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I just picked up an 05 C6 Z51 M6 and can't stand how quiet the car is, so I had a few questions regarding the setups I planned on getting.
It will have LG/Kooks long tubes with a catted X and Borla Stingers, or possible Corsa Extremes Axle backs.
My question is, 05-07 exhaust systems for my car taper down to 2.5" in the axle back region. But the headers I listed above taper into 3" X Pipes and the end of the X Pipe tapers into 2.5" for the C6 correct?
If I were to want 3" Piping all the way through, can I mix those headers with an X Pipe that doesn't taper to 3" to the C6 Z06 Borla/Corsa catback that are already 3" or even get C6 Z06 Headers and Axleback to fit on my C6?
Any reason that wouldn't work? I know you can't mix and match cause of the 3" vs 2.5" issue, but if you mate the sizes right, I'm good to go?
Cool. Glad I can run it without any fitment issues. Is there any reason people would want 3" piping instead of 2.5"? I mean besides finding a great deal obviously. Is it louder, add more power, I know the whole 1 7/8" for top end and 1 3/4" for the bottom-mid end talk regarding headers, is it the same concept for x pipe and piping after the headers?
3" flows better than 2.5". Simple as that. 25% larger is significant. How much hp you get is hard to measure, but that's why I use Bullets. 3" all the way back. The stock and the NPP neck down to 2.5", as do many aftermarket exhausts, including Loudmouths, I think. The Bullets and ATAK eliminate that because they eliminate the mufflers entirely.
Yeah. I guess it's not a big difference between 2.5 vs 3 in terms of just sound or simple bolt ons. The car is my DD, it's fast enough, but I'm just trying to get it to sound the part. I guess there's no reason to go out of my way to get a Z06 3" exhaust over the axleback going to 2.5".
My guess is the bulk of high hp street cars use 2-1/2" axle back. Is there a major diff between 2-1/2 and 3? I don't know but my car works just fine with 3" back to my Corsa Xtreme. The only way to know is back to back dyno with both.
Yeah. I don't see the reason for 3" Axle Back I guess. Most headers run 3" all way back to axle, then goes down to 2.5 for c6's and stays 3 for z06. I guess it's nothing to worry about.
Unless you have a huge 1000HP plus motor, I can't imagine whey you would need to run the bigger piping. I think they sell it because people will buy it. I remember the exhaust on my buddies GN was 4" :rofl
Even with the headers you have to be careful, I had a buddy switch from the kooks 1 7/8 to the Pfadt 1 3/4 and actually picked up a few HP up top and about 15 RWTQ down low. Its all about matching your components. For a CAI/Cam setup, the 1 3/4 will probably be best. Flow is only one part of the power eqauation. The other and equally important factor is scavenging. Once you reach a certain point there just isn't anything to be gained from going to a bigger pipe.
Yeah. Off the top of your head, do you guys know how much an average tuner shop should charge to install headers?
I was thinking it over, and with headers, axle back, install and tune, it'll be the very least $2k right? Is it a good idea for that, or to find used Z06 manifolds, x pipe, NPP exhaust, fast 92, vararam intake, install and tune for the same price?
So my question, is go with lt headers in CA and go through whole smog crap, or just go with Z06 parts and spend money on a fast 92/vararam intake with the money saved?