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Techno Toy Tuning Test Pipe Review

7K views 32 replies 12 participants last post by  brontosaurus 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm super bored at work on a Saturday. Thought I'd write this little review since I just installed my test pipe yesterday.

Price: I missed the GB pricing, so I paid $60+ tax + shipping. Overall it came out to around $72

What you get: Test pipe(1.6L), 17mm bolts and locking nuts (x4), and exhaust gaskets (x2)


Finish: The Test pipe came painted black. Mine had some scratches on the finish, but honestly, I'm never going to look at it again, so it's no big deal. Plus, it's on the under side of the car. It's going to get dirty.

Fit: **FIRST OF ALL, MY CAR HAD A CAT THAT WAS POORLY WELDED TOGETHER AND WAS A HACK JOB. With that catalytic converter and a ebay header, my exhaust would hit my rear tow hook**. The test pipe did appear slightly short at first, but when I bolted it in, everything seemed fine. My exhaust was also realigned to it's proper location. YAY! Everything else seems fine by me in terms of the fit.


Customer Service: Working with Gabe was a real treat. Quick responses to all my emails, and the test pipe came in a timely manner, and packaged extremely well. I chuckled a little when I saw a KYB AGX box sitting on my doorstep. My only gripe was that Gabe did not respond to a follow up email I sent him.


Overall: I give it a 9.5/10. Once again, my only grip was a no response to a follow up email. Everything else about this product is great, especially at the price.



**As a California resident, I do acknowledge that I need to have a catalytic converter on my car for street use. I fully intend to put my hack job cat back on the car. This test pipe was for my track excursions. I wanted to test the unit on the car and check the fitment.
 
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#13 ·
I didn't know if that was sarcasm or not. But imagine your anus clogged with many different types of waste and feces, then you try and blow gas, and its painful. Then you find a magic pill that clears your anus RIGHT up, and now, blowing gas, comes out nice, fast, and smooth.

Idfk if that was a good analogy or not, but your cat does withhold a LOT of what comes through your header. If you look in the center of those, you will understand why. Throwing a test pipe on, there is no restriction, so at higher RPM, you will feel a nice gain. Me, owning a 1.6, and the 1.6 being a slug anytime after 6000rpm, I noticed that it would still pull fairly harder after I installed the test pipe.
 
#19 ·
Thanks for the input normin'. My butt dyno probably isn't calibrated properly, because I didn't notice too much of a difference. Does it smell more? Yes. Is it louder? Not as much as I was expecting.

The raspyness is a completely different tone from the exhaust note. Like two "layers" of sound. That is how it is supposed to be? If so, then I'm cool with it. I just wanted to make sure.
 
#20 · (Edited)
The raspyness is a completely different tone from the exhaust note. Like two "layers" of sound. That is how it is supposed to be? If so, then I'm cool with it. I just wanted to make sure.
I think I kind of have an idea of what you mean. Paired with my Corksport there seem to be 2 "zones", if you will, of exhaust tone. Oddly enough the most obtrusive sounding range seems to occur around 3k rpm's and low throttle use such as driving around town. With my 4 year old and completely worn out Corksport exhaust it's nearly unbearable and is honestly embarrassing. However under hard use at the track I find the sound changes for the better there's a hint of Spec Miata rasp but it's a bit more boomier and I've actually received a few compliments. Regardless I'm eyeing that Fujitsubo for a replacement.

My ears hurt just watching this video. XD


*And yes, the Enthuza Cat is going back in now that track season is over here in the PNW.
 
#22 ·
My comparison was the cat delete vs an oem cat. The header + cat back was added in as an example of other items that I hear folks saying aren't worth playing with, go FI or bust! etc.. etc..

edit: if you read my post closely you'd actually find that I agree with your view. A cat delete probably wouldn't register anything on a dyno vs a fresh cat of equal pipe diameter. I do, however, think there is no doubt they are less restrictive and free up something somewhere. It would just come down to such a minute amount that running back to back runs on a dyno would still carry to many variables to see any improvements on paper.
 
#24 ·
Hmm looks like there was some miscommunication. Again, if you reread my original response to you I agree with the dyno comment only to go into my opinion on how combined all together there are noticeable gains to be had based on my experiences. Along with my highly unscientific testing of cat vs Enthuza cat vs Enthuza cat delete observations. I simply thought I'd add that in to this thread. I don't believe I crafted my point in a manner that made it seem as though you felt otherwise. I wasn't trying to put words in your mouth but if I'm wrong then apologies are in order.

This statement:
"There's no need to be closed minded like the m.net folks who hear something only to regurgitate it immediately shutting down someone else when they likely have no first hand experience." - stormin'
Was merely a response to this comment:
"And yea, you feel a difference after a cat delete? total bs, its good ol' butt dyno foolery." - redemphex

I don't feel as though my original post was attacking you in any sort of way or deserved your response but hopefully that cleared things up. I'd prefer not to get into one of these e-battles especially with a member such as yourself whom I respect.
 
#26 ·
Not a waste of money. In california? So the hell what.
I put mine on, and noticed a VERY nice change in the pull of the car after 5500rpm. Cheap noticeable power, but it. And this isn't "back in the day" anymore.
Please tell me how your two messages are not contradictory now? VERY is pretty bold statement. If you had said, I noticed a change (or a very small change), I wouldn't have said anything.


We are good Norman, I think I just read it all as directed towards me, but you are right. its not worth arguing over and I think its clear we are only in disagreement over the cat and its effects on power.
 
#31 ·
For some actual info for once:
"Andy Hollis and GRM published a test recently and the gains from a high low cat to a test pipe were minimal--might have been 1hp at 6000rpm (on a 1.6L), but like dmx said, there are little to no gains (might have been a loss?) at the bottom end."

I'd consider a test pipe to preserve a working cat... this is what I am doing on my other car right now.

From what I know, running rich kills a cat, and a stock Miata runs rich at anything over 70-80 kpa.
 
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