Hey guys, I'm new to the board and was wondering what you guys think of the Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust 2 1/2" I bought it from summitracing.com for $340.90 (shipping included). Should be expecting it for Tuesday. I'm looking for a louder sound...but not too loud, but more of the "rumble" sound. Like a moderately loud rumble. I asked this of the operator and they said that that's what it'll do. Was wondering the opinion of others. I wanted to get a Borla, but I heard them on 3rd generations and I didn't really like it (especially the tips) and they didn't have ones that fit without modifications.
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Here's a picture of what it'll look like....

 

Sure that's not a 3" system there?, for your sake I hope so, if not you wasted your money.

It should sound nice though.

But that pic does look 2.5'' to me.

 

so you're saying its not worth it...any other ideas from other people...if thats the case, which system should I get, I didn't see a 3" one for my car.

 

Summit and jegs sells plenty of systems for your car in 3''. If I'm not mistaken the factory 305tpi exhaust is 2.5'' so really you're just buy a stock replacement with a better muffler.

I got my hooker cat-back for $200 from jegs, 3'' , but needed some fab work. Or you could get the $260 one that bolts right up.

Sound clip in my sig.

 

Ouch man cancel the order. Flowmaster systems can be had for about 230$ and they are 3''. If I was you id get a hooker catback...can be had for as little as 200$

 

I recall your recent thread from the tech board, you have an L03, which is I believe 2.25'' exhaust, so that Flowmaster will be a little bit of an improvement, but still I'd cancel the order and get a 3'' cat-back.

 

okay so in other words i'd just be getting exhaust tubing that is a quarter inch bigger than my current one, and plus muffler? well...like i said in my first post, i dont want my system to be ridiculously loud, i just want a nice rumble that isn't loud all the time. 1.) so will i not be able to acheive this through my current purchse 2.)will the upgrade to 3" acheive what i want, and not be very loud and obnoxious? 3.) most importantly, will it fit my catalytic converter, i'm not sure of the size of it, but if i do get the 3" will it fit, or will i have to buy some adapter?

 

A 3'' will not be overly loud on your setup, and I bet would be more to your liking.

You can get a 3'' that bolts directly to your cat, but I'd suggest to get the Hooker cat-back, and with the money saved over teh Flowmaster you just bought, you could buy a hi flo cat. That should give you more HP and a bit better sound.

 

i just had my cat replaced a week ago

 

LOL, it's ok, you can still get the Hooker cat-back that will bolt up to it, I assume you got a stock replacement one?

 

yup, not sure about the size though, gonna have to measure it, probably 2 1/4" but i went to summit now and found a hooker:


Specifications:
* Intermediate pipe: 3 in.
* Tail pipe diameter: 2 1/2 in.
* Dual tail pipes out the rear under the bumper
* Does not fit dual catalytic converter vehicles
* Fits with engine codes G,F and 8

However I still see it has 2 1/2" piping

 

not too crazy about the tips either

 

See how the intermediate pipe is 3''? that's the important part, the tail pipes only being 2.5'' is fine.

here's a pic of the tips on my car.

 

Stick with the flowmaster if you want a nice deep rumble. Just get the 3' one.


It has better tips too.



http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=19077

 

I would save a few bucks and get the hooker catback...thats what i'm getting

 

hmmmm i have brought up that point before but always got the same response.....*your exhaust only flows as well as the smallest diameter of the pipe...whether it be in the front, or the rear* that being said, a 3" I-pipe would mean squat with a 2.5" outlet muffler.


*psssst* stick with the flowmaster

 

Noooo, that's really only the case from the header size all the way to the I pipe size, tail pipes aren't where you see performance gains.

 

 

trust me u will like it i just got one done to mine to, for 3 day i never really listened to the music just the sound and i had a huge grin on my face, u and people will see your car in a whole new why now, well when its an anyway. thst just my view.

 

PEOPLE , PEOPLE PEOPLE, look at that above Flowmaster, it seems to be only a 2.5'' I pipe. The same size on a stock TPI 3rd Gen, do yourself a favor cancel the order, get a 3'' flowmaster cat-back, stick with the FLOW is you want, but I'm saying just get a 3'' pipe.

 

Yes, Listen to Mark, get the 3" exhaust.

 

i made my decision, sorry to all you guys....i will stick with the 2 1/2" flowmaster b/c...i just feel it looks a lot better than the 3" in general, i drew out the circle on the paper, and i just couldn't picture it on the back of my car...i dont want my car to be some mean badass machine, because it's far from it with my current funding...i dont want to go crazy on it, its a first car, and it would just look out of place, the 2 1/2" looks nice coming out the back, 3" i think is pushing it...also wouldn't like the lower ground clearance, like i said in my original post i don't wanna get too crazy with this, a nice little rumble will suite me fine, however thanks for all your help guys i really appreciate it however...hoping my mom will get her jeep soon so i can take control of the 99' TA i'll let you guys know whats up with my car, i'll take some pictures when i'll get it done, thanx again guys.

 

Definetly wont be to loud. I have true duals wirg longtubes, no cats, and 2 2 chamber flows and its not TO loud...its loud but it isnt that bad. Im about to switch back to single tho...TES headers and a 3'' hooker catback.

High flow cat?!?!??!? You mean a piece of pipe

 

lol man, for the sake of every z28 owner out there, please cancel and get the 3"...you will be MUCH happier in the future. You wont regret it, it flows better and will sound a tad better too. Do it Do it Do it Do it Do it Do it Do it Do it Do it !!!

 

I wish I would have bought a 3'' system my first time around...first time i paid 260 bucks for a crappy flowmaster system from the local place...I wonder why they gave me a jar of vasaline with my purchase???

 

I have the 80 Series Flowmaster with 3in inlet/dual 3in outlets and it has a nice deep rumble from my 305TBI. It will sound even more deeper once I put a new 350w/LT4 cam from SPC2000.com before Summer 2003 unless I found a job being MCSA real soon.

 

At least cancel the order, save yourself $200 and go to a j-yard and rip off the I pipe on a TPI car and buy the muffler, that's all your getting.

oh well, your choice.

 

I Got My 3" Flowmaster with Stainless Steel Slant Cut Tips From This Mexican Muffler Shop, and it was 180 installed.
Welded everything in too

 

I'd cancel and go with a 3" in kit of some sort too. Although, that 2.5 will flow alot better than stock. This way, you get Mandrel bent pipes, and a freer flowing muffler. However, on the other side of things, a 3in will outflow a 2.5 by quite a bit, I read somewhere that a single 3" kit will flow as good and in some cases better than dual 2.5's. That may have been incorrect, but if that is true, then, I think you see why everyone is telling you that you need to go with a 3in kit. You will probably be happy if you go with the 3in, and in the future if you decide to do more work on your car and make some power. The 2.5in kit would have to be replaced to. Just my 2cents.


Tim:rockon:

 

Actually 3'' single is almost the equivalent to dual 2.25''s, 2.5'' duals will out flow a single 3''.

 

I may have read this post wrong but, the poster, 1989TranAm, seems to be getting confused on the outlet pipe size as opposed to the I-pipe- size.

A 3" cat back will have 2½" outlet pipes off the muffler regardless of 2½" I-pipe or 3" I-pipe.

A 3" cat back system doesn't mean the tips are 3" as well or, in the case of the Hooker system, it doesn't have 4 - 3" tips, Mark would know best but, I'd assume the Hooker quad-tips are 2"-2½" tubes off 2½" muffler outlet pipes at best, not 4 - 3" tips off 3" pipe. That probalby cleared nothing up at all...

 

^^ The Hooker tail pipes are 2.5'' into the tips which each tip is 3'', there being 4 of them.

 

Hmm.. guess I didn't look at that picture of the Hooker exhaust close enough At a quick glance, the tips appeared as 4 - 2½ tips, not 4 3" tips which, is a little excessive.

 

anybody have a picture of a 89 trans am with 3"...i wanna see...i called summit, they said that I can send it back as soon as i get it and exchange it with the 3, but i wanna see what it looks like first, i dont wanna get something that looks out of place on the back, i don't wanna over-do-it, so if somebody has a picture i'd appreciate it

 

It will look fine, trust me.

 

Just to warn you, the tips that come with it are chrome, and any type of chrome is prone to rust, so be sure to keep them waxed. Or just buy any tips you want.

 

No, the tips on the Flowmaster American Thunder are Stainless Steel.

The AT system I have, looks exactly like the one pictured above. It is 3" throughout, and that includes the outlets from the muffler. The system has a 3" I-pipe, a muffler with a 3" in and two 3" outlets, and two 3" tailpipes.

I didn't even know that they made a 2 1/2" American Thunder system, but whatever.... As most have stated, if you are going to spend that much money, go with the 3" system. People likely won't even notice the difference in the size of the tips, the muffler is the same aside from inlet/outlet size, and you can't really see the intermediate pipe.

But come-on....... At-ease that talk about over doing it people. No such thing in this subject. There is also no reason to worry about people thinking you are making more power than you really are - and if they do, that's their problem.

Either way, it will be a huge improvement over the factory crimp-bent system, with poop-muffler, in flow abilities and sound. You will definately like it.

Here's a pic:



And here is what it sounds like:

Flowmaster AT

The sound clip is a little distorted, but eh........

 

I was talking about the Hooker cat-back.

 

here is a 3" tip.....they look fine, just get the 3" system

 

Yes the american thunder wil give you a nice rumble..but..was just to quiet for "my" taste. My 92z has the borla and you can hear me coming for sure..lol...in the end your choice...I like the borla but I know flowmaster makes something that might sound a touch meaner...check it out..and goodluck.

 

well i got my flowmaster today....but its not the one i ordered...they sent me a 3" system instead of the 2 1/2" makes most of you happy...i opened the box, took a look, and sorta held it under my car, its not that bad, i'll stick with it. i'm taking it tomorrow to my mechanic where he'll hopefully finish it by tomorrow afternoon i'll post pics of it as soon as it's done, and its a nice day. thanx for all your support guys

 

Nice!! .......

Sounds like Summit was lookin out for ya .....

 

ROTFL At least they sent you the right system

Got those pics yet of they system installed?

 

all i have to say is wow....it looks amazing, thanks for looking after me guys, it looks and sounds amazing...i'll have the pictures probably on friday or saturday, as soon as the snow goes away, but thanks again guys

 

Glad to hear you're happy with it.

 

Mark you lost some commission on that one.

That was nice of them to send the 3in. set-up. Good choice BTW.

 

I have this exact exhaust on my 86 z28. Accept it's 3". You should get the three inch. It's really worth it. The only problem you might have is that your cat converter won't match up with it.
So you will either need to get a new (which isn't a bad idea) or have an adapter welded on.

It's an awsome exhaust though

 

I put a 3" cat back system on my camaro and it has 2 3 1/2" angle cut tips it looks sweet. It also runs way better. I also didnt but the cat back kit from flowmaster mine was custom so that might make a difference. I kind of wish it was louder but its okay performance comes first.

 

TBI305Camaro
Where can you get a flowmaster system for $230. PM me with the vendor please.

 

I know how you can get one for $275...pm me if you want to know how.