HDi "Race Tube" - Worthwhile?

[C.A.R.]

After having owned my Hoffmann backbox and decat pipe for a while now I'm finally getting around to having it fitted.

The centre section currently on the car seems to be in good condition and is either the original part or a decent pattern. It has one silencer box.

I'm wondering whether it would be worthwhile spending the £47 on a 'race tube' from Hoffmann which is basically a straight-through mid pipe?

How much will it affect the noise? (little'un is in the car quite often)
Will it really make much more of a performance gain?
Will I regret not doing it at a later stage?

Hmmmmm

Your experiences would be most welcome

[Choppin]

Iv got the Hoffmann straight pipe on mine with decat n sportex back box, was already on the car wen I got it but I think it's spot on! Nice lil rumble n @ 60mph it's completely silent, best of both words I think

[C.A.R.]

Do you get lots of smoke?

[Ruan]

HDis in fairness are nice and quiet until the wastegate opens...

I mean, I drove my DT round with NO exhaust for a while, and unless you put your foot into the shag pile, they are really quite quiet considering... Literally ONE box will take all the harshness out the exhaust and if it's a nice box it'll sound absolutely fine, it's just if you've got an Ebay jap cannon they sound fooking awful!

Once the vanes/wastegate open up it's a completely different story - Ed will tell you about me making some poor bird in a pub almost brown her knickers as I went past and bought it on boost...

I'd say go for it, after driving DTs for years with essentially no boxes and often just about 18" of pipe, unless you've got your foot in it, they are quiet as really.

[Choppin]

Na mine doesn't smoke @ all! Just a lil chuff first time I boot it in the morning. If u got the money n u r doin the rest of the exhaust then u may as well do it mate

[lolsteve]

Was thinking of having mid box cut out and welded , leaving me with just a powerflow backbox. Since at the moment the tip makes it look like it should be making a bit more noise

[WiNgNuTz]

HDis in fairness are nice and quiet until the wastegate opens...

I mean, I drove my DT round with NO exhaust for a while, and unless you put your foot into the shag pile, they are really quite quiet considering... Literally ONE box will take all the harshness out the exhaust and if it's a nice box it'll sound absolutely fine, it's just if you've got an Ebay jap cannon they sound fooking awful!

Once the vanes/wastegate open up it's a completely different story - Ed will tell you about me making some poor bird in a pub almost brown her knickers as I went past and bought it on boost...

I'd say go for it, after driving DTs for years with essentially no boxes and often just about 18" of pipe, unless you've got your foot in it, they are quiet as really.

This literally just had me giggling like a child in the cafe, my colleague looking at me like I'm insane. He's not far wrong.

I'll be investing in the Hoffman decat and mid pipe soon as well, mate of mine had them on his dt a couple of years back, sounded pretty good, and as Ruan says, quite quiet unless you're giving it beans. Not sure what I'm gonna do about the back box though, whether I'll keep the standard back box, do a mid box conversion, or what.

[Ben hdi306]

I've got brought the Hoffman decat and race tube but still using the standard back box ATM I've noticed a bit more of a pull off power and a deeper exhaust sound I think it's a good buy am happy with it

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Btw I private messages the bloke off eBay and got it cheap for both parts so he did not get a ebay fee might be worth a go. worked for me

[Midnightclub]

Get rid of the standard back box, that's probably the most restrictive part of the system

[C.A.R.]

If I ask my mate to fit the decat pipe in the morning is there anything else I'm likely to need? When I fitted a decat to my 1.8 I made the wise move of buying a new cat fitting kit (gasket and bolts) so that we could just cut the old and rusty bolts off!

Is it a similar story with the HDi? And I wonder if the local parts place has the correct kit in stock....

Finally, how easy is it to add the mid pipe afterwards? Is it something I can do myself on axle stands?

Tomorrow I'll be paying £20-30 because I'll need my mate to use the ramp to get the decat on. After that then all I'll have is axle stands...

[Ben hdi306]

But it's to loud lol I need a good back box I've been looking for one

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I'd say no I never needed any extras just un bolt the cat and bolt the new de-cat in I used the same gasket only thing I would say is be careful as I snapped the threads on the turbo were the exhaust first starts but there is 10mm bolts that take the threads out then you can put in two 13mm bolts with the flexy springs if that happens, but it should not happen. Only happen to me as Iam heavy handed lol

[Ruan]

You can do a decat on the floor with just axle stands in honesty...

You will swear, shout and curse, but it saves you £30... I'd take that any day...

In honesty, Diesels don't seem to rust exhaust parts half as bad as petrols, for the same reason as you don't usually see steam off a Diesel or water drips out the exhaust, yet you do on a petrol... They can be a little tight, but perseverance will get you there... I found that tbh, a ramp won't make any difference, it's a bastard wherever you do it...

[Toms306]

I'd buy new bolts at least..........after seeing the ones on Jordans hdi! They had to be sawn off for the XUD swap.... For the sake of a few pence I'd just replace them tbh lol. The cat to turbo join on these is a bit crap tbh, and no space to get in whatever angle you come from lol.

Edit - Also I'm slightly worried now, my HDi steams like feck for about 5 mles on a cold day. Isn't that normal?

[C.A.R.]

It is a Y plate though Tom, so it shouldn't be in too bad a condition! I'll find out if they stock them cos if it's only a few quid I'll spend it.

Ruan I'd love to work on it myself, especially given that I now have my own driveway, but it's simply too cold and I've owned the damn pipes for 2 months and want them fitted! It's a cop-out but it makes life easier. I might even get them to fit my new aux belt - I'm being that lazy at this time of year!

[Toms306]

Man up and put an extra jumper on....

An aux belt takes like 10 minutes btw.....

[Ben hdi306]

I used normal car ramps and put mine on 5 weeks ago took around hour and half on my own it is fiddley but would not pay any one to do it as its not that hard and I was capable of doing it my self

[C.A.R.]

I used normal car ramps and put mine on 5 weeks ago took around hour and half on my own it is fiddley but would not pay any one to do it as its not that hard and I was capable of doing it my self

But it's raining.

:p

[Ben hdi306]

You'll be under the car will not get wet lol

[HDIkyle]

I had a straight tho on mine at first I had just the center box in then with the middle cut off it made the tone a lot more dieseoy if you get me. Not loud tho. Def worth doing!

[Just Sean]

I wouldn't want to do the cat on the floor! Got a 4 poster at work which makes life so easy! Can't wait to get back to work and chop my baffles out. Getting the hybrid on on Wednesday too. I want lots of loud n lots of whistle!