TheSamba.com :: View topic - Re-Visiting Exhaust Recomendations

Thu Apr 03, 2014 12:38 pm

I am re-visiting a previous post but wanted to get your advice. I am wanting to get exhaust for my Beetle and replace it while I have the motor out to do the heads. However, I am on a tight budget. While I like the tri-mil exhaust, I can't seem to find it and want to save as much money as I can. The car is not a daily driver, but more of a weekend fun car that might get driven every once in a while to work. It currently has the "GT 4 tip" exhaust from Empi I'm almost certain. I am thinking about the GT 2 tip exhaust from Empi but have read that people either love or hate it. I did read about heat coming off of it. Wouldn't the heat be about the same from my current exhaust? I love the sound and look of the GT 2 tip and also love the price. Any suggestions?

Thu Apr 03, 2014 12:45 pm

The Tri-Mil Euro 2 tip is available from So Cal imports. Tri-Mil is actually a division of So Cal. I have that exhaust and love the sound.

Thu Apr 03, 2014 1:39 pm

I will check into it. I really like the tri-mil. It seems to give that traditional sound but a little deeper. I am just trying to see how much money I have after these heads, and stuff.

Thu Apr 03, 2014 3:59 pm

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Tri-Mil-Hotdog-Muffler-VW-Beetle-and-Ghia-p/tri-mil-hotdog.htm

the GT exhaust by EMPI(both 4 and 2 tip) have been proven to reduce performance, not really something you would want to do on a car that can barely keep up with modern traffic, so this is something you need to worry about when looking for sound and looks

either go back stock, or go trimil hotdog(EMPI stuff is 50/50 as to how long the muffler lasts)

Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:51 pm

I just installed a dansk muffler but put angled tips from empi....i know but for the price of the tips who cars of they rust. Just throw then out and buy new ones. Any ways i love the sound. All stock 1600 sound like a Harley at idle just quieter. Still has nice throaty sound when cruising.plus the larger tail pipe tips look cool hanging put past the bumper

Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:26 am

scottmc wrote: I just installed a dansk muffler but put angled tips from empi....i know but for the price of the tips who cars of they rust. Just throw then out and buy new ones. Any ways i love the sound. All stock 1600 sound like a Harley at idle just quieter. Still has nice throaty sound when cruising.plus the larger tail pipe tips look cool hanging put past the bumper

I have thought about Dansk as well. I have read that some people have issues installing Dansk. Did you run in to anything? Also, where did you buy it? I found a few Dansk ones on ebay.

Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:56 am

I got mine from fcpeuro.com in Connecticut. It was 99.95 buti also used a promo code for 5% off so it waswas 94 . As far as fitment it pissed me off at first but then realized if you put the rear cylinder nuts just started then start the pre heater bolts all goes well. Nothing is made perfect these days but i can honestly say this is pretty damn close. The heater connections took a little massaging also. I used a exhaust expander to open up the top connections for the fresh air fittings. One more thing the picture on the web site is wrong. 113251053ak should have the pre heat tube on drivers side but the one i received had it on the passenger. After calling they confirmed that their picture is wrong and said if it dosent fit they will send out another. Mine cleared the auto stick steel lines no problem. Free shipping on orders over 25$ . Also ordered kyb shocks and struts at half the price of all other vendors

Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:39 am

just came across this post and now Im frustrated....I bought a 70 stock bug with the 4 tip exhaust. Now I hear it robs the car of much needed power. The trimil sounds like the answer and I like the look, but from what I can tell, does not have preheater connections. I think I want this. The Empi version looks to have the preheater flanges, are they worth the effort, and do they help with performance?
Anyone have experience with them?

Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:41 am

I really wanted the look of the empi 2 tip gt exhaust in my beetle, would've looked great.
I was unsure about the rectangle shaped 4 into 1 collector so I decided to ask questions.
Here is the answer which includes REAL dyno results
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=588736

I decided against it. I will either go stock with the above mentioned tips or dual tuck away system.

Fri Apr 04, 2014 10:06 am

The tri-mil exhaust from So-Cal Imports has the pre-heat connections. The quality looks to be pretty good, and the Made in USA stamp is also good to see. I will install mine this weekend.

Fri Apr 04, 2014 11:27 am

hippy-60 wrote: just came across this post and now Im frustrated....I bought a 70 stock bug with the 4 tip exhaust. Now I hear it robs the car of much needed power. The trimil sounds like the answer and I like the look, but from what I can tell, does not have preheater connections. I think I want this. The Empi version looks to have the preheater flanges, are they worth the effort, and do they help with performance?
Anyone have experience with them?

the trimil I posted also has the preheat connections, and as with most exhausts nowadays, you may need to drill them out first

an original pacesetter Monza 4-tip is fine, it is the Empi version that ends up being crap, I think it has something to do with the internal piping of the muffler-I had an original pacesetter once(well my dad did), but it rusted out, so I threw on the EMPI version.....it sucked, sounded the same, just power was not there, it was then I decided to do research on it and found these claims the empi 4-tip is a step back, no proof like a dyno, but my foot really felt it

the Empi version of the trimil, is almost the same story, but in this case it just gets louder as apparently all the fiberglass sound insulator gets blown out-power doesn't seem to be affected

Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:17 pm

A year or 2 ago one of Europes top vw mags tested the performance of a good bunch of popular so-called perfomance exhausts on a dyno with a stock 1600 engine.The best bang-for-buck they found was using a an empi single glass pack..Dual quiet pack empi cost more and perform well.Turbo types work well on big-bore engine 1777 and up.
It seems in general all empis steel rust out pretty quick.The GT WITH TWIN CHROME TAILPIPES is alleged to REDUCE POWER AND TORQUE SO AVOID.

Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:47 pm

from the link 71StandardReduction posted

Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:09 pm

There was a similar header shoot out done by VW trends years ago and the TriMill dual tip gave very good results. we ran one on my wifes 61 bug for a while and the dyno results were good. I replaced it with a bug back single quiet pack and the numbers were almost identical.

Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:44 pm

I think I am going to get a Dansk exhaust for Herbie. I love the tri-mil but wouldn't mind it sounding stock. I love that sound anyways! :D Also, I found one for a good price! I will keep you posted as to if I get it!

Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:23 pm

Just ordered a Dansk exhaust for it, as well as some New Old Stock pea shooter tips! I got those for $16 on ebay!

I will write a review after it's installed!

Wed Apr 23, 2014 10:54 am

I drove the car for the first time with the Dansk exhaust. WOW! There is a HUGE difference in power. It is very peppy off the line (or should I say stop sign) now! It doesn't sound quite what I was hoping for, but from what I understand, that has to do with the pea shooters! It does have the traditional "tweeter" sound! I would definitely buy that exhaust again. My 4-tip EMPI exhaust becomes garage wall art!

Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:03 pm

If you want to get rid of the "whistle" a set of these will give a nice sound to a stock exhaust system.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/empi-chrome-exhaust-tips-for-55-74-volkswagen/p2006270.jcwx

Not saying you have to buy them here. This was the first place that popped up. A lot of places sell these or similar tips. 8)

Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:42 pm

SBD wrote: If you want to get rid of the "whistle" a set of these will give a nice sound to a stock exhaust system.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/empi-chrome-exhaust-tips-for-55-74-volkswagen/p2006270.jcwx

Not saying you have to buy them here. This was the first place that popped up. A lot of places sell these or similar tips. 8)

I did look at those! I might go for those in a few months. I love that traditional whistle sound that the bugs give out, but am wanting it a little more pronounced. I think I need to get the motor running decent so that I can truly see what it sounds like, but I might go for those. I have been wondering about them!

Wed Apr 23, 2014 1:50 pm

As I recall, they give the motor a bit of a throaty roar and get rid of the whistle entirely. Last time I had a set was in the early to mid 1990's so my memory might be a bit fuzzy though. :D I remember a friend of mine who was a VW dealership mechanic (air cooled stuff) said he liked them because they made the VW engine sound like an older Porsche.