the toilet bowl downpipe is one of the biggest restrictions..get a better manifold, like a dual downpipe unit, and run a muffler..i had a glass pack on my rabbit, and it was RETARDEDLY loud.. well, that may have had something to do with the header too..
currently have a straight pipe on my 1.6 N/a with a glass pack. Oh my gawd does it sound raspy when you get her up in the revs. 4000 sounds superb!
The guy that's making my valves told me that a rabbit with a ported NA diesel will keep up with a gasser rabbit.If you are never going to get a turbo then I would NOT recommend going larger than 2", maybe 2 1/4" at the biggest. My NA rabbit has is 2.5" all the way back with a homemade muffler by the shifter and a thrush baffle one in the rear and the noise, while not painful, will leave my head ringing after less than a 100 miles. When I had the vnt15 installed and NO muffers it sounded awesome and wasn't too loud at all.
why would the straight pipe be quieter w/turbo than without? or is an esthetic thing that the turbo noise blends in and the exhaust note isn't noticeable?