5" tubing at the y-pipe and finishes with staggered twin 2.25" tips. I'll let the pics do the talking here:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/P1000541.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/P1000539.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/P1000548.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/P1000551.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/P1000553.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/P1000552.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/MRcatbackV2007.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/MRcatbackV2008.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/MRcatbackV2012.jpg

We tried to keep the sound levels moderate. We wanted a nice boxer burble, but didn't want something that would annoy non-enthusiast passengers (like my wife! ) or wake up the neighbors. I think we achieved that since the final version got the seal of approval from my better half

Here are a couple vids. The vid on the dyno is a bit loud because even stock cars are loud on the dyno, but it gives you a good idea of the tone of the exhaust.

Vid on the dyno:

Megan Racing catback dyno vid video by Pisadong - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid6.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/0f26fcdc.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid6@@AMEPARAM@@6@@AMEPARAM@@y207/Pisadong/0f26fcdc

Stationary vid:

Megan Racing catback stationary vid video by Pisadong - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid6.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/1024c91c.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid6@@AMEPARAM@@6@@AMEPARAM@@y207/Pisadong/1024c91c

In-car with the windows down. Stationary:

Megan Racing catback in car revving video by Pisadong - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid6.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/0711062356.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid6@@AMEPARAM@@6@@AMEPARAM@@y207/Pisadong/0711062356

In-car, driver's window down, part throttle pull:

Megan Racing catback in car windows down video by Pisadong - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid6.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/2366cfc8.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid6@@AMEPARAM@@6@@AMEPARAM@@y207/Pisadong/2366cfc8

In-car, windows up, part throttle pull:

Megan Racing catback in car windows up video by Pisadong - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid6.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/0712060004.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid6@@AMEPARAM@@6@@AMEPARAM@@y207/Pisadong/0712060004

Last, but certainly not least are the dyno results. Whether or not the stock catback presents a restriction has been the issue of some debate here. The prevailing thought was that at higher power levels (read: big turbo) the stock catback presented a restriction, but that on the stock turbo you weren't losing much with the stock catback. Since no one has dynoed a catback as the ONLY change, no one really knew for sure. For this reason, and also because I believe in the design of the Megan Racing catback, I took my car to Harman Motive to dyno it in the name of science

For a little background, here is the mod list on my car engine-wise:

Perrin catless downpipe

PDE flex uppipe

Perrin turbo inlet hose

Perrin lightweight crank pulley

Perrin panel filter

Ecutek tune from Harman Motive (done when the car was completely stock)

Basically a normal Stage 2 car, like most members of this forum.

For the sake of being thorough, I had Dan Harman reflash my ECU with a very basic and ultra conservative Stage 2 map. We flashed up the new map and made 3 runs with the MR catback. We pulled the car off the dyno, swapped on the stock catback, let it cool for a hour or so and put it back on the dyno for another 3 runs. Nothing else was changed at all. The results both surprised me, and didn't surprise me at the same time.

The graphs represent the middle runs (powerwise) from both the MR catback and the stock catback:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/boostjunkie1.jpg

The overall numbers aren't overwhelming due to the Forrest Gump map (Rich and Retarded!). It is a shelf map for 91 octane. Dan figures that there is an easy 10-15 more hp and tq to be had, but that wasn't a concern for us in this test. What we wanted was a repeatable setup to show the effect of the catback.

What didn't surprise me is the peak to peak gains. About 3 whp and 11 tq. The top end tell me that the turbo doesn't have much more to give. However, what shocked me was the big gains at spool up and through the midrange. We are talking about nearly 30 lb/ft of torque and 17 whp as the turbo hits full spool at around 3000 rpms.

Here is another graph to illustrate how those gain hold out nicely till the turbo starts running out of steam around 5000 rpms:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/boostjunkie2.jpg

We still have a gain of 10 whp and 12 lb/ft.

Here is another illustrating the gains nearer to redline:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/Pisadong/boostjunkie3.jpg

I'm 100% sure that on a car with a bigger turbo the gains at the top end would be much more dramatic, but regardless, the MR catback doesn't lose power anywhere and give a tremendous gain in boost response and midrange power.

Thanks to Dan, Ian and the crew at Harman Motive for their help in getting this info for the community. You guys were great as always. Anyone near SoCal who needs tuning or work done on their car, you need look no further than Harman Motive.

Looks good from underneath, however one thing that scares me a tad is that if you go by the first two pictures it actually looks more "subtle" than stock. Perhaps its my monitor or just too dark in your the garage.

Matt

Looks good from underneath, however one thing that scares me a tad is that if you go by the first two pictures it actually looks more "subtle" than stock. Perhaps its my monitor or just too dark in your the garage.

 

Matt

They have much more impact in person. It seems as if no matter what the lighting conditions, my little point and shoot camera cannot convey what I see with my eyes.

looks nice. sounds nice. and yes, I have been under a rock for 6 months. How much?

MSRP is $699. I expect to be able to offer them for around $600 including shipping (which isn't exactly cheap for a box that big!)

MSRP is $699. I expect to be able to offer them for around $600 including shipping (which isn't exactly cheap for a box that big!)

Very reasonable... definately something to consider. looks waaaay better than a huge single tip "rocket".

wow, it looks like the exhaust will meet or exceed everyone's expectations!

any word on a wagon fitment?

Boostjunkie you've shown how to sell a product. Shame many other products don't come with this information from the get go. I am sure these will sell well.

They sound very good. Now I'm scared about going for an equal lenght header!!

Matt

wow, it looks like the exhaust will meet or exceed everyone's expectations!

 

any word on a wagon fitment?

The folks at Megan Racing want to see how well the sedan version sells before commiting to manufacturing a wagon version. The changes needed are simple, so really it's just a matter of time, maybe a couple months after the sedan version is released.

Just for the record I'm under the impression that the stock exhaust hangers were used for this catback as well?

I'd really like a more tucked look that I could probably acheive with some shorter hangers (i.e. kartboys) and a little modding.

Anywho I'm real interested in this exhaust now. The dual tip is really the big selling point for me.

I like the stainless, and the sound. How about an in car vid?

I still don't like the tips, but this is much MUCH better then before. They were simply too spaced out, looked tacked on and cheap. Bumping the tips up to 2.25 and putting them closer together really did improve things... but it still just doesn't look right. I think it's probably the fact that they're straight cut instead of rolled.

I've used Megan Racing before, and have had mixed feelings. This does look like a better product, and the price is right, especially for stainless. The dynos are nice to have too, though it would be nice to see 100% stock vs w/ catback, but hey, any dyno is better then no dyno!

Any word on when shipping starts?

Your dyno charts are fantastic!

Not a big fan of the quad tips only because of the bumper cutout, but I'ld buy one for $600 shipped if you had a wagon version.

I really like the fact that the downpipe (your Perrin) and midpipe are both full 3" and it doesn't start to neck down until the Y-pipe.

Will definitely be looking out your wagon version...

It has been mentioned a couple times how the tips would look better if they were placed higher. Realistically, since the cutouts taper inward towards the top and also taper as you move away from the face of the bumper, the tips are about as high as you can safely locate them. Any higher and they would practically be touching the inner part of the bumper cutouts. As is, there is only about 1/4"- 3/8" of clearance between the rearmost edges of the cutouts and the sides of the tips. Make the tips any larger in diameter and they would have to hang even lower.

If you look up pics of the Stromung catback, you will see how much lower they have to hang due to the large tips.

The pics really don't do it justice. It really looks great in person. Any of the SoCal guys who have seen it in person will attest to that.

ok, sell me your used one cause i don't wanna wait.

no, i'm serious. pm me if so. haha

thanks

I like the stainless, and the sound. How about an in car vid?

 

Any word on when shipping starts?

Ask and you shall receive . In-car vids added to the post with all the other vids.

As for when the catbacks get here, it should be 6-8 weeks.

It has been mentioned a couple times how the tips would look better if they were placed higher. Realistically, since the cutouts taper inward towards the top and also taper as you move away from the face of the bumper, the tips are about as high as you can safely locate them. Any higher and they would practically be touching the inner part of the bumper cutouts. As is, there is only about 1/4"- 3/8" of clearance between the rearmost edges of the cutouts and the sides of the tips. Make the tips any larger in diameter and they would have to hang even lower.

 

If you look up pics of the Stromung catback, you will see how much lower they have to hang due to the large tips.

 

The pics really don't do it justice. It really looks great in person. Any of the SoCal guys who have seen it in person will attest to that.

for Paul i seen and heard the exhaust in person, i personally like it alot!

Thanks for the in cars!

That doesn't sound much, if any, louder then the stock exhaust with the hog mod. I think that's definately something I could deal with.