Cadillac CTS-V - Headers and Cam- stock catback

Gentlemen, does anyone have any clips of what the sound would be like with headers and a cam, but with the stock catback exhaust? I'm installing OBX headers next week, and plan to eventually go with a Pag G specced cam at 226/230 113+2. I've always planned never to do sound-only mods, like catbacks, just on principle.

Has anyone done mods like the above, but without a catback? What's the sound like? Could you tell I have a cam in there or will it sound too muted?

That cam is so tame(I have that same cam) that you can barely tell at idle. with a stock CBE I would assume it would just be less noticable.

Are yougoing for stock sounding? Or jus tas quiet as possible?

could go with a bigger LSA and remove all LOPE from the exhuast.

Gentlemen, does anyone have any clips of what the sound would be like with headers and a cam, but with the stock catback exhaust? I'm installing OBX headers next week, and plan to eventually go with a Pag G specced cam at 226/230 113+2. I've always planned never to do sound-only mods, like catbacks, just on principle.

Has anyone done mods like the above, but without a catback? What's the sound like? Could you tell I have a cam in there or will it sound too muted?


Its a good lsa if you want to do FI later good choice mine is a tad larger with the same 113 lsa

Can't say without a cam, but I've got OBX 1 7/8 LT's with no resonator and stock mufflers. It's a little deeper than it was with stock manifolds but still fairly quiet. I'll try to get some videos soon. I saw another guy with a similar setup (headers and stock mufflers) on youtube, but i'm having trouble locating that video.

That cam is so tame(I have that same cam) that you can barely tell at idle. with a stock CBE I would assume it would just be less noticable.

Are yougoing for stock sounding? Or jus tas quiet as possible?

could go with a bigger LSA and remove all LOPE from the exhuast.

I want noticeable character and lope, I just don't want volume... in the interest of neighborly relations and continued marital bliss.

Would a different cam give me that, if I stick with the stock catback?

Can't say without a cam, but I've got OBX 1 7/8 LT's with no resonator and stock mufflers. It's a little deeper than it was with stock manifolds but still fairly quiet. I'll try to get some videos soon. I saw another guy with a similar setup (headers and stock mufflers) on youtube, but i'm having trouble locating that video.

Yeah that would be awesome to hear that man. I'm putting on catted OBX headers. So I guess I'll have a little more restriction than a resonator even.

Its a good lsa if you want to do FI later good choice mine is a tad larger with the same 113 lsa

FI is a pipe dream. Can't justify 6K on this car. Maybe when it's paid off in a couple of years...

Can't say without a cam, but I've got OBX 1 7/8 LT's with no resonator and stock mufflers. It's a little deeper than it was with stock manifolds but still fairly quiet. I'll try to get some videos soon. I saw another guy with a similar setup (headers and stock mufflers) on youtube, but i'm having trouble locating that video.

You're not talking about my little series of reference videos as I tweaked my car, are you? For example, here's the one with the stock cam, OBX headers, Kooks cats, and gutted mufflers (note: gutted mufflers made almost zero difference in tonality or volume):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mVDGziMqvY

Comparison after I installed the Magnaflow 16637 catback:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76UffVNipmI

You're not talking about my little series of reference videos as I tweaked my car, are you? For example, here's the one with the stock cam, OBX headers, Kooks cats, and gutted mufflers (note: gutted mufflers made almost zero difference in tonality or volume):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mVDGziMqvY

Comparison after I installed the Magnaflow 16637 catback:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76UffVNipmI

That's you? Dude, I think I'm responsible for half your views. That is a truly awesome series.

So... that's what headers and stock cat-back exhaust (CBE) sounds like? Not bad. Now if I could only find a clip of a cammed car with the same setup...

Headers and stock cats is not a possible combo. I have had the following setups:
Stock mani-stock cats- gutted muffler with and w/o cam
Stock mani-test pipes- gutted muffler with cam
Stock mani-test pipes- corsa with cam
Obx- resonator- corsa catback w/o corsa res and with cam

Headers and stock cats is not a possible combo. I have had the following setups:
Stock mani-stock cats- gutted muffler with and w/o cam
Stock mani-test pipes- gutted muffler with cam
Stock mani-test pipes- corsa with cam
Obx- resonator- corsa catback w/o corsa res and with cam

I meant headers and stock cat-back exhaust. I will edit my last entry. Thanks.

No prob, I went through every possible combo I think in regards to stock vs after market. Just didn't switch vendors, ultimately full exhaust is IMO the best sounding.

That's you? Dude, I think I'm responsible for half your views. That is a truly awesome series.

So... that's what headers and stock cat-back exhaust (CBE) sounds like? Not bad. Now if I could only find a clip of a cammed car with the same setup...

As they say, no good deed goes unpunished. When you're done reading all of the ifs, ands, and buts below, I figured your comment was worth going out the abandoned cul-de-sac and messing around for a minute. Might want to hit Youtube and watch in 720p or 1080p because the sound quality is a little better.


Cam went in a week ago and the car is scheduled to be tuned at Slowhawk on August 3rd. The car definitely doesn't know how to keep itself alive, and it's actually slower than pre-cam right now with the aggressive Jannetty tune. While this is just speculation, I wouldn't be surprised if the car sounds significantly different once it's tuned (and not just at idle).
Still awaiting Forgestar F14s, haven't had Extreme Composites hood painted yet, and I'm still trying to find time to have the front fascia removed and repainted. Stay tuned.
If it isn't obvious, I have no experience with first gear in this car. I've probably driven a whopping 400 yards in it, total. This was my first intentional attempt at spinning the tires, and I failed miserably. Not that I want to become practiced at that--I prefer my differential in one piece. :eyes:
New camera. Sorry for the poor aim and leaving my finger on over the microphone as I walked around.

I'll do an aggressive/showy video (maybe even practice driving in first and aiming the camera) after I get the car tuned and cleaned up a bit. I haven't been to Slowhawk before, so I don't know what their rules are, but I'll try to shoot dyno video there if they're okay with that. For what it's worth, this series of videos were only meant for my personal use as a record of how certain mods affected the sound of the CTS-V. I started posting them on Youtube after I realized that there were some pretty big gaps in terms of what people had made available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-KOH_uQL5I


Edit: FWIW, the rattle you hear right at the end is a backseat full of socket wrenches, and the ambient humidity at the time was above 95%. You're not seeing smoke out the tailpipes. It's steam.

Before I forget, here's the five seconds of recovered audio that I mentioned earlier. I tried letting Youtube stabilize the image, and now it looks like the cameraman was on psychotropic substances. :bored:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj8ZGUVaW6g

Wow, thanks dude. I am strongly considering that cam too. Shawn is trying to get me to go for the L5.

I wonder what a large unruly can would sound like with stock catback...

Wow, thanks dude. I am strongly considering that cam too. Shawn is trying to get me to go for the L5.

I wonder what a large unruly can would sound like with stock catback...

He tried to get me to go with the Level 5 too. I was paranoid about the sound and went with the Level 3. If I could do it over, I'd probably go with the Level 5.

He tried to get me to go with the Level 5 too. I was paranoid about the sound and went with the Level 3. If I could do it over, I'd probably go with the Level 5.

Looking forward to seeing what you put down on the dyno after a tune. You're already pushing 400rwhp.

Looking forward to seeing what you put down on the dyno after a tune. You're already pushing 400rwhp.

Yeah, but my NA goal is 450 RWHP. That's pretty aggressive for this engine and will likely require heads and possibly a FAST intake to achieve. My butt hurts already.

Heres my old car, Kooks with high flow cats, stock resonator, and then deleted mufflers. Perfect and cheap IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4JU1sbSFjA

You're not talking about my little series of reference videos as I tweaked my car, are you?

No, I've seen your videos too.

The one I saw was a short clip from the back of a black V and the owner was complaining about how bad headers and the stock mufflers sounded. Wasn't so bad to me considering quiet is to be expected. I've only seen it once and haven't come across it again.