ryeguy187

i have a 96 trans am LT1 that i recently built. it has had the heads mildly ported along with the intake, has a 230/236 cam, full rollers, all the bolt-ons, ob1 conversion. here's my question....

my exhaust right now consists of pacesetter mids with the rest stock except a flowmaster 80 series welded in. it's pretty damn loud as it is. im considering cutting out the cats and puttin a magnaflow cat-back on it because i hear magnaflow flows better and is quieter then the flowmaster which would help with the extra sound. can i expect any good gains from doing this? how much louder would it be? true duals and/or longtubes are not an option so if anybody has any other ideas or suggestions or comments please let me know....

transamws6_97

iTrader: (5)

your mids and 80 series is choking the **** out of that cam. Don't know why you wouldn't consider going with longtubes but whatever man. Get a decent catback on there and some aftermarket cats (magnaflow, random tech, etc) and youll definitely gain some power. I'd say 15-20 rwhp

ryeguy187

i want it to look legal from the top.... why should i put aftermarket cats on it instead of just takin em off completely?

CamaroRacing12

iTrader: (5)

dude longtubes and true duals.... best flowing exhaust. do it up!

Taubr Unit

iTrader: (32)

i agree, why not LTs? Whats the point of it looking legal? LTs and shorties look the same from the top, so that makes no sence to me. And reguardless, you can barely see the headers anyways from up top, lol. But to each there own. I had a magnaflow cat back and it was REAL NICE! Deep tone and not raspy sounding like dome flows i heard. Your best bet then is no cats and a full catback from magnaflow.

Boodyrider

iTrader: (2)

There will be no power gains from changing the back half of the exhaust, unless you lose the cat AND it is clogged.

Major power gains would be had from going to a long tube header.

The magnaflow is a nice sounding exhaust, and not obscenely loud.

ryeguy187

hmm i thought my biggest restrictions are the cats and muffler, its tuned for obd1 without cats... long tubes and true duals r definently goin in once i get the funds to build a 383 bottom end and get a 2nd car but thatll b another 6 months to a year and wanna squeeze a few extra ponies out of her now for cheap

StealthFormula

iTrader: (35)

Maybe just throw a cutout in there before the flowmaster because that muffler is so darn restrictive Im sure you would pick up a few ponies.

oneBADDz

iTrader: (26)

To say that going from mids to longtubes is worth more than losing cats and a flowmaster 80 series is plain uneducated and wrong. Especially when that suggestion would leave you with longtubes connected to cats and an 80 series.

you want cheap and functional gains? get a cheap shop to make you some true duals connected to the existing mids. Bang for the buck best you can do right now. Later when you get long tubes you can get the duals modified to connect to the long tubes. This way you aren't buying anything twice once you decide to change it up.

I got true duals, custom-x, over the axle WITH mufflers for $300 from a local shop.

ryeguy187

everybody has somethin different to say but i love hearing everybody's opinion and input.... so what are people's opinions of cats vs. no cats and flowmaster 80 vs. magnaflow? and good # and sound guesses considering a fully built top-end and bolt-on 350?

Laffs

I don't know how to guess sound, but I love the sound of my magnaflow but I'm stock top end. Go on streetfire.net/youtube.com and search lt1 and check out exhaust vids.

As far as performance is concerned, do what everyone above suggested ad get some long tubes and ditch the 80 series.