How well does factory exhaust flow?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,972
Likes: 243
How well does factory exhaust flow?
1994 LT1
The cat-back system seems to be designed well and large enough to flow some serious air. It appears to be a 2.5" with 2 large round cats that feed in to a 2 inlet/2 outlet muffler which then branches out to the rear mufflers.
Is it worth upgrading to an aftermarket system from a performance perspective?
I do want a better sound too. Would eliminating the 2 rear mufflers and running only the 1 middle muffler provide any kind of sound/performance benefit? I fear doing that may end up sounding like a car with a hole in the muffler.
Lastly, the car appears to have short tube headers on it already. I'm not sure if they are factory or not? It is an unequal length 4 to 1 design. Here is a pic, is this stock?
The cat-back system seems to be designed well and large enough to flow some serious air. It appears to be a 2.5" with 2 large round cats that feed in to a 2 inlet/2 outlet muffler which then branches out to the rear mufflers.
Is it worth upgrading to an aftermarket system from a performance perspective?
I do want a better sound too. Would eliminating the 2 rear mufflers and running only the 1 middle muffler provide any kind of sound/performance benefit? I fear doing that may end up sounding like a car with a hole in the muffler.
Lastly, the car appears to have short tube headers on it already. I'm not sure if they are factory or not? It is an unequal length 4 to 1 design. Here is a pic, is this stock?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 0
From: Sebastian Florida
St. Jude Donor '06
The LT1 exhaust is not restrictive, L98 people routinely put them on there cars as a exhaust upgrade.
I know one person who put Corsa's on his 95 and saw a 3hp 0 tq gain on a stock engine, I know they are good on a modified engine.
I know one person who put Corsa's on his 95 and saw a 3hp 0 tq gain on a stock engine, I know they are good on a modified engine.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 6
From: St Marys GA
Yes, those are aftermarket shorty headers. From what I've heard, the LT1 exhausts are actually pretty good. As in a cat-back is primarily for sound; maybe 5-10hp, but not nearly enough to justify their cost on power alone. The real power is in headers. I would get a nice set of long-tubes first and put some high-flow cats on there. Melrose, Exotic Muscle, Stainless Works, Hooker, TPIS are all good brands of LT headers. Some even come with bolt-on setups with high-flow cats included.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,263
Likes: 86
From: O'Fallon Missouri
The LT1 factory cat-back uses 2.75" tubing that reduces down to 2.5" at the center resonator and mufflers. You'll gain very little if any HP from an aftermarket cat-back. The stock catalytic converters also flow pretty well. Although you probably won't gain any HP, these cars sound pretty good with the mufflers eliminated, and yes you have aftermarket shorty headers.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
Likes: 13
From: Slidell Louisiana
Stock cat back is good enough that I haven't installed the 3" B and B exhaust I have in my garage (for more than 2 years) since I keep finding other horsepower drains. Im sure that someday soon I'll install my B and B (sanes the resonator and with a X pipe instead)
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,972
Likes: 243
My cats look like the above only they are much further upstream. I'm starting to think my exhaust may not be stock. I'll take some pic of it next time I'm under the car so you guys can let me know if it's stock or not.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Slidell Louisiana
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