I dont know what i should go with. I currently have a cutout with the stock exhaust and manifolds. I dont know if i should get a catback or just get a muffler? Will the cutout give me more performance then a catback? Or should i just stay with the stock exhaust and just get a muffler? Thanks in advance.

 

A new catback will definatly increase your hp over you current set up do to a larger intermediate pipe. I am not to big on cut outs, and sometimes they can actually hurt your perfromance, it all depends on your set, and what other mods you have. You will most likely hear both sides of the argument in the replies.

 

Cutout's are good for the money, no doubt.

You will probably lose low-end torque, but will gain high-end torque.

 

Yeah i also thought that a catback would do some good, but the guy at the muffler shop made me think twice. He said that our I-pipe is already 2.75 so upgraded to a 3" will not really make a difference but he did say that i need to replace my muffler. What do you guy think i should do. Should i go ahead and get a catback or would just the muffler with a cutout be about the same gains in HP? Thanks for the replies.

 

It won't on a stock car. You'll see maybe 10 hp from it, if you're lucky. If you plan on future mods, then this is a pretty big part.

I don't want to bash you in anyway, but where did you get your info from? Prove to me that cutouts can hurt performance, and I'll stand corrected, until then, this is a great cheap mod when you want that extra unf and sound.

I say go with the catback, and you can also get a cutout for like $35. I say it's worth it. I'm going to get an electric cutout as soon as funds allow.

 

Thanks for the replies, i was hoping for more buts it ok. I am still confused on if i should get a catback or just go with a muffler, i already have a cutout under my car. I plan on gettting LT headers and a ORY, what i want to know is will that setup make more power through the cutout or through a catback? If its through the cutout i will just get a muffler and run that on the street but if i can make more power through a catback i will get a that.

 

If you go with LT headers, they tend to have 3" collectors that go thru a 3" y-pipe. Only problem is, a catback get's restrictive when the exhaust is condensed into the single y-pipe. If you put a cutout on each side of the y-pipe before the reducer to the 3" i-pipe, you'd be money. If you wanted to run a catback with the headers/cutouts, I'd suggest something relatively inexpensive. There are a few here.
http://www.ls1speed.com/catagory.cfm?catagory=exhaust

 

The cut-out gives you the best performance. (not my personal liking in sound, but it does have the best flow)
The .25" larger pipe of a cat-back is overrated.
Almost all the power increase of a cat-back is in the muffler. The pipe contributes almost nothing. It was suggested in an earlier post that the pipe was "only" good for about 10 hp. Huh!?! The average cat-back only gives about 10-15 hp and that comes from the muffler. It would have been closer to say the pipe is good for only about .10 hp. A high flow muffler replacing the horribly restrictive stock muffler will give the same 10-15 hp increase... depending on the brand/type muffler of course.
The stock piping is 2.75" mandrel bent stainless steel. With a cat-back, you pay a whole lot more money for .25" larger pipe, and with some cat-backs it's not even stainless.
It's all sales hype.
Get a muffler with the sound you like and be done with it.
Good luck
Dave

 

thank you. Those were the answers i was looking for. I guess for now i will get a muffler and run that one cutout and then when i get my LTs with the ORY then i will put 2 in the y-pipe. Thanks again. Oh and just out of curosity how much HP do ya'll think i am gaining with the cutout open?

 

Just go with a muffler, thats all I did. If you feel you need more power, open the darn cutout!

 

I believe that the muffler is the gain when going to a aftermarket cat-back also.

But as for reffering to the"I" pipe giving 10hp.

I think it is best looked at as a 3" will flow 10+% more exhaust gases than a 2.75" Intermediate pipe.Which is contributing to a gain But #'s I dont know.
As far as getting headers and Y later,they will benifit from the 10% more flow/capacity no doubt.

 

id just go with a muffler if u are going to get a cutout. u are going to gain more from a cutout than u are from a catback IMO. save your money