First off I didn't know where to post this so if its not correct, sorry. Now I've seen so much debate over the HKS exhaust, some say no, but everyone I've found that has it loves it. Now the exhaust I was looking at getting is straight from Japan, problem is, no one that I have found has seen/heard the exhaust on an S2K, not even Ben from Bulletproof. So between that, and the 3 month wait period, I'm leaning in another direction. I'm already waiting that long for my header so... Back to the HKS, I love the sound and look, but as most know there is the rumor that they cause the car to lose hp, but I've yet to see any proof. So I'm wondering if anyone knows the truth, and if they have the dyno results to prove a loss in power? I talked to one guy that said he went from 194whp to 187. I just don't see how your going to lose that much power, I mean he's talking at the wheels, so thats a hell of a drop. The problem is I didn't see proof. So I wanted to get some more input before I buy the exhaust. Yeah I'd love to get a full titanium one, but I'm not paying 2K for an exhaust on my street car.

 

ive read the hp loss is false. there is no loss or gain. one person who had dynoed there car with hks and experince loss of hp was cause by heat soak

 

I didn't dyno my car until I went turbo, but with the HKS that everyone claims to lose power, I put down 330whp @ 6psi so I don't think it can lose too much when i'm making over 20whp per pound of boost with it. Also, the exhaust sounds so damn good with a testpipe that if it was proven, which its not, to lose power I would still buy it. That is the only thing I regret about my new setup is that I sold the HKS and no longer have that sound.

 

i've read in so many places that the hp loss is in very very few cases. now that i have my invidia i'm kinda wishing i went for the HKS because the noise can get overbearing in some situations (but most of the time i think it sounds awesome)

 

I LOVE mine. I have asked, on numerous occasions, for people to back up their claims that the HKS loses power. Of course, there are no results to speak of. I will admit that the exhaust did not provide any noticeable gains over stock. But then again, I don't think any 2.5" dual will accomplish that.

The look is fantastic. The sound is even better. I think the main reason people think it loses power is that it "sounds" faster but it isn't. Either that or an inferiority complex because their exhaust doesn't sound as nice

I will say this. The exhaust piping is NOT stainless steel. I've heard of a few users who experienced rust problems.

 

I think I'm just going to have to go with it. The only people I've been told by that it loses hp is people trying to sell me $2K JDM exhuasts. A bit much for a daily street car if you ask me. Like I said before I've seen no dyno sheets to back it up, and everyone I've found that has it loves it, hell even Science of Speed claim its one of their favorite exhausts to put on street S2K's. About the piping, I live in Ohio, and I have an Apexi N1 on my Eclipse, and I haven't had any problems with it, it still looks new (3yrs old), and its got the same kind of coating on it. And its seen plenty of crappy weather. Anyways thanks for the input guys.

 

Read this post I made in the recent HKS vs Comptech thread:

"I talked to a couple different people at HKS USA this week and even though their web site makes reference to "all their exhausts" using aluminized steel for the mid pipe (in the general exhaust section), they assured me that the Hi-Power exhaust does indeed sport a 409 stainless mid pipe. I asked if that were so, then why the powdercoat? They said it was less expensive to use and powdercoat the 409, than to use 304 and polish it. The Japanese HKS site now actually refers to their Hi-Power as the Hi-Power "409". Translating their page seems to reflect the two kinds of SS used in the exhaust too."

http://translate.google.com/translat...l%3Den%26lr%3D



I received my HKS pipe last Friday and sure enough, it is a "Hi-Power 409". So while the mid piping may have been mild or aluminized steel previously, it now appears that they are using 409 stainless for it.


ron

 

I wonder what mine is made out of? All I know is that there is a gunmetal colored coating on all piping.

 

I put down 212 wheel hp on my 2003 AP1 with

HKS Exhaust
PRM intake
Amsoil 10W-30

Thats it.

They are both two products that are supposed to LOSE power, but they dont.

If the HKS lost 10hp, I still say its worth it, just for the noise it makes.

 

Is the test pipe to eliminate the catalitic? And if it is where do i get one for the HKS exhaust?