Just had the Hooker Catback installed at a local shop. Instead of using those huge *** tips that came with the kit, i opted for the dynomax turndown tailpipes.

As far as sound, at idle its pretty much identical to stock. Above 2k RPM you can notice that its alittle throatier, and at above 3k it seems even throatier. Honestly though, it doesnt sound much different than stock. Not sure if its because i have a stock LO3, or just beause it needs to break in (do hooker mufflers even get louder over time?).

As far as performance gain, as many have said, theres not gona be much to gain with the restrictive manifolds and cat still in place, but it felt slightly more powerful. I was able to break traction in a straight line, at about 15-20MPH which i dont believe i could do before. All in all, it was probably only a 5 HP gain.

As far as fitment, i cant speculate because i didnt put it on, but from what i understand, it went fairly smoothly. Everything fits, but its tight (with the bigger muffler and bigger I-pipe). It took the guy about 1 1/2 hours to install. The only fitment thing that bugs me is that the tailpipes are slightly off. The drivers side tailpipe sits slightly lower than the passengers side tailpipe. Now their turn downs so you dont really notice it unless u get under the car, but none the less it still bothers me.

Overall, I know its one of the more refined, tasteful systems, but at the moment its insanely quiet. Definately good for someone looking to add some performance while keeping their car quiet. I am happy with it..however i am still left wondering whether it will get alittle louder...

 

Ive been running my Hooker catback for about 2 months now. At first I also felt it sounded a little quiet. But after about 2 week I noticed a difference, and now it sound really nice. Just give it some time.

 

I have installed two hooker catbacks in the past 4 months (one on my brother's '91 bird with a stout bottom-end 350 with LT1 intake) and one on my '91 GTA. I was surprised by how quiet they are. Mine is starting to get a bit more tone it seems (dunno why) but its still pretty darn quiet. I kind of like it though, the idle is really quiet, but it still has some throat when you get into it. The fitment on these systems is superb, and I really love the 3-bolt collector flange on the muffler inlet--that will make it easy to remove the muffler/tailpipe assembly for things like fuel pumps. Hooker even has a custom "dent" right where the over-axle pipe runs next to the upper panhard brace... A nice little clearance touch I thought. I also didn't use the big tips the system came with... Got me some nice black chrome slant-cuts that aren't as aesthetically "loud".

Oh, and the Hooker 2055's I put on my car don't suck either. Real easy to install also (well, once you get all of the A.I.R stuff disconnected and out of the way).

 

Do any of you guys have a sound clip of your exhaust with ur hooker muffler? My cars mostly stock except for open element and an MSD ignition system, and im not sure if the exhaust is stock or if its a flowmaster, but anyways i bought a aerochamber thinking it would sound allot better. Does it sound better then a flowmaster?

 

It won't get noticably louder over time, what you hear is pretty much how it will always sound. I do suggest you let someone get in the car and whomp on the gas with it in park and you stand behind it, that way you can hear it outside the car. Inside the car usually isn't a very good listening spot.

Hookers are quiet with stock manifolds and cats, ditch all of that and you'll hear a bit more noise.

If he installed your tailpipes lop-sided, go make him redo it. It takes only a few minutes to realign them.

 

Nobody likes a hi-jacker(just messing........but seriously), anyways if you took the time to look to get under the car, forget that, flows are loud you should just know. But if you hard of hearing the muffler cases are stamped flowmaster, but i think its on the top, so if you look at the inlet and outlets the should be welded on to the casing itself, not just "pressed in" or a seam.

Throw the aerochamber on, it flows about twice as good as a stock piece, and a good deal better than a flowmaster too.

 

Im not trying to take over his thread, i just asked if the aerochamber sounds better than a flowmaster. I didnt ask how to tell if i have a flowmaster. Look for the question mark (jk )

 

Anything aftermarket sounds better than a flowmaster, imo.

 

i have dynomax turndowns on my flowmaster catback they look soooo much better.

 

when I used to run an aero chamber catback it was quiet for about a month then got pretty loud... got even louder when I gutted the cat. It was very quiet at first then go almost as loud as a blowmaster over time.

 

has anyone tried the single chamber 40series flowmaster. if so what do you think about them compaired to the areochamber. likes and dislike about each.
-MANNY

 

Honestly it's probably because you have a stock motor. Mine is pretty loud at anything above idle, and you can hear it for a longgg distance. The fact that your still running the stock manifolds and cat doesn't help either, it would prob sound alot better with a set of headers

 

I agree with Tuned Port. I was running a Dynomax st muffler with stock exhuast and it was rediculously quiet (lb9). After the edelbrock header install, it really livened up the sound alot especially with the tone. You can notice it has alot more of a "thump" sound if that's a good way to describe it which also makes it deeper in tone.

But like he said, the stock motor/manifolds will keep it quiet without a doubt. I'm sure the users with the L98's notice a different tone/sound than your
LO3 will produce. Have any pics of the install?

 

Over time I noticed a sound increase with my hooker cat-back. My initial responce was identical to yours but after a few months the car sounded far from stock. When I added a 3" cat it got even better and headers improved on things yet. You made a good choice. You will like it. It has a refined sound and itsn't obnoxious. This is perfect for a truck V8 that makes 170hp

 

Mines plently loud, and i used the *** tips, personally i like them. maybe you should try getting some power behind the motor to make some more noise. i have 2055's with no cat and Aerochamber back, plently loud for me.

 

i plan on getting some pics of the install up hopefully this weekend. Its been overcast here for a few days so pictures wouldnt turn out good.

AFTER 1 WEEK: It already seems as if the exhaust is getting slightly louder. It's tone is pretty much what everyone described it to me as, before i bought the catback. Its very deep and mellow at idle and cruising, but past 2500 RPM it seems to open up alittle bit. There also seems to be absolutely no resonence or drone ! Still very happy with my purchase...

 

where are you guys getting the dynomax turn downs and what size are they? are they just tips that bolt on? this might be better than having custom ones made..

 

Summit sells them...there like $36 each. They are direct fit tailpipes for any muffler with 2.5 inch outlets. They're also meant specifically for 3rd gens--meaning they completely stock.

summit part #'s: WLK-43244 and WLK-43243

 

 

my 3" y-pipe, no cat, into Flowdisaster's American Thunder catback is louder than my old dual 2.5" Hooker Aerochambers with turndowns underneath the car. Not only louder on the outside but louder on the inside as well. I hate it with a passion. Flowmasters sound good but the interior noise is just ridiculous... Its funny that a few feet of pipe, aerochambers, and turndowns right under the car is consideribly more quiet than a single exhaust with tailpipes INSIDE the car!

Not to mention you can see straight through hooker aerochambers ...cant say that for flowdisasters.

 

wow sweet! only problem is, my catback is a full 3 inch system. wonder if those can be expanded to fit a 3 inch muffler?

 

Most, if not all, 3 inch systems made for our cars come with dual 2.5 inch outlets. For example, my muffler has a 3 inch inlet from the I-pipe, but the muffler outlets are 2.5.

Few pics of the system. Lighting isnt that good, but it gives you an idea...

 

im just goin by memory but i believe i measured my exhaust tips they were 3 inch. and my memory also says they dont neck down to 2.5 before the muffler. now i could be wrong, and ill go measure it today to make sure. also remember that my catback is a bassani catback for a 4th gen and not a 3rd gen specific catbac.

 

well I must say amack, that exhaust does sound pretty good right about now...I have a bullet muffler with a cutout and I really like the way the car sounds, but I have been thinking of going for the Hooker system. If its not as loud as you want, you can always get a cutout....a cutout mized with any form of exhaust system will usually sound pretty deep and throaty.


With my cutout fully open in my car, it sounds really loud (almost like an SLP loudmouth Trans Am, I kid you not) however outside of the car, it sounds even better.

Over time though, a loudness of a car can get to you, but either way, its the performance one should be looking at and not the sound. But for me its both !

 

Me and a friend of mine (which may be a member) have both had Hooker catbacks. He heard mine at first and he wanted one for his car. My old'91 had a carbed 307 w/ a pretty decent cam (.488 lift hyd. flat tappet) and hedman shortys. It was pretty throaty. When he put the same setup, headers and all, on his car, it sounded nothing alike. He had a stock TPI 305. I think he was a lil disappointed.

 

Yep mine sounded WAYYY different than Raggedout91RS's car did. I didnt have the tips on the car. Might get a bit louder with time, but then Im gonna sell the car in a while. If I had to do a single muffler system again Inwould get Hooker again.

 

Oh and I forgot, I dyno'ed the car before and after.141hp/228tq before and 148hp/232tq. Not what I was hoping for in gains. Car was actually running lean before and richened up a bit after the exhaust.

Headman shorties, headman y-pipe, full 3" exhaust with hooker catback system .

 

The hooker areochamber muffler has a 3" inlet and dual 2.5" outlets. This is consistant with nearly every dual exit cat-back muffler designed for these cars. The tips that come with the kit have a 2.5" inlet and dual 3" outlets.



Hooker cat-back with Borla tips.

 

ya i knew the hooker was 2.5 inch outlet but what im sayin is my catback has 3 inch outlets. and im looking for exactly the same thing, just in 3 inch version.