3.5 exhaust upgrade - help please
 

ok so im thinking of getting a magnaflow catback dual setup.

now this comes with the resonator, y-pipe, 2 muflers, 2 tips, and pipes needed up to the cat. all stainless, which i prefer.

now i want to get a high flow cat to go with it. can anyone tell me witch one fits??? do i need a downpipe???

now i know im not going to get that much power from this, but it will help acceleration, right??? by reliving back-pressure

i see highflow magnaflow stainless cats for 60-200. is there a difference?

thanks in advance. i just want to be educated b4 i talk to a muffler shop.

also this set is bolt on style, is it better to get them welded?

Honestly, on these wbodys the cat back is not terribly restrictive. So definitely don't buy all that stuff thinking about HP gains, buy it because it sounds best to you (even if that means staying stock).

Sure accel will improve a very very tiny bit, because you will be making a very very tiny bit more power- but your butt dyno will probably lie to you because its going to 'feel' faster because its so much louder.

lol butt dyno, no im not in it for the gains. well maybe for the cat.

so your saying that replacing the cat, with a high flow wont do anything.

also, i drive year round and want something that looks as good as it sounds. ive had two oem exhausts already, both rusted to heck already and the new one is making and annoying noise. so i want to go dual and with a quality [non gm] setup.

That's the best analogy I could think of for it- I was the same way back when I was 16 and first got my monte- I had the muffler removed and replaced with a glass pack and 4" tip, and had the resonator removed; I could've swore the thing was an easy second quicker in the 1/4- it was just so loud and felt so fast; of course then I went to the strip and it ran the same times and mph.


No, modern cats really aren't that restrictive. Not to mention, you're replacing a cat with a cat- its not like you're deleting it all together.

You rusted through two OEM exhaust systems? That seems crazy to me- I had over 100k on my old Impala as a year round daily driver and never rusted through the stock exhaust. Same with my old GTP- that had ~125k when I sold it, and it was still stock from the resonator back. Maybe you should go through a car wash with an underbody flush every now and then in the winter- and then make sure you hose it off well after winter is over.

when i get the money i will be getting anouther flowmaster muffler to have it a dual set up. having a better in and out for air to move on a engine can make a little better difference but not great difference you will notice some change but not alot. but you will notice some perks when you do the muffler up grade. as in people notice as well some smile that there is some growl witha vehicle that is known to be a granny vehicle.

oh i forgot the 3.5 we both have make good sound with a after market mufflers. i have no resenators most like them on i dont to me its anouther muffler. i would rather hear my car on then not to hear any thing at all.

i wash my car at least once a week, and take it throught the conveyor one with underbody every two weeks at least. its not that.


my first one was rusty as heck, so the dealer replaced with oem. the bill said it was 800 plus. 3 months after that i have this loud a** ping, i beleive coming from the resonator, maybe the cat. well they told me theres nothing wrong and its suppose to do that. somehow ive never heard any other car out there make the same noise at red lights, drivethoughs, and a double click when i take off.

somethings loose or clogged, i know it. i think when they replaced, they forgot some hanger or heatshield.

anyways, long story short i want to jack it up and cut everything off with a sawzaw. no lol

its funny i know i dont have the best engine, but it came with more ponys than the n/a 3800. it gets me around pretty good and when i stomp on it, she goes.

in my opinion a 3.5 is no where near as "grandma" as the 1.8,2.0,2.2 L engine. i know they are all weight proportional.

my friend has a 89 5.0 tans-am , well i drove it the other day and wasnt that impressed. i dont see why ppl think 100 horsepower is that much. i mean its nice for spinning the tires, but thats about it.

just my 2 cents: save your $$ go with just the magnaflow catback system. forget a "high flow" cat because as mentioned above, cats these days aren't that restrictive anyways. hp gains will be minimal if any but you will have a great sounding and great quality system.

i think a downpipe would help the 3.5L's in the hp department just like they do in the 3.8L's but i don't think there is one offered for the 3.5L. a good muffler shop could probably make one, but it wouldn't be cheap. not to mention it would probably throw a code or two in the ecu.

thanks drewskie, ya i dont have money for a theropist so i get my b****en out threw typing.

i was planning on just the cat back, but am not sure where this loose/clooged piece is in the system.