Exhaust questions
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 416
Likes: 1
From: Owego NY
Exhaust questions
I just installed a set of long tube headers on the vette (90) and I hooked it up to my stock cat back with muffler eliminators. I also don't have any cats on the car. I just did it this weekend and I haven't had much time to drive it around, but it sounds a little too loud for me. The car is basically stock (no internal mods and not intake mods) and is a 6 speed.
So here are my questions:
1. If I want to make it a little quieter but don't really want to lose performance, would it be better to add a high flow cat or cat back with mufflers like a borla?
2. If I put a cat back in can anyone recommend a 3" in 3" out cat that would fit?
3. If I get a cat back like the borla that bolts up to the stock cat, would you just cut off the flange and use muffler clamps?
So here are my questions:
1. If I want to make it a little quieter but don't really want to lose performance, would it be better to add a high flow cat or cat back with mufflers like a borla?
2. If I put a cat back in can anyone recommend a 3" in 3" out cat that would fit?
3. If I get a cat back like the borla that bolts up to the stock cat, would you just cut off the flange and use muffler clamps?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 416
Likes: 1
From: Owego NY
I knocked the guts out of my old cat, but the problem is the cat was off an 85 and is not round at either end. If It was then I would reuse it to pass visual inspection although I don't really need to worry about it. That was more for cops then actually passing inspection. I'm not sure what I would most likely see the better gains from as far as an aftermarket cat back or a high flow cat with the stock cat back and no mufflers. That rear y pipe looks pathetic and I have kept it to save money. I think the easiest way to do it would be to get a magnaflow high flow cat with 3" inlet and outlet and see how that goes. The borla's have a 2 bolt ball flange that I would have to cut off to make it work. Sound about right?
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
Just gonna toss in my $.02 here. If the stock muffler is too loud for you, nearly any aftermarket muffler will be louder. People generally don't buy aftermarket exhaust so it will be quieter.
If you want it as quiet as possible I would recommend installing a high flow cat and keeping the stock mufflers, or replacing the cat with some kind of an additional resonator like the LT1's had.
Here are a couple of nearly universal rules:
1. Any cat be it factory or aftermarket high flow variety is going to make the car quieter than having no cat at all.
2. Nearly any aftermarket "performance" muffler is going to be louder than stock or stock replacement.
If you want it as quiet as possible I would recommend installing a high flow cat and keeping the stock mufflers, or replacing the cat with some kind of an additional resonator like the LT1's had.
Here are a couple of nearly universal rules:
1. Any cat be it factory or aftermarket high flow variety is going to make the car quieter than having no cat at all.
2. Nearly any aftermarket "performance" muffler is going to be louder than stock or stock replacement.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 416
Likes: 1
From: Owego NY
Right now I have no mufflers or cats and I also have long tubes. It drones like crazy inside the car and I think that it is going to draw a little more attention than what I'm looking for which is why I am looking into either a high flow cat, or an aftermarket exhaust. I love the way the car sounded with no cats and the muffler eliminators, but once I added the long tubes, it seems to pop more and just doesn't sound quite as good. I only drove it for a mile or 2 though so I might give it another shot.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
Gotcha, I saw factory cat back, missed the muffler eliminators part.
You may want to see if you could pick up a used factory LT1 cat-back. They flowed very well and do a good job of keeping headers under control. This combination provides a very healthy rumble at idle and it sounds good at WOT but for cruise it's nice and quiet.
You may want to see if you could pick up a used factory LT1 cat-back. They flowed very well and do a good job of keeping headers under control. This combination provides a very healthy rumble at idle and it sounds good at WOT but for cruise it's nice and quiet.
