Car feels different with new catback, I almost want to say "feels slower"
05-16-2008, 09:08 AM
#1
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car feels different with new catback, I almost want to say "feels slower" Someone please make me think otherwise, lol.
My car is stock besides some free mods and a lid. Th car is my daily driver, so I am running cats. Anyway, I installed the SLP aftermarket Y-pipe and Magnaflow catback. The car sounds great, I couldnt be happier with that. Before I installed the catback I did some relatively hard driving to see if I'll notice a difference in the car.
The car feels like a different beast all together, it just sounds like its breathing so much better. But when I romped on it a bit, it almost feels a tad bit slower. It's really something I probably can't tell but I wonder if the way it sounds and how it's breathing makes it "feel" that way? Note, this is the first car I've ever owned myself that has some real power to it.
My car is stock besides some free mods and a lid. Th car is my daily driver, so I am running cats. Anyway, I installed the SLP aftermarket Y-pipe and Magnaflow catback. The car sounds great, I couldnt be happier with that. Before I installed the catback I did some relatively hard driving to see if I'll notice a difference in the car.
The car feels like a different beast all together, it just sounds like its breathing so much better. But when I romped on it a bit, it almost feels a tad bit slower. It's really something I probably can't tell but I wonder if the way it sounds and how it's breathing makes it "feel" that way? Note, this is the first car I've ever owned myself that has some real power to it.
05-16-2008, 09:28 AM
#4
TECH Resident
iTrader: (35)
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Rowlett, TX
Posts: 762
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not exactly sure either, but I've always heard/been told whenever adding or adjusting mods on a car, it takes a little time for them to be fully acquanted with the rest of the mechains/operations.
05-16-2008, 10:33 AM
#5
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Arizona
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Honestly its prob mostly in your head. Ive seen and been on both sides of the fence. You do a mod and OMG you can tell a difference ( when there was a 3 HP increase ) and the OMG i dont think it did anything ( when you gained 10HP ). From a catback your not going to get much more seat of the pants feel. You should get some nice sound notes from it for sure, and drive the car around for a bit before making a judgement call on the difference in performance it makes. If heard something like 30 miles 3 times or something.... dont remember why that comes to mind
05-16-2008, 11:06 AM
#6
well will exhaust believe it or not the build up of the carbon will make it sound a tad bit deeper. Also make it flow alittle bit smoother. Im not talking an excessive build up. Just enough to coat the walls of the pipe. And the computer is now seeing its able to move the exhaust alittle bit better and just takes a few days for it to become acclumated. Also what kind of exhaust did you get?
Trending Topics
05-16-2008, 11:52 AM
#10
The sound of the car will make it feel quicker or slower believe it or not.
Assuming the car is making the same power with both exhaust, the quieter one should feel quicker. Its like the louder the car it really needs to run as fast as it sounds it is or it will feel slower.
Assuming the car is making the same power with both exhaust, the quieter one should feel quicker. Its like the louder the car it really needs to run as fast as it sounds it is or it will feel slower.
05-16-2008, 02:11 PM
#12
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It almost feels less torquey, actually. I guess that makes some sense if it's breathing better. Oh wells, I am not going to really worry about. I just thinking about things like this too much I guess.
05-16-2008, 02:41 PM
#13
TECH Addict
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 2,594
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i installed LT's, ORY and catback and my car feels like it lost a little torque on the bottom end, runs like a raped ape up top but feels sluggish down low
05-17-2008, 12:49 AM
#15
The car has to re-learn when you do some tipes of changes.Another guy said to drive the car 30 minutes, three times.I have also found it to be true.I have a magnaflow catback and it seems like it gets better with time also.
____________________
2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
____________________
2000 t/a ws6 with lots of mods
05-17-2008, 09:26 AM
#16
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the replies. So what creates it to be a little more sluggish in lower RPM's? Does the increase of flow and breathing room hurt the low end torque at low speeds?
05-17-2008, 05:48 PM
#17
TECH Fanatic
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nah, I don't think your car is any slower. 
This actually used to happen every time I put an aftermarket cat-back system on my otherwise stock LS1's (I've had two).
As long as the car is running properly (good mechanical condition, proper AFR, etc.), all a better flowing 3" system is going to do is open up a few more ponies (6-12rwhp) up top on a mostly stockish car...Basically, the torque you felt with the stock set-up just ends up getting moved up a little in the power band relative to the new exhaust, which flows with less restriction. Actually, your car should now make more torque too, but again, those gains will be seen higher up in the power band than usual (which you're not used to).
Anyway, only true way to find out the gains would have been to do a before and after dyno (same day on same dynojet), but oh well. Just enjoy your car and its new sound!
Mike
This actually used to happen every time I put an aftermarket cat-back system on my otherwise stock LS1's (I've had two).As long as the car is running properly (good mechanical condition, proper AFR, etc.), all a better flowing 3" system is going to do is open up a few more ponies (6-12rwhp) up top on a mostly stockish car...Basically, the torque you felt with the stock set-up just ends up getting moved up a little in the power band relative to the new exhaust, which flows with less restriction. Actually, your car should now make more torque too, but again, those gains will be seen higher up in the power band than usual (which you're not used to).
Anyway, only true way to find out the gains would have been to do a before and after dyno (same day on same dynojet), but oh well. Just enjoy your car and its new sound!
Mike
