Longtube headers... Cats or No Cats?
#22
what do you want cats for?
do you have to pass the sniffer?
if not i wouldnt put cats on.
i have never ran cats on my LG longtubes and i have had several pairs on several cars.
i actually want my car to sound like a dragster, be stiff riding and smell like gas
if i wanted it otherwise i would have bought a CTSV.....and probably put ended up in the same place
do you have to pass the sniffer?
if not i wouldnt put cats on.
i have never ran cats on my LG longtubes and i have had several pairs on several cars.
i actually want my car to sound like a dragster, be stiff riding and smell like gas
if i wanted it otherwise i would have bought a CTSV.....and probably put ended up in the same place
#24
on my last catless cars i was always scared i would be stopped around a cop at a stoplight, especially next to a motorcycle cop that knows what he's smelling.
i don't know about the Vette but in my last 3 catless cars the smell would creep into the car at stoplights. i love the smell as it's "the smell of power" but the law enforcement especially in CA certainly do not.
#25
Drifting
Thread Starter
Gas smell is far from terrible... smells like performance. The thing is high flow cats do next to nothing anyways and there is a good chance that your check engine light will be on with or without cats until you have it tuned... the no cats thing to me was about the sound, it will be a little louder and raspy without then with, that said i love the my car catless headers and borla s type2s it can be incredibly loud or rather tame depending on i drive. the only time i really smell the exhaust is when i stand or walk around the back of the car. other than that it is very very rare that i can smell it in the car. hope this helps and if you are putting the headers on yourself and your car is a manual be sure to get the clutch slave cylinder hose away from the headers. you only need a quarter of an inch clearance but if the hose rests on the header it will melt... ask me how i know
The following 2 users liked this post by black.z51.c6:
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#26
Go Canes!
Without question, go with Cats.
Cats only cost you 4-6hp (aftermarket metal matrix cats). It is nowhere near worth the down sides. Between the black soot on the fascia, and raw fuel smell, its not worth it. Plus, if you already have an aggressive exhaust it will get very very loud. Especially the drone.
Cats only cost you 4-6hp (aftermarket metal matrix cats). It is nowhere near worth the down sides. Between the black soot on the fascia, and raw fuel smell, its not worth it. Plus, if you already have an aggressive exhaust it will get very very loud. Especially the drone.
#28
Drifting
Thread Starter
#29
Without question, go with Cats.
Cats only cost you 4-6hp (aftermarket metal matrix cats). It is nowhere near worth the down sides. Between the black soot on the fascia, and raw fuel smell, its not worth it. Plus, if you already have an aggressive exhaust it will get very very loud. Especially the drone.
Cats only cost you 4-6hp (aftermarket metal matrix cats). It is nowhere near worth the down sides. Between the black soot on the fascia, and raw fuel smell, its not worth it. Plus, if you already have an aggressive exhaust it will get very very loud. Especially the drone.
#30
Drifting
Thread Starter
lol true but i dont know about soot on the back of the car as mine is black, and it gets dirty on the one mile drive from the car wash to my house, but smell is not noticable inside the car 99% of the time... i will gladly take the sound over a smell outside the car and black soot which ive never seen, which i probally wouldnt anyways
#31
Former Vendor
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
I have an '08 LS3 with dual mode exhaust, cam, and Kooks 1 7/8 long tubes with NO CATS. I only smell the sweet scent of burning fuel whenever I'm hard on the throttle. I absolutely love the sound, especially wide open throttle.
#32
Burning Brakes
I just ordered LG street series 1 3/4" for my 2012 gs.
I already have slp LM2 and i did go with the cats as i am affraid it will be too loud without cats...
I already have slp LM2 and i did go with the cats as i am affraid it will be too loud without cats...
#33
Hey guys - I have a 1999 Blk daily driver with an LS1 (intake, and Corsa Extreme axle-back exhaust). I am looking at buying ARHs w/ X-pipe no cats. At what point do I need to do a custom tune to avoid the annoying check engine light from appearing and offending my OCD? I'm assuming it's when I put the headers/x-pipe on but I defer to this forum's brain trust as I'm just a novice wrench turner haha . Thanks guys!
Last edited by PhillyFly1039; 08-31-2016 at 05:39 PM.
#34
Team Owner
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C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Hey guys - I have a 1999 Blk daily driver with an LS1 (intake, and Corsa Extreme axle-back exhaust). I am looking at buying ARHs w/ X-pipe no cats. At what point do I need to do a custom tune to avoid the annoying check engine light from appearing and offending my OCD? I'm assuming it's when I put the headers/x-pipe on but I defer to this forum's brain trust as I'm just a novice wrench turner haha . Thanks guys!
#36
08 LS3, I went TSP 1 7/8 and no cats. The sound took some getting used to, very,very,very raw and aggressive through my open NPP. The gas smell is much better after the tune but still creeps into the car at stop lights if the windows are down or top is off.
With the NPP closed, the gas smell is reduced A LOT. Regardless, the gain you will see on an LS3 car with headers and a tune is HUGE.
Enjoy!
With the NPP closed, the gas smell is reduced A LOT. Regardless, the gain you will see on an LS3 car with headers and a tune is HUGE.
Enjoy!
#37
Le Mans Master
I'm not familiar with the LGM street series headers. Kook's and American Racing headers are fine but for my money I'd want nothing less than the LG Pro long tube headers! They're cut for LGM by Borla and IMO they're the best headers going. I'd also recommend coating them. I went with the 2-stage cats as well.
#38
Safety Car
You will be disappointed with the LG headers. I know everyone has their own opinion, but ARH and Kooks are the top header choices. Customer service with LG is horrible as well. They also changed their way of making the headers and it's not as good of material.
All that said, each vette is different and so is the owner so to each their own.
My setup: ARH 1-3/4 headers, 3" x pipe, no cats, B&B bullets. Very aggressive, very throaty, but the best overall parts and gains in power.
No cats you'll have some smoke at WOT, and it'll be louder, the smell of fuel will only be at WOT as well, but that's behind you so you won't notice it anyway....
At the end of the day it's whatever you want for what you do, and if emissions matters....
All that said, each vette is different and so is the owner so to each their own.
My setup: ARH 1-3/4 headers, 3" x pipe, no cats, B&B bullets. Very aggressive, very throaty, but the best overall parts and gains in power.
No cats you'll have some smoke at WOT, and it'll be louder, the smell of fuel will only be at WOT as well, but that's behind you so you won't notice it anyway....
At the end of the day it's whatever you want for what you do, and if emissions matters....
BUT I wish I would have read it closer, you guys kill me reviving a thread from 2012 .....
Last edited by Seadawg; 09-01-2016 at 06:53 AM.
#39
Race Director
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I'm not disappointed with my LG headers 425 rwhp and 425 rwtq, and they have been working well for over 3 years. I do recommend their high flow cats, no odor at anytime and a very raspy mean sound when the NPP is open
BUT I wish I would have read it closer, you guys kill me reviving a thread from 2012 .....
BUT I wish I would have read it closer, you guys kill me reviving a thread from 2012 .....
#40
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2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
....so.....which is better? 1 3/4" or 1 7/8" headers for my LS3......I will use cats....and I have a Corsa Sport Cat back set up with x pipe already on the car.......just thought I would ask the brain trust.......