ironworkerlu21

Soooooo......I'm thinkin about going with a whole new exhaust, from the header back as well as a superchips programmer and a new intake. The only mod that concerns me as far as throwin codes would be the header back exhaust.

Banks makes a whole system like they usually do, but their headers bolt into the cat, where as far as i can tell, the Borla headers delete the cat....for offroad use only, of course.....

Anyone install the Borla's yet, i did a search and came up with nada. If not i'll be the first in a week or so.

JPop

OK, you just became my new hero for the week.

While I am definitely intrigued by the Borla long tubes, I have bi-annual inspections I need to deal with. So no cats is a non-mover for me.

Looking at the Borla long tube design, it seems very possible to get some after markets cats in there. Still need to get the downstream O2 sensor bungs placed elsewhere, or forego any cats at all. Don't know what your thoughts are on that one, and if you can get away without them in your locality.

I would also place a call to Superchips for some pre-sales tech support. It is stated in their manual that they don't support long tube headers. I'm not sure if this is because the only product out there omits the cats, or there is some other rationale. Superchips definitely aims to be 100% CARB compliant, so I'm sure they haven't done any testing without cats.

In my experience with shorties, they definitely leaned out the engine with both the stock PCM or the Hypertech MaxEnergy. The solution there was to bump up to higher octane fuels beyond what the Hypertech called for or the stock PCM. I ran 93/94 with the Hypertech 91 tune, and 91 with the stock PCM. I don't have that issue with the Superchips.

There have also been some others who have cooked plug wires when using headers. I have not had this problem as I had my headers heat barrier coated inside and out with Black Satin. The combination of running lean, more and more ethanol being added to gas will definitely raise EGT, so I would definitely get them coated by an aftermarket company with something like CermaKrome or Black Satin. Additionally, this is going to drastically reduce under hood temperatures, leading to cooler air in and more exhaust velocity out.

As for the rest of the exhaust, and despite not going that direction I really like the relocation gig and the Woods solution for getting it done at a reasonable price. Chambered mufflers such as the flowmasters have their fans for the sound, but pass through mufflers such as the Magnaflow will perform better. I would have loved to have heat barrier coated my whole exhaust to keep more heat off the floor boards and out of the passenger compartment, but keeping the stock Y pipe in the mix didn't seem to make that a worthwhile venture.

I hope that helps and I'll be staying tuned for your results and which direction you go.

ironworkerlu21

Thanks for the insight jpop. My only experiences with changing full exhausts has been on diesel trucks, so this is my first gasser and the leaning out was high on my list of possible issues. In nebraska we don't have regular vehicle inspections we have to pass so i've always deleted the cats on my diesels, this is a whole new beast for me.

The more i think about it the more i lean, no pun intended, toward the banks system. Due to it's completeness and the use of the cat's. Banks whole system which include's: Header's
Cat back exhaust
Cold air intake
All that for about 1500 bucks, shipped.

Borla's Headers and cat back only run about 1600, not shipped. So the debate inside my head rages on....... None the less i will keep you posted.