I have a Borla catback with a DMH E-valve and have come up with an idea to make these Borla systems sound a little more like true duals. This might be retarded but might be a simple but bright idea that could improve sound and even "street HP".

Many people complain about two sounds they hear from their Borlas ..."rasp" and "machine gun sound". I have an idea that could help both.

The rear tailpipe is easy to remove. I wonder if you could remove it and "insert" a resonator of sorts inside. It could be any number of things ...think creatively. Perhaps there is some type of "flexible resonator" that could slip in there. Either that or you could use a heavy gauge steel mesh and roll/insert. Perhaps a honeycomb shaped piece to put in there would work too.

I am trying to think of something super simple we could all take advantage of easily that requires no welding or cutting. The reason I think it might sound better and make more HP on "the street" is that in theory you could use the bypass more but without having the machine gun or rasp sounds. If you think about it, when open the Borla is almost a true dual system with a giant X-pipe and a muffler in one tailpipe and no muffler in the other lol. Perhaps with a resonator of some sort in place you could bypass more and have a better sound than you usually have with it bypassed less, without the rasp and machine gun. This way it might make more power too because less exhaust gas is having to "turn around" at the bypass junction. Of course wide open for track use it will not make as much power as it would without the resonator.

Has anyone tried anything similar? I am just tiring of using my right tailpipe as a glorified exhaust leak in a somewhat futile effort to make it sound like true duals.

 

Hahaha ....I did a search on exhaust inserts and there are lots of them, check this out ....cheap and some say it flows well. I might try it in my right tail pipe. Most try to reduce rasp by putting a glasspack or bullet muffler in the I-pipe ...but I don't want to alter the sound of the left tail pipe (muffler side) at all. Anyway check this out, maybe something like this (cheap too)! :

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ch&um=1&itbs=1

 

Best way to make the Borla sound better is to replace it with something else.

 

Hey man let me know how they work out. I have a Corsa cat back setup that's all 100% SS with lifetime guarantee that cost bug bucks a few years back. Sounded good with stock exhaust manifolds and Y-Pipe, but got way to loud after adding headers and removing the cat. Plus the new Yank SS3200 really makes it louder on takeoffs and acceleration. Have to feather the throttle whenever law enforcement is close buy, otherwise it attracts too much attention. I have plenty of room between the muffler outlets and the SS tips (3" OD pipe) to try them. However the catalog says to use them in the collectors and it says they are 3" so it would be tough fabricating them into the 2 7/8" ID. Don't have room in the Pacesetter LT's as the O2's are sitting at the end of the collectors. There are some other 3" inlet/outlet mufflers that would fit behind the main muffler on this page that I could try, but would have to cut up my SS system to fit them in. http://www.schoenfeldheaders.com/mufflers.htm

 

Actually I'd love to replace it with true duals. I just hate to get rid of it when I have so much money in it and it's such a nice quality stainless and such great shape (looks good too). I love the sound of it with a full blockoff plate but can't stand to have a right tailpipe sitting there unused. In years passed I liked the sound of it with my E-valve just barely open so as to approximately balance the left and rear side DB's. I have grown tired of the 1,800 to 2,500 drone/rasp/machine gun sound but otherwise I really like it. It's too bad that 1,800 to 2,500 is right there in the normal operating range for street use.

I have read that some use a Dynomax Bullet or a "twister pipe" in the I pipe to subdue that sound. I just wondered if it could be even easier by using an insert of some sort in the right tailpipe. Guess I could try it for cheap and if it doesn't hack it I might try the Bullet or Twister ....or I could use both, a resonator in the I-pipe and a resonator in the bypass pipe for a refined sound perhaps.

I am however interested in trading/swapping the Borla and Mufflex Y-pipe for a true dual system, if only I can find one affordably and get some $$ out of this Borla. Can anyone recommend a good new true dual system that's not outrageous?

I have spent too much money on this car as it is though and would like to give the Borla a chance to redeem itself ....

Hmmm (edit)....I notice there's a sticky thread here about true duals and people were able to use universal X-pipes to get started on their own and they bolted right up to their headers.

Anyone know if there's a universal X-pipe that will bolt right up to Hooker Long Tubes? I still have my old stock tips so now I'm thinking of building my own system and driving it to a shop for welding ....

 

I had a Borla on my old '95 Z28 and wasn't fond of the sounds with any of the factory "holes". It was too loud and raspy with the factory plates and too quiet with the solid blockoff plate. I ended up experimenting in drilling holes in a couple solid plates I had. I ended up staying with a 3/4" hole that sounded best to me. No popping on decelleration but still a throaty tone without attracting too much attention.

 

I did the exact same thing a few years ago and liked it pretty well. Can't seem to duplicate that sound with the E-valve though ...yet I like the E-valve for it's ease of adjustability and being able to open it for a 3rd gear drop on the interstate (or a friendly rev at a stoplight).

I just think I'm ready for something different. If I can't get the Borla where I'm really pleased with it I think it's time to go true duals. Given that the Summit Universal X-pipe (which apparently works with my Hooker LT's without mods) is relatively inexpensive I think I could build a true dual system, clamp it and drive it to a shop for welding for roughly what i can sell this Borla for. I like the sound of the Borla overall, especially the muffler! ....if I do true duals I might get two of this muffler on the catback whatever it is (if I can fit another one ...may have to BFH mod the spare tire well). I bet no one is running that and it would sound mellow and deep.

So if anyone's interested in a Borla system I may have one for sale. Has been on this car for a long time but it's a garage queen, it's in REALLY good shape. My E-valve is "rigged" to not rattle though, but one may not even opt for the E-valve anyway if interested.

 

I don't know about you guys, but with mine, the machine gun sound goes away as it warms up.

 

For me it's not as bad after warmed up but it's still there. I did a search and found a post where someone said there's nothing you can do about it other than subdue it because it's basically the sound of the Y-pipe (exhaust waves converging into one pipe). If you have a cat and/or a resonator of some sort it will be MUCH less noticeable but still there none the less. Still considering a resonator but I'm getting hung up on true duals....

 

Will a cutout cap work as a plate? I don't have the plates for mine, but I have a 3" cutout cap.

If not, Im going to buy a Flowmaster muffler and remove the Borla

 

Ugghh ...I wouldn't do THAT

 

I did try, but the bolts are old and I didn't want to strip/break them. I think the cutout cap is too small anyway.

But why wouldn't I want to do that? The exhaust would still flow through the other side. Its a full 3" exhaust so it wouldn't hurt flow

 

The way you worded it implied that you were going to remove the whole Borla Cat-back and replace with a Flowmaster Cat-back. I think I understand what you mean now. You mean you might use a small Flowmaster in lieu of the borla bypass pipe? That would make more sense if so.

 

No you had me right the first time. I hate the way Borla Sounds. It just came with the car. Id straight up trade for a Flomaster 3" American Thunder in a heart beat. I loved the way my old 96 Formula sounded with it, and my truck, and every other vehicle that had one.

 

Oh ...ok. Hey, FWIW I've been listening to some clips of true duals on YouTube and I really like the sound of the Flowmaster 40 series when used with them. Sounds so "old school" and honestly I love it ...the 60's muscle car sound. I have my Borla sounding decent now but I know I'm switching to true duals now ...just a matter of time and research. Hope you get something you like.