Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 58
From: God's Country The Old Dominion
Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster
Made the dyno runs today @ 232 rwhp & 335 ft-lbs completely stock. Ready to start with the exhaust but can't decide which brand. The Borla is more than twice what the Flowmaster costs. Yeah, yeah, I know, you get what you pay for. I know that the Borla is stainless and the Flowmaster is aluminized but other than that what is the difference? Pros and cons? How long will the Flowmaster last compared to the Borla? Is it worth the difference and where do you find the the front Y pipe to eliminate the pre-cats? Thanks in advance.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (Too Slow '90)
You have the right idea on doing the exhaut: front Y, cat, cat-back. My results (with the modified TPIS custom FlowMaster cat-back) are on my site.
Vic'89 had mods like mine and picked up a tenth or two from just the cat-back.
I suggest you find a local custom exhaust shop that will weld & mandrel-bend up a 2 1/2" front Y pipe. You will also need them to "adapt" the TPIS cat-back.
I have the SS custom front Y, Random Tech cat and TPIS cat-back on for about a year now so don't know how long they will last. Of course I'd expect the Borla SS to outlast the Flows by maybe twice the time. That will depend some on the condition of your motor and driving conditions.
Vic'89 had mods like mine and picked up a tenth or two from just the cat-back.
I suggest you find a local custom exhaust shop that will weld & mandrel-bend up a 2 1/2" front Y pipe. You will also need them to "adapt" the TPIS cat-back.
I have the SS custom front Y, Random Tech cat and TPIS cat-back on for about a year now so don't know how long they will last. Of course I'd expect the Borla SS to outlast the Flows by maybe twice the time. That will depend some on the condition of your motor and driving conditions.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,047
Likes: 0
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (Too Slow '90)
I've had both... quality is actually with the flowmaster believe it or not. The Borla's tips have cracked and when they deliver, the super mirror polished stainless that you see in the ads? It doesn't exist. It's discolored and the mufflers actually have more of a satin finish. The only thing with a real bright mirror finish are the tips (square LT1), and the construction leaves a little to be desired.
Sound? Borla has it hands down for me. It is more agressive than the flowmaster and a little louder (not by much).
That's a quick 30 second summary on 10 years worth of exhaust changes. Still have the Flowmasters on one car, Borlas on the other. Next car?? The B/B looks more agressive from the rear, but I haven't heard it yet!
[Modified by EricVonHa, 5:09 PM 12/29/2001]
Sound? Borla has it hands down for me. It is more agressive than the flowmaster and a little louder (not by much).
That's a quick 30 second summary on 10 years worth of exhaust changes. Still have the Flowmasters on one car, Borlas on the other. Next car?? The B/B looks more agressive from the rear, but I haven't heard it yet!
[Modified by EricVonHa, 5:09 PM 12/29/2001]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati OH
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (EricVonHa)
I used to have Borla's on my LT1 and the quality was abysmal. Didn't fit worth a crap, the tips buzzed and were welded on crooked, and the packaging was a joke (first set was damaged while bouncing around in the box). The second set I got had a completely different finish than the first for whatever reason. I liked the sound from outside but resonance inside was horrible. I don't know what's changed in the last few years, but there's my data point from three years ago.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,635
Likes: 0
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (Too Slow '90)
Just had Flowmaster put on my car today.Left off the resonators.Much louder than the stock system.Of course I got the sales pitch of more power and better gas milage.Who knows?Flowmaster does have a pretty good name in this part of the country.The shop took their time and did a nice looking job.Didn't use resonators, and reused my tips as they are stainless, for a out the door price installed for $381.00.The price was right :yesnod:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 5,386
Likes: 2
From: San Angelo TX
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (plastic thunder)
Just had Flowmaster put on my car today.Left off the resonators.Much louder than the stock system.Of course I got the sales pitch of more power and better gas milage.Who knows?Flowmaster does have a pretty good name in this part of the country.The shop took their time and did a nice looking job.Didn't use resonators, and reused my tips as they are stainless, for a out the door price installed for $381.00.The price was right :yesnod:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 46
From: Elizabeth City, NC
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (IcemanZ06)
I had the Borla system on my 90 383 vette. I was very pleaseed with every aspect of it. The sound was great. Much meaner than the flowmaster sound to me. The interior resonance was very loud though. But then again, the whole thing was loud all the time. For me that was a good thing.....Not sure how others would like it. I had a 2 1/2 complete mandrel bend system made locally with a crossover and collectors that mated up to my LPE long tubes.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,049
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (LPDesRoche)
I've heard both, and personally they sound basically the same except the Borla is SLIGHTLY louder at certain rpms. I have a flowmaster on my LT1...f-body...and it sounds GREAT, plus my quad tips were kind of sparatic so I put echo tips on and it really mellowed it out, all though reducing the volume at the same time. I had heard that the Borlas system for Vettes in SOME cases had worse flow than the main sections of the stock pipe? Probably just a rumor, but thought I'd share incase it wasn't.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (Too Slow '90)
I've had the Flowmasters and the off-road (no cats) system for 4 yrs- only gets rowdy under full throttle, and isn't that the point? Never had any problems with the so-called "resonance"; great everyday setup
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,230
Likes: 0
From: VA
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (jcazin)
I would nto put either one on my vette.
Power Effects was the option I went with. Yeah, It's $850, but worth every penny. Flow's look like crap on any vette. The sound good thought. The borlas I can't stand. Hate everything about them that I've heard and seen.
Of course this is all base on personal taste and choice :cheers:
Power Effects was the option I went with. Yeah, It's $850, but worth every penny. Flow's look like crap on any vette. The sound good thought. The borlas I can't stand. Hate everything about them that I've heard and seen.
Of course this is all base on personal taste and choice :cheers:
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas NV
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (ConeKLR)
If you have ever seen the insides of both mufflers you would know the difference. The Flowmasters is just a tin can with a bunch of baffles that reduce the flow. The Borlas are a straight tube (you can look through the muffler) and outflow any muffler on the market. Flow is what determines performance gains in a muffler. Sound is subjective, either you like it or you don't. Borla has upgraded the C-4 systems based on customer input. My system is the latest off of the line. I worked for Walker for 10 years, and Borla until just recently and know a little about exhaust systems. :cheers:
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 520
Likes: 6
From: Elverson PA
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (ric'sblack86)
I've had a Borla 2 1/2" catback on my car for a little over a year, and I really like it. My only complaint was that it was hard to get the tips straight, but any exhaust like that is hard on jack stands. It is pretty loud especially with headers, but not bad on the highway.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 58
From: God's Country The Old Dominion
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (ConeKLR)
No, no club yet. Been working all of the time. I always thought autocross would be fun but don't know how much with an automatic. :chevy
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 58
From: God's Country The Old Dominion
Re: Exhaust- Borla v.s. Flowmaster (Too Slow '90)
Thanks for the help all. I'm going to do the whole deal. Does any one know a good source for the front Y ? Mid America sells one but how would it compare to one(or any other manufacturers') from a custom unit by the local exhaust shop? :chevy