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Sorry to hear about your experience with the inserts.
I have hooker side pipes on my vette as well. The 4" pipe with the insert inside it should not be welded to the headers. This is why your mechanic says it would be a big job now. He created that situation.
I would recommend the STS baffels if you are looking at buying something else. http://www.spiralturbobaffles.com/corvette.html
I run these and they have a very authoritative sound without being overwhelming.
My guess on what spraying water into a hot glass pack does is that it cools the packing fast enough to either fracture it or make it brittle. Then next time you drive it much of the packing is able to pass out the exhaust since it now is broken into smaller pieces that can fit out the little holes in the pipe that normally retains the packing.
Do a search on Youtube for "corvette sidepipes" or "hooker sidepipes" to hear what others with different inserts sound like.
Hooker makes 3 types of inserts;
Reverese Flow - the most restrictive, quiet
Glasspack - medium level (what you currently have)
Maximum Flow - high performance, loud (the ones I'm using)
STS and SweetThunder are another brand as mentioned, also Vettepack but I think they are not as loud.
The STS type looks like a pipe with a corkscrew around it. The pipe part is capped, and the cap can be drilled or removed for increased sound and performance.
I was experimenting with making a better playing video of my wreck with Hooker Max Flows on it. This is as good a place as any to see and hear if it's any better. Hope no one minds.
My headers, pipes, and muffler cost roughly 1600.00. My exhaust shields were roughly 550.00 and the cost of having them installed was 1200.00
well it is a pain in the **** job to do but 1200 dose seem a lil high to me!! i would think 600 or so would have been enough. for 1000 i will install an engine/trans in a c3
i like the max flow inserts myself nice and rumbly!!! if thats what you wanted go with them and find someone to swap them out for 100-200 bucks its not that hard of a job!!! tell them you want the old inserts back to sell and recoop your cash for the new ones.
I talked to my mechanic, and ask what he had welded. It was exactly what Flyeri talked about in his reply to me. He welded two studs to the frame that hold the pipes and I ask why would he have to take the headers off to take the baffle out. Apparently, there was a lack of communication, or I just misunderstood. He said he would loosen the bolts on the headers as a precaution, he wouldn't want to put any bind on anything that might cause the Crome to crack. He said it wouldn't take him long. I feel so much better about it now. All is well
No worries
well it is a pain in the **** job to do but 1200 dose seem a lil high to me!! i would think 600 or so would have been enough. for 1000 i will install an engine/trans in a c3
i like the max flow inserts myself nice and rumbly!!! if thats what you wanted go with them and find someone to swap them out for 100-200 bucks its not that hard of a job!!! tell them you want the old inserts back to sell and recoop your cash for the new ones.
The labor cost is really not a huge concern of mine. I am more than happy to make if worth his time and energy to go that extra mile for my car. In this case, it's not the mechanic that determines the price. He works at the dealership, they set the price. Actually, once I knew I was happy with the job. I made a special trip to give him a nice tip. As long as he keeps me happy I'll keep him happy.
Thank you so much for telling me to get the old inserts back. That would have never crossed my mind.
Sorry to hear about your experience with the inserts.
I have hooker side pipes on my vette as well. The 4" pipe with the insert inside it should not be welded to the headers. This is why your mechanic says it would be a big job now. He created that situation.
I would recommend the STS baffels if you are looking at buying something else. http://www.spiralturbobaffles.com/corvette.html
I run these and they have a very authoritative sound without being overwhelming.
My guess on what spraying water into a hot glass pack does is that it cools the packing fast enough to either fracture it or make it brittle. Then next time you drive it much of the packing is able to pass out the exhaust since it now is broken into smaller pieces that can fit out the little holes in the pipe that normally retains the packing.
After hearing what everyone had to say about the headers, pipes, baffles and the installation of them. I had to get with him and get the answers to the questions I had. I am glad I did. He said he only welded the the studs to the frame that hold the pipes. When I ask why he would take off my headers, he explained that he wouldn't take them off, only loosen the bolts as a precaution. That he wanted to be sure there would be no bind that may cause cracks in the Crome. He said if I wanted to have that done it wouldn't take him too long, that I would have my car back the same day. I was so happy with the answers I got. It was such a relief.
Someone told me that I could have my glass pack blown out, wouldn't the end result be the same concept as the water hose method?
I have been listening the different baffles on the net. I feel like a kid in a candy store. It's great to have choices, I just want to be sure I am happy with the one I chose.
Someone told me that I could have my glass pack blown out, wouldn't the end result be the same concept as the water hose method?
Sounds like it to me. A glass pack is a straight through pipe with many small holes drilled into the pipe then wrapped with a packing (fiberglass) then that is all encased in a larger pipe. The sound goes in these small holes on it's way through and is baffled by the glass packing.
Removing the packing will create a louder but also harsher sound. Over time the glass is broken and some escapes making it louder. It also becomes compacted by the pressure waves reducing it's ability to deaden the sound.
On dirt bikes it's regular maintenance to replace this glass packing once it starts to get too loud.
Have you had the alternator checked yet for that battery light issue?
Sounds like it to me. A glass pack is a straight through pipe with many small holes drilled into the pipe then wrapped with a packing (fiberglass) then that is all encased in a larger pipe. The sound goes in these small holes on it's way through and is baffled by the glass packing.
Removing the packing will create a louder but also harsher sound. Over time the glass is broken and some escapes making it louder. It also becomes compacted by the pressure waves reducing it's ability to deaden the sound.
On dirt bikes it's regular maintenance to replace this glass packing once it starts to get too loud.
Have you had the alternator checked yet for that battery light issue?
Yes I did, he said that it's the panel that's gone bad and that he would find one to replace it. He said it's ok for me to drive it, that he checked the alternator and it's charging.
"Sweet Thunders" have audio on their website.. I guess others do also... I replaced the Hooker inserts with the largest opening Sweet Thunders... very happy....
"Sweet Thunders" have audio on their website.. I guess others do also... I replaced the Hooker inserts with the largest opening Sweet Thunders... very happy....