Headers Only Sound
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 49
Likes: 18
Headers Only Sound
I have a 2014 Stingray with factory exhaust. Unfortunately, it doesn't have NPP, so it's pretty quite. I plan to supercharge the car, so I'm considering headers. How loud would a car with headers and factory mufflers be? My car is an A6 auto and I absolutely don't want any drone.
I put magnaflows and headers on my previous auto C5 convertible, that was supercharged.
That car had a deep sound but it was too much. It was downright unpleasant in the A4 vert.
My wife hated it.
I put magnaflows and headers on my previous auto C5 convertible, that was supercharged.
That car had a deep sound but it was too much. It was downright unpleasant in the A4 vert.
My wife hated it.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 703
Likes: 222
From: Central TX
Barely any louder than stock with the factory mufflers except when you go WOT. Even then it won't be bad. And no drone at all.
I'm going off my experience with my Z51 with NPP. I have LT headers w/cats, cam/heads/intake/e85/tune. If I run in tour mode it is very close to stock and does not drone at all. In track mode with the NPP valves open it drones bad at low rpm on the highway.
I'm going off my experience with my Z51 with NPP. I have LT headers w/cats, cam/heads/intake/e85/tune. If I run in tour mode it is very close to stock and does not drone at all. In track mode with the NPP valves open it drones bad at low rpm on the highway.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 49
Likes: 18
I have a 66 chevy truck with a decent cam in the 350. I installed LT headers and had Flowmaster styled mufflers welded on. The old truck has a 350 turbo trans and 3.73 rear, but it's not as bad as the convertible was. I installed a lot of sound deadening in the truck and the exhaust exit is much further form the driver.
Last edited by Jason9999; Jan 3, 2023 at 01:38 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 569
From: MSP
speaking generally, your typical exhaust is
header -> catalytic converter(s) -> resonator(s) -> muffler(s)
getting headers on a c7 usually eliminates some or all of the catalytic converters, which will make your exhaust stinky, crackly, slightly louder, and throw check engine lights without an emissions-deleting tune.
cat-back exhausts USUALLY employ a resonator + muffler. a resonator looks like a small muffler. you remember cherry bombs at autozone back in the day? the big red tubes? those are technically resonators.
specific to the C7 --
this old thread shows a stock header collector, upstream cat, downstream cat, and xpipe setup. the mufflers go after all of that. the X-pipe is probably not resonated in this application, but serves as a resonator of sorts. a lot of the drone killing is happening with the catalytic converters, I reckon. not sure if the c7 mufflers have helmholtz/J-pipes in them, but if they do, that'll kill a lot of drone too (as those are very effective types of resonators).
header -> catalytic converter(s) -> resonator(s) -> muffler(s)
getting headers on a c7 usually eliminates some or all of the catalytic converters, which will make your exhaust stinky, crackly, slightly louder, and throw check engine lights without an emissions-deleting tune.
cat-back exhausts USUALLY employ a resonator + muffler. a resonator looks like a small muffler. you remember cherry bombs at autozone back in the day? the big red tubes? those are technically resonators.
specific to the C7 --
this old thread shows a stock header collector, upstream cat, downstream cat, and xpipe setup. the mufflers go after all of that. the X-pipe is probably not resonated in this application, but serves as a resonator of sorts. a lot of the drone killing is happening with the catalytic converters, I reckon. not sure if the c7 mufflers have helmholtz/J-pipes in them, but if they do, that'll kill a lot of drone too (as those are very effective types of resonators).
Pro
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 566
Likes: 160
From: NOVA
I can't answer to the experience comprehensively as I have NPP... however, in Touring mode, not in boost, I hear the blower bypass air noise over the exhaust... a very pleasant sound I must say. In sport/track, part throttle the exhaust is more aggressive but never drones. In WOT she speaks with menacing authority... a new level of angry.
I have the A&A SC kit with ARH LTHs and their catalytic converters.
I have the A&A SC kit with ARH LTHs and their catalytic converters.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 49
Likes: 18
getting headers on a c7 usually eliminates some or all of the catalytic converters, which will make your exhaust stinky, crackly, slightly louder, and throw check engine lights without an emissions-deleting tune.
cat-back exhausts USUALLY employ a resonator + muffler. a resonator looks like a small muffler. you remember cherry bombs at autozone back in the day? the big red tubes? those are technically resonators.
specific to the C7 --
this old thread shows a stock header collector, upstream cat, downstream cat, and xpipe setup. the mufflers go after all of that. the X-pipe is probably not resonated in this application, but serves as a resonator of sorts. a lot of the drone killing is happening with the catalytic converters, I reckon. not sure if the c7 mufflers have helmholtz/J-pipes in them, but if they do, that'll kill a lot of drone too (as those are very effective types of resonators).
cat-back exhausts USUALLY employ a resonator + muffler. a resonator looks like a small muffler. you remember cherry bombs at autozone back in the day? the big red tubes? those are technically resonators.
specific to the C7 --
this old thread shows a stock header collector, upstream cat, downstream cat, and xpipe setup. the mufflers go after all of that. the X-pipe is probably not resonated in this application, but serves as a resonator of sorts. a lot of the drone killing is happening with the catalytic converters, I reckon. not sure if the c7 mufflers have helmholtz/J-pipes in them, but if they do, that'll kill a lot of drone too (as those are very effective types of resonators).
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 49
Likes: 18
I can't answer to the experience comprehensively as I have NPP... however, in Touring mode, not in boost, I hear the blower bypass air noise over the exhaust... a very pleasant sound I must say. In sport/track, part throttle the exhaust is more aggressive but never drones. In WOT she speaks with menacing authority... a new level of angry. I have the A&A SC kit with ARH LTHs and their catalytic converters.
What transmission do you have?
Last edited by Jason9999; Jan 3, 2023 at 03:35 PM.