Review My Berk Testpipe Review
02-06-2011, 09:22 PM
#1
My Berk Testpipe Review
Some of you may know that about 2 months ago i made a thread called "could infiniti make it any harder to instal test pipes". It was a failed attempt trying to instal these, in 4 hours i broke one bolt... Anyways onto to some success and tips so you dont deal with what i did.
Tip 1) PB BLASTER!! the first time i attempted this i used WD-40, and could NOT undo either of the bolts you access through the engine bay (i broke one with an impact gun on the passenger side). I soaked all the bolts (and o2 sensors) with a generous amount of PB Blaster, and every 15 minutes or so just resprayed them. We got all the bolts under the car, and the driver side bolt accessed through the engine bay in ONE PUSH.
Tip 2) Use 1/2" extensions. I used 2 10" 1/2" extensions and a 2 foot torque wrench
Tip 3) Use a o2 Sensor remover socket. I removed the cats, then put them in a vice grip and removed the o2 sensors, with the pb blaster it took one push of the torque wrench to undo them.
Tip 4) Stripped bolt extractor. The hardest bolt was the drivers side through the engine bay, mainly because we stripped it attempted to use a impact gun. i went to home depot, for 30 bucks bought a set of stripped bolt extractors (basically a socket with teeth). The socket gripped the bolt and it only took one turn to undo it, they are a life saver
Tip 5) I reccommend using anti sieze on all the bolts you replace incase you need ro remove them for the future, youll thank yourself later. I got some from canadian tire for 9.95.
NOW a quick review. Test pipes are about half the weight of the stock cats.
They sounds great, the stock exhaust is noticably louder on a cold start but not too much longer at normal idle.
At WOT they are pretty easily heard, just sounds like a woosh noise (hard to explain haha). and if you accelerate from around 1-3k revs fast, you can hear them.
Since the exhaust is no longer filtered, it SMELLS sweet (unburnt gas). the smell is very noticable if your car is warming up in the garage ect but not when your moving. DRONE is noticable when cruising at low rpm (1-2K) i notice it mostly at very slow accelerating around 1.5k. I have not noticed much drone at highway speed (i dont drive highway all that much).
RASP is slightly noticable around heavy accelration, but nothing major at all. Personally i like the drone, slight rasp and smell, it makes me feel like ive brought some life to the exhaust. But dyno says wohoo but thats likley just from the increased sound. Now some pics and a very crappy iphone 3g video (im the guy smelling the exhaust)
YouTube - G37 stock exhaust with Berk test pipes
The video is horrible quality, ill try taking another with my iphone 4 this week
Tip 1) PB BLASTER!! the first time i attempted this i used WD-40, and could NOT undo either of the bolts you access through the engine bay (i broke one with an impact gun on the passenger side). I soaked all the bolts (and o2 sensors) with a generous amount of PB Blaster, and every 15 minutes or so just resprayed them. We got all the bolts under the car, and the driver side bolt accessed through the engine bay in ONE PUSH.
Tip 2) Use 1/2" extensions. I used 2 10" 1/2" extensions and a 2 foot torque wrench
Tip 3) Use a o2 Sensor remover socket. I removed the cats, then put them in a vice grip and removed the o2 sensors, with the pb blaster it took one push of the torque wrench to undo them.
Tip 4) Stripped bolt extractor. The hardest bolt was the drivers side through the engine bay, mainly because we stripped it attempted to use a impact gun. i went to home depot, for 30 bucks bought a set of stripped bolt extractors (basically a socket with teeth). The socket gripped the bolt and it only took one turn to undo it, they are a life saver
Tip 5) I reccommend using anti sieze on all the bolts you replace incase you need ro remove them for the future, youll thank yourself later. I got some from canadian tire for 9.95.
NOW a quick review. Test pipes are about half the weight of the stock cats.
They sounds great, the stock exhaust is noticably louder on a cold start but not too much longer at normal idle.
At WOT they are pretty easily heard, just sounds like a woosh noise (hard to explain haha). and if you accelerate from around 1-3k revs fast, you can hear them.
Since the exhaust is no longer filtered, it SMELLS sweet (unburnt gas). the smell is very noticable if your car is warming up in the garage ect but not when your moving. DRONE is noticable when cruising at low rpm (1-2K) i notice it mostly at very slow accelerating around 1.5k. I have not noticed much drone at highway speed (i dont drive highway all that much).
RASP is slightly noticable around heavy accelration, but nothing major at all. Personally i like the drone, slight rasp and smell, it makes me feel like ive brought some life to the exhaust. But dyno says wohoo but thats likley just from the increased sound. Now some pics and a very crappy iphone 3g video (im the guy smelling the exhaust)
YouTube - G37 stock exhaust with Berk test pipes
The video is horrible quality, ill try taking another with my iphone 4 this week
02-06-2011, 11:19 PM
#3
it for sure louder, my girlfriend was in my car and i started and she said "Steven... you said it wasent THAT much louder...". Shes not really into the car stuff haha. If i remember tomorrow morning ill put my phone behind my car and start it up.
02-07-2011, 12:23 AM
#4
Spot on review of the installation. I put my own set of Berk HFC's about 2 months ago and agree with you on all counts, except that I was able to get the passenger side engine compartment bolt off incredibly easily. The drivers side one was a HUGE PITA. I first soaked it in PB and wd-40 and tried using an impact gun with no success. Then I used a bolt extracting kit because the gun stripped the bolt, one 2ft extender, a 3ft breaker bar and a healthy portion of MAN and could not at all get that thing off. I went as far as laying under my car with an angle grinder contemplating how I would saw through the stock cat. I ended up just taking it to an exhaust shop and having them do it. They had to use a freaking blowtorch and a high powered impact gun and some crazy extracting kit to get the bolt off.
Nice review again.
Nice review again.
02-07-2011, 12:27 AM
#5
Spot on review of the installation. I put my own set of Berk HFC's about 2 months ago and agree with you on all counts, except that I was able to get the passenger side engine compartment bolt off incredibly easily. The drivers side one was a HUGE PITA. I first soaked it in PB and wd-40 and tried using an impact gun with no success. Then I used a bolt extracting kit because the gun stripped the bolt, one 2ft extender, a 3ft breaker bar and a healthy portion of MAN and could not at all get that thing off. I went as far as laying under my car with an angle grinder contemplating how I would saw through the stock cat. I ended up just taking it to an exhaust shop and having them do it. They had to use a freaking blowtorch and a high powered impact gun and some crazy extracting kit to get the bolt off.
Nice review again.
Nice review again.
man sounds like you had a rough time with that bolt, i used 2 1/2" extentions, and a 2 foot long torque wrench, we pick the stripped bolt extractor socket on , fit it in (by wiggling it so the teeth could dig in). I push forward on the torque wrench to keep it on the bolt, and my friend turn it... took one turn. Pb blaster helps will everything though. You just got a ****ty bolt
02-07-2011, 12:48 AM
#12
Yeah, I was doing everything I could to get that guy off. I set everything up so I could put the breaker bar on my shoulder then stand and use my legs to break it. Obviously didn't work, and I'm a runner with pretty strong legs. It really sucked and I was completely exhausted and frustrated, so I gave in. I should have asked the shop if I could have the bolt as a trophy or something.
And I get a little bit of drone that I'm starting to notice now, it's really not that big of a deal especially when I have the music pumped up.
And I get a little bit of drone that I'm starting to notice now, it's really not that big of a deal especially when I have the music pumped up.
02-07-2011, 12:50 AM
#13
Yeah, I was doing everything I could to get that guy off. I set everything up so I could put the breaker bar on my shoulder then stand and use my legs to break it. Obviously didn't work, and I'm a runner with pretty strong legs. It really sucked and I was completely exhausted and frustrated, so I gave in. I should have asked the shop if I could have the bolt as a trophy or something.
And I get a little bit of drone that I'm starting to notice now, it's really not that big of a deal especially when I have the music pumped up.
And I get a little bit of drone that I'm starting to notice now, it's really not that big of a deal especially when I have the music pumped up.
