wewing

too. I run little over 500rwhp and have magnaflow high flow cats in the h-pipe, and don't feel the need to go without.

Of course my house cat is blocking my computer right now, so maybe I could do without that.

juicedvette

What is the rwhp of a x-pipe vs cats?

HuskerBullet

Wow, I'm glad I saw this thread before I purchased some headers. I was actually thinking of getting them without the cats; just changed my mind, thanks!

oneblackvette

Without cats will burn your eyes at every stop sign. Hp cat verse non cat was 5 hp on my car. Yes I learned the hard way. Kooks X-pipe FS.......

PowerLabs

It depends on how much power you are making and what your header/exhaust setup is exactly. Typically about 3-5rwhp.

Prodago

Where can I get these hi-flow cats? are they pretty easy to install? do they bolt on like the h-pipe and over the axle mufflers??
thanks
John

Ragtop 99

Do you have headers now or are you looking to replace the factory units? Random Technologies makes a good cat if you are just buying cats stand-alone. If you have headers, I'd just pick up a new X pipe from your manufacturer and sell the off-road version.

Prodago

I have stock headers and, for the moment, plan on keeping it that way. I'm planning on buying just the hi-flow cats. I went to random technologies and they offered a z06 version, but I didn't see where they offered the ones for just a C6.

hognutz

Catless will give some more fuel smell and some more exhaust volume. it is also illegal but where I live I don't know how you would ever get caught. I have had my mustang catless since I bought it in 01 and it sounds agressive and cops never say anything.

If you have a nice exhaust the car will sound great but depending on what you think loud is some will like it some won't.

if you exhaust is tight the fuel smell will be livable but windows down at a stop light you willmost likely smell it. I mean I grew up driving carburated uncated camaro's, chevelle's, etc and it never bothered me.

On this car I went borla stingers because i am going to keep the cats on this car. my mentality on this car is it is a more $$$ care and I am just going to keep it all legal.

Cats are a consumable they they do go bad. on my mustang (which had 4 them) I was happy to get rid of them. it cost half what my vette did though and money was more of an issue when i bought it.

tlaselva

I've gone both ways with my Kooks.

I'll never go catless again. Power difference was only 3 to 5hp, and only in the last 1K. Not worth the negative side-effects of going catless IMO.

Prodago

has anyone gone with the random technologies? My 05 cats are flanged on both ends. The ones that I've found on Random's site are straight pipe on both ends.

PowerLabs

I had Random Tech in a previous vehicle. THey worked great. There were some issues with their earlier cats rattling because they were a ceramic matrix, so they switched to metal matrix and have been trouble free as far as I know.

3 Z06ZR1

FireFalcon

I had a 2001 SLP Camaro without cats, I bought it from the dealer that way. So obviously, if your state doesn't perform smog checks, legality doesn't come into play. As for the smell everyone keeps crying about I actually love the smell. It's what real cars smell like. Anyone that says it makes their eyes water/hurt is either weak or lying, you get more fumes putting gas into your car. As for the sound level, it wasn't a noticeable difference. The only difference, a slight, but noticeable smell, and really the environment, which is also slight.


---Matthew Hicks

CubanMissile

I have tried cat and catless. On my C5 first and then on my C6, both supercharged cars. The C5 picked up .5lb of boost without the cats and it sounded like a Harley on steroids with a B&B exhaust. The C6 had racing cats and Borla exhaust installed at the time the ProCharger was installed so I couldn't tell if the hi flow cats affected the boost; the sound is very civilized and much,much more enjoyable to cruise in than the C5. I also have a Ford that we just took off the cats and the sound difference was huge, you can hear it for 2 blocks when it pulls off the driveway. I won't go catless again unless it is a car dedicated to racing, not worth it power wise.

Prodago

I'm strictly interested in sound. I am going to go with hi-flow cats. I want you guys/gals opions. My current setup is b&b x-pipe and bullets. So my question is this:
will changing out my cats to hi-flow make a pretty difference in sound? I'm looking for very loud.
Also if you've put hi-flow cats on can you please give me the links so I can price. the one I saw on random didn't have flanges like our stock ones.
Any suggestions are appreciated. I'm also trying to beef up my Roush's sound you'd think adding $25K to a car they'd at least make it sound nasty. Now wait a minute.....I hate the stangs too, but it's a means to an end....wifey has murano and viiper (never drives). Wifey talked about getting saleen, then we came upon a roush. Moral = happy wife = happy hubby. So I'm selling both of her current vehicles so she can now have a daily driver....she never saw it coming. muahahahaha

MrDrezzUp

Even if the driver does not mind the stench of cat-less exhaust, often your passengers do. I had a friend in my car freak out as he was sure there was some bizarre exhaust leak in the car and that we were going to die from it. lol. It is difficult to explain the "it is just the cat-less exhaust you are smelling from the last red light we stopped at" to a non car person.

I also had times where someone would walk up to the driver window to chat while I had the car idling., the wind would change direction and when the cat-less exhaust fumes made their way forward the person I was talking to would have a look on their face like someone just farted really bad.

All of that being said, adding cats to my last car did indeed reduce the decibel rating of my exhaust and that was a bummer. Before cats I would set off car alarms on a regular basis. After the cats I would only set off a car alarm about once a month.

alamo1974

I am getting cats on my ARH. Don't need the extra noise.

MrDrezzUp

If a person does not need the extra volume then getting cats is the way to go.

To summarize "cats or not...": I would only suggest not going cats if all of the following are true:
- You don't care about the environment.
- You don't mind the stench.
- You are OK with the possible legal ramifications
- You want your exhaust to be louder than it already is.

The power difference is moot.

gtorwalt

I have spent a great deal of time running 6 second cars. In these cars we look for every .1 hp within rules of class we are running. I would venture to say that very few, if any, of C6 buyers use there vette to even close to it's potential. If you are, you are on the track. Useing the stock power for more than a very short burst or launch will scare the majority of vette owners today. Yeah it feels good when you do but you are not going to feel the 3 hp you may get from going catless, so as said earlier the power is a moot issue.
Negatives:
Noisier, the drone inside will get to you.
Smell bad. Oh yeah, you won't like it long. Smelly clothes, car, wife, girl friend etc.
Bad for enviro
Illeagal
Positives.
??????
Go hi flo cats, you'll be glad