I have decided that Pacesetter LTs are the route for me. My only question (for now ) is do I buy a Pacesetter y pipe or should I buy another y pipe that will bolt up that already has cats in it. The reason I ask is because I believe Pacesetter does not make a catted y pipe. I need the cats for sound deadening and I would feel bad for driving around w/o them. Anyways, anyone have any ideas?

 

i've heard a QTP catted Y will work, its just damn expensive. your best and cheapest route is a custom catted Y. buy the cats (carsound 94109) and a flowmaster merge collector and have a shop fab up the rest.

 

How do I get it to the shop? Do I drive there after I put on the headers? Would that hurt anything?

 

you drive open headers , loud as **** but wont hurt anything, just dont drive too long or too far like that.

 

I plan on going on the same route... Buying Pacesetters, cats, and have reputable shop making a custom Y-pipe....

I got quoted $650 for custom Y-pipe, welded cats and the whole thing installed...

 

holy ****, 650 . you can get carsound cats and a flowmaster merge collector for under 150 bucks. my custom Y cost 200 for parts and labor from the shop not inluding the cats and collector i provided.

 

That $650 includes instalation.... I mean they make the Y-pipe, weld in the cats, and swap the whole exhaust.... you think It's too steep ? I'm sure it will take them at least 4 hrs to do it.... and typical labor fee is $75/hour....so I though it's a fair deal, no ? ... I might be wrong though.... They only thing that I buy are Headers, and cats....they take care of the rest. The whole thing is probably gonna cost me $1200 total, which means for that money I could get get FLP kit, and try to install it by myself.

My ultimate question is what's better (quality and hp-wise): Coated pacesetters, and a custom catted Y-pipe, or just FLP kit

 

i dont know, i guess im just not used to paying for labor. do most all my work myself. if you have the money to spend on labor and dont have the time for an install i'd say go ahead and have the shop do it.

i'd take the FLP kit over the pacesetter/custom Y. but i'd take the qtp/catted Y over the FLP's.

 

Thank jrp....you have no idea how undecided I am on that issue....
Decisions are killin' me here :-)

 

I'm going to be doing the exact same thing (pacesetters w/custom catted y). Why can't you drive for very long with just headers? Risk of getting pulled over, or damaging something?

 

well one its loud as **** , two your car will have no low end power due to no back pressure, and three o2 sensors dont like the open air (it can **** up there readings).

 

I paid 300+ cats for my Y pipe and if I had to do it again, I would have just bought the Y pipe from Kooks and saved myself a bunch of hassle.

 

I'm curious about what people have been doing with this situation also. I'm looking at getting a set of Pacesetters but I need cats for inspection. It seems most are having custom y's made but it's about a half hour ride for me to a good exhaust shop, not really something I'd like to do with open headers.