docrocket1967

So I purchased a 08 Z06 in July that was already built....heads, cam, tune and much more. Stock intake but also stock exhaust. I was under the impression the original owner had put the stock exhaust back on to sell it to the dealership for emission reasons.....this was not the case. The original owner who I was lucky to later contact (via instagram of all places) said he built the engine and had done a ton of work to it but left stock exhaust because he tracked the car at Sebring and fealt no need to upgrade because he said the flow was good enough for the setup he wanted and I believe he said he upgraded to a ZR1 X-pipe at one point but dont quote me on that.

So after hours of speaking with him and him telling me all about the car, which was awesome I decided I cant have a Heads Cam car and stock exhaust.

Looking around I decided to go to Kooks Long Tube Headers, with Off Road Catless X-pipe and Corsa Sport in the rear. Hoping to really make it sound alive and bring that cam some projection of sound because I love a choppy idle.

Flipping through the forum it looks like changing the exhaust front to back on one of these cars is much easier then a 4th gen fbody which I have done many times. Does anyone else agree after having done both that this is easier? I am using a lift.

Any tips or helpful comments welcomed.

Dcasole

Installing headers on a C6 with a lift is only a few hour job , the headers slide right up thru the bottom and the rest is just basic exhaust install , the only thing I did to make it easier is drop my sway bar to give me more room to move the mufflers around once they where slid in place on the x pipe

If I had to do it over I might use studs as starting all the bolts and making sure I was not cross threading was a bit of a challenge with my LG Super Pro's

Dave

MYCoupe

Never done an exhaust on a 4th Gen F-body, but the Z06 will be pretty easy on a lift. You may want to reconsider your decision about going with a catless x-pipe. It might end up too loud and you may not like the smell of those fumes. High flow cats won't really cost you much power.

MTPZ06

If it does have the ZR1 X-pipe, which became standard in 2011 on the C6Z, then you could just opt for some B&B LT's. The B&B LT's replace the OE manifolds/cats and bolt right up to your stock mid-pipe...they're the only LT's designed to do this. Could save you quite a bit money by not having to buy a Kooks mid-pipe along with their LT's. I think the B&B's can be found for ~$1000.

z288uup

I have done headers on 2 of my 4th gens. I also done headers on my Grand Sport. The GS was alot easier. I did all of my cars at home on jack stands.

doomi

I've done it both on my lift and on jack stands on my driveway. It's really only a few hour job either way, one is just easier on your back.

I do wish I had done studs as well. Only because it would make it a much easier one man job.

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CMY SIX

with the studs but I only used 2 on a side until I could get the bolts in

All Stock Ls2

For the love of all that is holy don't go catless the fumes are too strong.. go with high-flow cats please..

docrocket1967

Awesome info I will definitely keep that in mind.

It looks to be alot easier so im happy with that.

Are they really? I dont have cats on any of my cars though and two of them I run with open cutouts all the time and dont really have an issue. Is there something a little different with the way the C6's are designed that causes it to fume up the cabin?


Thank you everyone for your help

doomi

I run a catless setup with my long tubes and have never been bothered by fumes. Really the only time I can smell it is sometimes when I'm idling at a fast food window and the building blocks the smell in. Even then it's not a big deal, imo.

Unreal

Been catless for 7+ years, never once had a smell issue.

I would have skipped the mufflers for now as headers make a big difference in sound, and the stock dual mode is one of the nicest setups possible.

MTPZ06

Cam selection and tune has more to do with fuel smell.

docrocket1967

Thank you everyone for the help


Any recommendations on Intake? I am a fan of Fast Intakes so I was planning that direction down the road but would also like to upgrade injectors too. I plan to leave fuel pump just as it is.

Unreal

MSD for intake, or find someone upgrading from a fast to MSD and buy the fast silly cheap.

MTPZ06

Mamo ported MSD beats the Fast everywhere on the LS7...even his own ported Fast. It does does require a bit more of a "hands on" ownership though.

Unreal

Or if I was building another z06 from scratch, stock. I wouldn't mess with intake manifold at all if I was doing it over again.

docrocket1967

How come?

docrocket1967

Ill check out the MSD as well thank you everyone

Tech

I had a stock cam and could smell the exhaust when coming to a stop. It wasn't enough to bother my wife, so I just ignored it.

I'd also recommend doing to the Corsa later. The stock exhaust is pretty loud already when the exhaust valves are open.

LoganExplosion

Exhaust smell? Haha! You people must own stock in a high-flow cat company..