Going to make it simple because there are threads all over the place. Just picked up a 96 z28 with 30k original miles in great shape. it has a flow master system on it and it sounds better than stock but i want something a little less restrictive i want to do long tubes as well. However what combos with or without headers is everyone running? Sound clips are not doing it for me. SLP Loudmouth dosent seem bad but it says its 98 plus. what about over the axle true duals? does anyone make a system that goes over the axle? Just looking for some quick advice! thanks!

 

I had long tubes, ORY, loudmouth...
it was obnoxious.
I ended up putting dual cats and an additional bullet muffer, it's still a little loud when cruising.
if i have to do it again I'm going with the blackheart duals.

 

Are state inspections an issue?

 

ASM Mid lengths, ORY, and cutout. With the cutout open its obnoxiously loud like mentioned above. Dont be that guy.

I run with the exhaust capped almost all the time now which basically means I'm running headers, off road y-pipe, and stock cat-back. I really do love the tone and rumble of the stock exhaust, I just like to hear it a little louder than stock.

 

no personal experience with the loudmouth, but from what I have read/heard it only sounds good with factory manifolds and cats. once you do longtubes and ORY it gets obnoxious like mentioned above.

I liked the magnaflow catback that was on my car when I bought it but switched to a spintech 2OTL system last year because I've always liked the look of the tips on the drivers side like the SS cars.

 

I am running tsp 1 7/8 long tubes and a Tsp exhaust but also have a slp loud mouth one that i had on it at one point. I have no complaints other then if you have cut outs and they are open they can be loud. The tsp exhaust i have dumps under the seat and can be very loud as well. I have this on my 01 ss

 

Long Tube Headers to a Pre-Axle Dump/Turndown here, car is loud. But not so much that it annoys me. Only issue is with 4:10's cruising at 75-80mph on the highway Im around 2700-3k RPMs and it makes having conversations a bit annoying. But not so much that Ive got around to changing it. I do have plans to put an electric cut out and then a full exhaust system in it....someday.

 

a little lol I'm supposed to have cats for a visual. But there's a way for everything. I'd like to do without them, it saves a little money.
lol

 

Are any of these stainless? If not are they holding up? I was looking at the pacesetter long tubes. I've heard both ceramic and painted will rust. What about headed tape? There's so many options lol. All I know is the car has 30k on it and is mint, the flowdisaster system has to go.....to crackly I want a throaty idle. They aren't the most free flowing pipes.

another thing. Will long tubes and a y bolt up to a cat back? Or will I have to modify pipe?

 

What's the difference in a set like this compared to a set of pacsetters? https://www.ebay.com/i/151459584416?...24ac7efffb8513

 

I only have time to answer this question as I slept in and I still have to pack fort the Race at Mid-Ohio. My long tubes are ceramic coated, it has been a summer only car, but has seen the rain. Spent most of its life in MT since 2007. I'm starting to get a little bit of surface rust around the header flange near the heads and around the collector just ahead of the Y-Pipe. These have been on since 2007, as I've stated its just surface rust. And since ill be doing a head swap here soon. I'm going to pull and re coat the headers myself, not a big deal. As far as header wrap goes, I would stay away from it on a street car and if you are wrapping SS Headers I would scuff and shoot them with High Temp Header Paint before hand. Unless you coat the header wrap in high temp silicone they can trap moister and promote rust. I've never personally seen this, but I've heard stories of guys on the street having their header wrap catch fire while in traffic. Now I'm not sure if this was a mechanical/tune related failure causing them to run extremely lean producing excessive amounts of heat or not. You can buy an aftermarket Y-pipe that should bolt up to "Cat-Back" style muffler/exhaust system. I haven't looked that far into it with these cars since my car is registered in a state that does not require any emission testing and I usually make my own exhaust systems past the header. My LT Headers and Y-Pipe with a Pre-Axle Dump/Turn Down is sufficient for me, but as you have stated you live in a state that requires a visual on the cat. You can pick up a dummy cat pretty cheap, just be careful there's always a chance you'll get a dick head who wants to tap on it to ensure its not gutted. On a unrelated note, I have a friend who's an instructor at LT Denver Campus. They used my Comp T/A as an example for a 5 Gas Emission Test. It only barely failed, I dont remember the numbers but the instructor was pretty shocked seeing as I have zero emission control devices on my vehicle.

 

Thanks for the response! what about the header i posted in the link? whats the difference in these and a "name Brand"? Do long tubes stick down an excessive amount under the vehicle?

 

I had 2 new stainless steel SLP LM1 catbacks on 2 separate 95 Z-28's. My first car was stock manifolds and stock Y with a gutted cat. The SLP LM1 was for a 94-95 (or however It was listed back then) car. It sounded fantastic, not too loud but would still scream at WOT and rumble at idle. Years later on my second car, I installed new 1-3/4" pacesetter headers and ORY. Both fit absolutely great, no rubs on the steering shaft or any issues, and on a stock height car, had no ground clearance issues, they tucked up well. At this point the only SLP LM1 that was offered was 98-02. I bought it without batting an eye or doing any research on fitment. Just like I expected it hung in the car and connected perfectly to the ORY. At first I loved the sound, but quickly realized it wasn't everyone's cup-of-tea and became more of a noise to me than a nice sound. After scaring a coworker on start up (LOL) and failing emissions horribly, I had meineke weld a cat in the I pipe just after the Y. The tone was much more tame and enjoyable, but not quite as nice as my first car. It went right through inspection with flying colors though. I told myself, If I were to switch exhaust on that car with long tubes, I would try the magnaflow catback to try to get that deep sound back that my first car had. I never did though. I have no experience with the cheapo headers, but with the decent price of the pacesetter's and my good experience with them, I would recommend them. I only got the painted version, and quickly wish I had gotten coated. Paint burnt off within hours and left bare tubing. It only ever got surface rust, but was still ugly, so I would recommend the coated ones. As far as true dual systems go, Texas Speed and Performance and Speed Engineering both offer a nice stainless 3" X pipe over-the-axle true dual kit FOR AROUND $500. They are designed to connect directly to common manufacturers long tubes. I have no experience with either kit, but on the 98-02 cars it requires the use of a panhard brace relocation kit to make room for the duals over the axle. Many threads have also complained of poor ground clearance with the true duals, mainly on lowered cars. I'd be willing to bet it would only take minor fabrication to make them fit an LT-1 car, something an exhaust shop could easily do if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself. Sorry for the long post, just trying to offer my experiences to you or anyone else to help make a happy decision.

 

If you can get around it then definitely do LT's. You'll have to get your rear O2's, EGR and AIR tuned out so you don't get an SES light if it hasn't been done already. Use this transition:
https://www.summitracing.com/search/...s&N=4294900371
Helps keep the exhaust from becoming raspy.

 

I like the pacesetters I have on my car, its the y-pipe that that kind of sucks. the merge is not that good it makes it a little more raspy, my muffler helps to tone down the raspyness though luckily. I have the coated ones and aside from where the collectors have scraped on the ground (I'm lowered 2+ inches on coilovers) they are in good condition and I've had them for 4 years now. the only time you will run into issues with them getting rusty is if you drive in the salt, I have a set on my truck and have gone through two sets now in 5 years as they rusted out daily driving in the winter.

 

Im not sure why i would use that? Shouldnt i be using an Y pipe that way im not having to fill the voids with pipe to a cat back system?

 

It's a much much much better merge than pretty much any of the y pipes you can buy. Either that or the flowmaster "y" and have it fitted into the y pipe you buy, or have your favorite exhaust shop build for you. Does wonders to reduce the rasp.

 

so if i am comprehending this correctly the slp kit sounded best with manifolds. Once headers were added then it was to much. as in too loud? sounded like crap?
You are saying if i do long tubes magnaflow would be my best bet?

 

It's a merge for the y-pipe and is welded where the two pipes merge into one.

 

On my new car I have Kooks long tubes and adapted a Hooker Black Heart true duals system to it from an LS car. It's easy, cheap, and fits great.