Mufflers or No Mufflers
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
Mufflers or No Mufflers
What do you all think. Would I gain any benefit from going from #1 to #2?
# 1) LT Headers, X pipe, no cats, borla stingers
# 2) LT Headers, X pipe, no cats, no mufflers. Essentially straight pipes.
This is with a fairly radical cam. Being to loud is not an issue either.
Mufflers or No Mufflers, that is the question. Which is better?
[Modified by ilcorvettegiallo, 7:36 AM 3/15/2004]
# 1) LT Headers, X pipe, no cats, borla stingers
# 2) LT Headers, X pipe, no cats, no mufflers. Essentially straight pipes.
This is with a fairly radical cam. Being to loud is not an issue either.
Mufflers or No Mufflers, that is the question. Which is better?
[Modified by ilcorvettegiallo, 7:36 AM 3/15/2004]
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4,653
Likes: 6
From: North Royalton, OH
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (ilcorvettegiallo)
In dyno testing with and without mufflers, you will gain around 7 hp by running straight pipes. You will also make the car almost unbearable to drive, as the interior resonance is incredible with straight pipes - and that's without headers. So you need to define what you mean by "better"! If you want every bit of hp, then open pipes. If you actually want to drive the car, I'd recomend mufflers of some type - not necessarily the Borlas.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,814
Likes: 1
From: FT Lewis WA
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (BSiegPaint)
In dyno testing with and without mufflers, you will gain around 7 hp by running straight pipes. You will also make the car almost unbearable to drive, as the interior resonance is incredible with straight pipes - and that's without headers. So you need to define what you mean by "better"! If you want every bit of hp, then open pipes. If you actually want to drive the car, I'd recomend mufflers of some type - not necessarily the Borlas.
The SLP Loudmouth is way louder than Borla Stinger. I've heard both side by side. The Loudmouth does not have mufflers, instead as resonators. My C5 passed a visual State (TX) Inspection last month. The mechanic looked under the rear I was satisfied when he saw the two Borla Mufflers.
Good luck on your decision but straight pipes can be obnoxius to neighbors. Ever thought about electric cutouts?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,294
Likes: 2
From: Suffolk, Long Island NY
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (dahoof)
How about the B&B PRT's? At idle, they were quieter than my Borla Stingers. Plus they have less drone on the parkway than the Stingers. But at WOT, they turn into straight pipes! Sounds awesome with long tubes, a decent cam, and no cats!
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,073
Likes: 0
From: Loveland CO
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (Face)
I have ran no mufflers on two of my C5's and I don't think it is the bad. With my current car I have no mufflers with longtubes and I like the sound. kaley
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
From: San Angelo Texas
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (ilcorvettegiallo)
I have FLP longtubes, x-pipe, no cats, no mufflers and it sounds great. It's not "undriveable" like everyone says. I get so many compliments on the way my car sounds. Yes its loud but I can quiet it down if I need to. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (mcd_57)
Right now I have setup #1, and was thinking about pulling the mufflers to gain every last hp/tq that I could.
At first the Borlas were loud, but now I seem to be getting bored with them.
All comments appeciated! :cheers:
At first the Borlas were loud, but now I seem to be getting bored with them.
All comments appeciated! :cheers:
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,145
Likes: 1
From: Bradenton FLORIDA
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (ilcorvettegiallo)
We run no cats, no muffler SLP Loundmouths w/out the inserts and w/TPIS long-tubes. Car does have resonance, but the wife enjoy's it as much as the rest of the family and we love it. Rumble at idle and low acceleration and un-real screams at WOT. :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 832
Likes: 0
From: Joplin Mo
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (Cary)
...
Good luck on your decision but straight pipes can be obnoxius to neighbors. Ever thought about electric cutouts?
Good luck on your decision but straight pipes can be obnoxius to neighbors. Ever thought about electric cutouts?
Electric cutouts:$300 + $70 install = loud when you want it, quiet when you want. Best of both worlds. It surprises me that you dont' here more about other people using them. I have them and love them! Its blast too when that little ricer fellow pulls up next to me. Plus it does seem to have more power :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 0
From: Troy MI
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (MikeyD)
...
Good luck on your decision but straight pipes can be obnoxius to neighbors. Ever thought about electric cutouts?
:iagree:
Electric cutouts:$300 + $70 install = loud when you want it, quiet when you want. Best of both worlds. It surprises me that you dont' here more about other people using them. I have them and love them! Its blast too when that little ricer fellow pulls up next to me. Plus it does seem to have more power :cheers:
Good luck on your decision but straight pipes can be obnoxius to neighbors. Ever thought about electric cutouts?
:iagree:
Electric cutouts:$300 + $70 install = loud when you want it, quiet when you want. Best of both worlds. It surprises me that you dont' here more about other people using them. I have them and love them! Its blast too when that little ricer fellow pulls up next to me. Plus it does seem to have more power :cheers:
I disconnected the muffler from the h-pipe before I decided to buy the cut outs. It sounded awesome, personally I would get sick of it all the time, but if you like it loud you will be happy. You can always buy mufflers later.
Just make sure you at least go back to the end of h-pipe, or it will probably be too loud, and possibly dangerous as far as exhaust gasses in the cabin.
Hell, do what I did, unbolt the mufflers, hang them up a little so they don't move, and drive it around and see what you think.
I can tell you open headers is WAAAY too loud, I had to drive mine 2 miles to the muffler shop that way before I got the offroad pipes welded, and it gave me a severe headache and lots of angry stares.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 4,295
Likes: 2
From: Indianapolis Indiana
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (msuc5vette)
I think it appears that you'll need to hear the car without mufflers yourself, or you're at least hoping to hear that from us.
My concern would be that you'd actually enjoy this less on the street due to the extra Police attention. If you're a hardcore drag racer, go fo it.
My concern would be that you'd actually enjoy this less on the street due to the extra Police attention. If you're a hardcore drag racer, go fo it.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 586
Likes: 0
From: Idabel OK
Re: Mufflers or No Mufflers (ilcorvettegiallo)
# 2) LT Headers, X pipe, no cats, no mufflers. Essentially straight pipes.
[Modified by ilcorvettegiallo, 7:36 AM 3/15/2004]
my .02 = save the weight, save the restriction(granted its not much compared to the stingers), and last but not least SAVE THE MONEY!
I have had several compiments on how my car sounds FYI. I also have some sound bytes on my little cheesy website if you would like to check it out. Go to the "vette mods" page. :)
[Modified by stngh8r, 7:10 PM 3/15/2004]
