Fourth-Gen Man

I am getting rid of my lame-*** Flowmaster setup that sounds like 60% of all other F-bodies in town.

I have the SLP Powerflo system in my garage right now with some Corsa Clone knockoff tips ready to put on. I have a jack, jackstands, socket set, WD-40, and a sawzall. I have read everywhere I could on how to do the install and it seems pretty straight forward.

My question is simple: Should I get a friend to help me out with the install or is a catback install easy enough to do alone?

mjs1012

iTrader: (36)

Its easy enough to install on your own. Just take your time and you'll be ok.

Majestic9C1

iTrader: (19)

dont tighten up any clamps or bolts until the whole system is on the car.. that way you can adjust it if need be

Fourth-Gen Man

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help!

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

I'd say add a friend, and beer.

dr_whigham

iTrader: (49)

Forget the friend, but yes to beer. I've done my best mods with a belly full of Coors...

Fourth-Gen Man

Lol, beer does make everything better. Every time I have somebody over to help me they always bitch because all I have in the fridge is Guinness and I guess I'm the only one I know that actually likes that stuff!

Ok so it looks like the majority of people are saying that this is easy enough to do on my own so I suppose if I can't get any help by next weekend I will just go for it on my own and bust out the dark beer!

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

Their loss lol

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Did I hear BEER...?

So where you located at in the great Communist California; are you close to Fresno?


FYI, to avoid any clearance issued with the over-axle exhaust pipe and the factory 10bolt axle tube on the passenger side I'd either load the rear down with enough weight to fully compress the rear suspension or remove the rear springs. If you decide to remove the rear springs then use a floor jack and raise the 10bolt up until its fully up against the bumpstops.
With the rear suspension fully compressed now is the time I'd make your adjustments for clearance and tighten all the clamps. This way you'll never have any exhaust clearance issues even if the rear suspension bottoms out, lowered or not.

Fourth-Gen Man

Nah, I live more near Sac. And no kidding about the communist part... My two favorite hobbies: Cars, and guns. And the people who run this state hate both of those things! Good suggestion about compressing the rear suspension. I should be just fine on clearance though because I'm staying at stock height. I had a co-worker telling me I should lower my car until he came over my place and saw that in order for me to go just about anywhere I have to drive over about five different speed bumps... It would take me like 20 minutes to drive four blocks away if I were lowered.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

I did all mine by myself over the years. Just use your head and you will be good to go in no time. Just don't drink too MUCH beer.

97camaro383

iTrader: (31)

You'll like the slp powerflo! I feel like it gives a tone that you don't hear on many fbody's

Fourth-Gen Man

Thank you to all that have replied to me to give their .02 on my question as well as give me a few quick tips. I was able to get a helper and the project is complete! (However it would have been nice to have SLP send me the correct threaded plate/bracket deal to hang the drivers side muffler...) Oh well it doesn't really shake or anything right now for the time being before I get the correct equipment in.

97camaro383: You are right man I love the sound of it! I honestly didn't know that an F-body with a Y pipe and without any rasp was possible. It drones about as much as my Flowmaster did but I was kind of expecting that with the LMII resonator in there. That being said the Borla XR-1 is on the way the way to replace the LMII to kill a little of the drone.

97camaro383

iTrader: (31)

I've been considering putting the borla xr1 in place of the LMII. You should definitely post up vids before/after you do the swap.

Fourth-Gen Man

For sure. Ill try to use a good quality camera for the before and after and I'll let you know how the XR-1 does with killing the drone.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

I think you'll be very happy with the Borla XR1 in the exhaust system!
FYI, to possibly avoid scraping the 5" diameter Borla XR1 case you might want to massage the tunnel in the 9 to 12 O-clock area so you can tuck the muffler up higher where it's even with the body.

slikrider20

iTrader: (9)

So the powerflo exhaust uses the Loudmouth II muffler before the axle?

97camaro383

iTrader: (31)

Yea and then has to resonators before the exhaust tips

slikrider20

iTrader: (9)

Gotcha. I'm really torn on what catback to run. Right now i already have a cut-out on my stock catback/stock manifolds.

I want to upgrade to LT's/ORY soon....i wonder if i could run a 3" ORY into my stock catback? I already have a 3" cutout in the catback. And then throw some Yonaka tips on....

That would save me from spending 4-700$ on a catback if it would work

Fourth-Gen Man

Alright guys I just got the Borla XR-1 put in place of the LMII in the i-pipe. First and foremost I apologize I was unable to get a video before the swap. I was waiting till the next time my mom was around because she has an awesome camera (phone recordings are pointless) and I just honestly couldn't deal with all of that drone for the time being. So today after my lab I went over and had a local shop weld my tips on as well as tuck the Borla up as far as they could. They ended up welding it in place (I didn't ask them to do that but at this point I would never put the LMII back in it's place anyways). So there is no way I can get a before vid. However, if anybody wants I will still get a video of my current system with the Borla.

However, these are my findings with the Borla XR-1:

-Still absolutely no rasp or popping (original powerflo didn't rasp or pop either).
-Tone is almost the same. I think the Borla actually made it sound better. It seems to have a bit more tone to it now. Not much, but still more tone.
-Idle is more quiet.
-Normal acceleration is a little bit more quiet. This is where I notice better tone the most.
-WOT in my opinion sounds exactly the same as before (which is the sexiest sound of any other exhaust setup in my opinion).
-Finally my favorite part: Drone = 100% gone. And when I say gone I mean it is 100% GONE!!! Zero drone whatsoever. Driving in fourth down a normal road it had no drone. Then I took it on the freeway with the radio turned off and put it in sixth. From 1,500 to 2,000 rpm there was no drone at all.

In conclusion:

I will never think "a bullet is a bullet" ever again. I will also never claim that Borla's mufflers are overpriced ever again. I would have bought that XR-1 at $200. Not trying to sound like a Borla homo but that thing is amazing. 97camaro383: Get the Borla XR-1. You will not regret it.

(btw: I have stock exhaust manifolds and cats).