88gtman

I just bought a 98 TA. I have been looking and comparing cat backs and the stock exhaust. I plan on keeping the stock manifolds and going with a either a Hooker Aerochamber muffler or catback setup. The stock pipes seem to have decent bends and seem to be a decent size. I only plan on doing some bolt on and having a tune when I am done. Which would be better, the Hooker cat back set up or just save the extra money and just replace the stock muffler with a Hooker muffler?
Note: I plan on reusing the stock tips either way. Going to try and keep the stock look.

skopers3

iTrader: (3)

If you want to keep it mostly stock I would just get a muffler. Being you don't seem to want to do many mods, I assume you're mostly concerned with sound? My car came with a Flowmaster muffler welded in that sounded awesome.

88gtman

Yeah, mostly bolt ons. Plans are to sooner or later put a FAST intake and Throttle body, performance built tranny with stall, 9inch or 12 bolt rear, lid, smooth bellow and a tune. Maybe a underdrive pulley kit and that is about it. Hoping this may get me to about 350rwhp. Just something to enjoy on the weekends and occasional trips to the track.

MonmouthCtyLS7

iTrader: (6)

What do you mean by better? The catback will give you more power, but if you want just sound then just swap out the muffler. You dont wanna put headers on but you want a $1000 plus intake & tb setup lol, you wont get anywhere near 350 rwhp without headers through an auto... w/ the setup your planning dont waste the money on the beefed rear and tranny. You should educate yourself a bit and rethink your plans/goals for the car.

88gtman

From reading, the stock rear end and tranny don't hold up well under the stock motor when beaten on. I plan on keeping the stock manifolds because as a possible daily driver I find the stock manifolds to me much more reliable then headers. They tend to be less likely to crack, dent, or break. If I ever decide to make it a weekly autocross or drag car then I will go for the headers. I think the stock manifolds will be fine since at the moment I am not planning on changing the heads or any internals. Besides an ls6 or FAST performance intake make 10-20 rwhp on a stock set up anyway. I have actually been reading quite a bit.

MonmouthCtyLS7

iTrader: (6)

Ive owned 4 4th gen modded fbodies and never busted a stock 10 bolt on the power your talking. Also havent had many problems w/ headers breaking or cracking...what does that even mean? If you've been reading then you'll know you wont get anywhere near 350 rwhp without headers.. I think a LS6 intake is more then sufficient for what your planning . Your looking at 310-330 rwhp max I highly doubt that will warrant a 12/9 bolt rear and a built tranny. Not trying to be a smartass but your plans dont make much sence...to me anyway...

88gtman

I have read many threads and watched videos of people blowing up their 10 bolt when launching on stock engines. I am constantly reading about people on this site as well as others who only have bolt on's and they are already claiming to have had their 10 bolt rebuilt or replaced 2 or more times. As far as headers cracking and breaking, I have talked with and met many people who have headers on these cars and all of them have been through more than one set. Either they have hit them on a decent bump and cracked broken their headers in one way shape or form. I am always hearing about problems with them leaking and none of them will last as long or be as dependable as the stock manifolds in my opinion. I admit and understand this will restrict HP gains, but the peace of mind and dependability of stock manifold is worth it for now. I admit, maybe I am a NOOB, but I have done nothing but read about these engines and these cars the last few days. I admit that maybe 350 rwhp is a big goal for these mods, but I figure if I am not there by the time I finish with these mods then I will decide if I am happy with it or if I want to take it a step further. Don't get angry at me for this decision. I am not asking about headers. I am asking about a Catback vs. a muffler. A thread I read on here someone said that the pipes used in most of the catbacks were the same size as the stock ones and that makes be feel that there is no reason why I should spend the extra money on a whole catback system. I am here to learn that is why I am asking.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Well, the thing is you want to choose your mods to be compatible with future mods you may do. If you're staying basically stock with manifolds and Y-pipe, just get the muffler. If you're considering LT's, serious intake, or are fantasizing about a cam or heads someday, get the catback.

86zcamaro

iTrader: (8)

If you go with bigger stall a built trans will hold up where the stock one might not last but unless your going to try to push a bit over 400 I wouldn't worry about the rear at all. I plan on going between 400-430 with mods and don't plan on a new rear, if I got slicks I might because that's what breaks them.

Changing the stock manifolds to headers is about the biggest gain for the money there is, will flow a lot better. Putting a high flow intake on with stock manifolds would be mostly a waste, they would be the restriction and make the gains minimal. If you only want sound get the muffler, if you want performance get the catback but honestly you'll need the headers to get the gains out of the catback. Its sort of like if you wanted to put in a muffler only expecting to gain power from it.

MonmouthCtyLS7

iTrader: (6)

86Z thats pretty much the point im trying to make to him...you wont see anywhere near 20 hp from a LS6 intake(especially without headers), alot of guys cant even feel a differance after the swap. Headers kinda makes everything work.

88gtman looks like you've got all the answers lol, just trying to save you from spending thousands of unnecesarry dollars but hey to each is own..Differance is your telling me what you've been reading for the last few days and im telling you what ive been doing for the better part of the last 15 years. Its no secret that the stock 10 bolts sucks but if it isnt broke dont fix it unless you have a couple grand just burning a hole in your pocket. Most guys dont look into upgrading them til they break or go heads/cam.

That would be false, what would be the point of an aftermarket catback if it had the same size piping..

88gtman

I appreciate your advice and hope that I am not coming off in a rude or bad way. I see you point, but I also feel that if I don't reach my goal then I will look into headers etc. I know it will restrict gains, but since my car only has 73k miles on it, I am trying to keep it as stock looking as possible while getting a few extra ponies out of it. When the mileage gets higher I will start looking into more serious mods. Besides I figure if I do the intake, catback, etc. Then if I finally do put header on it, I will feel that much more of a gain from the headers. Could you please fill me in on some specs and particular information about the differences between the catback systems and the stock system. Such as the differences in the pipe sizes, bends, etc. I see your point about the rear end so I will hold off on it, and as far as the tranny goes, it already has a real hard shift in when going into first and second, so I figure when it goes I would upgrade it. Hopefully that way it will last me more that 200,000 miles. Thanks for the advice I am listening more than you realize.

BStowers023

iTrader: (1)

Id save time and money and replace your headers and Y pipe and just get mufflers cause F-bodys come stock with a stock 3" exhaust im pretty sure? so you wont gain much from replacing the catback.....but with the LTs and Y u will free up more HP ecspecially if your thinking about doing a full intake build, it will be kinda worthless without a full exhaust

Red Devil 99'

wrong... stock pipes are 2 1/4-2 1/2".

the gains your looking for on paper really depend on what the car is putting down now.
simply replacing the intake would help the engine breathe in, not replacing any part of the exhaust wouldn't gain much at all.

think of it as breathing in through your mouth and out of your nose. vs. breathing in and out of just your mouth.

HP gains always start with exhaust parts. ask anyone on this site what their first mod was and a good 90% will tell you something to do with it.

also if your planning on doing anything in the gain worthy HP dept. a tune is a must for an A4. but your going to want to look into finding a 99+ pcm. (I hear the 98's suck for tuning)

just some info take what you will and do what you please.

88gtman

If you look at my old post I do plan on having a tune. My buddy had his tuned and all he has is a lid, and Hooker catback with the tune and he walks mine. The tune really made his come to life. From what I am reading, I guess I will go ahead and look into an entire catback system then. Please continue to keep the info coming though.

MonmouthCtyLS7

iTrader: (6)

98 pcm's were a little more difficult to work w/ at first but the LS1 has been out awhile...any respectable tuner shouldnt have a problems ...No problems tuning my 98 pcm on a street tune.

MonmouthCtyLS7

iTrader: (6)

I would wait on the tune until atleast your bolt ons and stall are done.

Element

iTrader: (5)

If you lower your car, sure, you might ding the headers up a little if you hit a big bump, but at stock height, it's not likely to happen. I've had my headers on now for about 6 years (Pacesetters, non-stainless budget headers), and I don't have a single scratch, ding, or dent on them. They haven't cracked, either (I've actually never heard of that happening), leaked (which typically results from cheap header gaskets), or in any way failed. There's really no "dependability/reliability" differences, either - use good header gaskets and good clamps or flanges at the collectors, and a decent set of headers will be just as reliable, dependable, and long-lived as stock manifolds, while offering a lot more headroom for power down the road (just headers alone are good for more than a little power, and subsequent mods like intake work will show better gains with headers, too).

If you're really worried about somehow hitting something and cracking/breaking/dividing by zero your headers, get mid-length instead of long-tube. They stay tucked up in the engine bay and offer power gains over stock manifolds.

omarrakeen

iTrader: (2)

this is my 2nd 4th gen and i never heard anything of busted rear at least on a bolts on car...you say you wont have LT and you will sooner or later, i just bought my LTs today and i live in a country that gives a month impound ticket for headers lol..try to get things more competiable with future mods.... and like MonmouthCtyLS7 said, i would hold up for the tune till you get a number of parts to get the most gains of it and save money. and good luck with whatever you go with

88gtman

I think I am more worried about the muffler than headers right now because after seeing this
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...away-pics.html

I don't see anything on the exhaust being more restrictive than that. Not to mention that from looking at pictures the stock manifolds look a lot closer to a pair of headers than most of the "log" manifolds I am used to seeing. I will be sure not to rule out the idea of getting headers down the road. Anyway back to the muffler vs. Catback argument. Is the only advantage to the catback system having larger pipes to go along with the muffler. Can't I just buy a muffler and have an exhaust shop use bigger pipes?

LunarWillow

iTrader: (3)

My opinion on this one would be just to have a muffler welded in until you save up the money for headers and true duals. That's what I'm going to do, instead of piecing a Y-pipe system together, and ending up going with true duals in the end anyway But to each, their own.