The Racing Beat Power Pulse Mazda 3 Exhaust system is a complete 304-stainless steel cat-back system for use on all 2004-09 Mazda 3 non-turbo applications. the Racing Beat Mazda 3 exhaust system is a direct replacement for the factory system and utilizes all stock hangers and mounting brackets. Manufactured in-house by Racing Beat using 2.375" OD stainless steel tubing and cast stainless steel flanges, this straight-through exhaust system is perfect for street or track use.
Finished with a 4" OD S-Style stainless steel outlet tip, this tip adds an aggressive edge to any Mazda 3! The Racing Beat Power Pulse exhaust system comes complete with all required mounting hardware and fully detailed installation instructions.
All Racing Beat exhaust systems are designed by our design team to provide a deep, throaty exhaust tone, without any harsh, buzzy, or raspy tones. Deep and modest under full throttle, and smooth and mellow under highway cruising conditions!
Exhaust System Configuration
Although we would have preferred to offer a true emissions-legal "bolt-on" system, the design of the stock OEM system makes this impossible. The following description of the stock exhaust systems offered on the Mazda 3 will provide better insight to the reasons why an emissions legal "bolt-on" system cannot be offered.
On the 2004-2009 Mazda 3 application, Mazda offered three (3) different configurations for the OEM exhaust system depending on the combination of engine displacement (2000cc or 2300cc), emissions status (Federal/Canada or California), and engine configuration (turbo or non-turbo).
For the non-turbo 2000cc and 2300cc engines Mazda designed the stock OEM exhaust system for the Mazda 3 as one long, single unit which included: a catalytic converter unit, muffler canister (either 1 or 2 canisters depending on your model), outlet pipe and tip section. These individual components are permanently welded onto the exhaust tubing and cannot be individually separated without cutting. During assembly of the vehicle at the factory it appears that the entire exhaust system was installed onto the car and then the rear suspension sub-frame was raised into place. This manufacturing technique makes the removal of the entire stock exhaust system on this application much more difficult than with previous Mazda car models.
Easy-to-Install and Emissions Legal
The Racing Beat Exhaust System for the Mazda 3 has been designed to be an easy-to-install, cat-back, 50-state emissions legal exhaust system. During the installation process of the Racing Beat exhaust system, the stock Mazda catalytic converter unit is separated from the exhaust system (using a simple hacksaw or electric saw) and retained for later use. During installation of the Racing Beat exhaust, the original Mazda catalytic converter unit is bolted back into place on the vehicle and the Racing Beat exhaust system is then attached to the outlet of the catalytic converter unit using a slip-joint style fitting and an OEM-quality retaining clamp. The outlet tip section is retained place by a similar clamp unit, allowing for minor positioning adjustments of the muffler tip within the bumper opening. For detailed instructions, refer to the installation instruction link a the top of this page.
Understanding The Term "Emissions Legal" With Regards To Your Mazda 3
It is important to understand that the stock Mazda catalytic converter unit MUST be retained in order for ANY 2004-2009 Mazda 3 exhaust system to be considered 50-state emissions legal! It is not legal in either a EPA (Federal) or CARB (CA, NY, NJ, etc...) controlled US state to remove or replace a OE catalytic converter unit on a OBD-II equipped (1996 and later) vehicle, unless the replacement catalytic converter has been certified for use on that specific vehicle. To date there are very limited number of OBD-II certified OE replacement catalytic converters and laws specifically preclude the use of "universal" or "high flow" performance catalytic converters. If you are considering a Mazda 3 exhaust with an aftermarket universal or "high flow" catalytic converter included in the system, these systems are NOT emissions legal. Period.
Emission testing regulations, methods, and laws vary from US state-to-state, if you are considering an aftermarket exhaust that includes an aftermarket catalytic converter unit we suggest you contact your local emissions testing facility with any questions or concerns.
