aftermarket performance exhaust basics

[Connor1998]

looking to buy a more performance oriented exhaust pipe/waterbox for my 61x swapped sn superjet as the stock exhaust has corroded through the water jacket and is pissing water onto my starter and the waterbox is leftover from the 650 that was in it. ive seen recommendations on b pipes and dry pipes and stuff like that, and i get how they are different then stock on a basic level but i dont know how to choose one based on riding style/riding speeds and how to incorporate it into other changes that can be/have to be made into the ski such as prop choice and carburetor tuning changes. id love for somone to explain how to choose an exhaust system and how each system is different from the others and how they will change the way the ski will behave. thanks!

 

[mikidymac]

Easy answer is just get a Factory B pipe for your ski and let-er-rip.

 

[Midlake Crisis]

B-Pipe will definitely be the consensus answer for what you are running. It has three screws that adjust water flow through the pipe that make its performance adjustable to your motor and needs (top end / bottom end). The downsides are noise, getting it adjusted right, and reliability (compared to stock).

 

[OCD Solutions]

There are really only a couple choices for pipes so it doesn't even have to be that complicated.

The B-pipe will be the most common as it's pretty much bulletproof and they are still in production. There's a ton of guys running them so tuning advice is pretty consistent and very plentiful. They also adapt easily to nearly any engine package from bone stock to fully ported limited setups to billet 900cc Stock Stroke motors. They are ideal for somebody such as yourself that is just getting into the sport as it will grow with you better than any other pipe on the market.

The other choices would be Riva Red Pipe or Coffman Sizzler. The Red is a heavy cast pipe suited more to racing and the Coffman is a very rare find these days.

There are a few more pipe choices but they are not worth mentioning or considering given your current engine package. They can be made to work for sure but were designed for competition use on big motors by people with deep pockets and/or a wealth of tuning knowledge.

The great thing about the Superjet is that there are several really good recipes for killer packages depending on your riding style. The real trick will be to get all the parts in the right order to best suit your budget and riding style.

 

[Vortex]

B pipe has a more immediate hit, adds about 300 rpm to a stock motor. This is probably what you're gonna want to have and it's easiest to aquire the parts.

Dry pipes from the 2002 era tend to have a more linear torque curve and pull more at the top end of the power band. Water Injection can help with throttle response In the mid range.

A couple weeks ago I did a little tach run shootout because one of my buddies claimed 7k rpm on a stock/lites superjet, and I didn't believe him and we had nice smooth water conditions to prove or disprove that.

This is what we got using max rpm recall tach
Stock exhaust, stock superjet: 6277rpm
Lites superjet with limited chamber bpipe: 6600rpm
Mild ported superjet with r&d dry pipe:
7218rpm

 

[Storbeck]

B-pipe $700 ish

Riva Red, or Pro-tec $3-400 ish

Wet Jet pipe $100-150 ish (but you have to cut and weld to make it fit)

B pipe is mostly considered the "best", wet jet is the bargain.

Opinions will vary on the Riva or the Pro Tec

There are also some dry pipes that usually go for big dollars and most people consider to be more race oriented.

 

[Jhucke]

Don't sleep on the protec pipes, especially the stainless ones. I bought a complete one a couple years ago for $175 - that is amazing value. No doubt, b-pipe is great, but going from protec to b-pipe, was the cost to performance difference worth it? Definitely not. B-pipe necessary if you want to keep building engine, though.

My stainless protec had 2" added to the main part of the chamber and it ripped. Minimal tuning to dial it in, and worked great with a stock blaster 1 prop, another super cheap mod that a lot of people don't consider. Works pretty good up to limited setup where you'll start burning it pretty regularly.

 

[Connor1998]

i havent been able to find that thread about exhaust pipes, but ill keep looking. from what you guys are suggesting a factory b pipe seems to be the best all around option for me even if its not the cheapest, with the pro tec ss the second best. im not really sure what kind of riding ill be getting into in the future and im not very knowledgeable, so something that is fairly easy to tune, is flexible in its setup and lasts a long time- i always ride in saltwater, seems to be the most sensible choice. thanks for your help!

 

[Connor1998]

one last question: if i were to buy a b pipe used, what kinds of common damage should i look out for? besides the obvious for me-salt scale on the interior)

thanks again

 

[Storbeck]

http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/complete-list-of-pipes-for-the-superjet.34340/

 

[Storbeck]

Most common problem is the water injection screws in the head pipe corroded and stuck.

 

[800750]

Another good option imo is a Riva free ride. My favorite pipe

 

[Half flip95]

don't drink the kool aide and feel like you have to do something just because u read it on the xh2o. go cheap and see what pipes are out there for a good deal. bolting an 800.00 bpipe on a 2000.00 ski isn't really all that its cracked up to be. yes they have some minor advantages over some of the other pipes but id be willing to bet your 25+ year old ski has other maintenance needs that should also be addressed.

 

[Connor1998]

don't drink the kool aide and feel like you have to do something just because u read it on the xh2o. go cheap and see what pipes are out there for a good deal. bolting an 800.00 bpipe on a 2000.00 ski isn't really all that its cracked up to be. yes they have some minor advantages over some of the other pipes but id be willing to bet your 25+ year old ski has other maintenance needs that should also be addressed.

yea, it has a lot that could be replaced and looked at, i just took it home and plan to give it a good once over and catch up on overdo maintenance left over from the PO. I wasnt planning on buying a new pipe but it needs replacing so its a good excuse.

 

[Half flip95]

for reference....

theres no details on what set-up they are testing, but my assumption is a standard SJ 61x/62T 38mm dual carb

 

[Vortex]

one last question: if i were to buy a b pipe used, what kinds of common damage should i look out for? besides the obvious for me-salt scale on the interior)

thanks again

Stripped threads in the manifold to headpipe flange.

Also, look out for very early model b pipes. They used to have only 42mm i.d. at manifold/headpipe transition. This caused detonation... (FYI Group k can fix that for 90 bucks+shipping)

The newer pipes have a 47mm i.d.

 

[Jhucke]

i havent been able to find that thread about exhaust pipes, but ill keep looking. from what you guys are suggesting a factory b pipe seems to be the best all around option for me even if its not the cheapest, with the pro tec ss the second best. im not really sure what kind of riding ill be getting into in the future and im not very knowledgeable, so something that is fairly easy to tune, is flexible in its setup and lasts a long time- i always ride in saltwater, seems to be the most sensible choice. thanks for your help!

Certainly, I did not intend to simplify the discussion to protec being “second best”. Not the case, I just wanted to share that there are ways to save money. Also, b-pipe is not even #1 in some cases.

 

[mikidymac]

A good point was the condition of the ski.

If you have a tired engine with leaking seals, low compression and dirty carb/fuel system a pipe will definitely put you over the edge and cost you and engine and the summer of riding.

If you are new to the superjet and it runs ok then enjoy it for the rest of the summer and decide how deep down the hole you want to get over the winter.

 

[Connor1998]

Certainly, I did not intend to simplify the discussion to protec being “second best”. Not the case, I just wanted to share that there are ways to save money. Also, b-pipe is not even #1 in some cases.

i put it was my second choice because of the 2 inch extension you say to add. my fab skills are below average at best and id just like to do as little of it was possible.

 

[Connor1998]

A good point was the condition of the ski.

If you have a tired engine with leaking seals, low compression and dirty carb/fuel system a pipe will definitely put you over the edge and cost you and engine and the summer of riding.

If you are new to the superjet and it runs ok then enjoy it for the rest of the summer and decide how deep down the hole you want to get over the winter.

compression is good, thankfully though there are plenty of other issues that should be taken care of. im rebuilding and rejetting the carb, ill take the head off and clean out any salt deposits when i replace the exhaust and replace the block anodes that im sure were never done. the ski will have a good once over before i start throwing expensive parts at it. it runs well but burns through plugs every few tankfuls and only spins 5600 rpm flat out with a stock prop. i have enough to keep me busy, just trying to plan ahead so i can start looking for deals.