ImBatman

My OEM exhaust is crumbling from the cat back. The car has been a dog for a while so I'm guessing the inside of the cat is as bad as the outside pipes. I don' gave the budget for the high priced magnaflow or borla exhaust.
What cheaper knockoff brands are out there that have a good sound? I want to elimimate the cat all together.

84 4+3

My first go around I did the corvette central cat back with a magnaflow cat. The 84 repro mufflers were too quiet for my taste. You could hollow out your cat that way you won't have to weld in a pipe unless that's rotted. For a cat back I now essentially have mid America's part number 642-002 (their eliminators with the corvette central crossover) I like it. You can keep it tame or make it scream. Without a cat you're looking like $450ish and with one $650. The corvette central factory style cat back was like $300 when I bought it with the rear y/crossover. Just a couple of options.

aklim

What must this exhaust do? Besides getting rid of some gasses? For a show situation, we have one thing. If you run in the winter and could get salt there, you need SS. If you put a pipe and the cops come, are you in trouble? Different areas have different laws and even within that, some cops are more ***** than others. How cheap do you want it to be? If you don't run a cat, the drone is louder. Can you and the passenger, not to mention local laws go along with that?

Joe C

what year corvette? i'd say the best, most economical system would be a walker OE replacement. the front Y-pipe is cat-less (if needed), the main cat flows better than an old OE cat, and the quite-flow mufflers sound a bit louder that stock, but not near that of a premium cat-back system. IMO, a perfect sound for a daily driver. total price from summit racing will set you back around $600. i installed this system on my 85, and it's just loud enough without drawing too much attention. overall, a good healthy sound. (BTW, i upgraded my 85 to an 86-91 system). finally and my 2-cents - i would not eliminate the main cat.

ImBatman

My Vette is a 90 base coupe. The pipes are rotted out just behind the main cat. The cat itself appears to just bolt in with front and rear U bolts correct? I'm betting that while either removing the cat to hollow it out or during reassembly the pipes are going to crumble at least in the rear.
I have been chasing a higher than normal idle as well as bogging on takeoff till it starts to clear out. There are no codes but I do have a check engine light. The motor is firing on all 8 and sounds strong when revved in park but does have some "bubbling" sound coming from the exhaust after each rev. I did not realize how bad the exhaust was until I got it up on jack stands for brake replacement last night. Does a clogged cat with holes in the pipes cause symptoms like this?

.I live in South Carolina which is a no inspection state. Noise laws are very lenient so a hollowed out cat wouldn't be an issue. Hell between the Harley's, sport bikes and 4 wheel drive pickups some of the people around here sound like they don't even have mufflers. We rarely get snow so salted roads are not the norm around here. Cold temps may last a week before climbing back into the high 60's in the winter.

daverulz

Most economical? Find an LT-1 take off. 2.75 mandrel bent stainless all the way back. They come up for super cheap and are as good as any of the aftermarket offerings. I got one to replace the hacked up system on my 94 for 100 bucks.

aklim

I'd check the throttle body for issues first. IAC passages and housing might be dirty. That can cause higher idle. After taking the TB off, remove the top plate, IAC solenoid and IAC housing. Clean all with brake cleaner. Spray the IAC pintle with brake cleaner and gently wipe it down.

Reassemble with new gaskets and if it persists, we can check out the adjustments

Tom400CFI

This is where it's "at", IMO.

OR fab your own, if you have the skills and tools. I just built a side pipe exhaust from the manifolds back, for a PROJECT THAT I'M WORKING ON. I spent a whopping $35 on it.

Kevova

Depends on where the holes are. If they are between the cat and O2, air could be drawn in causing O2 to read lean. After the cat probably not the cause. LT1 stock exhaust definitely the "thriftiest" high flow exhaust for a l89. With aftermarket exhaust ,You Tube has lots of sound clips. Are you using a scanner or data logger to diagnose your condition? Vacuum leaks normal cause of high idle. Small leak would could cause high idle and no ses light. You will something to monitor IAC to be sure throttle plate is not misadjusted.

aklim

I never had it so I can't be sure. In theory, if his cat is plugged from rust or whatever, COULD it cause the engine to struggle and the ECM compensate by raising idle? IDK. Just hashing an idea.

I can tell you the wife doesn't like the Borla with a single Random Tech cat drone. She often makes "that face" when we get into the car.

I'd definitely go with that.

cv67

Any exhuast shop can throw one together for a few hundred + mufflers nothing special about them? Blew 1k on a catback before, meh..

aklim

Was the material any different between the exhaust shop and the 1K system you have?

ctmccloskey

Hello there,

If you don't want to spend a ton of money call our friends at Allen's Stainless Exhaust in Indiana.

I have two of their systems, both Chambered and both are still with me after more than 20 years in service.

I bought both of my exhaust systems at Corvettes @ Carlisle and got a great deal where I saved a bunch of money and the shipping costs.

They are reasonable people, just call them and ask for a "great deal".

My Cat back systems was easy to install with a new hi-flow converter and has no drone to speak of. I spent less than $400 for the 1988 Coupe's cat-back at Carlisle but it has been a few years.

The first system I bought was a bit more challenging to install on my 1968 convertible with it's 427 and long tube headers.

A "Happy" Customer of Allen's Stainless Exhaust!

Good Luck!

aklim

I'm running a 383 with TPIS LT Headers. Do you think this will be less annoying than what I currently have on? How would it compare to Corsa? Yes, I know Corsa is SS and his SS version is more money but if he can cut down the drone better, it would be worth it.

2LZ

I did the "dreaded" OBX stainless system on my '96. Muffler guy had to buzz in one bung for an O2 sensor but said it was no big deal. Sounds good, looks good. Not much louder than stock, if any. No regrets. Mounted it for 150.00 and he sent me down the road.

cv67

Nope std compression bent aluminized pipe.
Some white box mufflers from any shop and a few hundred for labor would have netted the same thing. I paid for laziness and convenience of mail order

aklim

http://www.jegs.com/i/Borla/157/140082/10002/-1

900 for that noisy thing so about 400 give other take for aluminized isn't bad. Sometimes it isn't worth it to buy the tools and fabricate for a one time thing. You'd have a shed full of tools you barely got use out off and have to store.

Silver85

How do you not have any codes with a CEL on?