How I adapted Hooker Blackheart Duals to TSP Headers with Cats at home
#41
Well I drove mine to the alignment/inspection shop this morning. It's definitely louder than my Magnaflow was even with the cats (Magnaflow catback was behind an off road y pipe). My wife described it as about as loud as being behind a Harley in traffic. She also said she hates the tips lol. She said they look like they should be on her G6 not a Trans Am haha. Looks like I'm going to have figure out a way to get some larger rolled tips under there. I miss my big ol' 4" double wall magnaflow tips dearly.
Last edited by RebelExtrm02; 06-07-2016 at 09:05 AM.
#42
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this is awesome you guys. Thanks so much for showing what is involved. I've had an SLP loudmouth 1 for 16 years and added Pacesetters, a TSP catted Y and a Lunati cam to it about 13 years ago. Needless to say I have dreamed up an upgrade for some time!
What did you guys use to cut the pipes?
This is my first post in about 6 years! Thanks for the opportunity!
What did you guys use to cut the pipes?
This is my first post in about 6 years! Thanks for the opportunity!
#44
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You do have have to utilize two of the factory hangers, the rear passenger and the y pipe hanger.
I put it on today and it was very easy to adapt to my pacesetter headers. It took a little muscle to get it put together cause it's obviously not optimized for my headers.
I put it on today and it was very easy to adapt to my pacesetter headers. It took a little muscle to get it put together cause it's obviously not optimized for my headers.
Also, I'm using Pacesetter long tubes and they don't seem to line up at all. I'd say they're off by a good 3.5 to 4 cm (radially, not axially). Is that what you mean when you say you had to muscle it? Doesn't seem to want to budge much for me, but maybe I just need to hit the gym lol.
#45
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I've been watching these Hooker BH threads and I'm really liking this system. If I go with this system, I will be mating it to SE or TSP LT headers. What do you guys think about taking the first pieces of pipe(after cutting to the right length) to a muffler shop and have them expand them to fit over the 3" header? Maybe its too much to expand? This will be my first attempt at installing an exhaust system but I'm very much a DIY'er with a machinist background and some experience with TIG and MIG welding.
#46
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I've been watching these Hooker BH threads and I'm really liking this system. If I go with this system, I will be mating it to SE or TSP LT headers. What do you guys think about taking the first pieces of pipe(after cutting to the right length) to a muffler shop and have them expand them to fit over the 3" header? Maybe its too much to expand? This will be my first attempt at installing an exhaust system but I'm very much a DIY'er with a machinist background and some experience with TIG and MIG welding.
#48
If you're referring to the flowmaster venturi reducer cones that have been used to mate the system to long tubes without the use of cats then search for "Flowmaster R3025" in google. You'll find links to amazon and other sites that have them as a pair for around $28-29.
#49
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If you're referring to the flowmaster venturi reducer cones that have been used to mate the system to long tubes without the use of cats then search for "Flowmaster R3025" in google. You'll find links to amazon and other sites that have them as a pair for around $28-29.
#50
Awesome set up! I really want to buy this setup but I'm not completely sold on how I want to do it yet. I'm leaning towards getting the hooker mid length headers as it sounds like the mid length are much easier to install myself. I would then buy some of those magnaflow high flow cats and have an exhaust shop weld them in for me after I have it all set up.
At the end of all that hopefully it would pass CT emissions. I just bought my car and went through yesterday so it would be another 2 years before I have to worry about it again. I currently have the flowmaster catback installed on it and it's just too quiet for me. I'm not really searching for more power(yet), just more sound. I've thought about doing just the hooker catback but I'm afraid it wouldn't be loud enough. If it wasn't I'd have to have it customized to fit up to the headers and cats if/when I add them down the road.
At the end of all that hopefully it would pass CT emissions. I just bought my car and went through yesterday so it would be another 2 years before I have to worry about it again. I currently have the flowmaster catback installed on it and it's just too quiet for me. I'm not really searching for more power(yet), just more sound. I've thought about doing just the hooker catback but I'm afraid it wouldn't be loud enough. If it wasn't I'd have to have it customized to fit up to the headers and cats if/when I add them down the road.
#51
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Just as an FYI, i had some issues with the supplied clamps leaking where the reducers came together with the system, and also on the passengers side before the X Pipe. I bought some dynomax band clamps and that seems to have solved it. I also noticed there is a small pinhole leak in the weld on the rear most side of the x-pipe. After a couple of months with the system installed, I'm still very pleased for the price point. It made me actually want to drive my car again, where as with the TSP dumped duals, I was tired of it after about 15 minutes.
#52
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Just as an FYI, i had some issues with the supplied clamps leaking where the reducers came together with the system, and also on the passengers side before the X Pipe. I bought some dynomax band clamps and that seems to have solved it. I also noticed there is a small pinhole leak in the weld on the rear most side of the x-pipe. After a couple of months with the system installed, I'm still very pleased for the price point. It made me actually want to drive my car again, where as with the TSP dumped duals, I was tired of it after about 15 minutes.
#56
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Yep. Took me 2 weeks working on it in my spare time to install polymounts, SE 1 7/8" LT's and BH duals. I used the FM 3 to 2.5 reducers with a slight modification to the driver BH side bend. I had to extend both ends of the passenger BH side bend pipe to make it all work out but I was able to use unused parts of the BH kit to do this. I also had to cut off 1" from the driver side SE header and 1/2" from the passenger side header to make everything work out. But everything seems to be on nice and snug, no rubbing and plenty of ground clearance. I'm very happy so far. I had my car dyno'd today and while it was on the lift we noticed what looks like a just a tad bit of rubbing from the driver side pipe on the floor board. I have never heard it so its probably only happening in hard acceleration. Here is my dyno vid link for your sound pleasure. http://www.youtube.com/attribution_l...m-upload_owner
Here is the modified passenger side bend. I extended the inlet side 3.5" and welded 1" to the outlet side.
Here is what the passenger side pipe looked like before I modified it.
Here is the drivers side pipe. All I had to do was straighten out the upward bend a little bit. To do this, I clamped a thickwall pipe thats the same size as the ID of the inlet to a VERY sturdy bench and then clamped the passenger side to it with the band clamp. I then heated it red hot and leaned on it until it had half of the amount of bend that I started with. I used a long straightedge as a measuring too.
Here is another photo.
Here is the modified passenger side bend. I extended the inlet side 3.5" and welded 1" to the outlet side.
Here is what the passenger side pipe looked like before I modified it.
Here is the drivers side pipe. All I had to do was straighten out the upward bend a little bit. To do this, I clamped a thickwall pipe thats the same size as the ID of the inlet to a VERY sturdy bench and then clamped the passenger side to it with the band clamp. I then heated it red hot and leaned on it until it had half of the amount of bend that I started with. I used a long straightedge as a measuring too.
Here is another photo.
Last edited by rybern; 07-09-2016 at 08:37 PM.
#57
Very nice! That's really strong for the mods and sounds great. I added your post to the first post list of LT to BH setups so that your modifications may help someone following in your footsteps in the future. Those SE headers seem like they worked great for you. I have a friend that is in the middle of putting the blackheart system on those headers.
#58
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Very nice! That's really strong for the mods and sounds great. I added your post to the first post list of LT to BH setups so that your modifications may help someone following in your footsteps in the future. Those SE headers seem like they worked great for you. I have a friend that is in the middle of putting the blackheart system on those headers.