Headers, intake and disappointed
Headers, intake and disappointed I have done a lot of searching and reading on here over the past week hoping to find answers to things listed below. Hopefully some people on here can shed some light on my specific but not unique issues. I just installed/modified the following items on my car over the past few days:
PaceSetter Longtubes (no AIR)
Texas Speed catted y pipe (used stainless band clamps all the way around for increased clearance over the stupid U-bolts and seal)
Austin Performance SSRA kit
AIR deleted
Rear O2 sensor deleted
What I have ordered:
Bosch 13111 rear vette O2 sensors
Frost Mail order tune
My disappointments/problems & lessons learned:
(Learned) #1: Don't be a cheap %$#@ and lengthen your o2 sensors. I should have bought the extensions for $30. I lengthened the sensors but fear I did a poor job and now went and ordered the Bosch sensors last night just to make sure my sensors don't cause problems. #2: U bolts suck (came with TSP y pipe) and I had to spend the $40 to get the stainless band clamps. They really helped eliminate floor board banging, leaks, tightened up the system, look nicer and give more ground clearance.
(Disappointed) I ran the headers and y pipe into the stock exhaust. Needless to say I was less than impressed with the change in exhaust volume. It is deeper, but barely louder. I am also less than impressed with the increased power. I really can't tell a difference.
(Problem) I dare say that some of my disappointments are attributed to my current problems and lessons learned. Lol.
When I am at WOT I get lots of what seems like hesitation.
I don't know what a misfire would feel like so I don't know if it is that. It gets worse with speed increasing. Could this be due to the increased airflow and not enough fuel????? Or perhaps my crappy O2 sensor splicing??? I am hoping that either the Frost tune or Bosch sensors will fix this. The computer goes out tomorrow so hopefully it will be back end of week.
Other than the above items I have a pretty much stock 2001 WS6 (M6). Suggestions or words of wisdom. Thanks
PaceSetter Longtubes (no AIR)
Texas Speed catted y pipe (used stainless band clamps all the way around for increased clearance over the stupid U-bolts and seal)
Austin Performance SSRA kit
AIR deleted
Rear O2 sensor deleted
What I have ordered:
Bosch 13111 rear vette O2 sensors
Frost Mail order tune
My disappointments/problems & lessons learned:
(Learned) #1: Don't be a cheap %$#@ and lengthen your o2 sensors. I should have bought the extensions for $30. I lengthened the sensors but fear I did a poor job and now went and ordered the Bosch sensors last night just to make sure my sensors don't cause problems. #2: U bolts suck (came with TSP y pipe) and I had to spend the $40 to get the stainless band clamps. They really helped eliminate floor board banging, leaks, tightened up the system, look nicer and give more ground clearance.
(Disappointed) I ran the headers and y pipe into the stock exhaust. Needless to say I was less than impressed with the change in exhaust volume. It is deeper, but barely louder. I am also less than impressed with the increased power. I really can't tell a difference.
(Problem) I dare say that some of my disappointments are attributed to my current problems and lessons learned. Lol.
When I am at WOT I get lots of what seems like hesitation.
I don't know what a misfire would feel like so I don't know if it is that. It gets worse with speed increasing. Could this be due to the increased airflow and not enough fuel????? Or perhaps my crappy O2 sensor splicing??? I am hoping that either the Frost tune or Bosch sensors will fix this. The computer goes out tomorrow so hopefully it will be back end of week.
Other than the above items I have a pretty much stock 2001 WS6 (M6). Suggestions or words of wisdom. Thanks
(Problem) I dare say that some of my disappointments are attributed to my current problems and lessons learned. Lol.
When I am at WOT I get lots of what seems like hesitation.
I don't know what a misfire would feel like so I don't know if it is that. It gets worse with speed increasing. Could this be due to the increased airflow and not enough fuel????? Or perhaps my crappy O2 sensor splicing??? I am hoping that either the Frost tune or Bosch sensors will fix this. The computer goes out tomorrow so hopefully it will be back end of week.
When I am at WOT I get lots of what seems like hesitation.
I don't know what a misfire would feel like so I don't know if it is that. It gets worse with speed increasing. Could this be due to the increased airflow and not enough fuel????? Or perhaps my crappy O2 sensor splicing??? I am hoping that either the Frost tune or Bosch sensors will fix this. The computer goes out tomorrow so hopefully it will be back end of week.
As far as misfiring goes, your car is in open loop at WOT, so 02 sensors have no impact on that. If your car drives fine at part throttle and the gas mileage hasn't gone to complete ****, the 02s are doing their job. If your car was misfiring you would absolutely know... the car will basically be undriveable, and the SES light will flash. I know because I also spliced my stock 02s, and unfortunantly when they get wet, the car misfires. When they're dry though they work fine.
the choice of using stock exhaust...well, i could've told you that. a friend did the same thing. the cats aren't helping sound, either.
the first fbod i did exhaust on seemed slow(er) than stock, as well. as it turns out, the car picked up 8 mph in the 1/4...my butt dyno was just that far off. i got the car street tuned and it picked up another 3. pretty sure the o2s are ignored at wot.
the first fbod i did exhaust on seemed slow(er) than stock, as well. as it turns out, the car picked up 8 mph in the 1/4...my butt dyno was just that far off. i got the car street tuned and it picked up another 3. pretty sure the o2s are ignored at wot.
Your car is inhaling well with the SSRA & stock LS6 intake manifold. Then it's exhaling well with the headers & y-pipe. Then it's hitting a bottleneck with the stock catback exhaust. A bone stock car can gain 10-15 HP with a catback exhaust. I bet your setup would gain around 15-20 HP with a free flowing catback.
Also, some cars perform well after installing headers & running without a tune. Other cars run poorly. It seems to be somewhat hit or miss. Hopefully the Frost mail-order tune will wake it up.
Also, some cars perform well after installing headers & running without a tune. Other cars run poorly. It seems to be somewhat hit or miss. Hopefully the Frost mail-order tune will wake it up.
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Thanks for all the quick responses. Much appreciated. I havent driven the car enough to notice fuel consumption so I can't use that to trouble shoot unfortunately. The PCM is boxed up and headed out in the morning. Hopefully all is fine once that gets tuned up. Oh ya, I also ported and polished out the throttle body a few months ago. The stock exhaust wouldn't create the hesitation problem would it??
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Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
I don't understand how people can say that the oem catback is so restrictive, it's actually a decent design and I believe it is 2.75" diameter which is fine for a bolt on fbody.
Replace the factory muffler (I think that this is the main restriction/volume killer) with a Magnaflow welded to the factory tips and I think you will be quite pleased for the money spent.
Replace the factory muffler (I think that this is the main restriction/volume killer) with a Magnaflow welded to the factory tips and I think you will be quite pleased for the money spent.
I agree with others, I would Definitely work on that exhaust from the headers back. I went the reverse of what you did, started with a full true dual exhaust, and much later added headers, lid, and CAI. The car was already dyno tuned awhile back for deleted cats, and it was a very noticeable boost in power. that or not driving it and just driving my wife's car for a few days fooled me a bit, but it definitely seems to pick up a lot better now, especially on the interstate... unfortunately a state trooper noticed that for me too.. 85 coming uphill on a short on-ramp lol.
Any time you change major items like that you should have budgeted for a tune also, you're flowing alot more air now which will require alot more fuel. Tune the car and see what happens. Even a good mail order tune should help.
Tune will help a lot once you get the PCM back you should tell a difference, Frost does good work.
Ditch the stock exhaust for some duals or at least a decent y pipe setup and you will be more impressed. The stock system isn't very good at all.
Ditch the stock exhaust for some duals or at least a decent y pipe setup and you will be more impressed. The stock system isn't very good at all.
Why spend all that money on a nice exhaust setup and run it all out through a stock catback. Save another 350 bucks and get yourself a magnaflow. Not only will the sound be worth it but you will feel the full effects of the entire exhaust upgrade as well.
You can get stainless magnaflow for pretty cheap usually...
If you are over budget... For the time being opt for a manual cutout... 30$, have someone weld it, probably 25$ or so. Problem solved on the power..
If you are over budget... For the time being opt for a manual cutout... 30$, have someone weld it, probably 25$ or so. Problem solved on the power..
I'm running Stainless Works long tube headers into a catless Texas Speed true dual exhaust setup, dumped at the rear axle and I can tell a huge difference in sound and performance. I haven't even tuned the car yet, as I'm waiting to do the tune once heads and cam are installed. I agree with others. Ditch the stock catback and upgrade to an aftermarket catback or even better yet, a dual exhaust from Texas Speed.
For those that think the stock cat back is not a bottleneck should install a cutout. Then go make 2 passes down the strip one with cutout closed and one with cutout open. Then you will understand. Or make 2 pulls on the dyno the same way. You will easily pick up 10 rwhp peak and like 15-17 in other areas throughout the curve when opened. At the strip, you will easily see a tenth quicker open.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,358
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Once you get a catback...(duals are always my preference). The sound quality alone will give you a "feel" of 20+hp. If your modding your car, completing your FULL exhaust, then ditching the stocker exhaust is just a must.