Nacho_ZR1

So now that I've gotten a baseline dyno of my car and am pretty happy with the results, it's time to start Round 1 of my performance mods: Haibeck chip and x-pipe install. Took the car to a local muffler shop in Dallas. While the car was on the lift, I snapped some photos on my BlackBerry. I have a stock exhaust, by the way, with Dynomax mufflers.



Here's a view of my stock resonator:







You can really see the exhaust going from a 2 1/2 diameter to 2 1/4 as it feeds into the resonator. I had the guy cut the pipes right before the tapering so I could keep it at a nice 2 1/2 inches all the way through.







After the resonator and pipes were cut, I took a pic of the opened up exhaust:







One of the things that I found very surprising was the fact that the Resonator is actually a straight-thru design. This made me wonder how much of a performance gain I would actually see? Hmmmm:







Here goes a pic of the final product right before the final welds were completed:







Overall, I am happy with the results. There is a little more of a drone between 1000-1800 rpm but other than that, I really don't notice anything else. The seat of the pants feel was the same. I am supposing that once the headers get installed, this will compliment the performance.



Also, here is a youtube video of me revving up the car after the x-pipe install. There is a raspier sound which reminds me alot of the Corsa.



Oh, and also, the PO had the dynomax mufflers installed and left the stock ZR-1 tips. I LOVE the sleeper look !



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ri5LGvy1VE





Thanks for reading!

Graybeard ZR1

Sounds nasty It would be great to get another dyno reading now. I don't remember anyone putting up any numbers as to what an X pipe alone will do for the LT5.


There was an article, years ago, from Hib Halverson about piecing together a very free flowing system using a lot of stock GM parts. His dyno #'s at the end were very impressive. The goal was to design a relatively inexpensive exhaust using mostly stock parts that flowed really well with very little resonance. I think you could get some good ideas from it. Damn, I can't find it right now. Anybody know the one I'm talking about?

BTW, your dyno #'s so far are really strong. You got a runner there

FU

Be darned if I could dig up Hib's post on his ZR1 exhaust mod. Can anyone find it?

JetJock

So, Carlos, who won the toss-up? Rudy or John? Curious to hear it now and see how it runs. I wonder how back pressure has been reduced? Feliz Navidad!

Nacho_ZR1

I'll be taking the car next week to the dyno either on the 29th or the 30th to see what #'s she is putting out now. Feliz Navidad to you as well, amigo!

Demps

This was a stock baseline '95 and a magnaflow x-pipe with a magnaflow exhaust.
I was very happy-- hope you are as happy.

Ted

Polo-1

WOW 26rwhp from just cat back. Nice hp jump.

Nacho_ZR1

I agree! Is this with a 2 1/2"or 3" Magnaflow system? If it's a 3", did you have any port work done? I may need to re-think about keeping my 2 1/2" exhaust lol

Demps

3" magnaflow mufflers and pipes but I had to use a smaller x-pipe (3" wasn't out yet). Car was all stock except for modified exhaust. Needless to say, I was very pleased.
Ted

ScottC95ZR1

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/flowmaster.htm

Nacho_ZR1

Yea, if my car did that, I'd be EXTREMELY pleased as well

Graybeard ZR1

Thanks Scott, that's the article I'm talking about. An amazing 28 rwhp. improvement over a stock ZR1 exhaust with stock cats, no headers, and minimal resonance. I seriously doubt that my 3" stainless system with no cats, headers, and X pipe could match that power gain.
It takes a very skilled fabricator to put it together, but I think it's a real breakthrough in performance exhaust for our cars.
Every ZR1 owner should read that article before getting a performance exhaust.
My only concern is that this article is five years old, or more. Hib may have tweaked his system since this was published. It would be nice to have an update.