Installed Tanabe Medalion Touring - have some concerns
 

After years of debate I finally pulled the trigger and purchased a Tanabe Medalion Touring exhaust.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...a596d9d3eb.jpg
All bright and shiny

The installation was straight forward, although I twisted off the upper stud at the Cat. I drove the broken stud out and replaced with a bolt and nut, no big deal.

I am a little disappointed at the fitment. The drivers side tip is perfectly centered, but the passenger side tip is off to the left a little. I loosened all the connections and wiggled things around, but this is where it wants to sit.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...ff6c2f7134.jpg
Drivers side, looks good

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...bbdac8bc39.jpg
Passenger side - off to the left


After the installation I started the car and immediately had concerns. Wow this thing was loud !! I took it for a short drive and it had a mind numbing booming from 2K to 4K then it quieted out nicely. I drove it for about 1/2 hour, returned home and was seriously thinking about selling it on Ebay.

I drove it the next day and it was considerably better. It's not my imagination, my wife noticed that it was quieter also. I've probably got 3 hours of running time on it now and it seems to have quieted down a little bit more, but I still find that the 2-4K engine range is tiring. After driving for an hour, every time I start from a stop the run from 2 to 4K is boomy and obnoxious.

I know this kind of thing is subjective, and one person's loud is another person's quiet, but the jury is still out on this exhaust for me.

I will say that outside of the 2-4K range the Tanabe is absolutely perfect. Once on the highway and not under load there is a quiet, pleasant exhaust tone that I like. Strangely, the higher the engine RPM's get the quieter this exhaust gets. And there is no doubt that engine load is a big factor on how boomy it is from 2-4K RPM. After driving for a while I find myself trying to do slow accelerations between 2-4K to avoid the booming. That just isn't right in an S2K...

My car is 100% stock, no test pipe or HFC.

Does anyone else have an experience like this, and can I expect the Tanabe to continue to quiet down after I drive it some more ?

My exhaust has been on the car since 2005 and it's entirely possible there have been changes in the design or construction since then. Seems all affordable aftermarket exhausts have some drone in that band. I certainly notice the noise on startup especially since we back all our cars into the garage. And it quiets down as the exhaust heats up (for reasons I don't understand).

Your experience matches the experience I had with the Invidia Q300 and I did more than just "think about" selling it. :) Replaced with the Tanabe Medalion Touring which does not exhibit the same noise level but the Q300 was "headache loud" and the Medalion Touring naturally seems quieter by comparison -- never was able to compare it to OEM.

I'm running a Berk high flow cat (passed Ohio smog 3 times) and the car is Gernby tuned. Not sure either of those affect the sound.

I think you can bend reform the hangers on the muffler and adjust the hangers (there's a couple of ways to fit the 3-hole hangers) for a more centered fit at the bumper.

Noise is always subjective. My wife think the car is LOUD!

-- Chuck

If the Tanabe Medallion bothers you, go back to stock, there's no other exhaust in the aftermarket segment that will make you happy.

Consider uk mod of stock exhaust. My suggestion is to go small, since you aren't trying to cheaply mimic a super loud aftermarket system, which is what it sems most that do uk mod are after.

Most of those guys do 38mm or 44mm bypass pipe. I suggest for you to go 1", 25mm. If that is still too loud, I can show you how to dampen it significantly. Can tune to your preference.

With this mod to uk mod you can go quieter, but not louder. But you also don't want to use it to make a large change in volume. In other words, don't just go 38mm assuming you can make as quiet as you want from there. Start close to where you think you should be.

The mod involves cutting a slice in the uk bypass pipe and sliding in a stainless washer with center hole drilled to a tuned size. Experiment with larger and smaller holes. Use hose clamp to temp hold in place. Once it sounds perfect driving around in all situations for a while, lock washer in place with weld or even just use jb weld. Washer fits so tightly into slot not much to seal.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...a5e1ca72ca.jpg
Here is how mine fits' you can see before the older exhaust I had melted the right side tip. I can tell you it's the best exhaust I have heard on an S2000 it's very quite compared to others no drone and opens up well.

This is a real Tanabe Revel Medallion Touring not a remake. Can't beat the OG

Maybe it's manufactured differently under the Revel brand? I'm not sure. Many reported no drone and fitment is spot on, which was all under the original Tanabe brand. But from OP's picture, fitment is obviously not spot on, and so is the drone.

I also got a Tanabe (under the new Revel brand) for another car that I own. It's a stock car, and the exhaust produced a pretty bad drone in the lower RPM cruising range. Prior to getting this, I was thinking about getting it for my S2K, but now I will definitely not consider it anymore.

PS I also noticed on the box (under the now Revel brand) that it no longer indicates it is made in Japan anymore.

Might want to look into a Fujitsubo if you are looking for a "gentleman's exhaust", you will have no trouble selling the Revel if needed. Good luck.

Oh, I'm liking that idea !! If needed I could block the whole thing off with a solid slug.

Thanks for posting your idea, looks like I'm off on a new adventure

Fujitsubo is your best choice if you could still find one to buy in North America, or maybe a used one. I've been using it since 2003 and no drone at all.

For the uk mod mod I used a sawzall to cut a slot half way through the uk bypass pipe. Then I bought stainless fender washers from Lowes. Used the ones with smallest hole available, 5/16" I believe. Washer OD matches uk mod bypass pipe OD, in my case 1.5". But you could use larger washer and grind to size.

Even if you find washer with OD that perfect matches your uk pipe OD, you still have to grind it to fit. Need to grind half the diameter of washer to match uk bypass ID. The washer OD ends up with a sort of keyhole shape.

The sawzall slot ends up being just smaller than washer thickness. So you have to hammer and large channel lock pliers force into place. That's a good thing, as it means it won't come loose, rattle, makes better seal, etc.

But you still need to use a hose clamp to hold in place, as once exhaust heats up washer can still fall out (don't ask me how I know!) If you need to remove one to try a different hole size, you can hammer the edge with a screwdriver to get it to slide out a little, then grab with vise grips and wiggle it out.

Once you're good with sound level, weld or jb weld in place.

Or just keep the hose clamp so you can retune for special occasions, etc. You'd want to add something to seal the slot along with the hose clamp for such long term use. Like maybe some

This has to be the most helpful post I've ever read on S2Ki !!

Thanks so much, I'll let you know how it turns out.

WOW I'm really bummed to hear this!
I recently purchased a GReddy Supreme SP exhaust and while the look, fitment, and deep throaty sound in between shifts and at VTEC sounds UHmazing the drone from like ~2K-4K is HORRIBLE (subjective).
For reference I had the prior version GReddy SP Elite exhaust on my RSX Type S and I freakin' loved it...made all the right sounds and no drone at all! Perhaps open top motoring would have a different effect?

In search for a better option and initial recommendations from your previous thread I hopped on the Tanabe Revel Medallion Touring which arrived today.
Based on your feedback I'm complementing not even opening it and returning (yep I'll have to eat the shipping cost:egads:).

Looks like back to stock for me...

That's a tough call. As you noted, loud is subjective. What I consider boomy and obnoxious might be just what you are looking for, who knows.

If you choose to install it post back with your impressions

You would likely like the Mugen exhaust.

After lots of reading and YT videos, I also settled on the Medalion. This is the first review I have seen that mentioned a drone at all. Perhaps there has been a design change, as someone else theorized.

Mine won't be here for a couple months, but now I'll be worried about it!

That is just as or even more quiet than OEM, theses cars make greats noises with the right parts.

A nice sound need not be loud and obnoxious.

hey I would buy it off from you.

hey so download a decibel sound app on your phone, and while you are in the “drone” rpm area let’s say in 4th gear, press the gas , see what the highest decibel reading you get. I have a hks 3 inch single and from 3k to 4K the drone is at 94 db. Which is loud!

I have similar results on my otherwise stock '04. Really loud at low rpms, great otherwise. My fit appears somewhat better than yours, but right side is off just a bit. I'm waiting to see if my wife can stand it long term. It does seem to have boosted power noticeably, which I did not expect. Highway noise is excellent, but I do a lot of low speed driving on backroads and low rpm resonance is borderline unacceptable. I listened to an older Tanabe system on an AP1 before purchasing, and did not hear any resonance at all. Has Revel changed things?

I cycled through alot of different exhausts too, and finally settled on Tanabe. It was happy with the loudness and lack of highway drone. I was stock other than the exhaust. If this is too loud for you, I don't think your going to find anything quieter. Consider going back to stock.

Maybe try a stock intake if you have a CAI on. You'd be surprised how much that helps low end torque and quiets things down.

Does anyone have feedback on the HKS Exhaust Hi Power 409SS.

My '07 came with it and the K&N cold air intake. I like the sound, it's not obnoxious, not too loud and doesn't have the low RPM loud drone....at 3k to 5k cruising it's got a nice pleasing tone.

I, too, just last weekend installed the Revel Touring on my '04. I was waiting on it for months like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. And I, too, am dissatisfied with it so far. My fit is far better than yours (actually it looks so good that alone is almost reason to keep it), but it's super boomy right at 2K. When I first installed it I did a Berk HFC at the same time. The first time I started the car cold, it settled at the high RPM idle for warm-up right at the resonate frequency of the exhaust. Holy cow, I literally almost needed to exit the car or shut it off. I drove it for about 35 miles and have since removed the HFC, replacing it instead with the stock cat. That has made it somewhat more tolerable, but I agree that low-RPM boom is just annoying. I also agree that anywhere else in the rev range it's totally awesome. Steady-state cruise it's barely louder than stock. But put any load on the engine and it gets a little too boomy for my taste. I'm bummed because I also sampled other exhausts at C+C and the Medallion seemed the most civilized. Now I'm thinking about going to stock with the HFC--maybe that's just enough extra noise? I do think the stock car is just too quiet, like a sewing machine LOL! Fingers crossed that mileage will mellow the exhaust a touch. It still smells terrible after I drive so I know stuff is still burning off inside.

Just installed a Tanabe Medallion and I actually think it’s too quiet. Was hoping that the higher RPMs would be louder. Maybe I’ll add a high flow cat.

Also, based on my research, almost ALL exhausts have drone from 2-4k. There is NO exhaust that is louder and not have a drone. Drone comes with the game!

To me the high-RPM behavior is perfect because above about 6K the intake noise still wins out over the exhaust noise (at least inside the car). @Yeej's review is just proof-positive this is all so subjective LOL! I keep meaning to have my daughter rip by me in the car because I'm guessing from outside it sounds pretty glorious. My wife will hate it no matter what, though....

OP, if you think the medalion/medallion is too loud you will NOT have success with other exhausts unless you get your hands on a gernby or asm. The design has been bought out by a different company (maybe renegade?) and may have affected quality but my experience witht he medallion was that it was ever so slightly louder than the uk mod and by far quieter than any offerings from invidia, hks, and greddy.

Have you tried with a stock sized///exhaust sized test pipe? that may help the exhaust flow more freely throughout the system.

This has been my experience EXACTLY. I didn't mention the 2K high idle boom for the sake of brevity, but holy cow is it there.

One other observation related to your comment about the stink as things are burning off inside. Many of the posts I read in the past about this exhaust mention white smoke as it is first run. I have never had a bit of smoke, white or otherwise. This is is one more piece of the puzzle that indicates something is different about these new exhausts compared to the old ones.

Is yoursan older, used one you picked up, or a new Revel branded version like they are talking about in this thread?

Sorry, forgot to clarify. I bought mine used. It’s most likely an older model. And the drone at 2-4k can be slightly annoying but I’ve gotten used to it. It definitely could be a little louder up top. I’ve had my fair share of after market exhausts on different cars and the Tanabe is super quiet for an aftermarket exhaust.

I think drone and loudness are different things. I don't think the Medallion is loud either. In my other car that I installed the Revel Medallion exhaust, I recorded around 70-80db inside the cabin when it drones. By the numbers, that definitely is not loud. But when it drones, it's that boomy/bassy low frequency noise that gets into the eardrum and brain that is making people feel uncomfortable.

good god I would love a 70-80db drone!!! I’m at 93 db currently smh

He confirmed his is actually an older, used model. So if anything, his testimony only adds to the theory that something in the design or construction has changed along with change in supplier.

For those who have the new revel branded exhausts, can you post a sound clip or video to help us understand what this 2-4k boominess is like?

I doubt a sound clip would help much. The tone is such a low pitch that I'm guessing most portable recording equipment won't pick up the boominess and phones won't be able to play it back.

I assume these 'Revel' exhausts are relatively new, as I picked up a brand new one this time last year that was shipped from Japan that was completely branded as Tanabe.

The drone is something I picked up on, and it was way worse when the exhaust was new. It's now lessened I've put a 1000 miles on the car, but is still there. I've simply modified my driving style slightly as it's very throttle dependant when in the 2-3k range. (Exhaust temp also affects it, as the exhaust heats up the drone goes away but the top end gets louder)

In regards to fitment, I threw mine on expecting to struggle but it bolted up perfectly on the hangers.

I installed a brand new "revel" tanabe in april. I love it, my fitment is also slightly off on the passenger side but I assumed i just needed to adjust it a little more, i haven't messed with it, so can't confirm if i have fitment issues or not. I love the sound of it, it is deep and loud on cold start, but calms down once warmed up. I enjoy the deep sound at low rpm, and at cruising speed it is extremely quiet and WOT sounds great. Mine is paired now with a 63.5 berk TP, flashpro "stock" tune, and CT engineering ice box. Everyone compliments me on the sound of the S2000 w/ these mods.

I recently installed the Revel Medallon on my AP1 along with a Berk HFC. No drone whatsoever. I do have a little fitment issue with the driver side tailpipe and will bend the hanger to adjust. This is a minor issue I've had on other aftermarket exhaust systems. This car is supercharged FWIW. Before supercharging I had installed an Invidia Q300 and loved that exhaust on a stock car. After supercharging, the Invidia became loud and obnoxious. I love the Revel Medallion on my setup.

S2k Tanabe exhaust
 

I got the same exhaust on my AP1 a few years ago. With the test pipe on it gets really loud when you get anywhere past 4K RPM. For normal driving around town it's very livable. I had it professionally installed and it fits great. With the stock catalytic converter it was quiet as a stock car. This car is super charged and the exhaust that came on it was an Invidia unit that was ungodly loud even with a secondary resonator installed on it. Anybody need an Invidia system?

"A few years ago" means you should've gotten the original Tanabe exhaust, not the new Revel branded Tanabe that the OP is talking about. The new one fits and sounds differently vs original Tanabe version, at least according to OP's description.

...but its a very good point about cat impact on loudness with non stock exhaust.

On a stock exhaust, stock cat vs hfc vs tp has a barely detectible impact on volume. But even if you just do a uk mod, then cat type makes a very significant difference. Moreso on aftermarket exhaust.

So comparing two cars with same aftermarket system, you have to also know what type of cat they have.

We're assuming my too loud is your too quiet. But it could also be my hfc makes the same system too loud (vs your stock cat and same aftermarket system), not our sensitivities to volume.

Lets make sure we're comparing apples to apples with the same type of catalytic converter.

HKS SSM has zero drone. Zero. Nothing.

I've got that same HKS....Killerbee is right!

So how much is no drone at cold start worth? That HKS SSM is +$1200 over the Medallion, new for new....

That SSM is amazing, I seriously considered it before deciding on the Tanabe instead. I just couldn't justify the extra cost after already spending $1100 (CAD) on the Tanabe.

I was lucky .....The '07 I bought 3 years ago already had the HKS SSM installed....That's one of the reasons i wanted that particular car.....I didn't realize how expensive they've gotten.

It's not the "drone" at cold start that the OP and I were worried about. In fact I'm pretty sure every exhaust at cold start experiences "drone" (honestly, I'm not sure I would even classify this as drone) to some degree before the car warms up.
It's the casual around town or highway cruising in the 2K-4K RPM range when you're not accelerating that was our chief complaint. My ears were ringing with my GReddy.
The HKS SSM while expensive really has caught my attention. @killerbee_vr6 and @GregS48 can you confirm at this level of the power band under casual driving conditions that drone does not exist? In addt., do either of you have a HFC and care to comment on what impact that had to overall sound?

Upon further evaluation one thing I noticed is that the "muffler-less" design of the HKS appears to share some similarities of the "twin loop" stock set up.
I'm sure somebody much smarter than myself can explain the engineering behind the stock exhaust system "twin loop" design and how that factors into sound and mitigating drone.

I appreciate the help fellas as my exhaustive search (no pun intended:tipwink: ) to find the "perfect" exhaust continues...


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...e6e6e6859b.png

Mine is a new Revel-branded exhaust. I am using a K&N filter element in the stock intake/filter system. The 2-4K range issue is more loudness than drone. It is like an on/off switch. Unfortunately the 2004 cold idle setting is right in the middle of the loud range, so it resonates in my garage when I fire it up. As others have noted, the loudness is very throttle dependent. It changes the way you drive the car. I find that I tend to wind it out more in part-throttle situations because it is quieter that way. After 200 miles it seems better, but I may just be getting used to it. I think the smell finally disappeared after a rainy trip down NC209 yesterday.

Summary so far - much louder off idle than I anticipated from listening to an older version on an AP1, but does sound good everywhere else. The stock system is hanging on my garage wall, but I have no plans to change back.

The system is gorgeous and very high quality.

My system should be delivered in the next few days. I'm curious if this kit included everything needed for install. Anything NOT included that I might need? Or OEM parts that get re-used that are likely to break or just wise to replace when installing the new exhaust.

thanks for any info you can share.

This is the HKS exhaust that came on the '07 when I bought it 3 years ago....running with the stock cat....https://danaport.com/products/hks-02...gn=sag_organic

It has a nice tone at all throttle positions, and it's not too loud.

Here's even a better price....$651.98....free shipping. https://www.autohance.com/hks-hi-power-exhaust-32003-ah007.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwmK6IBhBqEiwAocMc8vucvb9NF qHXCgzHs9Wl27vbK9c_ZYNtr0gFsRamC4sf-XFWVT9CjBoCk1gQAvD_BwE

Even better price!!....$618....https://www.evasivemotorsports.com/store/product/hks-hi-power-exhaust-honda-s2000-00-2005-dual-exhaust/?gclid=CjwKCAjwmK6IBhBqEiwAocMc8j4Ad_XbzITkpwy_VzA 4_rjqdtj_MaMiTBkr3YyhXQlfZpTSqMxjjBoCGAEQAvD_BwE

Everything came with my earlier kit -- no mention of missing parts for the current version.

Getting the OEM exhaust off the catalytic converter is often difficult. I soaked the nuts with PB Plaster several times and several days before attempting the exhaust swap. The top bolt is often very difficult.

Remove the rear wheels to ease installation -- gotta be on jackstands or a lift. Drop the exhaust rear to front otherwise if you disconnect it from the front the exhaust tips will pivot up and get stuck behind the bumper. (Guess how I know this,) There's a chassis cross bar that has to come out. There's a Mighty Car Mods video from several years ago when they were still in the driveway. Easy peasy hour job including prep and cleanup. I've done it by myself but a helper is always nice.

OEM parts? Your hangers should be good and new gaskets should be in the kit. Slip the hangers off with some WD40 or other spray lubricant. Bolt everything loosely until you're happy with the tip placement and nothing is rubbing underneath.

Don't forget to post the before and after photos!

-- Chuck

I started soaking the converter flange nuts with penetrating oil several days/weeks ahead. I had no problems getting these off, but others have reported breaking the stud, so be careful. These are 16mm nuts, the only time I have encountered this size. My Kobalt wrenches include this size, but Craftsman and others do not.

I bought new rubber hanger parts, figuring that the old ones would be brittle and need replacement. Turned out that the originals were fine. Cleaned them off, squirted some preserver on them and reused. Rear muffler hangars change from two holes on the bottom to one, but they seem to hang straight enough. Best way to get hangars off is to spray them with silicone and just muscle them off with your hands. I put a jack under the Y and a block under the front during removal.

Be sure to take the rear wheels off first thing. No access otherwise!

The good news is that the 2-4K seems to be getting better, or I'm getting more deaf. System actually seems quieter at 4-6K than stock, so I tend to wind it out more. Also more power gain than I expected. Easy to get 2nd gear rubber in Vtec!

As my original contact said, installation is "a piece of cake." Stock system is heavy, and it is worth $1000 new, so it is worth hanging on to if you have room.

Good luck!

If you have the room it costs nothing to hang on to it. I kept my OE exhaust in my shed for a couple of years and couldn't give it away and it's all one piece so shipping is out of the question. Sold the tips but the rest went on the curb when I was moving and da boss directed me to get rid of it.

-- Chuck

Revel Medallion Touring installed
 

EDIT: first of all, THANKS to the OP and other folks for all the invaluable info here.

Pics and initial thoughts on this exhaust now that it's on my car.

Build quality -- awesome.
Unboxing and unwrapping all these pieces was a pleasure, nothing damaged, nothing missing. I'm sure that would be the case with most brand-name aftermarket systems. Still though, I was impressed. One thing to note, I don't believe this is made in Japan any longer. Previous systems were stamped "Made in Japan", but these are not. They have the same plate on each part with the name and model number of the system, but no indication where they were manufactured. So my guess is NOT in Japan or the US, otherwise they would say so.

Install -- dead simple.
As others have noted, getting the old system off is likely to be the most difficult step. I got 3 new converter nuts from Honda while they were soaking in PB Blaster, just in case I had to cut any off as my first attempt at removing them met with some serious resistance. They soaked for a couple days and eventually did come off without anything breaking. Isn't it such a huge relief when you hear that sound of a nut or bolt releasing after struggling and cursing? I felt like throwing a party after the last one came off.

One thing about the install... each bolt had a flat washer, lock washer and nut. I would have preferred TWO flat washers so that I could go Bolt Head - Flat Washer - Mated Flanges - Flat Washer - Lock Washer - Nut. It's a minor gripe and probably of no consequence.

Anyways, pictures! The new mufflers are so small!
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/attachme...1&d=1628777314

I fiddled around for too long trying to get each side just right, and realized this is why it's best if I do NOT have help when doing this stuff. Even a good friend would walk away after an hour of adjusting and measuring with a micrometer and laser level. Eventually I tightened it all up and got the car on the ground.
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/attachme...1&d=1628777314

These tips are so freaking nice.
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/attachme...1&d=1628777314

So how does it sound? How does it drive now?
On a cold startup I'll say it's 25% louder than I'd like (but I'm an old, and pretty conservative about this kinda stuff), but quickly quiets down. If the car's already warm, startup is fine.

There is a boominess that needs to be managed, though. Perhaps this will go away or get better. I hope so. From about 1500 - 2500, I can manage it with the right amount of throttle. Beyond that up to ~4500, it's the opposite -- when I'm ON the throttle it's more pronounced, but disappears off the throttle. Kinda strange. But I'm to the point now where I'm managing it nearly without any conscious effort.

All that said, I do very much LOVE it. The car sounds and even feels more aggressive now. It's still far from obnoxious, don't get me wrong -- I wouldn't put up with that. But I would no longer call this car "tame". The snarl and rasp when I wind it out... wow. That was already an addicting experience, now even more so. It's exhilarating. There's even a small burble once in a while when letting off the throttle at certain rpm. I just love it.

Lastly, it could be my imagination but the car seems quicker/easier to get off the line. Just slightly smoother or something... it's tough to put my finger on. The best way I can describe it is the car seems more "on its toes", whether just starting off or even while driving. Imagined or real I suppose it doesn't matter, as either way I am enjoying that new aspect of the car.

This was a relatively inexpensive upgrade ($1100 CAD), and I have zero regrets. This car was already an absolute joy to drive, but with a new exhaust it's on another level.

Does this smoke (and stink) like the earlier version? Goes away after a few miles.

(Roughly US$880 at today's exchange rate.)

-- Chuck

No smoke at all, but it definitely smells. Even after the car is off... I guess the material in the mufflers continues to stink until cooled off.

I've driven 30 or 40km so far and it's still quite stinky. I had to leave the garage door open after parking the car!

Mine too. Don't remember when this stopped but it wasn't long. Maybe use it to commute for a week. Not a hint of smell after a while and I park tail-in in the garage -- for that fast getaway and extra startup growl.

-- Chuck

When you work on German cars you get to use socket and wrench sizes that would otherwise never get out of the toolbox. Its like they want to make sure every possible size fastener gets used.

IIRC, don't have to remove wheels to get exhaust off.

Removing the rear wheels makes the exhaust swap much easier, that's all. Much more access and room to work around the rear hangers. Full lift makes it easier too, but few of us have one.

-- Chuck

I recall just spraying silicone and reaching around tire to slide them off. But yeah, awkward angles, where direction you need to apply force does not align with human kinesthetics. Your arm and wrist don't bend in ways conducive to direction they need to slide off when wheels still mounted.

Last time I did it was in hurry swapping exhausts from two cars without a lot of room to work. So wheels stayed mounted.

Hey Guys, I was about to buy the Revel exhaust but after reading what many people are saying here about the crazy drone, I've been put off. its not the most expensive exhaust system but isn't the cheapest either. about £1000 here in the UK. I was really drawn to the Tanabe initially due to its much more tame sound and the least drone etc. if this is no longer the case because of the changes that Revel has made, then imo it's no longer the standout reason to buy this exhaust. The other thing that put me off, and maybe I'm being a bit of a snob here, but the Tanabe had MADE IN JAPAN on it, where the new Revel doesn't. I don't know for certain if this is the case but if it is made in Japan, I don't see why they would not include that as people associate that with higher quality. One thing to note, Revel call it the -S after the word Touring, not sure if Tanabe had the same name or this is a revision? could mean it has in fact been changed then?

Had a chat with our residential mad man with a supercharged S @Kyle and he suggested looking into the Fujitsubo Legalis R (such a badass name for the exhaust system lol). lots of positive things about this. Basically everything that attracted me about the Tanabe, I'm hearing the same for this one. Deeper tone, no drone, not raspy or too loud, on OEM+ if you will. its priced pretty much the same as the revel, maybe £20 less but nothing in it really. the only down side I see is it comes in 2 pieces, so a really long piece that connects all the way to the driver side exhaust and then the passenger side is separate bolt on (might have got it the wrong way round), and the exhaust tips isn't rolled like the revel. these are minor points if we ultimately get the sound and no drone which the Tanabe was known for and the Revel lacks for some reason.

Anyone have any first hand experience with the Legalis that they can share?

source:
https://www.torque-gt.co.uk/fujitsub...ust-s2000.html
https://tacticalracinguk.com/product...2000-ap1-00-05


thanks.

The only way to determine how any exhaust sounds is to hear it personally on an identical car. "Shared" experience is so subjective as to be almost useless. I bought an exhaust several years ago based on comments here that it was "just a little louder than stock" and ended up removing it from my car three weeks later as the noise and drone was deafening. Woke up the neighbors and my wife refused to ride in the car (not always a bad thing :) ).

How the exhaust sounds inside the car is particularly important -- the one I removed gave me headaches.

The box an exhaust comes in should show the country of origin. No indication (easily visible) on my Tanabe Medalion Touring tips.

-- Chuck

+1. Something similar happened to me.

I will add that the same car also has to have same cat. On a stock system, oem cat vs hfc vs tp has very little impact on volume or tone. Some can hear the difference, most can't.

But that all changes dramatically with an aftermarket system or even the so called uk mod (a bypass pipe added to loop at front of each muffler, size of pipe dictates change in volume).

So you could hear a certain system and think it sounds perfect, only to be very disappointed when it sounds much louder, (or too quiet) if your car has something different between header and catback than the car you listened to.

After some thinking, I decided to pull the trigger and just see what its like first hand. I've purchased the revel medalion touring s exhaust, the supplier said there is a backlog and could be a couple months before it arrives. I have also purchased a Berk HFC 63.5mm. my current car is stock, only has the UK mod which was nice but I want a more deep tone and a bit more sporty sound. We'll see what happens once I get both those fitted. I intend to get an intake system too but not sure which one. the K&N people complain about heat soak and the CAI from AEM etc I've read about hydro locking and dirt. the UK its usually rainy, I don't intend to drive it in the rain, but if I did, I don't want to worry about killing my engine.

if anyone can recommend me an intake system to look into that fits well and will aid performance as I intend to get it tuned with a standalone ECU once all bolt-ons are installed for improved driveability. been trying to contact TDI north for weeks but not able to get through at all. if anyone around the north west can recommend someone else, that would be great.

Anyway, hopefully those parts together provide a good sound with minimal drone or rasp. I can live with a bit of drone as I drive the car for fun on occasion, but the ricer rasp would kill it for me and I will probably sell it all and go back to stock/UK mod.

The K&N FIPK is mainly an aural device that sounds good at WOT but is inaudible with my Medalion Touring exhaust behind a 63.5mm high flow cat. If I was doing this today I would try the before spending money on any aftermarket intake. A DIY project in only few minutes and the cost is just a new air filter. Never experienced "heat soak" here in Richmond (the one in Virginia) even in 95°F summer heat. Not convinced pulling super-heated air off the black asphalt pavement is any better than under the hood. The induction/exhaust noise sound gives a nice perception of performance without sounding like a complete jerk.

-- Chuck

Thanks for the info Chuck. I've actually already done the airbox mod, gives a bit more induction sound.

There's a video from mighty car mods and the guys have an s2000 on a dyno and proven that an aftermarket intake does give slight performance increase. I just want to give it better breathing capability to aid the tuning.

The main worry with the k&n was the heat soak, if you're saying it's not that bad then I might just get that.

Cheers.

My heat soak sample of one (1). :)

Not sure what changes you can do. We have to go thru an annual safety inspection here in Virginia but no smog checks or anything as hostile as the MOT you have to go thru in the UK.

LHT claims their airbox mod has less heat soak than aftermarket metal intakes and is designed to pick up air right at the front of the car, not under the hood/bonnet nor off the pavement. There are aftermarket extensions to the OEM airbox intake snorkel to move it closer to the front of the car which would be my choice for a next step. The K&N FIPK is plastic which is less susceptible to heat soak than metal and has a semi-sealed intake box to use outside air. If we go into another COVID19 lockdown I may rescue the OEM airbox from my garage and play with the LHT mod. But changes will all be perception since I don't intend to dyno the car again.

I put the FIPK on my '06 DBW car within a couple of weeks after buying the car in 2014 and the slightly aggressive intake noise gave theperception of more power. Some dyno numbers may show a half dozen additional horses. A year later the high flow cat and Tanabe Medalion exhaust added additional power perception. Last step was a Hondata FlashPro tune with VTEC at 3600rpm for a major increase in mid-rpm power -- perception became reality. This is what I think most of us are looking for. FlashPro for the DBW cars, a different ECU for the earlier cars. High flow cat is required to lower VTEC this far (tons of info on this in the forum).

-- Chuck

We are a little OT now, but I did the LHT airbox mod AND I cut a huge hole in the end of the airbox on the passenger side. I used a saber saw and followed the contour of the bottom of the airbox. I did leave the upper lip on so that the top still mates securely to the bottom.

I believe that the air on that side of the box is cool (or at least ambient).

I have experienced zero heat soak, and there is now lot's of nice intake sound. I highly recommend this mod.

And just to be clear, the Tanabe/Revel/Whatever is long gone and sold. I'm back to a stock exhaust again.

I have a similar experience with the Revel exhaust that I bought in April. With the stock cat, it's very boomy at deceleration under 4k rpm. With a Berk 63.5mm HFC, there's less boom but a lot of drone between 2-4k rpm under some moderate engine load. The good is that it sounds great in the higher rpms/WOT and highway cruising around/above 4k rpm, it sounds close to stock. Everyone recommends this exhaust because it's quieter aftermarket option and near drone-less but I found that to be not the case. Make me wonder how crazy the Invidia Q300 is if the Tanabe is conisdered tame.

If you read through the thread, it's clear that the new Revel branded Medallion is different from the old Tanabe.

Not sure when "Revel" crept into "Tanabe Medalion Touring." Anyone? Shows as such on the Tanabe-USA website.

Based on complaints here the Revel-version is a different (and annoying) exhaust.

-- Chuck

FWIW, my 'revel' version doesn't annoy me. I can't do a side-by-side with new vs. old, but from what I *read* about the old version (when researching all the options) vs what I have experienced first-hand with the new one... I would bet money that there have been some kind of material, design or manufacturing changes.

So ya, it doesn't annoy me and I certainly don't think it's BAD... overall I do enjoy it more than the stock exhaust. But if I could swap the version I have with an original made-in-Japan Medalion Touring, I'd do it for sure. Or maybe I should have sold a kidney and gone for the HKS SSM. :)

My Revel should be here within a month, and this thread has made me a little more nervous about my intended project.

I was planning to apply high temp matte black paint to the mufflers because I’ve never liked the look of the chrome showing from behind the car. I want to mask the tips and keep them bright, though.

I don’t own a garage or equipment so I’ll be paying a shop to install and don’t want to have to do that more than once. I may still paint them as I believe the potential second owner would love the stealthier look.

Honestly, I’ve been through the Q300 route and can’t possibly imagine this is near those levels…

If it’s as bad as some make it out to seem, I still don’t think there are any quieter options left (new) so it may be a case for going back to OEM + intake.

Floor jack, jack stands, and hand tools are all ya need. Heck, there's s Mighty Car Mods video on them doing it in "Mum's driveway." Yeah, it's a Q300 but the exact same install.


-- Chuck

I drove to someone's house, and swapped my exhaust onto his car, his onto mine, using the tools I carried there in my trunk, in his driveway.

If you can turn wrenches, and have any sort of guide to go by, this isn't difficult.

The cat bolts can sometimes be stubborn (a bottle of yellow map gas takes care of that), and you absolutely must silicone spray all up in there on the rubber bushings to be able to slide them off. Other than that its bolt off bolt on.