Race Roots Single Exit

  • Race Roots Single Exit Exhaust

    Going back to my OEM exhaust after having an aftermarket exhaust for several months left me with a bit of a void. Of course, having the BHR midpipe installed on my car really gave me a unique sound, even with the OEM exhaust, there was the desire to really let that Rotary sound come through. After seeing what others have been using, and getting more competitive in autocross, I decided to not only get the sound I wanted, but also benefit from the significant weight reduction of the RR single exit exhaust.

  • Installation Contents

    • Race Roots Single Exit Exhaust
    • Circuit Sports Adjustable Hangers (2)
    • Car Chemistry Inserts (Optional)

  • Packaging

    I got a fantastic deal on this exhaust system from Brice over at Race Roots, and on top of that, the shipping was faster than I expected! Soon after I placed my order, the package was at my doorstep, well packed, with shiny insides :).

    The exhaust is in two light weight pieces, with an additional slip on tip that can be adjusted for aesthetic purposes. The total shipping weight is roughly 25lbs which is close to half that of the OEM exhaust system.

    The installation of the exhaust is no different than other exhausts, so I won't go into great detail on the removal of the OEM exhaust and the mounting of the piece of this exhaust. What I did want to point out though, is the tight manufacturing clearances that are great for those of us who have lowered cars and had trouble using other exhausts that had lower hanging pipes.

  • Using CC Inserts

    There is a common characteristic of single exit exhausts on the RX8.... they are LOUD. I knew this going into the project, so I had planned ahead. I have followed a product for a long time called CC Inserts by Car Chemistry. The idea behind the product is to create a slip in and weld on insert that directs the flow of exhaust gasses in the same manner that a muffler does.

    The great thing about the layout of the RX8 exhaust, is that there are very subtle bends. This is helpful because you will not have to weld in the insert. The first time I installed the insert, which must be placed with the short end towards the exhaust exit, I placed it right before the last bend before the muffler. After driving a bit, I decided to experiment with placement. I then moved the insert further up the exhaust and placed it after the midpipe. There is a bend in the intermediate pipe that helps hold the insert in place.

    After the first fireup, I was instantly amazed by the lack of idle drone in the cabin. Coming from testing out another aftermarket system, this was one step in the right direction. To make things clear, this didn't really reduce the interior noise. Unfortunately that is something that comes with using a 3" diameter pipe on a vehicle. What it did do though, is reduce the actual reverb/droning in the cabin that causes headaches after long drives.

  • Final Images

    The install was easy. No more than 30 minutes. What You will certainly need though is the adjustable hangers if you want the exhaust to sit properly. With the variable adjustment of the Circuit Sports hangers, you can tweak the angle to fit the exhaust shroud perfectly. The front hanger is set at the middle setting, while the rear hanger is on the lowest setting. This allowed the tip to perfectly fit.