Ok, so after damn near a full month wait, I got the Gibson SS system on. With Triffd's info from other posts I felt armed for success. And it pretty much worked out that way. Maybe I'm just not that good but I really wish Gibson would have done figured out the bends on that last rear pipe better. I'll go into detail more.
Straight out of the box the kit is decent but not great. Comparing the Gibson to a SS Borla system I bought for a different vehicle a few years ago I give it about a 6 out of 10. The main pipe (and I'm assuming muffler) are SS, but the hangers and other components are mild steel. Where the hangers and pipe were welded was simply painted silver. My Borla system was full SS. The kit comes with everything you need except a way to connect the rear ground strap and the exhaust gaskets from the Cats to the rest of the system.
I had an extremely long wait. Ordered from a place off Fleabay to save around $50-100 and with their lack of communication and Gibson being on back-order for a pipe I waited about 26 days for it to arrive.
Triff explained that it would be a very tight fit. Indeed it was. The front Y pipe and Muffler go up without issue. Drop the spare tire and the fun begins with the rear pipe. A lift is handy but not necessary. I had the right side up on car ramps and without the spare tire I was able to get the exhaust wiggled in. This is when the fun started. Directions say to point the muffler exhaust out to the 1 oclcock position (center inlet & offset outlet). Then everything should just "line up". No matter what I couldn't get the parts to line up and have the rear most hanger align with its mounting holes. If the holes lined up then the pipes were too long, if the pipes were perfect the hanger was like 3" past its mount.
I ended up cutting about 1.5" of pipe from the Y and 1" off each end of the muffler. The pipes just didn't seem to go in all the way. Doing that allowed me to get everything lined up but now the hanger was too long (its welded to an exhaust clamp and not part of the system its-self). Had to cut 1.5" out of that and reweld it back together. Now everything fit except the exhaust rested on the rear most portion of the rear cross-member. After abandoning the idea of using another exhaust hanger to pull it up 1/8-1/4" I created an aluminum 1/8" spacer for the exhaust to rub against figuring it will wear out long before the exhaust will.
End of the story is I give it about a 4 out of 10 overall. I'm not a professional mechanic by trade but I don't consider myself inept either. I'm thinking a dimension was mis-calculated in a rush to fill the back ordered exhaust (specifically the length of the rear pipe). Then in my attempt to adjust I over adjusted requiring the spacer and what not. The sound overall is not loud. At idle its a bit of a low grumble but not loud at all, at WOT its got more volume but nothing like a borla, flowmaster 40 or anything but I also have an intake that interferes with hearing just the exhaust. I personally would have like a bit more volume but living in a neighborhood I am ok with it as is. My personal rating is based primarily on materials and installation. I would have called up Gibson support but it would have been non-existent on Thanksgiving Holiday. Its in, I'm fine with it, time will tell. My stock exhaust is still in pristine condition if I need to go back to it. Although with that gnarly flat spot I don't exactly desire to.
****check the gallery in my sig for pics****
Gibson exhaust installed on 06 LE
Moderator: volvite
Gibson exhaust installed on 06 LE
Last edited by blink32 on Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sounds like you had a hell of a time getting that on. I haven't really looked past the oil pan on the wifes. Until I inherit it, I'll try and keep it simple. I may add some skid plates because of all the construction around here. You never know when something going to fly up off the road. New tires will probably be on order in the spring, unless she starts complaining earlier.
E-Gads that stock pipe is a restrictive POS... It's a real shame they put together an decent little truck and then throw in a crappy exhaust and crappy tires as an after thought. Its like they have Engineers work on the computers drivetrain suspension etc and everything else is left up to a highly trained monkey hidden in the Nissan basement. Granted it's a highly trained and inteligent monkey but a monkey none the less.
Thanks for the review I found it to be very helpful. Now the question remains is who else wil release an exhaust for our vehicles. I was daydreaming about what I could do with my Path to improve either power and/or effciency. The idea of modifying an a brand new product that isn't exactly inexpensive to start with, well thats just lame. Your a more tolrant man than I, Blink.
I'm still living in a fantasy land when a dual outlet exhaust for the path is a possibility.
***warning the following is off topic, well sort of***
I was on the Stillen site yesterday they appear to have finally posted the new Supercharger for the 4.0 ( who couldn't use an additional 90hp and 80 lb/ft to the wheels). So I start reading the installation manual and several things were a turn off for me. Mainly that it was designed to run off the bone stock exhaust and there are warnings voiding the warrenty if the exhaust and intake are modified... I think if somone is going to dump over 5 large on a supercharger for a vehicle thats been out for 2 years Odds are they have already put on new pipes and intake and possibly a T-body spacer and maybe even headers already. Maybe I'm misreading... with the crappy restricive bends of the stock system looks like you could be getting a bit more than the suggested 90 hp buy letting the engine breathe a little better. Ohh if I only had the 8g's it would take to make this happen to my lowley XE. I figure 6 l for the blower installed and another 2 k for the necessary suspension and rubbet to keep it on the road.
Aww forget it how much would it cost to retrofit the 5.6 VK in my Path? I bet you It would get near the same numbers and better fuel eco.
So many things nissan could do with the Path but instead they give Mark Ecko carte blanche to turn it into a ghetto-flaugue and orange cardomain happy meal box, and I thought the Onyx Titan was repugnant.
Sorry for the excruciatingly long post.
Thanks for the review I found it to be very helpful. Now the question remains is who else wil release an exhaust for our vehicles. I was daydreaming about what I could do with my Path to improve either power and/or effciency. The idea of modifying an a brand new product that isn't exactly inexpensive to start with, well thats just lame. Your a more tolrant man than I, Blink.
I'm still living in a fantasy land when a dual outlet exhaust for the path is a possibility.
***warning the following is off topic, well sort of***
I was on the Stillen site yesterday they appear to have finally posted the new Supercharger for the 4.0 ( who couldn't use an additional 90hp and 80 lb/ft to the wheels). So I start reading the installation manual and several things were a turn off for me. Mainly that it was designed to run off the bone stock exhaust and there are warnings voiding the warrenty if the exhaust and intake are modified... I think if somone is going to dump over 5 large on a supercharger for a vehicle thats been out for 2 years Odds are they have already put on new pipes and intake and possibly a T-body spacer and maybe even headers already. Maybe I'm misreading... with the crappy restricive bends of the stock system looks like you could be getting a bit more than the suggested 90 hp buy letting the engine breathe a little better. Ohh if I only had the 8g's it would take to make this happen to my lowley XE. I figure 6 l for the blower installed and another 2 k for the necessary suspension and rubbet to keep it on the road.
Aww forget it how much would it cost to retrofit the 5.6 VK in my Path? I bet you It would get near the same numbers and better fuel eco.
So many things nissan could do with the Path but instead they give Mark Ecko carte blanche to turn it into a ghetto-flaugue and orange cardomain happy meal box, and I thought the Onyx Titan was repugnant.
Sorry for the excruciatingly long post.
Ha, the post was no longer than mine. No harm no foul. Had I not just wanted to be done with it and already accumulated the welder and other tools I used to make the exhaust fit I would have bit the bullet and paid a restocking fee. And I do agree with some of the engineering fore-thought (or lack there of). Triff had mentioned the flat spot but I didn't realize how rediculous it was. At some point I would expect Borla, Magnaflow, someone to come out with another exhaust, but when is anyone's guess.
I'll have to check that supercharger info out. I was psyched after hearing about the initial offering but now knowing that the warranty is void if you replace the other items is a joke. It was probably developed and tested prior to the release of those other parts so to cover themselves they exclude it from the warranty but damn, like you said, if your going to put on a super charger odds are you will be swapping your intake and exhaust for a better breathing one anyways. jokers
I'll have to check that supercharger info out. I was psyched after hearing about the initial offering but now knowing that the warranty is void if you replace the other items is a joke. It was probably developed and tested prior to the release of those other parts so to cover themselves they exclude it from the warranty but damn, like you said, if your going to put on a super charger odds are you will be swapping your intake and exhaust for a better breathing one anyways. jokers
Quick follow up, I didn't see in the instructions where it talked about intake or exhaust voiding your warranty. I did see where it mentions it should be installed on a Stock Engine (to me intake/exhaust are not part of an "engine") and that it said performance can be affected by the installation of headers or removal of catalytic converters. It also said to contact Stillen if your engine has been modified in any way as the kit was designed for a stock engine. But again, to me the Engine is from the valve covers inwards and they are referring to any intake plenum changes, porting, valves, etc. A quick call could confirm. Am I missing what you saw?
so, should I go with the Gibson complete exhaust kit or install my own muffler only?
what's the price range I should expect to pay? and from where?
I know there are two kits, a SS and nonSS one.
I would go with the SS one.
this is my 07 add on project.
off the Stillen site. http://www.stillen.com/product.asp?id=GIBSWEPT01&c=PE
does the tip come out the rear bumper or the side?
the word Swept Side confuses me as I try to picture it.
thanks.
what's the price range I should expect to pay? and from where?
I know there are two kits, a SS and nonSS one.
I would go with the SS one.
this is my 07 add on project.
off the Stillen site. http://www.stillen.com/product.asp?id=GIBSWEPT01&c=PE
does the tip come out the rear bumper or the side?
the word Swept Side confuses me as I try to picture it.
thanks.
Thats really up to you. This is just my experience with install after waiting for them to catch production up. Another board member installed it with essentially no issues other than it being VERY tight at the rear suspension.mtbpath wrote:so, should I go with the Gibson complete exhaust kit or install my own muffler only?
Once you get serious about an exhaust and start searching you'll see they are in the 450 range. I just used google and the old stand-by's, Ebay and Amazon. You'll find really high and really low but a majority right in the middle.mtbpath wrote: what's the price range I should expect to pay? and from where?
I know there are two kits, a SS and nonSS one.
A true side swept will come out somewhere on the pax or drivers side. In Gibson's case it looks like behind the rear tire. Even though this Gibson is marketed as "side swept" it exits from the stock rear point. Other models may get a real side swept exhaust.mtbpath wrote: does the tip come out the rear bumper or the side?
the word Swept Side confuses me as I try to picture it. thanks.
Find Your Forum!