So I have read through the old posts about exhaust. It's been a while since you guys talked about it. Has any of your opinions changed? Who makes the best CatBack or just bother with the muffler? I am leaning towards the Hooker Cat Back for $279, but if the muffler is a better bang for the buck should I bother with the whole system?

On a side note... Most of you guys have been modding for a while and have modded a few LS1's. Considering your trial and errors over the years here is my question. Lets assume you just a bought a '99 Z28 it was bone stock and you had a chance to start modding from scratch all over again the right way, what would you do?

 

Honestly, any cat-back will give you about the same 7-10hp gain. The only difference is the sound and how the tips look.

About a month ago, some mag. (I forget which one) did a dyno run on a WS6 stock and then with a new B&B cat-back.

Their gain? I believe it was 1.6hp.
They spent some where around $600 bucks for the cat-back on just got under 2hp for it.

Now, if you don't have a ws6, or an SS, you will see more gains - around 7-10. But, with the Ws6 or SS, you'll only hear the exhaust note.

My exhaust? I took off my cat, and I got a free '98 SS exhaust. It has a nice sound, but nothing loud and crazy. I figure for the price I paid (FREE) that it was a good mod for about 10 hp.

Just find the one you like the best and buy it.


Milo

 

Milo pretty much hit the high points.

When looking at exhaust there are three primary things that people take into account -
1. Performance
2. Sound/Exhuast Note & Volume
3. Physical Appearance

Secondary features are fit, finish and durablity. Last is your budget.

If performance is your primary goal, any decsion you make has to be done in the context of entire exhast system; i.e. what are your plans for headers, Y-pipe and CATs. And those plans are impacted by whatever you do to the engine.

Sound and appearance are pretty much what ever trips your trigger and what your budget allows you to spend.

Of course there is no one size fits all. That's what makes it fun and we can each indivdualize our cars to suit our own tastes.

Good Luck

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'01 Mystic Teal Z28
A4/3.23/Leather/T-Tops
Mods List Here

12.46/108.87/1.75 60'
319 rwhp/349 rwtq
www.MysticZ28.com

NorCal LS1/LT1

"To play it safe is not to play"

 

99LSIZ28,
IMHO do the free mods first, an air lid and
a muffler or cat back.
Free mods:
Open up air box under air filter.
Cut off EGR tube that extends into air flow.
De-screen MAF, port if you want.

After that I would stiffen the chassis.
Sub frame connectors / shock tower brace

From there headers, rear end, torque conv.
in whichever order you like.

I have a friend that is in the 11 sec. zone
with slicks, torque converter, headers and
lightening the car. Stock engine & computor.

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'94Z-28 MM6,LT1 Hot Cam
Mac Headers,13.28sec SOLD
New car '98Z-28 Conv.

 

Thanks for the input. As far as sound is concerned I am looking for slightly louder than Stock. At WOT I wouldn't care if it was loud enough to break the glass, but I want a quiet idle. One thing is for sure stock is too damn quiet! The problem is how do I know what it is going to sound like before I buy it?

I like the Headers, CATs, and Y-Pipe combo from MAC. It seems simple and inexpensive ($699).

 

Mac is not the best, yet for the money it is an excellent kit. I personly use the borla tunable catback, it is stainless steal, has dual intercooled tips, and it is adjustable, so if you want to quiet it down you can throw in a plate, but if you go to the track pull that badboy out and let it roar. Personaly I love the sound. You can find it on www.motorsporttech.com for about 570+shipping . I plan on adding FLP headers once my warranty is up, and then throw in a borla XR-1 racing muffler in place of the regular borla muffler, (once I put in headers strait exhaust would be a tad to loud, and the regualer muffler is a little to quiet on the LS1 at idle for me) it is a strait bolt in which is a plus. It is an excellent design, I believe B&B and Borla are the two old catback companys for F-bodys. I had a freind that had one on his 93 Z and I bought one as soon as i bought my 02. I hope that helps.

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'02 Red Z28, ebony leather, M6, T-tops, Trac. cont., hurst shifter
-Borla (the expensive cut-out)
-Wisperlid W/K&N
-FRA
-Cags eliminator
-Strange 4.10's
-G2 Rear Girdle
-Valv. Synthetic 10W-30
-Redline gear oil
-Fat hurst shift ****
-Lead foot
Soon to be:
Alpine Screen, Orion xtr 800.4, xtr 900.2, Kicker 12L7 in a milhouse, Focal polykev K2's.