First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Discussion on fuel delivery & intake/exhaust tech & mods.
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Bowtie Junkman
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First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by Bowtie Junkman »

So the muffler shop I've known for 30 years closed down earlier this year, which led me on a quest for a new contact.
After much shopping, I found a local guy that was reasonably priced (compared to the rest I spoke to) and looked as if he did good reputable work. So I dropped the car off and got the work done on Monday ...

I removed the center muffler and both resonators and replaced them with an X-pipe, and replaced the "trash cans" GM uses for mufflers with "plain box" 40-series Flowmasters. I had him also get rid of the stock exhaust tips (which remind me of VW "pee-shooters) and replace with full-size tips cut at a -45 and just approaching the edge of the bumper cover ... no chrome tips ... function before form ...

I have to say, it is more docile than I was hoping. The tone is deep and throaty, but mellow and subdued. No growl at the crack of the throttle, no loud bellow as the tach rises towards the redline ... kinda disappointing really. Having owned many Pro Street and overall Bad Ass street cars, my taste does tend to run towards the "shock and awe" realm ... pissing off neighbors and Mothers with small children on a daily basis ... so my judgement may be just slightly tainted ...

It is here that I must add that there are NO other mods done to my car at this point. I do believe that a CAI will help in this area, and I am seeking to acquire one right now (not an easy task living in CA, as I am finding out). Yes, it does drone inside the car at certain RPM ranges, and yes, it does sound like a motorboat when cruising in 4-cyl mode. Drone I can live with (see Bad Ass comment above) ... the motor-boat impersonation I will take care of with my next purchase which will be a programmer.

But, as one of my fellow employees told me yesterday after observing me leaving work "aggressively" on the throttle ... "it sounds like a stock Camaro" ... he should have just called my Mom something ....
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storm9c1
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by storm9c1 »

Since you are going to program out the AFM, might as well go all the way and drop a cam in it. THEN you will have the sound you want. I imagine the X-pipe is also smoothing things out quite a bit. Not sure if the intake and exhaust work will make a large difference without a cam.
Tom (AKA: Storm)
2011 Caprice 9C3: L77, 8K miles, first-owner, purchased July 2011.
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xcidmigs
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by xcidmigs »

was it a generic x pipe that you used? whats the ID or part #? Any pics?
CrashTestDummy
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by CrashTestDummy »

Long tubes will also help the sound a bit.
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
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Bowtie Junkman
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Location: Lakewood, CA

Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by Bowtie Junkman »

Generic x-pipe ... I'm on a budget ....
Sorry ... no pics ... I dropped it off before work and picked it up after ...
Long tubes would be awesome ... but again, on a budget ...

I've done these same mods to the L99 in my 2010 SS, and had good results ... x-pipe, GMPP axle back, K&N CAI, Diablosport "canned" tune that was "tweaked" by a local shop ... numbers on a dyno don't mean much to me, it's the "seat of the pants" factor that tells me how these mods are really working ...

Exhaust alone does feel like it made a little difference in low-end and mid-range torque. I think the CAI will help it breathe a little better ... and the sound does get affected ... both under hood and out the back.

If I go that far; heads, cam and long tubes will be the way to go ... while we're dreaming, a Procharger would be nice too ...
Navy Lifer
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by Navy Lifer »

gears....3.27 or 3.45

nice wake-up call
CrashTestDummy
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by CrashTestDummy »

AND a converter!
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
And some others
Do YOU have my SPID?
9C1fanatic
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by 9C1fanatic »

I just put solo axle backs on a 2014 Caprice with the whole stock exhaust in front of it which resulted in nice sound but also quiet for my tastes, but I expected that with stock exhaust ahead of it.

In your case, I'm a little surprised its too quiet after eliminating the factory mufflers, resonators and center muffler. Are the 40 series mufflers the ones that almost everyone with a SBC used back in the day? Are they two chamber or three? I have used flowmasters on an 88 Caprice and on a 75 Grand Am 455 with great results (loud), but they were two chamber and no cats. I think its kind of hard to get them really loud and still be emissions legal.

Right now I'm running magnaflows on my LT1 Caprice with 2.5 inch pipe and no cats and its really quiet. It was louder when I had Edelbrock mufflers with the cats. Your muffler choice may have a lot to do with it. Flowmaster has a lot of variations in their mufflers from what I understand.
Garner Ames



1975 Pontiac Grand Am L77 - 14.82 @ 92.89
1991 Chevrolet C1500 L31 Vortec/5 Speed
2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 LM7
2014 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 L77 - 13.60 @ 105.87
2019 Chevrolet Express 3500 L96
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The Tech
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by The Tech »

My car - with Kooks long tube headers and Cats, crossover and Solo Axle backs is really loud...
2011 Alto Gray Caprice PPV 9C3, Kooks Long Tube Headers, Kooks Drag Cats and Crossover, Solo Axle Back System.
1996 DGGM Impala SS
1995 Caprice 9C1 red over white
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9C1fanatic
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Re: First project with the new toy completed ... exhaust ...

Post by 9C1fanatic »

Solo makes a "crossover muffler" that is marketed for people that have the solo axle backs, headers and have eliminated the factory exhaust. They say without this, the systems are too loud for most people since the axle backs they make are basically a straight pipe. Has anybody here used this from Solo with the solo axle backs?
Garner Ames



1975 Pontiac Grand Am L77 - 14.82 @ 92.89
1991 Chevrolet C1500 L31 Vortec/5 Speed
2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 LM7
2014 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 L77 - 13.60 @ 105.87
2019 Chevrolet Express 3500 L96
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