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Here are the deets...95 Z28 Pacesetter LT, Pacesetter catless y pipe and a hooker max flow muffler connected by a Borla catback piping. We all know that the PS merge is one of the worst out there. I don't understand why it's so hard to make a decent merge lol.
With LT's, catless and the maxflow muffler, the drone and interior noise was too much with windows up for me. I'm on the sensitive side to cabin noise when it comes to exhaust.
So the plan was to just add a bullet muffler in the I pipe...then I thought "well I'm taking the exhaust apart, why not "fix" the merge as well?" I was surprised to see what was going on inside the merge when I took the exhaust apart.
I then stumbled upon one of these and thought it would serve as a nice "merge area" once I hack off most of the PS merge geometry. 4"x3.5" Dynomax race muffler
I will still keep the maxflow muffler out back and hopefully this reduces the "pop/rasp" caused by the PS merge as well as reduce the cabin noise while cruising. I will update with pics when I can.
Finally some pictures...
What I found on both my headers after fighting to get the midpipes off due to the PO using the HORRIBLE cheap U-bolt clamps and crimping the **** out of the "slip fit". I have no idea HOW or WHY they got dented like this...
My new merge
Showing how much of the shitty Pacesetter merge will be cut off:
3"x18" muffler getting placed behind the merge
More to follow tonight when I grab more pics.
Last edited by smitty2919; 10-21-2014 at 11:54 AM.
Is that a 4" straight pipe you are using to fix the merge? If so I was thinking of doing the exact same thing to my Pacesetter Y pipe. I'm in for the finished project. If it turns out good I'll follow suit. I'm looking at doing a single 4" Exhaust system (the 3" is a little too small for my engine) and going from Dual 3" Y'd to a Single 4" all the way back should give me good flow and velocity at all RPMs. That should cost me under $150. Plus I could sell my Magnaflow Cat back for a little bit to offset the cost.
Yes it is a 4" to 3.5" and 7" long Dynomax race "muffler".
I figured the more original merge I could cut off the better lol. All I'm doing is working on oval-ing out the 4" end to become about 3" tall and whatever it is wide, slide it up as far as I can on the Y pipe, mark it then cut it off and weld on the muffler.
Right behind the new merge will be a 3"x18" glasspack style muffler.
But dual 3" into single 4" wouldn't be a terrible idea. Cheap and easy to deal with 1 pipe rather than duals.
I'll get some more pics tonight of progress and get them on here maybe tomorrow.
Got some more pics. The welds look like *** due to the flux core welder + dirty SS pipes. But, for my use they will stay together and look better after some paint to prevent rusting.
This is what it looks like overall now:
Using some heat to "form" the merge to the existing Y pipe to make welding easier:
Installed, I plan to get a better pic today.
Comes off one more time tonight to paint the welds then install it and get it off the jack stands. I'll also work on getting a video with my GoPro and external mic.
Last edited by smitty2919; 10-22-2014 at 08:53 AM.
I'm really anxious to see how this turned out. Starting the car in the garage sounded like the drone may have been reduced, but only a test drive will tell for sure.
I have a weird sound, it's like a cylinder is missing all the time (like weak spark to one cylinder). But it runs strong as all get up and my checks are good. It just sounds like a dead cylinder. I think it's a combination of the Y-pipe and my cam. Plus at 414rwhp, my 3" single exhaust is too small anyways. I need at least 3.5", which might be harder to find parts for and no room for growth (if I want to juice it later).
If I were you, I would get maybe 6ft of 4" pipe, a 45* bend, 3 90* bends and a 4" muffler.
The 45 will go up toward the axle, the 90 will be the bend above the axle and the second 90 will be the bend into the muffler behind the axle and the 3rd 90 will be a dump like the mufflex system.
Hack off your Y merge like I did and stuff the 4" pipe against it and weld it on.
I was planing on doing what you are with 4" I pipe off the pacesetter Y-pipe. Then what 1of625 did here from there back.
After the axle I'm undecided.
I could either Y it back to dual 3" pipes with two bullets to tips out the back. Or I could turn it back to the drivers side with a 4" bullet and dump it right before the rear bumper. I like the tips all the way out the back because less interior noise, but I also like the hidden exhaust of the 4" bullet. And the 4" bullet is cheaper.
It's amazing what routing the tip just outside the bumper cover does for interior noise.
I would do what 1of625 did and not have to route the pipe across the car to the driver side. Maybe put a bullet in the I pipe before it goes over the axle OR put one right before the bumper then put a tip on it.
Simple, no crazy bends and only 1 "muffler" to buy and deal with.
It's amazing what routing the tip just outside the bumper cover does for interior noise.
I would do what 1of625 did and not have to route the pipe across the car to the driver side. Maybe put a bullet in the I pipe before it goes over the axle OR put one right before the bumper then put a tip on it.
Simple, no crazy bends and only 1 "muffler" to buy and deal with.
Yeah this is all true and good points. But it'll look funny with only one tip showing on the wrong side. If I did that I'd hide the tip and turn it down pointing away from the car.
I want to see how yours sounds with that merge though. I've listened to a coupe guys that did a 3" to 4" Flowmaster merge with a 4" pipe back over the axle to a bullet muffler. Sounds good. One guy had a very similar cam as mine and it had the same sound of a dead cylinder (it's not a strong sound, but I can hear it).
Even if they sound the same though, I'm still doing the 4" exhaust for the slight power increase. And I should be able to get half my costs back by selling my Magnaflow cat back.
For me, looks is second. I don't care as much how it looks rather than how it works.
I have a dual GTO tip setup on my Borla muffler I can swap on as well as the current look of a single 3" flat cut pipe as a "tip". I make it function THEN worry about making it looks not so stupid lol.
I'll grab full system pics tonight as well while the car is in the air.
Not only did the bullet really mellow down the noise/drone, but the new merge completely eliminated any hint of "machine gun" sound when reaching the limit between shifting.
It is a very smooth tone through all RPM's. I would say it sound most similar to this:
Not only did the bullet really mellow down the noise/drone, but the new merge completely eliminated any hint of "machine gun" sound when reaching the limit between shifting.
It is a very smooth tone through all RPM's. I would say it sound most similar to this: 93402cm F-Body - YouTube
I will work on getting a video soon.
I like the smoothness of the engine sound in that video. Definitely a different Cam set up than mine though.
But seriously what's with the intro music?! Holy **** music batman!
I always like to link this thread whenever anyone contemplates going 4" exhaust. On the first page is a list of part numbers to make the over the axle piping. That is the setup I am using, I went with the 3" to 4" Flowmaster merge and then a 4" bullet just before the bumper, with a single in dual out tip.
Excuse the ticking sound as I will start pulling this car apart today to figure out why, but listen to the exhaust, never makes unwanted noises, just sounds good. At least to me haha, never seems raspy, poppy, droning.
I always like to link this thread whenever anyone contemplates going 4" exhaust. On the first page is a list of part numbers to make the over the axle piping. That is the setup I am using, I went with the 3" to 4" Flowmaster merge and then a 4" bullet just before the bumper, with a single in dual out tip.
Excuse the ticking sound as I will start pulling this car apart today to figure out why, but listen to the exhaust, never makes unwanted noises, just sounds good. At least to me haha, never seems raspy, poppy, droning.
That exhaust doesn't look to bad. Do you have a pic of the whole back of the car? This could add to a sleeper status. Single tip out the passenger side....
Sounds good. Minus the ticking. Sounds like a lifter.
I wish it were a lifter, already replaced them all, same exact sound remained though. Going to pull the heads and go through them first, see if anything is blatantly amiss. If everything looks good with them, no bent valves or guides or anything then I will pull the shortblock. The person who put the shortblock together about 3 years ago is wondering what the hell the noise can be at this point also.
That's how I would roll with the exhaust....except no tips and a 3" turndown.
I picked one up from Pepboys when I was there just because and would looks subtle but good on a setup like that. Look V6-ish but not have a toothpick for a turndown LOL.
Finished product. You can see how I cut off the passenger side of the Borla Adj catback and capped it. I could change the exhaust routing and route the exhaust on passenger side and get rid of the cross car muffler.
Last edited by smitty2919; 10-23-2014 at 03:53 PM.
10-15-2014, 07:39 AM
Project: shut my car up and fix the crappy merge 
