Any pros or cons to running cat bypass with original muffler?

[Devious56]

What year is your RT? The sound of the V-twin is totally different than the 1330. I wish I could make my 1330 sound like the v-twin but I can't.

I started out with a stock muffler and cat delete pipe with no baffle. I liked it, it seemed to make the RT (a 2015 Limited with 1330 motor) a bit peppier, a little better gas milage, with a little more sound. But that was still a bit quiter than I wanted.. I purchased a custom built SS exhaust from Pit Bull Power Sports for a good bit less than an Ackropovic muffler, now have better performance, and it is not uncommon to get 44 mpg. The sound, well, you decide, here's a little clip with the RPM going over 4,000 rpm.

 

[Bob Denman]

:clap: That's a nice sound; Thanks for posting it! :thumbup:

 

[Devious56]

:clap: That's a nice sound; Thanks for posting it! :thumbup:

Hey Bob, I thought this was a newer thread, I think I've posted that video before. I did put a baffle in this one, when You got some RPM's up it had a sharp edge to the sound that got tireing affer a while. I have a good number of folks tell me it really sounds good. To me, it's ok, but depends on the helmet I'm wearing, full face, open face, or half helmet, they all make the muffle sound different. Glad you like it.

David

 

[Wildrice]

Dyno difference with CAT bypass

I'm waiting for someone to master an easy dyno approach. I'm not sure the Cat bypass accomplishes anything. I've had a Motorcycle where someone gutted out the muffler for better free flow. It may help on the very top speed end but the bike had no power at lower rpm--couldn't shift into high gear below 45 mph, the engine needed the back pressure. I understand the concept or removing the Cat--but show mei linear proof on the dyno. Engines & power are a balanced system--increasing one component rarely helps.

 

[Devious56]

I'm waiting for someone to master an easy dyno approach. I'm not sure the Cat bypass accomplishes anything. I've had a Motorcycle where someone gutted out the muffler for better free flow. It may help on the very top speed end but the bike had no power at lower rpm--couldn't shift into high gear below 45 mph, the engine needed the back pressure. I understand the concept or removing the Cat--but show mei linear proof on the dyno. Engines & power are a balanced system--increasing one component rarely helps.

If you remove the other muffler (some people call it a catalytic converter, but it really isn't) and leave the secondary muffler, you still have all the back pressure you need for proper performance. The computer will reset itself for correct fuel management, and I think my RT was a little peppier with the delete pipe added (prove me wrong) and I got better gas mileage, not to mention less heat. I will admit that I think I may have lost a little low-end torque but, I was able to ride comfortably at 2,000 rpm at 35 mph as long as I didn't try to drag race someone without down shifting. I was getting 34 to 38 mpg with the cat delete pipe compared to 32 to 36 with the stock set up. I say was, because I am now using a complete exhaust set up (Muffler and pipe) from PitBull Power sports and regularly get 44/45 mpg, especially on group rides that are more sedate.

David

 

[Gallam03]

Me personally it's the sound I'm after.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GA_Spyderman]

What does the cat removal do to the warranty?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sinner45]

Go to LAMONSTER website & go to second page under performance they have a sound clips you will like

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

 

[Gallam03]

I started out with a stock muffler and cat delete pipe with no baffle. I liked it, it seemed to make the RT (a 2015 Limited with 1330 motor) a bit peppier, a little better gas milage, with a little more sound. But that was still a bit quiter than I wanted.. I purchased a custom built SS exhaust from Pit Bull Power Sports for a good bit less than an Ackropovic muffler, now have better performance, and it is not uncommon to get 44 mpg. The sound, well, you decide, here's a little clip with the RPM going over 4,000 rpm.

So did you do anything else like a K&N and/or power commander? I'm trying to decide if I just need the cat bypass and a different exhaust. I already have the cat bypass, but I haven't installed it yet. I'd rather do everything at one time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Devious56]

I did not do anything other than install a cat delete pipe and do the procedure that recalibrates the computer, and my RT ran very nice. I did the same thing when I replaced the stock system with the exhaust I have on now, shown in an earlier post in a video trying to show the sound of it. I never noticed any actual gains or losses by doing this, but I do have better gas mileage than when it was stock. I can get around 45 mpg if I behave myself, and while I know of no dyno's that will give me a performance graph, seat of the pants says I can hit the rev limiter (8200 rpm) in low and second gear with no drop off in power (IE: it feels very linear ). Some one asked about proper shift points earlier, and that is a difficult question to answer, because it really depends on how you drive, and what you are looking for. I'm used to torquey engines and because of that I tend to short shift (shift early) and my RT seems happy to shift at 2,000 rpm as long as I'm not it a hurry, and I tend to get the 45 mpg number when I don't race around over 3,500 rpm. But my RT with the 1330 engine will shift and cruise, just about anywhere I want to. You can tell if the rpm is too low, because you can feel the vibration or shudder thru the seat of your pants, the rpm too high is almost impossible because of the rev limiter, but red line on the tach is around 7,800 or 8,000 rpm if you go by the change in the thickness of the while line that is on the face of tach showing the rpm. Hope this helps some of you out, or at least gives you another way to look at things. I'm an old guy, and have done a lot of racing ( cars, trucks, go karts and motorcycles,) on road and off, and you can take what if said or not, just enjoy your Spyder, I know I do.

David

 

[Gallam03]

I did not do anything other than install a cat delete pipe and do the procedure that recalibrates the computer, and my RT ran very nice. I did the same thing when I replaced the stock system with the exhaust I have on now, shown in an earlier post in a video trying to show the sound of it. I never noticed any actual gains or losses by doing this, but I do have better gas mileage than when it was stock. I can get around 45 mpg if I behave myself, and while I know of no dyno's that will give me a performance graph, seat of the pants says I can hit the rev limiter (8200 rpm) in low and second gear with no drop off in power (IE: it feels very linear ). Some one asked about proper shift points earlier, and that is a difficult question to answer, because it really depends on how you drive, and what you are looking for. I'm used to torquey engines and because of that I tend to short shift (shift early) and my RT seems happy to shift at 2,000 rpm as long as I'm not it a hurry, and I tend to get the 45 mpg number when I don't race around over 3,500 rpm. But my RT with the 1330 engine will shift and cruise, just about anywhere I want to. You can tell if the rpm is too low, because you can feel the vibration or shudder thru the seat of your pants, the rpm too high is almost impossible because of the rev limiter, but red line on the tach is around 7,800 or 8,000 rpm if you go by the change in the thickness of the while line that is on the face of tach showing the rpm. Hope this helps some of you out, or at least gives you another way to look at things. I'm an old guy, and have done a lot of racing ( cars, trucks, go karts and motorcycles,) on road and off, and you can take what if said or not, just enjoy your Spyder, I know I do.

David

Thanks!! I really appreciate the feedback.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Allen42]

I know this is an old thread; but seems like perhaps the best place to post this.

I have the 2019 RTL 1330cc. I have a PedalBox, and recently just replaced the primary muffler/cat with the RLS cat delete (with baffle in). I am still running the OEM Can-Am muffler. I notice no difference in low end torque and acceleration from when I had the cat in, but that may be because I'm running around in Sport +2 mode on the PedalBox. However, it does seem that I've lost about 10 mph from my top speed. (Went from 107mph to 97mph, with WOT on flat road, tach steady at 4800.)

Is this expected?
Should I remove the baffle? Will that hurt my low-end torque?
Or is a new ECU program the only way to get more top end?

 

[AndysF3S]

I did not install the baffle that came with my delete pipe because it was a choke (calculated to approximately 23% of the flow area). The pipe without baffle was louder and popped and farted on deceleration, so I built my own baffles from plate steel (see my post.) and it took the rap and bark out of the exhaust sound with the stock muffler. I got used to the louder sound very quickly.

I did not have an RLS cat delete only a straight pipe, so I can't comment on your performance or lack there-off, but I would remove the baffle if it's possible and do several runs to see if the baffle is restricting your top speed. Contrary to many saying there is a loss of low-end torque, my engine revs quicker and more freely in the lower gears, so I did not notice any loss of torque with or without the baffle(s). JMO

 

[Allen42]

I did not install the baffle that came with my delete pipe because it was a choke (calculated to approximately 23% of the flow area). The pipe without baffle was louder and popped and farted on deceleration, so I built my own baffles from plate steel (see my post.) and it took the rap and bark out of the exhaust sound with the stock muffler. I got used to the louder sound very quickly.

I did not have an RLS cat delete only a straight pipe, so I can't comment on your performance or lack there-off, but I would remove the baffle if it's possible and do several runs to see if the baffle is restricting your top speed. Contrary to many saying there is a loss of low-end torque, my engine revs quicker and more freely in the lower gears, so I did not notice any loss of torque with or without the baffle(s). JMO

Thanks. I figured someone would say try taking the baffle out. I had borrowed some ramps to put the delete on; I guess it's time to invest in buying my own. I may start doing my own oil changes too, so it may be worth it.

 

[Peter Aawen]

I know this is an old thread; but seems like perhaps the best place to post this.

I have the 2019 RTL 1330cc. I have a PedalBox, and recently just replaced the primary muffler/cat with the RLS cat delete (with baffle in). I am still running the OEM Can-Am muffler. I notice no difference in low end torque and acceleration from when I had the cat in, but that may be because I'm running around in Sport +2 mode on the PedalBox. However, it does seem that I've lost about 10 mph from my top speed. (Went from 107mph to 97mph, with WOT on flat road, tach steady at 4800.)

Is this expected?
Should I remove the baffle? Will that hurt my low-end torque?
Or is a new ECU program the only way to get more top end?

The reality is that YES - the ONLY way you're really going to get any more top speed is to get an ECU Upgrade, cos the std programming effectively does not allow any more than what you get, pretty much no matter what you do to the intake &/or exhaust!! :lecturef_smilie: Take the baffle out; put the baffle in; doing anything else like that without an ECU Upgrade, you're really only fiddling around the edges, maybe playing with the noise output, the economy & responsiveness of the engine, and quite possibly its reliability & longevity too! :banghead:

Mind you, I personally haven't tried bolting a turbo onto a Spyder (yet! ) but I'm not all that sure it'd be safe to run even a very small turbo for very long on the stock ECU trim!

 

[fatboy]

the baffle has nothing to do with speed maybe you had a strong head wind

 

[Peter Aawen]

the baffle has nothing to do with speed maybe you had a strong head wind

But just like stuffing a potato into the exhaust pipe on any ICE vehicle, installing the baffle might restrict the exhaust flow enough that the engine can no longer run as hard as it used to, restricting top speed that way... :dontknow:

I would've thought any properly designed baffle wouldn't restrict the exhaust flow quite that much tho! :shocked:

 

[EdMat]

I can verify that the RSL delete with baffle for the 1330 does not restrict top speed.

 

[carbonation]

Baldwin Iron Works pipe here. $79.00 for the pipe on that site.
I used a Big City Thunder baffle, QBL-1845. $89.00 from that site. No restriction there, but a clever way of bouncing the sound waves around to keep it quiet.
Factory muffler.
Top spring removal was a PITA until I tried a shoe string. Tie it into a loop. Placed it through the spring end, and over the top of the cat, toward the left side of the rear wheel (facing forward). A tug on the shoe string sets it under the loop on the cat, and another good tug pops the spring loose. Putting top spring back on is easy because there is plenty of room without the cat in the way.
No downsides. No decel pop. Slightly louder rumble.
Removed a fanny load of heat (literally) and the rubber burning smell after a full tank of fuel at 75 on the highway.
And you will be some 20 odd pounds lighter.

 

[Cobranut]

As soon as I looked at that "baffle" I knew it wasn't going into my exhaust.

That thing is nothing but a serious restriction, probably worse than the original cat. :banghead:

As far as sound, it's noticeably louder, with an aggressive tone, but not obnoxiously loud.

Performance wise, I didn't notice any loss of low-end torque, and mid and upper end power is slightly better.
It doesn't run out of breath as quick above 6000 rpm. I'd guess it picked up 3 to 5 hp.