Tuning Sports exhaust for 1.2 16V ?

[bluejohn125]

Does anyone have any experience or recommendations for a sensible sports exhaust on a 1.2 Brava / Bravo?

Some time soon I'll need a new system - the backbox has a couple of small holes (after I tried to tidy up some rusty lumps!). I had the whole 1-piece unit done by National tyres in summer 2007 so I can't complain - I think it was a high quality TI item.

I've priced up systems supply only or fitted... there are one or two dead cheap ones on ebay, a few around the £90 mark and trade suppliers can do a full-on Klarius (formerly TI) for around £180. But my local National tyres also quoted to fit a Klarius for £180 including 20% discount.

However one option seems to be a Sportex system -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-BRAV...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item256a013e62

They are a reasonable price for obviously not a top-notch system, but it might be interesting to try one just to be different. They do backboxes with 3" and 4" (silly) tailpipes. The idea would be to sportify the sound a bit but obviously not imitate a bazzed-up Corsa, and I wouldn't want to LOSE performance with a poor design.

So does anyone have any experience of Sportex or general benefits (or not) of a sports exhaust / backbox on these cars? Other posts on the forum concerning Sportex give mixed opinions - some say too loud, some say not loud just deeper. I don't know if that engine is actually restricted by the standard exhaust, since it's basically the same as for the bigger 1.4 and 1.6 engines.

Any comments?

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

http://www.ultersport.de/offer/dedicated/59/fiat_bravo/105

Choose from 8 different shapes, about 130 GBP shipped home!
It's for the 1,4 and 1,6, but it'll fit the 1,2 as well.
I have an Ultersport on my Alfa GT, and am very pleased with it.

http://new.ulter.com.pl/offer/dedicated/59/fiat_bravo/105

 

[CFREITAS]

hi mate


get one custom made.

my bravo 1.2 sounded awesome with a straight pipe with k&N. gets a bit juicy on fuel

 

[bluejohn125]

I'm not really interested in a big backbox or custom system, was just considering a reasonably priced system matched to the car that wouldn't sound crap and wouldn't spoil the performance / fuel consumption.

 

[CFREITAS]

they all spoil the performance unless you go all the way and get the car remapped


best to get a brand new standard exaust and fit the chrome tips

 

[bridges]

if keeping the cat and only going cat back then should not really touch the performance as some back pressure is kept some low torque might be compromised but will rev better top end as gases release better, doubt there would be much more than a couple of extra bhp though.

usually this causes fuel usage as you drive to the sound
I know what you mean you want a bit of noise on heavy throttle and possibly a deeper sound but no mid range booming associated with kev corsa's.

hope some people give some experiences

 

[bridges]

if keeping the cat and only going cat back then should not really touch the performance as some back pressure is kept some low torque might be compromised but will rev better top end as gases release better, doubt there would be much more than a couple of extra bhp though.

usually this causes fuel usage as you drive to the sound
I know what you mean you want a bit of noise on heavy throttle and possibly a deeper sound but no mid range booming associated with kev corsa's.

hope some people give some experiences

 

[Bravo16VSpoonz]

its a shame we dont always have that one person that can weld, i had loads of exhaust on my bravo, your best bet would be to buy an original system, buy a back box off fleabay, give it to a garage and get them to weld the back box to the original system, that would be what id do.

 

[m20b25]

I agree with Chris

I had several exhausts for the crack on my car.

Best to stick with an OEM spec exhaust, unless you plan a decat or a manifold swap then a sports exhaust won't do that much

 

[bluejohn125]

Well the backbox finally fell off on Saturday, broke off at the front joint and dragged along the ground for 5 (careful) miles. Couldn't get the mounting prongs out of the rear rubber block at the roadside, so had to hacksaw them off when I got home. Surprisingly there was practically no increase in noise without the backbox with normal driving....

I considered the Sportex option but they do seem to be noisy, so I went for a top-spec Klarius from National Tyres, £189 fitted with 3 year warranty and including a 20% voucher discount. I fitted a Klarius front pipe last year so I didn't want to go with a cheapo option and possibly lose power for the sake of saving a few quid. It sounds a bit "hollower" than the old one (also from National Tyres 5 years ago) but I'm happy with it overall.

National are a good outfit but look out for the vouchers to get decent discounts / prices.

 

[Courty89]

This is a little late but I can confirm that the sported system is noisy, as mentioned before dont bother with one unless your decating or getting a 4branch mani, this is on my car and my experiance is at low revs is gutless, the power band is shifted upwards to help it breath better at high revs, which it does, cruising at 70 on the motorway can be ear defaning so i find my self doing 80+ to save my ears and I haven't got a decay or mani yet, my advice if someone wants a cat back for the sound but lower noise levels have a cat back made with the same diameter centre pipe as a standard system, I made one 3 years ago with a citreon ax centre pipe, ford Granada straight through back box, a pipe bender and a welder, removed the resonator box ans the silencer before the rear wheel and it sounds great and crackles above 3500rpm bet the noise isent to loud, only down side is power drops off from 5500rpm but the mid range and low range is great