Ok, I finally jumped on the RSC cats after debating for some time as there were no before/after dynos until the ones done recently by CJ (thank you).

My car is a 2006 V8V with the AM power upgrade, Quicksilver SuperSport exhaust and K&N air filters.

I have been trying to solve for the lazy throttle response and add some power. Both the power upgrade and filters dramatically helped the throttle response and in conjunction with the exhaust have greatly helped power per my baseline dyno below from last week.

The car pulled 364 max power WHP and 288ft lbs torque on a DynoJet. If one assumes 20% drivetrain loss, I am just over 450hp at the crank precats. This was done in 65 degree weather, 12% humidity.

The tuners noted as we have all seen that the car is very rich and mentioned that if I simply leaned out the AFR to 12.5 or so, I could probably gain another 10-15 RWHP. I believe that is one of the reasons the CATs work so well is because they lean out the AFR some (will have to wait for this weeks dyno to see).

 

Nice job!

I'm thinking you are 452hp (x1,24 on my car)

 

I'm tempted to follow your example.

Any error codes?
If none, how many miles on the car after the latest mod?

 

I bought a Direct Lift a couple weeks back so that I could add another low car underneath and tackle some service issues myself.


The workspace was tighter than I would have liked as my garage ceiling is lower than most, but I was able to sit on a rolling stool the entire time which saved my back.


Thanks to the help from forum member Irish07 and the Aston service manual, I was able to take this on entirely by myself with help from my neighbor to shift the exhaust and take the cats off/on.

The first step was to remove the 4 spring bolts from the H-Pipe to the exhaust (2X each). You need to remove the plastic cover under the car first to access this area. The removal of the spring bolts required an 8" wobble extension to my torque wrench to get to the bolts. They are NOT easy to access.



I then took off both C-Clamps from the H pipe to the cats on the other side.



Once this was complete, I grabbed my neighbor and we shifted the entire exhaust back about 2" to release it from the CATs. It stayed in place.

I then removed the three bolts from the CATs to the manifolds. This was a tricky part for me as the top bolts are right against the heat shield and difficult to access. I used the wobble wrench again here. I then undid the 4 sensors. The cats removed easily.

 

Once the cats were off, I put on the much lighter RSC cats. I had to buy new bolts as the factory presses the bolts in to the manifold and they are a bit** to get out. Here are the new cats with the stock cat held up next to it.



The hardest part of the install was connecting one of the sensors into the RHS cat. I literally had to cut away part of the heartshield due to the angle on the new cat to make it work.



Once this part was over the rest was pretty easy, I worked from the front back and torqued to spec all bolts.

Here is the finished product:



The only part I was unsure of is where the h pipe meets my exhaust, there is still about a 1/2 gap even after using the wrench to spec. The gap is filled with this hard white stuff. I did not hear a leak though when firing it up....any guidance/confirmation would me much appreciated here.

All in all it was a great first project on the new lift.

 

An additional 70bhp (18% improvement) just from the AM power upgrade, filters, new rear box, and high-flow cats? From what I know about these mods, that increase sounds a bit unlikely.

 

Initially starting the car caused more smog than Mexico City! At first I was very concerned, but remembered that Stuart said some stuff needs to burn off. After 5 minutes all was well.

Upon startup, the car actually fires up with a much meaner, lower growl, then settles to a rather quiet (similar to just the QS SS) idle.

I checked for leaks, then went for a drive.

I have not had a bigger smile for an hour straight since I first bought the car!! Above 3/4k the car transforms to a beast and at constant speed it stays rather quiet. Keep in mind this is a weekend toy, as a DD it may be too much.

The best improvement was in the throttle response, it now feels immediate in conjunction with the Power upgrade, filters and exhaust.

The overruns/crackles when I lifted off the throttle made me laugh out loud a couple times. Very pleased.

I will be doing dynos at the same place this week to see the gains.

 

This is without the cats, the dyno is attached. I also took a video of it but had the camera rolling for 1 min before the actual dyno by accident.

In 3rd they were in the high 330's-340's range, then 4th got it to 364 at redline.

I could not believe it myself.

I will be doing a dyno this week now that the cats are on.

 

Without the cats??? Now I'm really suspicious of those numbers. My '07 V8V put down about 330 whp and that was after K&N filters, RSC tune, and 200 cell cats (in 5th gear). That would be about 415 bhp using your 20% drivetrain loss assumption.

Just don't see how you're getting over 450 bhp from the AM power upgrade, filters, and rear box. To my knowledge, each provides at best an extra 20, 7, and 5 bhp, respectively, which would get you to 412 bhp (assuming starting at 380 bhp).

 

I don' t know, but am not complaining. They did 2 pulls in 3rd gear first that were much lower, they then did one in 4th at 359whp but he did not hit redline. When hit hit redline in 4th on final pull it was 364.

I agree with your thinking and have listened to Mike at BR walk through where I should be.

Here is the video of the third pull (one of two on the dyno sheet attached above). I did not have them save the 2 in third that were lower.


I will do the other dynos this week now that the cats are installed.

 

Kamran-The dyno was done last Friday, before I installed the RSC cats. I finished the cat install today and put perhaps 60 miles on her. Not a single code!

 

I have the same setup but mine had a tubi until I got tired of the loudness of the exhaust with cats.

The car defenately feels faster but I'm not sure if it has more than 420HP.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I see go the 4-post lift, I've got some serious garage envy!! Also, congratulations on the new cats. You've got some good numbers on the dyno. Some day after house projects and modding my other car, the cats will be replaced on my V8V ... someday.

Enjoy, enjoy.

 

I have the identicle setup, I'm eager to hear your 1 month or so reaction. Its beautiful when first turned on....

Im used to it and like the extra noise. I still think that its a bit too loud on WOT, which is only like 20 seconds per month so I'll live.


PS your dyno numbers are a lot stronger then mine, I only ran a 358 with the Cats (no filters yet). I'm think that makes a difference, but wonder how much. I didnt have time for 3 dyno runs the day of my install.