C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

What exhaust system do you recommend to LT1?

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Old 06-21-2010, 06:03 AM
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ajax6
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Default What exhaust system do you recommend to LT1?

Hi,

Guess this question's been put a thousand times, and did a search, but found nothing. So, here goes:

I just got my '95 C4. It's totally stock with 18 K on the meter. I'd like to get a little more V8-sound from the car, and of course some more hp too, so I'm in the market for a new cat back exhaust system. Been looking at Borla and MagnaFlow, but open for others, too.

Which one do you recommend if it's a deep V8 rumble I'm looking for? And as much hp+ as possible.

I'm also planning for new headers this winter, but would like to switch the exhaust right away. But the new headers and exhaust need to match, so this must be considered.

What happens if I just exchange the two rear mufflers for 3" pipes to start with?

TIA / Peter
Old 06-21-2010, 06:29 AM
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darkstallion_69
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I personally have the Billy Boat 3' with an x pipe. If you like deep then this is the route i would take. As long as you pair it with an x pipe you wont have any resonance. At wot it sounds awesome. Ive heard the Corsa and they seem to have a raspier sound.
Old 06-21-2010, 06:35 AM
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ajax6
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Thx. And agree - from what I've heard on different websites Corsa def sounds very raspy. Not what I want.

(Just my opinion, all Corsa owners!)

Last edited by ajax6; 06-21-2010 at 01:29 PM.
Old 06-21-2010, 06:48 AM
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Aurora40
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If you just want a little extra rumble, I'd suggest keeping the stock pipes and resonator, as they are decent already on an LT1. You could swap the mufflers out for something more aggressive, Magnaflow, Dynomax, Flowmaster, or even straight pipes. This will be much cheaper than a complete cat-back system. And that way when you invariably want a different sound, you wouldn't have spent much money (happens to all of us, I've had two systems on mine, plus the stocker).

If you want a deep rumble, I'd suggest Flowmasters, or possibly Dynomax ultraflows.
Old 06-21-2010, 06:54 AM
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ajax6
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Originally Posted by Aurora40
If you just want a little extra rumble, I'd suggest keeping the stock pipes and resonator, as they are decent already on an LT1. You could swap the mufflers out for something more aggressive, Magnaflow, Dynomax, Flowmaster, or even straight pipes. This will be much cheaper than a complete cat-back system. And that way when you invariably want a different sound, you wouldn't have spent much money (happens to all of us, I've had two systems on mine, plus the stocker).

If you want a deep rumble, I'd suggest Flowmasters, or possibly Dynomax ultraflows.
Good point. Saving $$$$ is always welcome. Think maybe I start with just straight pipes for now and do the rest when I start doing the engine with maybe a LT4 package and headers etc ....
Old 06-21-2010, 12:37 PM
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Z06X
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I have a Borla...it's very deep and subtle at anything but WOT. I've been on cruises and everyone says it sounds really good at WOT from outside the car. I'm adding an x-pipe and high flows to the system to open it up a bit, but I think it sounds pretty clean the way it is.
Old 06-21-2010, 12:45 PM
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I have the Magnaflow Performance Exhaust without the resonator.

Some drone at low RPMs.
Old 06-21-2010, 01:26 PM
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ajax6
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Just talked to a nearby shop and the guy there had once used just pipes at the rear and didn't recommend it. It's certainly doable, but a bit too loud. In his opinion, that is. He suggested a pair of smaller cans at the rear. Anyone have any experience of this if I should do an intermediate solution just over summer?
Old 06-21-2010, 01:44 PM
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Borla.......
Old 06-21-2010, 01:46 PM
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92ZR1WANNABE
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I'm a fan of corsas.

My car currently has Hooker shortie headers , no cats and the corsa catback.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC-Gm...eature=channel

1/4 run at firebird. It was late at night and the pits were dead quite, all you can hear is my car for the entire run. The C6 was whisper quite as it was all stock and sounded like a sewing machine.

Anyway the corsa setup is very mild under normal driving situations , I don't consider it to be too raspy , however I don't run cats so that may be part of it.

I have EM longtubes that are getting ready to go on along with the new motor shortly , so it will be interesting to see how much louder the car gets with a fresh high compression longblock , big cam and header swap.
Old 06-21-2010, 01:54 PM
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ajax6
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Originally Posted by 92ZR1WANNABE
I'm a fan of corsas.

My car currently has Hooker shortie headers , no cats and the corsa catback.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC-Gm...eature=channel

1/4 run at firebird. It was late at night and the pits were dead quite, all you can hear is my car for the entire run. The C6 was whisper quite as it was all stock and sounded like a sewing machine.

Anyway the corsa setup is very mild under normal driving situations , I don't consider it to be too raspy , however I don't run cats so that may be part of it.

I have EM longtubes that are getting ready to go on along with the new motor shortly , so it will be interesting to see how much louder the car gets with a fresh high compression longblock , big cam and header swap.
Man, that's one nice sounding system. Congrat's!!!!
Old 06-21-2010, 02:33 PM
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Originally Posted by coorslight
Borla.......
Borla does have the best sound but Corsa has no drone.I will someday have long tube headers with Borla mufflers
Old 06-22-2010, 07:37 AM
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Aurora40
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Originally Posted by ajax6
Just talked to a nearby shop and the guy there had once used just pipes at the rear and didn't recommend it. It's certainly doable, but a bit too loud. In his opinion, that is. He suggested a pair of smaller cans at the rear. Anyone have any experience of this if I should do an intermediate solution just over summer?
Plenty of people have muffler eliminators. I don't believe you'd need a shop to install them, should be fairly easy if you buy elims for an LT1/4. Exhaust sound is highly subjective. What is "too loud" to you?

FWIW, I replaced my mufflers with 3" Dynomax Ultraflows, and my resonator with an LT4 resonator (you wouldn't need to do that, but the early LT5 resonator was much smaller than the LT1/4 one). The sound was deep and rumbly, and I liked it a lot. Resonance was more than stock. Once I added headers, the resonance was unbearable, though.
Old 06-22-2010, 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Aurora40
Plenty of people have muffler eliminators. I don't believe you'd need a shop to install them, should be fairly easy if you buy elims for an LT1/4. Exhaust sound is highly subjective. What is "too loud" to you?

FWIW, I replaced my mufflers with 3" Dynomax Ultraflows, and my resonator with an LT4 resonator (you wouldn't need to do that, but the early LT5 resonator was much smaller than the LT1/4 one). The sound was deep and rumbly, and I liked it a lot. Resonance was more than stock. Once I added headers, the resonance was unbearable, though.
Got to exactly the same solution today. Gonna order come monday. Now it's off for Midsummer (which we take very seriousely here in Sweden )
Old 06-22-2010, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by 92ZR1WANNABE
I'm a fan of corsas.

My car currently has Hooker shortie headers , no cats and the corsa catback.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC-Gm...eature=channel

1/4 run at firebird. It was late at night and the pits were dead quite, all you can hear is my car for the entire run. The C6 was whisper quite as it was all stock and sounded like a sewing machine.

Anyway the corsa setup is very mild under normal driving situations , I don't consider it to be too raspy , however I don't run cats so that may be part of it.

I have EM longtubes that are getting ready to go on along with the new motor shortly , so it will be interesting to see how much louder the car gets with a fresh high compression longblock , big cam and header swap.

I'm a fan of the corsa. A little louder than borla but im young and don't mind being heard lol. That would be my choice if i swapped pipes. Heres another vid. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC0xx3U1ZZE
Old 06-22-2010, 09:21 PM
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ChrisLT1conv
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Can't help it. I like my stock setup on my 94 lt1. Cops dont look at it.
Old 06-22-2010, 09:33 PM
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tblt44
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CORSA

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Old 06-23-2010, 07:30 PM
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JAKE
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Originally Posted by ajax6
Thx. And agree - from what I've heard on different websites Corsa def sounds very raspy. Not what I want.

(Just my opinion, all Corsa owners!)
I suspect the sound reproduction you're hearing isn't spot on. My son has Corsa on his 96 and it definitely doesn't sound raspy. That's one reason why it's one of the most highly recommended systems.

If you REALLY want to know what a system sounds like, it's best to find a car with it installed and listen to it from different distances and angles.

No offense taken.

Jake
Old 06-23-2010, 07:51 PM
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techvette
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My car with Borla system:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfkvYorsF_M

Roommate's car with Corsa system and TPIS longtube headers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Si20_p3ubE
Old 06-23-2010, 08:00 PM
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RichS
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I really like the sound of mine with the Magnaflow 3" system on it now. I had eliminators, Dynomax mufflers, Corsa, and Corsa mufflers with the factory resonator. Drove a 96 with a Borla I installed and didn't care for it.

Best bet is to try and hear them all in person and make your own opinion. What one may like, others may think sound like crap.

Last edited by RichS; 06-23-2010 at 08:23 PM.


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