Exhaust question. Advice needed!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 4
So realistically the headers give you power and some sound but the high flow cats and mufflers are just for a little more sound at the cost of about $1500? I think I will go with the headers first then and add the mufflers next if I want more sound. Plus it sounds like the mufflers would be an easy install? I would do the headers as well but don't have anyone here to tune and shut off the codes if any?
Your long tubes will have collectors that merge underneath the car, then your cats/ x-pipe connect. It puts your cats right under your center console.
This is a good time to add a tunnel plate from abs of steel to cut down on heat. Your installer will most likely want to run the O2 sensor wires inside the tunnel plate, away from the exhaust.
A note here, make sure you have all plug wires in heat socks and your oil and transmission fluid lines wrapped in heat tape.
You will need a tune after the install. Not just to cancel out some possible codes but you will need to make adjustments for air/fuel and adjust timing for any knocks that arise. Find a good shop.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 645
Likes: 0
From: Toronto Ontario
Craig...If you want HP do the headers.
There are 2 types of headers, shorts which mate up with the factory cats and the longtubes which are the headers everyone on the forum is talking about. These are made by quite a few companies. The most popular longtubes are the LG's, Kooks, American Racing, Dynatech and so on...Longtubes must be installed with aftermarket cats since the stock cats are on the sides of the engine near the rear of the engine and the longtubes actually run past this location and eliminates the stock cats alltogether. The hi flo cats people are talking about start where the longtube collectors are and most kits have or come with bypass tubes if u don't want to run cats. then comes the X pipe which takes the place of the stock H pipe the X pipe flows way better and there is definately a power gain there.
What Vette guy said earlier about the stock rear section vs borlas or corsas is correct that other than sound and weight there is not much HP gain and you will save about $1000.00 staying with stock.
In other words if you go with Longtubes headers you have to go w/ aftermarket cats and once u go cats most people change H pipe with a X pipe. LG's w/ cats and X pipe is about $1650-$1700 + shipping. comes with O2 extenders and everything needed to do the swap. LG even threw in exhaust gaskets.
I did not want to crawl around under my car outside on my driveway since I do not have a garage, so I had R & R done at the dealership where I bought my vette. (who had a really good mechanic who knows mod installs do the install). Upon completion and eversince the car has never thrown a code due to the exhaust.
Hope this clears things up a bit...Good luck!
Heres a pic of both exhaust...
There are 2 types of headers, shorts which mate up with the factory cats and the longtubes which are the headers everyone on the forum is talking about. These are made by quite a few companies. The most popular longtubes are the LG's, Kooks, American Racing, Dynatech and so on...Longtubes must be installed with aftermarket cats since the stock cats are on the sides of the engine near the rear of the engine and the longtubes actually run past this location and eliminates the stock cats alltogether. The hi flo cats people are talking about start where the longtube collectors are and most kits have or come with bypass tubes if u don't want to run cats. then comes the X pipe which takes the place of the stock H pipe the X pipe flows way better and there is definately a power gain there.
What Vette guy said earlier about the stock rear section vs borlas or corsas is correct that other than sound and weight there is not much HP gain and you will save about $1000.00 staying with stock.
In other words if you go with Longtubes headers you have to go w/ aftermarket cats and once u go cats most people change H pipe with a X pipe. LG's w/ cats and X pipe is about $1650-$1700 + shipping. comes with O2 extenders and everything needed to do the swap. LG even threw in exhaust gaskets.
I did not want to crawl around under my car outside on my driveway since I do not have a garage, so I had R & R done at the dealership where I bought my vette. (who had a really good mechanic who knows mod installs do the install). Upon completion and eversince the car has never thrown a code due to the exhaust.
Hope this clears things up a bit...Good luck!
Heres a pic of both exhaust...
Last edited by Rizzo da Rat; Mar 24, 2007 at 07:08 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 730
Likes: 0
From: Winter Springs FL
I have Corsa Sports and headers. Sounds great and no drone. However, I'm looking for something a little more agressive. I had B&B Bullets with the headers, but this mix was unbearable. The drone was so bad, my ears would ring after a 10 minute cruise. I'm going with the GHL's now. I've been told these are midway between Corsa Sports and Bullets. I guess I'll find out soon. Anyway, I'll have a set of Corsa Sports or GHL's for sale shortly. Let me know if your interested.
Thanks, Mike
Thanks, Mike
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: Casper WY
Los Angeles PI. Thanks for that about the tunnel plate, heat socks and heat tape. I will surely check into these before the install. I will check with my installer first and have them order them or get them myself. Would probably be much easier to do it with the exhaust out at the time of install!! Rizzo....Thanks for your info as well and pic. Now it makes sense. I understand the difference and will definately go with the longtubes. I am going to try the headers, CAI and tune first. From what I have heard that should give me somewhere around 40-60 RWHP? I am at almost 5,000 feet in elevation so with 340RWHP stock at sea level and take away 5% per thousand feet I am down to around 255RWHP so I would really like to gain back as much of that as possible just to make my car run like your cars did stock!! Later I am sure I will be asking about cams and heads? We'll see......Craig
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 4
Los Angeles PI. Thanks for that about the tunnel plate, heat socks and heat tape. I will surely check into these before the install. I will check with my installer first and have them order them or get them myself. Would probably be much easier to do it with the exhaust out at the time of install!! Rizzo....Thanks for your info as well and pic. Now it makes sense. I understand the difference and will definately go with the longtubes. I am going to try the headers, CAI and tune first. From what I have heard that should give me somewhere around 40-60 RWHP? I am at almost 5,000 feet in elevation so with 340RWHP stock at sea level and take away 5% per thousand feet I am down to around 255RWHP so I would really like to gain back as much of that as possible just to make my car run like your cars did stock!! Later I am sure I will be asking about cams and heads? We'll see......Craig
