Installed a Magnaflow system

[Mark42]

Installed the Magnaflow cat back today. Took about two hours from start to test drive.

Before:



During:



After:



What a great system! Goes in easy, parts fit right, and when its fired up, oh boy, it sounds great! Put about half hour run time on it today, it still sounds nice. It is louder than I expected when accelerating, but I'll get used to that. Quiets out nice when cruising, but you can still hear it.

A couple of notes about the system; I really liked the band clamps Magnaflow supplied, but they goofed when using a classic U bolt clamp for the cat connection. The old style U clamp crushes the pipes making it nearly imposable to remove the pipes later, and is imposable to tighten without removing the cross brace. So I drilled out the spot weld on factory I pipe and reused it on the Magnaflow system:

[Mark42]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Here you can see how the OEM band clamp works with the Magnaflow, just like OEM and lines up with the access hole to tighten it.






More details and hi-res photos of the install are here:

Magnaflow Install

One thing I don't like about it is the length of the tail pipes. They just stick out too far, and don't look like something Pontiac would have done. Will probably end up cutting 2" off the ends of the tail pipes to bring them in a bit, and get shorter rubber hangers for the rear to raise the tail pipes about 1.5 ".

[truekoa]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Looks great!

I agree with how low the pipes hang, and maybe take a side shot to see how far out they stick?

I really like your progression of mods since you first introduced your bird here.

[Mark42]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Looks great!

I agree with how low the pipes hang, and maybe take a side shot to see how far out they stick?

I really like your progression of mods since you first introduced your bird here.

I went to take a side photo just now, but the garage is now ful and its dark, so I'll do it tomorrow.

BTW, thanks for the comment on the progression of mods. I spent a lot of time reviewing other peoples mods and made a project plan of the mods I wanted. So far, I've been sticking to the plan, and things are working out well.

[Crazed98Camaro]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

I have a Magnaflow system and had the same complaints with how it stuck out to far. I cut about an inch or so off of mine, they are flush with the bumper.

[97-RS-]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Looks great, I have a stock 97 and was thinking about doing this upgrade (first of many) but what is the overall best exhaust system? for the qualitly/price

[Mark42]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

I have a Magnaflow system and had the same complaints with how it stuck out to far. I cut about an inch or so off of mine, they are flush with the bumper.

You did a nice job of cutting them short. I realized that from above, the pipes don't look like they stick out far, but from the side or back they do. Its because the bumper has a sort of 'rolled under' shape that the tail pipes look like they stick out more than they actually do. I'll try to cut them at an angle to match the curve of the bumper. Nice to know I'm not the only one that thought they didn't look quite right.

[ssms5411]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Looks good, never heard a magnaflow beore, but I agree with the exhuast tips sticking out , thats why mine is right before the axle ,so I have no problems. LOL J/K. Does look good though I use to have dual slant tips on both sides, does look good for show and better sound. I use to weld my exhausts up but after going through so many mufflers I started using clamps to make it easier. Nice job.

[enzia35]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Great choice. Love my own Magnaflow. How did you get the whole stock catback off in once piece? I had to cut mine twice by hand. That sucked.

[Mark42]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Great choice. Love my own Magnaflow. How did you get the whole stock catback off in once piece? I had to cut mine twice by hand. That sucked.

Ha! I didn't get it off in one piece. I cut it in two, right in the straight vertical section where its going over the axle. Then it can be re-welded easy if you want to reinstall.

Ps, a sawsall cut it in about 30 seconds!!! Good tool to have.

[Duo Chan]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Looks good!

Same system I've had on my car, for a few years now. It's gotten rather loud with age, but one of these days I'll get around to fixing that. As far as the pipes sticking out too far, I agree. Now imagine what they would look like after losing control in an ice storm and sliding into the median, tail first... Yep, that's what mine looks like. D shaped tail pipes FTL...

[Mark42]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Looks good!

Same system I've had on my car, for a few years now. It's gotten rather loud with age, but one of these days I'll get around to fixing that. As far as the pipes sticking out too far, I agree. Now imagine what they would look like after losing control in an ice storm and sliding into the median, tail first... Yep, that's what mine looks like. D shaped tail pipes FTL...

Ouch! Sorry to hear about the unfortunate incident with the median. I'm going to cut mine down. Still deciding how much to cut.

Why is the system louder? Muffler blow out or something else?

[Mark42]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

Here are some pics, ignore the road salt...

Raised the tips a bit from the last set of photos. Picked up some new rubber hangers today and will put them in the front most positions and use the shorter Magnaflow hangers in the rear. That should drop the system about 1/2 -3/4" in the front, and bring up the rear, leveling out the tail pipes. But I noticed that most photos of this exhaust tend to have a slight downward slant. Cutting the tail pipes short should help hide the slant.






Thinking of cutting it off, baloney slice style, right where that water drip mark is on the drivers side below. Thats about a 2.5 - 3" cut off the end.

[BallerMaro13]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

yeah that'd be a good length to chop them down to --- definitely needs to be tucked back. are you cutting the tips or the actual piping then welding?

[Mark42]

Re: Installed a Magnaflow system

yeah that'd be a good length to chop them down to --- definitely needs to be tucked back. are you cutting the tips or the actual piping then welding?

Just cut the tip. The "Magnaflow" embossing will be lost, but I really don't care.

The original length probably works better on Camaros where the bumper is not rolled under, then they don't look so long. But it doesn't work on the Firebird.