Exhaust System or Just Muffler

[rmiller110]

Just a thought, but does it really pay to replace the exhaust from the cat back, with say a complete magnaflow system?

Could you achive the same result by just installing a magnaflow muffler?

 

[metro273]

If it was me, I'd do the entire catback! Just seems more proper and cooler than just a drop-in muffler! Then again, it also depends on your financial status!

 

[Sepiroth]

Just yesterday I went to a couple exhaust shops. I told them I wanted something louder. I got a whole school lesson from one guy.

He went on and on trying to get me to go cat back, I was assuming. One in particular was the flowmaster setup for my Burban. But the kit he showed me came with a resonator. I'm like WTF would I need a resonator for, I think of a resonator as another muffler. He told me it was to keep drone down.

We looked at Magnaflow and they did not have a resonator on their setup.
I walked out of there unhappy.

Then I went to an exhaust shop accross the street and was told they can do a flowmaster delta-flow 50 series for 180.

I have an issue though. What if any amount do you who have installed exhaust have?

 

[rmiller110]

So what does it really matter what it looks like under the truck, not to many people I know crawl under and take a look. So being "cool" really doesn't matter.

My bigger question, is there a real benefit to using the entire system, or will dropping in just the muffler give the same affect?

 

[Jeremy_K]

So what does it really matter what it looks like under the truck, not to many people I know crawl under and take a look. So being "cool" really doesn't matter.

My bigger question, is there a real benefit to using the entire system, or will dropping in just the muffler give the same affect?

From what I've seen underneath, the stock piping is adequate in diameter. I would think replacing just the muffler would change the tone. I've been looking at the Flowmaster kit with the two tips swept to the sides and the 50 series muffler. 180 is a smokin deal if that's the same kit installed. I can't find it on Ebay for less than 360 shipped. I've been driving 6 bangers for so long that I'm happy with the stock exhaust!

 

[Blackout]

I have the Magnaflow catback on mine without the resonator and it does't drone at all, still really quiet on the inside until you step on it, then it sounds menacing. The pipe looks like 3 1/2", not sure of the stock size.

 

[StylerG]

went to a shop today to price out a new muffler (from what i've read cat-back isnt that much of a difference) and the guy told me that performance wise i wouldnt gain anything by going to an aftermarket muffler-said the stock setup was perfectly fine for flow. Is this guy full of it??? I just ordered my AEM intake and soon will be getting my tune from blackbear-a muffler is going to make a difference in this correct? I was targeting the magnaflow 22" that they include in the catback kits and possibly a dual tip. Should i go ahead with this at another shop of course or is there some truth to this?

 

[thdrill]

Personally I just replaced the stock muffler with a Magnaflow muffler about 9 months ago. Love the full body sound it gives when I step on the gas, but at idle/constant speed there is no drone unless you maintain the RPMs around 2200-2500 (must be a sweet spot for the muffler's resonance). Anyway when I asked about the catback vs stock replacement at the muffler shop the tech said that the diameter of the stock pipe is more than sufficient for free air flow. It is more the design of the GM muffler and resonator that cause the restrictions so for me at the time the slight gains weren't worth the cost. I just had him take the muffler and resonator off and replaced with the Magnaflow. In other conversations I heard the same - stock tube is sufficient and if you want marked improvement to replace the headers...not financially feasible at present

 

[RenegadeTahoe]

I wonder if some of our performance experts could throw in some ideas? I was wondering the same thing... the stock pipe looks to be 2.5, maybe bigger... should be plenty. I could handle a muffler and tip a LOT easier than a full cat-back. I'm not willing to sacrifice the benefits, though.

 

[Nnaboy]

Though I have an 07 I can help a little bit on this topic.
Total Install Price was about $300
When I had my catbcak done I went with the Magnaflow 22" Polished stainless muffler with a dual walled Magnaflow tip.
I then went up to the local exhaust shop and had the guy saw off my muffler and the rear resonator which is the ugly muffler sticking out the back of 07-Up Tahoes.
He then installed the Magnaflow Muffler, added some pipe to replace the resonator and painted all the Cat-back piping black with High Temp Flat Black paint under my request.
The setup is perfect, gained a throaty sound at cold starts and a good purr at about 20-40MPH, at 60MPH the sound is still a litttle more noticable and better than stock but not loun or annoying at all, NO DRONE AT ALL.
Also got about 10HP and 10Torque, about 2MPG or about 50 more miles a tank, and the tip comes out from the rear left corner giving the truck a good look.
My pipes are 2.75 in diameter and yalls Gen Tahoes are I think 3in, but Boostaholic and JKMotorsports can verify for sure.

And Sepiroth, only the 50 series Delta from Flowmaster will give you noticable sounds gains, the other won't!

 

[mary900]

I had my muffler shop get rid of the resonator and had a tip stainless tip installed. I was afraid of the drone because of all the highway miles I drive. It's slightly louder than stock but that's all I wanted.

 

[RenegadeTahoe]

Is this the muffler you're talking about?

http://www.jegs.com/i/Magnaflow/642/12588/10002/-1/751042|10265

It looks like the right fit. I just looked at my current muffler and saw that it was dual out... is it 2.5"? The ending pipe is 3"... is that right?

 

[Black Dog]

I think you could do this way just fine, but just remember that you probably want to replace the resonator with pipe, so it's a bit more than just the can itself. On mine the flex joint forward of the can looked the same as the old one, but even if it was bigger, what would be the benefit if the y-pipe is a smaller diameter anyway? If anything I don't want it to get wider half way through the system, I want the scavenging to maintain velocity from one end to the other, especially since it seems these stock pipe diameters are more than adequate these days.

 

[bunkleman21]

I put mine up on the lift and cut out the old muffler with a sawzall and was thrown for one hell of a loop when I caught the old muffler. That thing is like 45-50 lbs. That is where the constriction is happening. You will get close to the same result from just doing the muffler as opposed to the whole cat-back. I swapped it out for a flowmaster super 40 and used the same pipe. The stock exhaust pipe has more than sufficient flow for 300-350 horsepower. http://www.angelfire.com/my/fan/Exhaust_Pipe_Size.htm
Unless you are looking for that last tenth of a second in a 1/4 mile a muffler swap will be plenty. (if you are pull the cats too)

Also I dont know where you are located but here in Wisconsin exhaust pipes rust and fall off regularly due to the large amounts of salt on the roads in the wintertime, so if you do go catback, get the stainless for the extra money and you wont have to replace it.

 

[Big Tap]

I just ordered my Maggie last week. I ordered just the muffler and not the whole cat-back system. Does anyone have any pictures of the underside of their set-up installed? I can't go outside and look at this since my Tahoe is at the body shop, but where exactly is the resonator in the stock set-up?

 

[oomindwarpoo]

What's the stock size piping?

I'm thinking about getting the magnaflow catback system..
Magnaflow catback system is 3" stainless all the way back with a 4" tip.

 

[thdrill]

I believe its 2.5" from headers to muffler with 3" tip

 

[tybardy]

I put mine up on the lift and cut out the old muffler with a sawzall and was thrown for one hell of a loop when I caught the old muffler. That thing is like 45-50 lbs. That is where the constriction is happening. You will get close to the same result from just doing the muffler as opposed to the whole cat-back. I swapped it out for a flowmaster super 40 and used the same pipe. The stock exhaust pipe has more than sufficient flow for 300-350 horsepower. http://www.angelfire.com/my/fan/Exhaust_Pipe_Size.htm
Unless you are looking for that last tenth of a second in a 1/4 mile a muffler swap will be plenty. (if you are pull the cats too)

Also I dont know where you are located but here in Wisconsin exhaust pipes rust and fall off regularly due to the large amounts of salt on the roads in the wintertime, so if you do go catback, get the stainless for the extra money and you wont have to replace it.

No one can seem to give a 100% certain answer on the diameter of the stock pipes. What is Dia. going in and the Dia. on the 2 pipes going out? Figured i would ask you since you have already done this.

 

[RenegadeTahoe]

3" pipes all the way through.... 3" center-in... dual 3" out that "Y" into a single pipe to the tailpipe.

 

[tybardy]

3" pipes all the way through.... 3" center-in... dual 3" out that "Y" into a single pipe to the tailpipe.

Yes, I crawled underneath to get a good look at things under there and I thought the dual 3" into one 3" coming out of the muffler seemed both odd and inefficient. It seems like this setup (2-into-1 exit pipes) would restrict air flow, anybody have some solid info on this? Im no engineer and I am sure the good people at General Motors know what they are doing when they build a car but what results/findings does anyone else have?