Exhaust Question?

[C908]

I recently installed a Magnaflow axle back system. My original thought was to hold off doing anything else until I could afford long tube headers and an X pipe. I'm now realizing it might be quite a while before that happens. Question is would it be a mistake if I just installed the X pipe now and then add the headers later if I ever get the money. The only other thing I have done is install the Breathless Vortex Ram Air system. I wasn't sure if I would have any problems hooking up the headers to the rest of the system if I did it this way instead of doing it all at the same time. I see where normally headers come with an X pipe. Thanks for your comments.

[iburke]

I don't see any problem, just a little extra work.

[lsejlowe]

I believe that Bill Boat is about the only company that makes a header that is compatible with the stock mid-pipe. If you purchase anyone else's midpipe you'll have to do some custom work to hook it to the factory exhaust manifolds, and then if you bought the headers later you'd have to undo that extra work.

[Junkman2008]

OP, you need to fill out your profile to include the year and model car you have.

[C908]

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

OP, you need to fill out your profile to include the year and model car you have.

I appreciate everyones comments and I will give this serious thought before I do anything. What amazes me is the difference in cost in doing just the x pipe compared to headers and the x pipe. I keep wondering if it is really worth that much more money to do the complete system instead of just the x pipe. I can buy an x pipe for around $300.00 and install it myself. If I go with the headers and the x pipe I'm looking at $1550.00 for the ARC system. I would probably have to pay someone to install the headers so I'm looking at a few more hundred for that. I figure $2000.00 for the complete system installed or $300.00 for just an X pipe. Man that's a big difference, does anyone else have thoughts to share with me after making their decision. Thanks.

[Junkman2008]

Installing the headers, depending on which brand you go with can be pretty simple if you have access to a lift and a second pair of hands. I had to completely remove my exhaust to do my head gaskets and I did it on jack stands. Not the most fun experience I've had but definitely doable. The thing you need to worry about is finding a tuner after you get this stuff installed.

By the way, what do you think you are going to gain by doing this?

[C908]

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

Installing the headers, depending on which brand you go with can be pretty simple if you have access to a lift and a second pair of hands. I had to completely remove my exhaust to do my head gaskets and I did it on jack stands. Not the most fun experience I've had but definitely doable. The thing you need to worry about is finding a tuner after you get this stuff installed.

By the way, what do you think you are going to gain by doing this?

It's not that I'm expecting any big horsepower gains it's more about looking for the sound that I crave. Years ago I had a 68 Camaro with that incredible sound. It had Hooker headers, Hooker header mufflers and 5ft of Walker straight pipes. Along with that many other things like a 780 double pumper, Z28 intake and an off road Z28 cam. It had an incredible lope and a very deep sound. I'm wondering if maybe on my C5 I just need to add an X pipe to my Magnaflow axle back system along with a cam.

[Junkman2008]

Good. As long as no one is selling you that "super-duper horse power gain" crap, you're looking for the right thing. I was going for nothing but a change in sound when I went with my Corsa Pace Car system. I got exactly what I wanted. A slight boost in sound, throaty on acceleration and quiet as a mouse on the freeway at a steady speed. After all, if I didn't want to hear myself think, I could always pull out my other car with the Hooker headers, the Holly double-pumper and the Flowmaster 3's.

I don't bother turning on any music, I wouldn't hear it anyway.

You Tube

You Tube

[C908]

Originally Posted by C908

It's not that I'm expecting any big horsepower gains it's more about looking for the sound that I crave. Years ago I had a 68 Camaro with that incredible sound. It had Hooker headers, Hooker header mufflers and 5ft of Walker straight pipes. Along with that many other things like a 780 double pumper, Z28 intake and an off road Z28 cam. It had an incredible lope and a very deep sound. I'm wondering if maybe on my C5 I just need to add an X pipe to my Magnaflow axle back system along with a cam.

That sounds pretty close to how I remember my Camaro sounding. How I wish I never would have gotten rid of that car.

[sjsz06]

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

Good. As long as no one is selling you that "super-duper horse power gain" crap, you're looking for the right thing. I was going for nothing but a change in sound when I went with my Corsa Pace Car system. I got exactly what I wanted. A slight boost in sound, throaty on acceleration and quiet as a mouse on the freeway at a steady speed. After all, if I didn't want to hear myself think, I could always pull out my other car with the Hooker headers, the Holly double-pumper and the Flowmaster 3's.

I don't bother turning on any music, I wouldn't hear it anyway.

Oh, I don't know AJ.
I installed my own AR headers & X pipe using jackstands.
Wasn't too bad.
I went from 356 RWHP to 383 RWHP.
Only cost about $66 per hp gained...

(The figure in my sig is after the cam...)

[Junkman2008]

It depends on the headers. Some go in pretty easy and then there are the ones on my El Camino that you had to heat and beat into submission.

[sjsz06]

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

It depends on the headers. Some go in pretty easy and then there are the ones on my El Camino that you had to heat and beat into submission.

Yes. The ARH's aren't quite as long as some LG's I've seen.
I understand to get those installed you have to get the car up scary high - best to use a lift.

They go in from the bottom and you can't just put them up the side of the engine level,
you have to tilt them with the collector pointing toward the floor.


My old pipes look a bit different from yours:

[Junkman2008]

You're old ones are stock. In my picture are the Corsa Pace Car exhaust.

[sjsz06]

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

You're old ones are stock. In my picture are the Corsa Pace Car exhaust.

Ah.. ok..

I WAS wondering about the clamps... but that explains it.

Didn't your stock pipes have the pup converters?
The upper part of that system looks a lot like the stock one.

[Junkman2008]

The upper part is stock. The exhaust starts past the converters. I got the exhaust AND the X-pipe installed at the same time for around $1300