Is it normal that my car back fires when I shift from 1st to 2nd?

[SkillaSX]

Ever since my exhaust pipe broke in half last week, I've lost all low end power and the car back fires when I shift out of first gear (it sounds like a rally car) Is that normal. I will do a quick exhaust patch this weekend and drive with the exhaust like that until I have enough for a full cat back exhaust, will driving my car like this damage it in anyway? I'm going to use the putty stuff with a metal strip and patch the cars exhaust, Is it alright to drive the car like that for a few weeks?

[[s3]]

Should be no problems, just loud but your car shouldn't back fire....running a little rich?

[SkillaSX]

I think the back firing only seems to occur when the engine is not fully warmed up. The air fuel mixture is rich when you first start the car.

Why have I lost lowend? Is this due to the fact that I have little to no back pressure from the exhaust?

[[s3]]

will do that, plug it up and see if your low end returns.

[SkillaSX]

ok, thanks for the help!

[daniel240]

where at did it break off at? if only the muffler broke off then you shouldnt have lost any low end.

[xxtrizz]

Yeah I had my whole muffler break off and uhhh I have pretty damn decent low end power. It backfires when its not fully warmed up also. SO like letting it sit for 5 minutes eleminates it but if I jsut take it out and shif tup into 2nd and drive about 100 feet its gone.

[slakker]

You guys are crazy the biggest exhaust retarder is the stock muffler or any muffler for that matter. Then of course is the cat.

[daniel240]

when i had just my muffler replaced on my s14 i couldnt feel a bit of difference. i think it may be different on the s13's though, however after i got my header and removed the cats, i could tell a difference.

[stutt944]

from Nissan, direct replacement '93 240sx muffler: 541 dollars. they only sell the full exhaust.ps- this may be somewhere else (search turned up nothing) but do they make a "test pipe" for NA KA's? any adverse side effects?

[canadians14]

if you get a hole in your muffler you won't lose power because of a loss of back pressure ..... you'll lose power because of a loss of exhaust velocity ... that loss of speed of the exhaust won't let your engine breathe as well ..... its like trying to suck through a straw with a hole in it

[book-ends]

Stutt944,

There are quite a few companies that sell "test pipes" for the 240. It doesn't matter if you have a KA or an SR swap because the exhaust from the cat back will be the same.

Try LS Automotive or ?????? damn I forgot the other place. Sorry! I'm at school right now so I don't have my "favorites" in the IE pull down tab.

[SkillaSX]

The exhaust broke in half , a little before the muffler. Its not dragging on the ground though.

[ricebike]

hmm, mines did that a while back...

is the stock resonator still there as well? muffler heavy?

what happened in mine's was the baffling crap from the resonator went to the muffler... making it heavier & decided to break off like yours...

went to local pepboys & got some flexible exhaust tubing n a clamp, yank out the muffler & clamp/metal tape it together.

LOUD, but worked great like this for a few months 'til I got the HKS cat-back from a fellow member who went turbo/str8 pipe.