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Exhaust HP hype.....

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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 05:26 PM
  #1  
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Default Exhaust HP hype.....

I just read a thread from Chris at Speed Demon, that the airflow restrictions are mostly in the intake and the engine(H/C) and not in the exhaust(catback). He said that there is no HP gain from an after market exhaust and it should be for looks & sound only.

Weren't suppliers and users claiming a 5 to 7 HP increase with the Stingers? Or are those numbers too small to claim, considering dyno/conditions variance.

So the only other thing to consider is weight. The new Corsa Z titanium "Street" series is claiming 28 lbs. lighter than stock and 10 lbs. lighter than Z06. Thinner titanium?

Catback OEM weight?
OEM ZO6 ?
Stingers weight ?(2 or 4 tip/ half or both sides) Thanks.
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 05:44 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

It's true.

there's not much HP gain from catback exhaust.

but for me, the Corsa Indy's were well worth the money! :D


:cheers:
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 06:06 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

In an article a couple months back in vette magazine, a 01 ZO6 picked up almost 25 REAR WHEEL horsepower with the blackwing and the slp exhaust. The slp exhaust without the baffles produced 8 hp and 9 lbs ft tq on an independent dyno done by the magazine. It would be rediculous to assume that you would get no horsepower. :D
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 09:57 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (vettethret)

I happened to notice on Speed Demon's own website that he sells an exhaust system that claims something like 15 hp increase over stock. I'm confused by all this.
I'm still buying the Corsa Indys, but not for hp..........
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 10:31 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (DI2FLY)

About a year ago one of the "Corvette" magazines tested before and after stock vs B&B PRT's. On the dyno, about an hour apart, the B&B's picked up around 11 or 12 rwhp. I can dig up the magazine if anyone wants specifics, but that's about where it was.
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Old Apr 11, 2002 | 10:33 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

We had our car dynoed three times in a 20 minute period & there was a 7 HP difference from the highest to the lowest. There are three reasons for changing out the exhaust... Sound, Sound, & Looks. No way are you going to see any true gains from a cat-back system. The cats are much more restrictive than the exhaust.




[Modified by Sully C5, 9:34 PM 4/11/2002]
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Old Apr 12, 2002 | 12:07 AM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

I could be wrong but I don't believe any cat-back system is sold/purchased because of any HP claims. While it's true they flow more exhaust gases and may infact increase a cars HP by some small margin I doubt it's noticeable. These systems are ear candy. Just like chrome wheels are eye candy. Some mods just make you feel better about the car. My Indy's do that everytime I row the gears.

Any HP claims I'd ignore or cut in half.

Tom
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Old Apr 12, 2002 | 02:03 AM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

When I changed my cat-back I mainly did it for sound and looks, not performance. If you look at the stock exhaust it is pretty well made, nice big pipes coming out of there. The only real restriction in the system is the internals of the muffler, and even that isn't too bad.
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Old Apr 12, 2002 | 10:11 AM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

I just read a thread from Chris at Speed Demon, that the airflow restrictions are mostly in the intake and the engine(H/C) and not in the exhaust(catback). He said that there is no HP gain from an after market exhaust and it should be for looks & sound only.

Weren't suppliers and users claiming a 5 to 7 HP increase with the Stingers? Or are those numbers too small to claim, considering dyno/conditions variance.

Stingers weight ?(2 or 4 tip/ half or both sides) Thanks.
I think Chris is right. You should not expect big HP gains from going to an after market cat-back system. That said, just about everyone who has dyno'ed says they get between 5-15 HP, so figure 10HP is the average gain. Not a great deal, but it all adds up.
Corvette Fever had a short blurb on this subject a couple of months ago where they reported someone's test with a variety of stuff in the exhaust system. They reported the stock Cats were not very restrictive at all, and that virtually all the gain to be had from exhaust mods was in headers and cat-backs. FWIW.
:cheers:
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Old Apr 12, 2002 | 10:54 AM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Buckmaster)

HP gains from exhasuts are :bs IMO.
Hmmm... OK, here's the quote from Dave Emanuel's column of April 2002, Techline:
"From the dyno test results I've seen, a fair amount of power can definitely be liberated through exhaust system modifications. The stock catalytic converter assembly is definitely restrictive, but it appears that the after-cat portion of the exhaust system is even worse.... Clearly the after-cat portion of the system is the biggest bottleneck."
There's a lot more info, including dyno results from several tuners, in that article, but it's too long to re-type here. There is also the documentation of many forum members who've dyno'ed before and after with cat backs. The point is that there are no huge gains to be made, but to say there are no gains is also extreme, and not supported by the facts. :cheers: :seeya
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Old Apr 12, 2002 | 12:44 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

Dyno tests seem to vary a lot... a couple years ago there was test done with some aftermarket exhausts on a C5.. most where between 0-5hp (but there a lot of better flowing exhausts out now)... and that particular car turned a 8 or 9hp gain when the entire rear exhaust section was removed. In theory, no exhaust should go over 8-9hp then on a bone stock c5. I've only heard of 2 dyno results from the Borla stinger (both impressive), Jim Hall gained 9.5 rwhp on a Z06 that had a COI on it over the stock Ti system...( the Ti system flows better than a regular C5 exhaust. I think someone else gain 5rwhp over a Bassani exhaust on a modified car. I have a Borla Stinger on order... mainly for looks and sound.
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Old Apr 12, 2002 | 12:59 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (ncvetteman)

Mike at B&B himself says that if you remove the cat back altogether there are minimal gains. Certainly noy over 10 HP. Exhausts ar all about sound and looks on our particular vehicles. Go with what you like. If one particular supplier say's their system adds more HP than another it's BS
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Old Apr 12, 2002 | 01:41 PM
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Default Re: Exhaust HP hype..... (Powerhungry)

Exhaust=HP on an LS1 :nonod: Exhaust=HP on an L98 :yesnod:


[Modified by NUckINg FuTS, 11:41 AM 4/12/2002]
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