I need a little input on the "better" (subjective, I know!) exhaust setup for my 383 SuperRam in a 91 Formula.

My current setup uses SLP Tri-Y headers (ceramic coated by ACS before their screw-ups), feeding through 2.5 inch pipes from each of the collectors into dual 2.5" Catco cats, then merging into an unknown brand 3" mandrel bent cat back to a ProFlow muffler, then dual 2.5" pipes out of the muffler to the rear bumper.

A buddy of mine is getting ready to pull off a single cat Hooker 3" single catback system with a 3" MagnaFlow cat. I like the sound of his setup (much deeper, raspier, and louder - maybe almost too loud) and has offered to let me pick it up. Here's the problem:

I suspect the single cat system would actually be a hinderance to exhaust flow compared to my dual cats setup. Cross sectional area of a 3" pipe is considerably less than the sum of two 2.5" pipes. I "know" a little restriction helps the exhaust pulsing (I read NeedForSpeed's excellent post, and several others agree), but would I most likely see a decrease in performance with the smaller single cat system? Would I be better off to just get the Hooker muffler, or would I really even see a difference there?

I probably need to state this is a "street" car, fully emissions compliant (barely passed the sniffer!) with a non-functional EGR (heads not drilled), and a daily driver to boot. I plan to take it to the strip a couple of times for tuning and just to see how well it actually does, but it is not a race car per se.

I can measure the temps of the headers at the exhaust ports if that would help anyone make a recommendation.

I welcome any and all opinions and input on this. THe more experienced the voice, the better obviously.

Thanks in an advance from this 52 year old Phat Phart who never "grew up"...


- Vern

 

Does that mean another 2 years isn't going to do me any good...?

I think I'd adapt the cat-back to your dual cats. That shouldn't be too hard. Or, put the Hooker muffler in your current cat-back system.

 

That's kind of what I was thinking initially. So you don't think converting over to the single cat would be such a good idea?

And no -- another 2 years isn't likely to make much -- if any --- difference. At least we all hope not!!!!!

 

The duals will flow a little better. Since you already have them, I'd try to keep them. However, the 3" single wouldn't hurt a whole lot.

 

Thanks for the input!

Any other opinions or recommendations?

 

_

 

Any other inputs?

 

I'm also facing a similar dilemma - will duals sound better than a single 3"? And, for a 305, shoud I change to change to headers and change my y-pipe?