muffler or full cat back
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,688
Likes: 19
From: Stratford, CT
muffler or full cat back Im debating on either buying just a magnaflow muffler in place of the stock or the full exhaust. What are your suggestions??
im on a college student's budget
im on a college student's budget
I went with a Magnaflow muffler over a full catback on my former LT1 and plan on doing the same with my current LS1. I did this for several reasons: One being that I didn't like the truck cannons that come with the Magnaflow catback. The second reason was cost: I bought the muffler for $100, tips for $80 and figured I'd get the overaxle/intermediate pipe from Walker. The third reason is that I was told the stock pipes were 2.75 inches, the catback is 3 inches, so I wasn't going to gain much with the stock manifold. I was going to eventually go with headers on the LT1, but I ended up spending most of my mod money just keeping it running.
With my LS1, once again I got the muffler for $100, Corsa-style tips for $60 and I'm going to run with that for awhile. Later on if I decided to do headers, I can still use the muffler and tips and get the rest of the pipes later on.
I will tell you that the Magnaflow sounded a helluva lot better than the stock muffler on the LT1, and I'm hoping the same with the LS1. I'm more into a good sound v. loud.
With my LS1, once again I got the muffler for $100, Corsa-style tips for $60 and I'm going to run with that for awhile. Later on if I decided to do headers, I can still use the muffler and tips and get the rest of the pipes later on.
I will tell you that the Magnaflow sounded a helluva lot better than the stock muffler on the LT1, and I'm hoping the same with the LS1. I'm more into a good sound v. loud.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
I went with a Magnaflow muffler over a full catback on my former LT1 and plan on doing the same with my current LS1. I did this for several reasons: One being that I didn't like the truck cannons that come with the Magnaflow catback. The second reason was cost: I bought the muffler for $100, tips for $80 and figured I'd get the overaxle/intermediate pipe from Walker. The third reason is that I was told the stock pipes were 2.75 inches, the catback is 3 inches, so I wasn't going to gain much with the stock manifold. I was going to eventually go with headers on the LT1, but I ended up spending most of my mod money just keeping it running.
With my LS1, once again I got the muffler for $100, Corsa-style tips for $60 and I'm going to run with that for awhile. Later on if I decided to do headers, I can still use the muffler and tips and get the rest of the pipes later on.
I will tell you that the Magnaflow sounded a helluva lot better than the stock muffler on the LT1, and I'm hoping the same with the LS1. I'm more into a good sound v. loud.
With my LS1, once again I got the muffler for $100, Corsa-style tips for $60 and I'm going to run with that for awhile. Later on if I decided to do headers, I can still use the muffler and tips and get the rest of the pipes later on.
I will tell you that the Magnaflow sounded a helluva lot better than the stock muffler on the LT1, and I'm hoping the same with the LS1. I'm more into a good sound v. loud.
i did the same thing to my car except i kept the stock trans am quad tips.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPy4nxmQZbk
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Just weld a cheap muffler in. The power gain of a cat back is minimal and definitely not noticeable or worth the money. Once you're out of college then just do the whole exhaust from the headers back.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,688
Likes: 19
From: Stratford, CT
Just outta curiosity, why do the single tip catbacks range so much in price? (384.99-ws6store sale to 520.43-summit)
TECH Addict
Joined: Apr 2009
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I have pacesetter long tubes, texas speed Y, and a 40 series muffler. Ill be getting a loudmouth cat back installed next week and I will update any power gains. My guess is it will be good for around 5-8 rwh over just the muffler welded in the stock 2.75 catback.
I did the same thing on my LT1 with a Spintech. Sounded great....
The magnaflows are a little quiet, but that's cool if that's what you're looking for. As far as power vs. a catback, I'm sure a catback will gain you more power, but you'll never notice.
The magnaflows are a little quiet, but that's cool if that's what you're looking for. As far as power vs. a catback, I'm sure a catback will gain you more power, but you'll never notice.
I just took my car and cut the muffler out and strait piped it. When you have it at high rpm's sounds great but when you are cruising around or on the highway its nice and quiet just a touch louder then with the muffler and you can do that for about a $100.
TECH Addict
Joined: Apr 2009
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On stock internals you really have to wonder how much you will really gain going from a 2.75" I pipe to a 3". Now if your building a heads/cam car it will def be time to upgrade to either a 3" cat back,cut out or TD's.
I thought the main restrictions in the stock exhaust was the cats,y pipe, and muffler. The larger diameter is a plus but yeah i dont think it helps the stock form that much at all.