Ok here is the deal...I am saving my cash for a GMMG catback system in possibly a year. In the meantime I would like to find an inexpensive alternative that would improve performance somewhat while giving a more aggressive tone to my stock 2000 TA. Here are my options:

1. Flowtech Cutouts - Additional HP gain but I have been warned that my exhaust will sound like hell (in a bad way) when they are open.
$50 - $100 installed
Have to get out and close them when you dont need them (When wouldn't you?)

2. Flowmaster 80 series crossflow muffler - Flowmaster promises a 20HP gain (I am skeptical) and my local exhaust man (who has 30+ years of racing exp.)swears by them, but I have heard that flowmasters can actually restrict the LS-1 rather than being less restrictive. Is that true?
$125 - $150 installed
non a stainless steel solution
problematic with rust


I am interested in what any of you have to say on these two options and which direction that I should head....

Thanks for your valued opinions....

 

dynomax bullet for around $40, i love the sound it has with my lts and cam and it flows really well too. u just need to swap out the stock catback and get a tip and a pipe with a bend in it and have it come right out the back on the driver side.


or loudmouth, can always cut out the resanator and weld in a bullet for dynomouth after u intsall LTs since the loudmouth will sound ro raaaaaaaspy.

 

forget the flowmaster, sounds nice but it lacks on the performance side. if youre saving up for the GMMG, i would say dont buy anything and put all the money towards buying that. OR just get a cutout (cheap and simple). you can go to www.ls1sounds.com and download a few clips of cars with cutouts, see if you agree with the people that say "it sounds like hell (in a bad way)". good luck

 

thanks for the advice

 

I have both and absolutely love it. Flowmaster sounds nice when crusing around, then the QTEC to open up and rip **** up. The cutout sounds like *** under 2k but sounds insane above that.

Mark

 

Did you notice any HP gains?

 

A few questions:

Where would be the best place to install the cutout?
What size cutout?
Do the police bug you very much with the cutout open?

I am disabled and cannot get out and close the cutout so easily, so I would probably just leave it open.

Any thoughts??

 

cut out in the i pipe just over the axle i would think would be easiest access if you are disabled. I have lt's ory and have run my cutout open going on 3 weeks in an area that is pretty stingey about exhaust. and the only attnetion i got from police was a good ol' thumbs up by a local sherrif lol. i dunno about these guys saying it sounds like ***...sounds bad *** to me. but perhaps thats just my opinion.

another option would be the hooker muffler, i believe they make an aero chamber muffler that works with the stock i pipe and such (2.75 inch i believe). they are quiet at idle, almost stock quiet but at WOT it sounds absolutely great. Awesome tone.

 

thanksfor the info...I am going to start out with the cutouts in the intermediate pipe...and possibly add an additional aftermaket muffler if I need it.

I am not too worried about the cops..as soon as they see the wheelchair in the back seat they usually calm down somewhat..thank goodness....


take care and thanks again

 

Get the QTEC at www.quicktimeperformance.com

You can open and close the cutout inside the car in 4.5 seconds.

Also the cutout feels like it gives me 10+ hp over the flowmaster, thats just becuase the flowmaster doesnt exactly flow well in LS1's. If you want power while running through the catback look into the hooker. I just use the flowmaster cause I got it cheap and it sounds awesome.

Mark

 

I had both also. I thought the cutout sounded really nice at all RPM's, I liked the sound as much as the Flowmaster cat-back. I only closed the cutout if a cop was nearby. 20hp for that is bull, it probably won't add any since they are the worst cross-flow muffler made.

 

My vote would be for the cutout since you're getting something else in a year anyhow... if you really want an aftermarket muffler, I'd get the Hooker aero-chamber, which is MUCH better than the Flowmaster.

 

yah $30 for cutout and $30 for weld.

 

thanks

 

If Barry at Quicktime doesn't have them ready , we do have quite a few in stock right now if anyone wants.

 

I had problems installing mine. There really isn't a great place to install it, and my Firehawk sits lower anyway.

The shop that did mine, claimed they had a customer put dual QTP Exhaust cutouts at the headers. He came back two days later and had them removed, because he lost HP! I would expect that, because no back pressure, and right behind the headers. Especially if he didn't have equal length headers. I've read, in Popular Hotrodding-Engine Masters challenge, (which was one by a LS6 last year--Joe Jills 550HP LS6 w/NO power adders) that the LS1/LS6 "loves equal length headers", it demands it. Anything short of equal length headers is power lost. Those are his words. Maybe this guy had shorties on, I don't know. I suspect so, but I sure would like to know.

I don't like mine, it doesn't fit well, and I cannot get in my garage anymore. The instructions show where to put the thing, which is what we did. That is about half way down the intermediate pipe, in a recessed area, under the right rear seat. Because the Flowtech design, coupled with the QTEC motor design hits the bottom of the car. In order to avoid his, we had to allow about 1/8" clearance. This meant rotating the thing even more. It causes the triangled connector to be straght down, which takes another inch of ground clearance away. I can't spare another inch! My garage has an angled driveway and a 1" lip.

My option is to weld it on, and whack off the triangled connectors. That or take it off and sell it!

I ordered a new cat back today, Magnaflow. I'm going to put that on, see if I like the sound. If I do, I will have a QTEC for sale, slightly scuffed on one point. The motor part, has NEVER been used, or even hooked up. Make me an offer!

 

[QUOTE=Red02Firehawk]I had problems installing mine. .................nectors. That or take it off and sell it!

I need to eat some crow! I really screwed up this one.

I owe the QTEC product folks a sincere apology. I blasted them for a poor design, when I really didn’t understand why the darn thing was dragging on my garage floor. I should have crawled under the car and looked at the install, but I didn’t because of some physical limitations. That is no excuse for me resulting in some “mental limitations”! I’ll explain.

I just returned from the shop where it was installed, Meineke Discount Mufflers, after getting a rather stinging response from QTEC, I had written. I am so sorry for my mistake. These idiots at Meineke Muffler did not follow my suggestion, that I, personally, hold the assembly up, to measure where the cut should be made (the Flowtech y-pipe with the QTEC billet aluminum motor assembly attached), since the instructions said, there was only one way to attach the motor assembly. And the response was, "I have several of these, I know where to cut the pipe."

When he said that, I immediately ran into the front office, to the owner, who was on the phone. I told him, "Bill is a little pigheaded, he wouldn't take my suggestion to hold the entire assembly up to the pipe to mark where the cuts need to be." When we went out to talk to "Bill" it was TOO LATE!

However, after a lengthy discussion with the owner, about how he, as an owner, hired only the very best workers, who know what they are doing, so the work doesn't have to be redone. I relented. I didn't even consider it would be welded in too far forward and not rotated up into the cavity where the instructions clearly say to install it properly.

So the truth is, I blasted the QTEC folks for a poor design when all the blame should have been directed at the "professional" who installed it! I apologize to everyone involved. I wish I could get under the car, at least then it would have been obvious what was wrong. Thanks to those who sent me PICs of their install. That was how I knew there had to be another problem.

Now get this, "Bill" wants to charge me two hours labor to correct his problem! The owner conveniently slipped out, before my car was on the rack. The owner is the person who said, bring it back, we'll make sure it is done right. I had called him after receiving some email and PICs and told him what the QTEC folks were saying."

It is designed right, it is a nice product. I was wrong, and I am sorry. I learned a good leason here, especially about my disability, and not just assuming. We all know what we do, when we “assume“. I just hope I can find someone to correct this problem for me. Honestly, I don’t want “Bill” around my car at all. If there is one thing I have learned, it is, “Once screwed, shame on them, twice screwed, shame on me!”