Race Roots Single Exit
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.
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.
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.
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.
Race Roots Single Exit Exhaust
Installation Contents
Packaging
Using CC Inserts
Final Images