hey guys, i have a 00 monte and Im looking for the loudest exhaust possible.... I would like it to be 3" and it must have a cat .... I dont need mufflers and I dont care what metal its made from, but I also dont want to pay 1000 bucks either! Im up for suggestions! Thanks!

 

Well I would look for some new headers to start( might as well work your way back) then get a new downpipe(old one is pretty restrictive) since your keeping your cat you can leave that on there, the I would take everything off from there. Replace it nice stainless steel pipes if your going to keep the car a while( look much better), since you want a loud set up have you thought about putting side pipes? I've never seen a monte of that year, and personally think they would look nice if you got the right set. But there are so many options for you. You should check out youtube and see what sounds the best to you.

Which engine do you have btw?

 

hi and welcome to the MCF. we're always happy to offer our opinions cuz we all think we know it all, haha jk. do you want the LOUDEST possible exhaust or the best sounding? they usually don't go hand in hand. also, 3" is a little big for NA cars, unless you added a supercharger. 2.5" is just about right for an NA car. you can still get it loud with a 2.5" and it will keep the right amount of backpressure to keep that low end torque.

however, the cheapest and loudest choice would be a catback dual glasspack setup if you want to have a muffler of some kind, otherwise there are some on the forum who have straight pipes too. the next step would be to get headers and a down pipe.

all these are just suggestions and you can do whatever you want. hit up the search tool to see what works best for everyone.

 

I have the 3.8 non supercharged. I feel ya on the headers, but all the reviews I have read about the ones out right now seem that the dont seal up right. I have thought about side pipes, but the car is to low and Im putting airbags on it next year so it really wouldnt work. As for loudness, I dont drive it much (only to shows) so I would like it loud. no mufflers and A new DP with a high flow cat. Thanks!

 

Sounds like you want the loudest, cheapest thing possible.

Buy a 2.5" downpipe (or 3" if you're dead set on it for some odd reason) with a high flow cat. Take it to an exhaust shop and have them either weld a turn down on the end of that, or weld a turn down to the end of a matching flange and bolt it to that. That way when you bolt your downpipe/cat on, you'll be done.

If you're not going to run any mufflers/resonator anyways, and just want it as loud and cheap as possible- that seems the be the easiest way IMO.

 

if ya want loud id say headers...dp...highflow cat...turn down..want it a little muffled throw a cherry bomb on there..and a turn down

 

IMO doing this is going to sound like crap.

Our v6's don't take well to being loud. And I would think about doing an electric cut-out, so you can choose to be loud when you want and when you are driving and need quiet you can throw the exhaust back to the mufflers. Then it doesn't matter what mufflers you have, just a nice set of tips for the show.

 

Couldn't agree with you more. The standard Flowmasters that everybody around here has on the pickups are great for V8s but sound terrible on 4 or 6 cylinder cars.

I have had headers put on several other cars, Mustangs/Camaros, and don't recal them making the car any "louder". Pulling the resonator out and going with glasspacks with definitely make it loud, but pretty crappy sounding as well.

 

SLP makes an exhaust kit called the SLP Loudmouth 2. I saw a LM1 on a 2000 V6 Camaro (same engine as our Montes) it was pretty loud, but raspy...almost sounded ricey, but the LM2 has bullet mufflers which reduces the rasp I believe. Anyway, the SLP Loudmouth is the loudest exhaust I've seen, costs around $500. It might be loud, but I don't know if I'd say they sound great.

 

if your going for loud, forget mufflers altogether.
your looking for a glasspack and a cat with a pipe. thats it.