Chromatic Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 My Berk HFC's finally Arrived! This is the Proper way to hold your baby,.. -- Still in the plastic, Hopefully the weather holds out and I can put these on tomorrow. The other thread was getting muddled... These things are killing me arriving late, begging me to put them on.. But, I know better than to try to break the header bolts myself -- Not to mention I don't have the extensions to get to them from the engine bay. These are heavy, but lighter than I anticipated. They are definitely lighter than stock,.. but the insides aren't the same at all.. otherwise they would be pointless. But, they save a considerable amount of weight. Stock Cats are 46 lbs (20.8 Kg).. ( http://www.350z-tech.com/wiki/index.php?title=Exhaust_system_overview ) These Berk HFC's are 7lbs (3Kg) a piece.. 14 lbs (6.3 Kg).. So doing a little math -- 46 - 14 = 32lbs (14.5 Kg) saving(s)! Add in the Invidia Gemini Exhaust I put on.. which is 70lbs (31.7 Kg) vs the Stock (Cat-Back) which is 92lbs (41.7 Kg) .. Thus 22lbs (10Kg) Saving(s). So combine the two and my Zed is 54lbs (24.5 Kg's) Lighter as an added bonus, nice. Doing some number crunching,..my 2008 M/T 350 is 3919 Pound from factory,. so the rough power to weight ratio is about 0.08. That means for every 12 lbs (5.4Kg) we remove from the car we gain 1hp. So,.. 54lbs lighter = 4.5hp gain .. Nothing phenomenal.. But, hey,.. HP isn't easy to get on this car. I'll take it lol. If I really wanted to reduce some weight.. I could pull the Spare tire 35lbs + Jack kit (7lbs) -- For another 42lbs. So roughly 100lbs out of the car.. and roughly 10hp gain. But that's all hypothetical,.. I'm not going to remove the Spare tire and jack,.. for what 4-5hp? Much more important to me to be able to get back on the road again with a blowout/flat than using a Can of Fix-A-Flat or Paying and waiting on AAA (and auto service here that many people subscribe to that will come and tow your car, and/or fix it on the side of the road in such cases... maybe you guys have it, or something similar.) -- AAA is not bad to have.. it's cheap .. $35 a year,.. I may buy a year of it just to for that double protection,.. never know when you'll need a Tow, (and it covers any persons car you happen to be in.. ) But I digress.. I think the rule of thumb is .10th of a second per 100lbs in the quarter mile. Shrug. But back to the topic.. My Berk HFC's finally Arrived! This is the Proper way to hold your baby,.. -- Still in the plastic, Hopefully the weather holds out and I can put these on tomorrow. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletMagnet Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Very nice In the UK we have AA, so AAA minus one A, but over there you associate AA with something entirely different. But I guess if you end up calling the AAA too many times you might have a problem and may need the AA, but not the UK AA.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Pmsl Sent from my Zed using Nangkang tyres front, RE040's rear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacky Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I remember when I got my baby (Berk HFC) You won't regret it. They totally transform the sound. 3/3.5k rpm and on sounds good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS8055 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I've just installed the Invidia Gemini cat-back, and want to know how much louder the exhaust would be if I were to get some HFCs? I was surprised how quiet the Invidia actually is, but like the stock one, it's quiet inside the cabin, but sounds lovely if you're standing on the side of the road. Do the HFCs make a huge difference to noise? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirag1988 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Good luck with the installation Chromatic! Berks are probably going to be on my birthday list 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Very nice In the UK we have AA, so AAA minus one A, but over there you associate AA with something entirely different. But I guess if you end up calling the AAA too many times you might have a problem and may need the AA, but not the UK AA.... LOL -- Yah.. We have AA over here too (I assume you mean Alcoholics Anonymous (which now branches to anyone with an addiction of any kind) ) -- I think I may need ZA,.. Zed's Anonymous.. -- But our AAA is The American Automobile Association.. Basically a "club" where you pay a monthly or yearly due and in turn get a card with a number and if you get stranded on the road (ie: Flat tire and don't have the know how or ability to fix it,.. dead battery, engine blows up.. whatever.. ) They come and fix it if they can (ie: Tire, battery..) or Tow you and get you back to where you need to be. Now that I mention it, it's really something I think I'll subscribe to .. $35 a year is less than $3 a month.. I think that's fair for a rare occasion the Zed or more likely I am in someone else's car and it breaks down beyond repair.... I remember when I got my baby (Berk HFC) You won't regret it. They totally transform the sound. 3/3.5k rpm and on sounds good That's what I want to hear. I love the sound of my Invidia Gemini's.. but they sort of Cut off at 3k in the car.. they have this lovely super deep (almost more than V6 deep) tone that resonates from Idle to 3k (prominent from 2k-3k) then that just vanishes post 3k.. (now what is sounds like outside 50 meters away.. I don't know) -- but with the windows down it doesn't sound like above 3k is very loud. Point being,.. I'd like the Berk's to pick up where the Gemini's stop.. and give 3k and up some boost.. but not overdo the "loudness" of the already fairly loud 2-3k band. (Probably asking for too much for the HFC's to keep idle to 3k the same, yet magically start their noise at 3k.. But, sounds like I will start hearing some 3k+ tones.. which is great. I will say in "my" car.. the 2-3k is quite loud in the cabin.. it's not an abrasive sound, it's a drone of sorts.. sort of like when you hear a Mustang V8 with exhaust go by.. very very deep.. and well, really what you would call droning (what people want to avoid)... I have to put my sound system up fairly high to drown out that 2-3k (if I'm not listening to the music of the exhaust itself, alone.. ). We shall see. I've just installed the Invidia Gemini cat-back, and want to know how much louder the exhaust would be if I were to get some HFCs? You sound like me a few weeks ago after installing my Invidia Gemini,.. I immediately wanted more lol. I was surprised how quiet the Invidia actually is, but like the stock one, it's quiet inside the cabin, but sounds lovely if you're standing on the side of the road. Do the HFCs make a huge difference to noise? I was a bit surprised as well.. especially the first day after I put it on. I can tell you this.. it will get louder quite quickly.. give it 100 miles or so .. you should notice.. and it continues to get slightly louder and more resonate for a few hundred more miles as it "breaks in" and carbon builds up (and any other theories out there of why it gets louder ) But if yours is anything like mine.. you should notice that between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM there is this really deep sound our exhausts give out.. then past the 3k mark it really drops off. It can't just be my Invidia Gemini .. we all have the same Cars.. and many the same exhaust lol. But, EVERYONE has said HFC's will undoubtedly increase the exhaust note/noise level -- Now by "how much" is really impossible to quantify -- while we can put dB meters on them.. If I told you say... Your Invidia was 91dB and the HFC's would make it 96dB .. You wouldn't get much from that, .. so it's really just something you and I have to take a chance on. I decided test pipes would be too loud for sure,.. and too raspy most likely,.. even though they would give a bit more horsepower. So the quietest GOOD quality solution is Berk HFC's. When anyone who knows much about 350's or 370's talks about High Flow Cat's .. they will tell you Berk Technology make the best quality HFC's.. Best Horsepower and sound (lack of too much Rasp.. and not Testpipe loud.) I have been told removing the stock Cats and putting ANYTHING in their place is going to introduce some slight rasp.. there is no avoiding that. However, while people debate that fact,.. I believe the consensus is it introduces just a tiny bit of rasp that is just "right" .. A little rasp sounds good. When you hear a Ferrari or Lambo, etc go by.. That supercar exhaust note is partially due to a little Rasp (And a 50-300k engine ) Good luck with the installation Chromatic! Berks are probably going to be on my birthday list Thanks. I don't believe I'll be doing it myself (although I've said that about every single thing so far, and have ended up installing it all myself to date..) -- But seriously, this time,.. I've just read too much about the "demon bolts" to really feel confident in this install. I am a little leary of a shop doing it because of the warning a Berk Tech gave me.. of: "Impact guns and air chisels have been known to break the heating element inside the bank 1, sensor 1 and bank 2, sensor 1 that is mounted inside the header. The manufacturer asserts that impact tools should not be used to break loose stubborn bolts on the forward most catalytic converter flange on the 350Z & 370Z equipped with the VQ35HR & VQ37VHR engine". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletMagnet Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Yeah, our AA is Automobile Association as opposed to the Alchoholics Anonymous I guess they could have gone for BAA, but I think that went to British Aviation Authority, plus it makes you sound like a sheep 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacky Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 After I had my berks installed for a few months I thought I noticed the sound level drop. I just presumed the HFC's eventually got coked up. But after some window down acceleration in a tunnel. It was quite noticeably still there. I must be going deaf, but I'm putting all the blame on the drone of the crapspeed k1 I have currently fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS8055 Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Don't get me wrong, the Invidia Gemini system has a gorgeous sound... only reason I think it's quiet is because I've been rocking around with the exhaust blowing (standard disconnection between midpipe and backbox) for about a year. So the exhaust on mine has been ridiculously loud! Loved every minute of it, but was willing to sacrifice sound level for sound quality. I can actually hear myself think in the cabin now! No need to shout to communicate with any passenger I might be carrying now! hahaha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Yeah, our AA is Automobile Association as opposed to the Alchoholics Anonymous I guess they could have gone for BAA, but I think that went to British Aviation Authority, plus it makes you sound like a sheep lol.. You guys have AA too http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/ Well.. AAA, makes you sound like your "special" .. Aaa..aaa....aaa..aaa... Or Laugh like Jimmy Carr .. one or the other After I had my berks installed for a few months I thought I noticed the sound level drop. I just presumed the HFC's eventually got coked up. But after some window down acceleration in a tunnel. It was quite noticeably still there. I must be going deaf, but I'm putting all the blame on the drone of the crapspeed k1 I have currently fitted. Coked up! lol.. Your HFC's need to go to AA for their Cocaine habit? tsk tsk.. No wonder it isn't performing properly. Yeah, all Cat's get clogged up.. stock or HFC's -- but a few months, they should be fairly pristine unless you are leaking oil or something from the engine into the exhaust .. I'd check that out -- HFC's and Testpipes do have a tendency to crack/break or develop a leak sometimes -- Might be worth a visual inspection, the sound shouldn't have gotten quieter in a few months for sure! But.. Man they charge a premium for what you get. I mean it's great quality Steel, CNC machined parts,.. nice Welds.. but it's not $450-$600 nice! lol. I mean look at the inside of the HFC's.. Yeah,.. that's about 1/4 Dollar, $0.25 worth of Cardboard in there.. lol! I guess it's the best thing? Seems like for all the trouble they go to welding those things shut to put that inside, they would be using something else... but who knows. Don't get me wrong, the Invidia Gemini system has a gorgeous sound... only reason I think it's quiet is because I've been rocking around with the exhaust blowing (standard disconnection between midpipe and backbox) for about a year. So the exhaust on mine has been ridiculously loud! Loved every minute of it, but was willing to sacrifice sound level for sound quality. I can actually hear myself think in the cabin now! No need to shout to communicate with any passenger I might be carrying now! hahaha rofl! Yah.. That's a HUGE difference man! You could run the cheapest exhaust, and testpipes and still be quieter than what you had going. You definitely need some Berk's.. Or even Testpipes if you wanted to go that route. If you did go Testpipes, I wouldn't put anything but Motordyne ART V3 testpipes on though... only Testpipes worthy imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Btw: I was wondering -- What is this Bolt for? -- I know the other end is for the O2 sensors.. but what the heck is this Bolt that comes off to an empty hole for? Are there two more ground wires that go on these bolts? Or can you take that bolt off for increased noise? What's up with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delz0r Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Looking forward to seeing some videos . Do a few drive bys if you can. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Looking forward to seeing some videos . Do a few drive bys if you can. Will do.. You just reminded me I need to find that reasonably priced Video Recorder I think Sony put out recently that blows everything else away to get proper video quality and more importantly REAL sound of the low tones my Iphone cuts off completely. Hrmm.. I don't think I bookmarked it.. this is going to be hard to find again. :/ Btw,.. delZ,.. I see you had a DE and now HR -- Without offending anyone.. ( ) -- Considering the HR is 80% different in design than the DE, higher redline (500rpm to 1000rpm higher depending on which year exactly you had ) ,..higher block deck height, longer connecting Rods, Dual Intakes, Revised Cylinder Heads, Variable Valve timing that operates over a broader range, Higher compression Ratio, and Stronger Cast aluminum Engine and Oil pain (covers), More horsepower over a larger power band (increased primarily in mid range),.. and a touch more horsepower at the sacrifice of a bit of torque (That's all I know of the actually differences in engines).... What is the real world difference between driving the two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian@TORQEN Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 You do like to write... A lot of malarky and gibberish for some pieces of metal :lol: We need a proper tutorial of how to unpack these and how to hold them, step by step! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delz0r Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 (edited) Looking forward to seeing some videos . Do a few drive bys if you can. Will do.. You just reminded me I need to find that reasonably priced Video Recorder I think Sony put out recently that blows everything else away to get proper video quality and more importantly REAL sound of the low tones my Iphone cuts off completely. Hrmm.. I don't think I bookmarked it.. this is going to be hard to find again. :/ Btw,.. delZ,.. I see you had a DE and now HR -- Without offending anyone.. ( ) -- Considering the HR is 80% different in design than the DE, higher redline (500rpm to 1000rpm higher depending on which year exactly you had ) ,..higher block deck height, longer connecting Rods, Dual Intakes, Revised Cylinder Heads, Variable Valve timing that operates over a broader range, Higher compression Ratio, and Stronger Cast aluminum Engine and Oil pain (covers), More horsepower over a larger power band (increased primarily in mid range),.. and a touch more horsepower at the sacrifice of a bit of torque (That's all I know of the actually differences in engines).... What is the real world difference between driving the two? I had a GT4 which had the Rev Up engine. It unfortunately used a decent bit of oil, my HR hasn't used any so far. I was surprised at how different the HR engine was: - The throttle response is very nice, noticeably better - Generally feels smoother - The HR pulls really hard all the way to the redline, where the DE was running out of breath the HR is really laying down some serious power - Sounds better - I really liked the sound of the DE but the HR is that little bit nicer sounding. - Gearbox is smoother Edited February 26, 2014 by delz0r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletMagnet Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Btw: I was wondering -- What is this Bolt for? -- I know the other end is for the O2 sensors.. but what the heck is this Bolt that comes off to an empty hole for? Are there two more ground wires that go on these bolts? Or can you take that bolt off for increased noise? What's up with it? Exhaust temperature sensor for aftermarket monitors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Wide band 02 sensor bung? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Less time writing and more time fitting ~ you'll smile more that way Chromatic. Sure you'll love these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 (edited) Less time writing and more time fitting ~ you'll smile more that way Chromatic. Sure you'll love these. Oh I'm not installing.. talked to the mechanic with the $60 an hour (cheap as hell rates).. and He can do it Monday.. So that's when it shall be done. Expect it to be 2 hours.. I'm self employed computer network engineer/systems designer.. so I'm able to post at all times due to working from home or office constantly.. Just because I'm posting doesn't mean I'm not making money But, the demon bolts + lack of 4 jacks stands (have 2) .. and extensions needed.. are leading me to just let the Pro do it. This guy has been doing exhausts for 25 years.. and he mostly designs them and builds.. (IE: makes the exhausts custom, and mandrel bends, welds, etc based on the car and wants of the customer. ) So I trust him on putting on a few bolt on cats Edited February 27, 2014 by Chromatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 (edited) I'm at the exhaust shop.. It's literally called "The Exhaust Shop" lol.. Guy has my car on the rack right now.. I sprayed the bolts last night (jacked the car up got under there and coated them with PB Blaster and the O2 Sensors (just the nut ) ) -- So maybe they will come off with ease. (Knock on wood). He started about now.. a buddy of his just walked in so he's literally right in front of me on the phone cheking on a part for his buddy (or customers 98 BMW) nice guy.. we just chatted about his BMW M3.. Now the guy is also mentioning his Ducatti (He's 65 lol).. and making it's exhaust louder (this mechanic builds custom exhaust primarily..).. Very cool.. anyways... So I'll update on how quick or slow this becomes.. I may be able to get some pics of the car on the rack.. but it's nothing special.. Just my 08 350 lifted up lol.. Now the customer headed out and he's back to it.. I'll definitely get some sound video of how these Berk HFC's change the sound. Edited March 4, 2014 by Chromatic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacky Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Once fitted you will drive everywhere with the windows down. Will definitely put a big smile on your grid 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Hope it's all gone well and you're already enjoying the great sound. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIXXERUK Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Where's the video already 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Where's the video already Probably can't stop driving it and listening to the awesome sound. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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