Official eCutouts Thread

43179 Views 245 Replies 61 Participants Last post by MAC the KNIFE, Jan 22, 2014

HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · May 16, 2010 (Edited)

So I thought since there isn't an official eCutouts thread I thought I would start one.

First of all the ones that work for the G8 are the DMH "Low Profile" eCutouts.

You can buy them on MarylandSpeed: http://marylandspeed.com/dmh-low-profile-electric-cutouts-pair-dmhlpecut-p-1313.html or Direct through Dave at DMH (great guy).

How it works: DMH Electric Cutouts are designed to better your cars performance and feel. The cutout works by welding into your stock or modified exhaust. They can be placed anywhere after the headers. To open the cutout you press a switch, which opens cutout, releasing your exhaust. This enables you to bypass your muffler, increasing horsepower and giving your car an extremely throaty rumble.

Now while there is some debate over any performance enhancement there is no debate that they are loud.

UPDATE 4/29:

With Exhaust Cutouts Closed: 353.2 rwhp/354.5 rwtq

With Exhaust Cutouts Open: 368.9 rwhp/365.3 rwtq (16 rwhp more open!)

Graphs (Open vs Closed):

Hopefully in this thread we might be able to get some input with G8 owners and there experience.

The eCutouts also leak. (Just wanted to note that). And they sound like crap once the Cylinder De-Activation turns on.

You can also open them partially.

Interested to see if those with eCutouts drive areound as much as i do with them open.

Also important to note, if you try and race someone and you open the eCutouts the other car most likely will get scared and back off, lol.

Here are two videos I have made of my eCutouts:

So please post up if you have them or if anyone has any eCutout questions. (Please try and keep in on subject).

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Sufiztic

· #2 · May 16, 2010

So for $400, is the E-Cut out better then going with the Solo Axle back w/X Pipe power wise? When u say they leak, is it something u smell inside the cab, because I wouldn't want my son breathing in fumes? Thanks...

HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 16, 2010

Doesn't shut all the way, as good as you can seal metal on metal, its a sound thing only.

As for performance, it is debated, some other cars adds hp, but in ours I havent seen a Dyno. I really am interested to see one.
I say its more for sound, which is why I like it. Loud when I want, then back to stock when wife is complaining about it being too loud.

Lethal_427

· #4 · May 16, 2010

I would agree with HunterSwift, that it is for sound mostly. It all depends on where they are installed. I have mine right after the cats and I notice a minor loss in low end torque due to not enough back pressure. If they where located farther back somewhere you may see some added HP.

As far as the cutout leaking, I do not smell any fumes with the cutouts open and the are located directly under the front seats. Mine do a fairly good job closing all the way, so I don't get to much of a leaking exhaust sound.

If you don't want any drone, this is the way to go! When I am driving down the highway I close the cutouts so it is nice and quiet on the inside. If I want to leave them open, I put in manual mode and then the cylinder deactivation does not engage.

I get a ton of compliments on how the car sounds. It definitely turns peoples heads and they are even more amazed when you make it nice and quiet. I think it is definitely the best bang for the buck for sound and no drone!

Cheers,
JJ

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HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 16, 2010

I am interested in getting the Kooks Mids, We know that adds some hp, but then still use the cutouts and stock exhaust. (but the lack of back pressure is definitely what i THINK is causing no dramatic performance increase.)

Adding to the sound, a couple times people have thought my car stalled after I closed them. lol it really is amazing the difference between open and closed.

And let me mention too, how mnay times shutting them just in the right time has saved me when passing by a cop.

Lethal do you feel it takes longer for your car to downshift when cruise and you floor it, witht them open vs closed?

Lethal_427

· #6 · May 16, 2010

HunterSwift said:
I am interested in getting the Kooks Mids, We know that adds some hp, but then still use the cutouts and stock exhaust. (but the lack of back pressure is definitely what i THINK is causing no dramatic performance increase.)

Adding to the sound, a couple times people have thought my car stalled after I closed them. lol it really is amazing the difference between open and closed.

I get that too, people think that I shut the car off if I close them right in front of them. I love watching people's faces when you open that exhaust up when it was dead silent!

HunterSwift said:
And let me mention too, how mnay times shutting them just in the right time has saved me when passing by a cop.

I used to close them when passing a cop, but I don't even bother anymore unless they are actually shooting radar where they are looking to pull over someone.

HunterSwift said:
Lethal do you feel it takes longer for your car to downshift when cruise and you floor it, with them open vs closed?

I am not really sure, I drive it in manual mode all the time. So when I am getting in it I am doing the downshifting and it doesn't seem to delay when I downshift.

HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 16, 2010

Lethal_427 said:
I am not really sure, I drive it in manual mode all the time. So when I am getting in it I am doing the downshifting and it doesn't seem to delay when I downshift.

I love driving on the freeway in 4th with them open!

Lethal_427

· #8 · May 16, 2010

HunterSwift said:
I love driving on the freeway in 4th with them open!

That's to funny, I find myself doing the same thing with either 4th or 5th!:wink2:

ArkGL01

· #9 · May 17, 2010

I have them with the magnaflow system and love them. They sound awesome open and people look so confused to see that car sounding like a muscle car then I just close them and you cant hear the car. I love pulling up beside someone on the freeway and down shifting them open... omg the looks are priceless!

timbrie

· #10 · May 17, 2010

I recently had my mechanic install the DMH product on my otherwise stock '08 G8GT, and they are great. Mechanic told me they are very well built with good materials. He also told me that, technically, they create an exhaust leak which won't pass emissions inspection here in Pennsylvania. The DMH package includes separate seal-plates that can be installed to pass inspection, and then removed. I don't notice any exhaust fumes in the cabin when the cutouts are open, but I generally keep the roof or windows cracked a bit just in case.

There is no performance benefit that I can tell - in fact, it seems a bit slower with the cutouts wide open.

As for the sound, it is not as melifluous as a good header system, and sometimes sounds like an old beater with a rusty pipe at certain speeds and rpm. Wide-open setting is way too loud for most driving conditions, but you can open it at partial settings (just a crack) to get a pleasant volume and tone.

My mechanic installed the control switch on the dash, to the right of the headlight control, so it looks like it was factory-installed. Blows people away at car cruises.

BTW, you can buy them directly from the manufacturer in Ohio. http://www.dmhperformance.com/

Nice thread, HunterSwift. Thanks for setting it up.

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HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · #11 · May 18, 2010

Here is another video I took while racing at AutoClub Speedway in Fontana with the eCutouts open at WOT.

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timbrie

· #12 · May 18, 2010

Excellent video, man. Were your lap times any better or worse with the cut-outs open?

HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 18, 2010

timbrie said:
Excellent video, man. Were your lap times any better or worse with the cut-outs open?

I coldn't tell a difference so I left them open. Plus it sounded so good. It scared a lot of cars out there to get out of my way.

Giggles

· #14 · May 18, 2010

HunterSwift said:
I coldn't tell a difference so I left them open. Plus it sounded so good. It scared a lot of cars out there to get out of my way.

Hahaha sounds like you had some fun out there

GTeve

· #15 · May 22, 2010

Thought I would just throw in my two cents as I have had my cutouts for a while now.

I put the cutouts on the stock exhaust with stock headers and cats (obviously). As for the big question on power increases or decreases, here's the verdict after I dynoed my car open and closed (and I don't have the dyno sheet on me right now so this is within a couple horsepower): Closed - 313rwhp. Open 328rwhp. As I said, those are from memory but I can assure you that the horsepower curve with them OPEN is always greater than closed, and here's why...

With the cutouts closed, they create a great deal of turbulence within the exhaust passageways. This turbulence drastically diminishes the smooth vacuum created by an exhaust system (stock or otherwise). Now, when the cutouts are open, this does decrease back pressure, lowering torque, yet the turbulence is also dropped, and this causes the torque at all RPM ranges to increase. Essentially, I can state it best by saying that the cutouts make you lose power with them closed from turbulence, and opening them simply gives that lost power back. Actual increases in horsepower are minimal unless you have a larger cam, FI, etc.

Now, I have the DT headers and no cats and all I can say is: WOW! They are loud, granted not as loud as the '68 Nova SS drag car, but loud nonetheless. And when they are closed, nice and silent.

I have also run the car at the track with them open and closed, and open always produced faster speeds (and I'm not going to even try to pull the average speed increase out of memory). It may have only been .25 to .5 m.p.h increase, but it supports the regain in horsepower theory.

If you guys really want, I can try to dig up that dyno sheet and post it, but I can't promise anything. Though hopefully my explanation makes enough sense that you believe my engineering theory anyhow.

And overall, I am extremely happy with them. Probably the best single item I have purchased for this car. I use them everyday, and plan to for a very, very long time!

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HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 22, 2010

Very interesting! Nice to finally get an actual idea of the difference.

Lethal_427

· #17 · May 24, 2010

GTeve said:
I put the cutouts on the stock exhaust with stock headers and cats (obviously).

horsepower: Closed - 313rwhp. Open 328rwhp.

Where did you install your cutouts? Mine is on the first curve of the exhaust where the exhaust pipes go to the center of the car, which is just after the cats. I am curious to see if this is where most people are mounting theirs or not.

It is nice to see that someone actually ran them on the dyno. Thanks for posting up the information!

black magic

· #18 · May 24, 2010

Lethal_427 said:
Where did you install your cutouts? Mine is on the first curve of the exhaust where the exhaust pipes go to the center of the car, which is just after the cats. I am curious to see if this is where most people are mounting theirs or not.

It is nice to see that someone actually ran them on the dyno. Thanks for posting up the information!

I was wondering the same. If I go the e-cutout route, I was going to install an X-pipe and put the cutouts just before the factory mufflers. This would allow me to run silent and when opened sound something along the lines of the straight piped exhaust such as Solo or SLP. No need for the J-pipe if it will only be opened on certain occasions. Also, if they do leak a bit, maybe it will sound a bit like the washer mod (which I'm currently running). Thoughts?

HunterSwift

Discussion Starter · #19 · May 24, 2010

Here are more picts of location:

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GTeve

· #20 · May 26, 2010

My cutouts are essentially where HunterSwift's are located, but mine are slightly more to the outside of the vehicle. I essentially wanted to locate mine so that when opened, the exhaust gases had the most direct exit possible, so they are basically located on the actual bend right after the cats, not on the straight section. When they are opened, you can literally see all the way down to the headers. I figured this would provide the most efficient "dumping" action possible and give the best results. I am sure that cutout location affects the power difference from opened and closed, so again, take my results with a grain of salt.

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