Please critique my setup

[svsuwakeboarder]

2001 3.8L Firebird

This is my plan for mods:

Fast toys ram air CAI
CIA Headers w/ 3" Y pipe
Car Sound 3" in/out High Flow Cat
*** my MAJOR debate is still over 2.5" OR 3" Magnaflow catback.

In your opinion which catback should I go with. From my understanding 2.5 will require mod. from 3" cat to 2.5" s pipe. OR 3" will require mod for hangers and possible low end power loss?

If you could PLEASE offer me any advice/experience that you have I would really really appeciate it!!! Thanks in advace!

[MIKE1stcamv6]

Re: Please critique my setup

i would do
free ram air mod
no cat
and the rest is fine
just be ready to smell like fuel with no meow

[venom3300]

Re: Please critique my setup

whatever u do KEEP THE CAT, i took mine off and it had so much rasp. it was at every shift and ear splitting deafening

[BallerMaro13]

Re: Please critique my setup

x2 keep the cat, rasp is pretty nasty in most cases without one. magnaflow isn't a bad setup for the money, but i find they're pretty raspy up top kinda like flowmaster (i have flow's now until my borla goes on next week so i'm not hating on anyone) so a high flow cat will help along with the cia's. 2.5" setup is pretty safe, and there's nothing wrong with 3" (that's what i'm going with), but it depends on your future goals for the car and what your plans are with any forced induction, h/c, and whatnot to take advantage of the larger piping.

as is, you wont "lose" any low end, it will just shift the torque curve up a little bit for more top end, but if you want to weigh your options do some searching on 2.5 vs. 3" and you'll see plenty of debates about it on here.

good luck man, keep us updated.

[pathology knight]

Re: Please critique my setup

i might be the odd ball, but if you're not really planning on any big engine mods, i'd do the 2.5" on the v6. i think that is plenty of air space and should sound pretty nice. i think the 3" is a little overkill and tends to be more of a whiny sound. just my opinion though. of course, it may depend a lot on what muffler you do, but i would definetely keep the cat! make it a high flow one and you're good to go.

[svsuwakeboarder]

Re: Please critique my setup

wow, thanks for the input so far. it really helps. I have heard of some people adding an addition muffler to the mid pipe, namely the dynomax bullet resonator, which is said to make the sound lower and reduce rasp. Do any of you have experience with this and/or know it if this is true?

[flamingchicken]

Re: Please critique my setup

i might be the odd ball, but if you're not really planning on any big engine mods, i'd do the 2.5" on the v6. i think that is plenty of air space and should sound pretty nice. i think the 3" is a little overkill and tends to be more of a whiny sound. just my opinion though. of course, it may depend a lot on what muffler you do, but i would definetely keep the cat! make it a high flow one and you're good to go.

im with you on the 2.5" pipe. there is a big dipute on there about that but i like my exhaust better with the 2.5 than the 3 and i have had both.

but i run with no cat. have been since 07.

[ssms5411]

Re: Please critique my setup

Just go all 3" pipe,no CAT and a 3" Dynomax Turbo muffler with a 3" turn down will sound great.

[Blizzard242]

Re: Please critique my setup

Just go all 3" pipe,no CAT and a 3" Dynomax Turbo muffler with a 3" turn down will sound great.

XX2

Eh... My personal comparison I have is a bit unfair- 02 camaro stock headers, stock Y pipe, No cat, 2.5 flowmaster catback VS pacesetter headers, turbo, to a dynomax muffler in a 98 camaro. The 98 sounds better. It does rasp though I won't lie but, in idle, at a higher rpm than the 02's setup. I can't tell ya what it sounds like in drive with load on the engine cause my wastegate opens up before 3k rpm and screams.

I'm gonna tell ya, go with the 3" along with a dynomax turbo muffler.

BTW ssms, after I got some miles on this dynomax, all broken in nicely. It does sound very nice. Thank you for the recommendation. Sounded great as I whooped a 3rd gen transam today. Whoot!

[ssms5411]

Re: Please critique my setup

XX2

Eh... My personal comparison I have is a bit unfair- 02 camaro stock headers, stock Y pipe, No cat, 2.5 flowmaster catback VS pacesetter headers, turbo, to a dynomax muffler in a 98 camaro. The 98 sounds better. It does rasp though I won't lie but, in idle, at a higher rpm than the 02's setup. I can't tell ya what it sounds like in drive with load on the engine cause my wastegate opens up before 3k rpm and screams.

I'm gonna tell ya, go with the 3" along with a dynomax turbo muffler.

BTW ssms, after I got some miles on this dynomax, all broken in nicely. It does sound very nice. Thank you for the recommendation. Sounded great as I whooped a 3rd gen transam today. Whoot!

Nice to hear, I never new that your muffler was up by the Cat, but mine is in the rear and maybe because it is further back there is less rasp, I have a cam and RK sport headers so that might make a difference also in rasp.

[svsuwakeboarder]

Re: Please critique my setup

To clarify, I drive my car everday to work and some long weekend drives, absolutely no track use and no intent on adding any forced induction. I never exceed 90 mph, which is on the expressway. I believe 2.5" may be a better choice for my use, is that correct?

ALSO, if I am running a 3" cat, and use a 2.5" catback, how do I make the transition. Do i need to weld the cat into the y pipe and s pipe too?

[pace2006]

Re: Please critique my setup

I think if you're not really concerned with track use and just want a little more fun on the street, then the 2.5" exhaust might suite your needs. The 3" is best for all out performance, but if you just want a little more oomph without moving the powerband up the rpms, then 2.5" should be fine. Personally, I'm going with 3" exhaust, but I also have other plans in mind that'll need it. Otherwise, I would've gone with the 2.5".

To run a 3" cat with 2.5" catback, you'll need to have a reducer between the cat and I-pipe.

[svsuwakeboarder]

Re: Please critique my setup

If I ADDED a dynomax bullet into the midpipe, would that reduce the rasp without destroying the low tone and/or performance??