I was looking into a electronic cutout system for my C6 with kooks long tube headers, x pipe and high flow cats but wanted to see how loud the car actually is running open headers, (which is essentially what an open cutout does, right?) Is it safe to run the car without an exhaust system and is it even worth the hassle? Has anyone else done this - and will I experience things like nasty smells, need to have the windows open and/or risk setting the floor on fire? I've read alot of things online and want to get some clarification. Also, can I remove the exhaust to run open headers myself easily or would I need to take it to a shop and would they even do it for me? If I can do it easily myself, how would I go about it?

Thanks.

I run right now NPP with the flaps open all the time and while it is nice I want to consider something much louder without spending thousands on a completely new exhaust system.

 

This is just a bad idea in every way, unless you are going to use it strictly for racing, which I'm guessing is not the case, & still it's a bad idea. I'm not even goin' to list the problems there's so many, or answer the questions because if you already don't know the answers you shouldn't be working on your car. Cut outs south of the cats is easy enough, but wouldn't be much if any different than NPPs.

 

Here's some cut out info: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...ep-inside.html

 

I ran electronic cutouts on my c6 and i love them.. I kept the factory axle back so it sounds stock....... but its not lol... I had them welded after the x in the x pipe... I have 1 3/4 primaries and a 3 inch collector to a 3" corsa X pipe...
oh and i drove it to the exhaust with just headers ie. open headers and it was the most lout obnoxious thing i have ever experienced...

here is a vid on a private strip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3mTdX6nte0

 

Where you did you find a a "private strip" w/ road signs, lanes marked, guardrails & concrete barriers. Lol. Although I like the vid, I doubt it will be up long.

 

Yeah, I really want to try out the cutouts but isn't running cutouts open pretty much the same thing as running open headers or am I missing something? So If I wanted to see how it would sound I could just run open headers right..?

 

Depends where you put the cutouts. If you put them dowstream of the CATS, the cats really kill some noise. I had a cutout on my 01 Z28 downstream of the CAT and it sounded great. I have headers on my 06 Vette with NPP and they sound great, just not as loud as the cutout. However, if you run with open headers, it's really, really loud! I started both my Camaro and Vette with open headers and I thought I was going to break all the dishes and glasses in the kitchen!

 

I'm not following you. I have run cutouts on a car and didn't have any negative impacts other than it was pretty darn loud with them open and would attract a cop from 1/2 mile away.

Please don't say that a lack of back pressure makes the car run badly because that is an old wive's tale. Back pressure is never your friend when you are trying to make power. Also, the story that it will warp your valves is another old wives tale. That would happen if your headers were just straight pipes about a foot long, but with long tubes you can run them open all day long and not affect the valves.

 

Follow the post, "cut outs south of the cats...". open headers on the other hand is literally an unrealistic option, & a bad idea, although I'm sure it could be tuned to handle the lack of back pressure, & I never bought the valve bs either, now running stock exh. manifolds open may be another story as you point out. From a true performance measurement 1/4 mle e.t.s the lack of B/P on a stock LS2 may adversely effect low end torque where it wouldn't out perform a car w/ headers & full exhaust w/ proper tune. Open headers realistically are only going to benefit a highly modified motor set up to run at WOT.

My car is cammed w/ all the reg. bolt ons icluding LTs w/ NPPs making over 450 rwhp, & NPPs open at high R's to WOT is insanely loud & has gotten me pulled more times than I care to discuss, w/ open headers I wouldn't make it off my street w/o getting pulled & would sound ridiculous.

 

There is no room for cutouts on a c6 except back by the transmission. So the sound isn't that loud...less loud than Borla stingers or bullets for example, as the sound is directed toward the ground.

I've had Qtp cutouts for hears now, they are reliable and I enjoy them. When I had bolt-ons only they didn't add any power, but with the cam and fast they add about 6 rwhp/tq across the board.

If you get them it's important to put on turndowns. If you don't, and thus direct the exhaust at your fiberglass leaf spring it will break after a while.

I'll post pics and a video below.

 

From my thread of 4 years ago...see the thread for dyno sheets etc if you are interested.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...-on-my-c6.html

Had QTP cutouts installed by Florida Performance in Fort Lauderdale. Overall very pleased with the job Rob, the shop owner, did. This was his first C6 and he found a great place to put them and made the custom mandrel bent Y-pipes to maximize flow from the cutouts. We found no way to put them right after the collectors but they fit well by the trans. I have the DTE brace too but it wasn't in the way.

Installed the wiring myself along the drivers side rocker panel, behind seat then out the wheel well under the carpet. Removed the rear inner fender and drilled a small hole in the wheel well then ran the wire down to the cutouts. Hardest part is finding a hot wire when the ignition is on on these C6's. I ended up tapping the seat heater fuse as others here have done.

They are loud and DEEP when open at idle. I've actually heard louder exhaust though, I was kind of surprised they are not louder. I think it is because of the turn downs and the fact that I have cats and the pipes are pretty long before the cutouts. On the track they have a nice race car sound - I'd say like Borla Stingers plus 25%. When you open them at a stoplight you will turn heads, that's for sure.

Overall happy with the mod, it gives me quiet during my morning drive but loud when I'm at the track which is what I wanted.

Here is a video of idle with cutouts open and closed. The gain on the mike makes the closed sound much louder than it is, it's really quiet with factory mufflers even with my cam.



Here are some pics:

 

I drove my car about 7 miles with open longtubes and it was very loud.

 

I drove my 2001 TA (LS1 making over 500hp) with open headers for 3 years no problem other than attention from the cops. never got a ticket from them. they always wanted to know what I had under the hood because it is EXTREAMLY loud!! I did it again on another TA I had. Anyone who tells you can't does not know what they are talking about. again it will be extreamly loud.

 

Big difference underneath a TA vs a Corvette. No room on the Vette.

 

So there is no room on a C6 to run the cutouts and get the same sound as if you were to run open headers? Running cutouts on a C6 would be the equivalent to open NPP which I have now?

Dumb question but how hard is it to remove the exhaust system by myself in my driveway? Is everything bolted together or does it need to be cut off and then welded back on or something? I'm not familiar with the underside of cars at all but am dying to run open headers just to see exactly how loud the car is.

 

this is confusing. there is room to run headers and exhaust on a C6 but no room to run open headers???

 

If you do a quick search for header install, you'll get how to with pictures on how it can be done in your driveway.

Hopefully some of the pics will show, there is zero room for cutouts in the C6 tunnel area. Trust me.

BTW...if you do run open headers, with a stock cam it sounds like HELL. If you want to hear it, go to a drag strip on an outlaw day, somebody will have a 80's Monte Carlo with open headers/manifolds and a stock cam...snap cracke pop, wow does that hurt your ears. It's a horrible sound.

The UPS truck sounds better.

 

You can take off your mid pipes if you like, yes. But you cannot install cutouts.

 

I daily drive my car with dumps right after the midpipe(hi-flow cats). IMO it sounds great, but the exhaust will drone on the highway. Had a corsa catback on the car prior to this and disliked the sound so went this route instead. Saved a nice chunk of weight and much cheaper obviously. I've taken the car around the block with complete open headers and I wouldn't suggest it for a regular basis but like others have said in this thread the cats will quiet the car down a bit. No harm in trying it, a few bucks for some turndown's and some clamps and you're done.

I don't have many good quality video clips of the exhaust, but can make one if you would like. The link below has a few exhaust clips on my youtube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/bbq52686?feature=mhum#p/u

Greg

 

Here's a pic of the area where the manifolDs come together.

When you put headers in there, as you can see there's no room for anything else.