At first I was considering a shop install job for just patching up my totally rusted out and destroyed stock exhaust system from my 92 camaro. I dont really have much money right now, but I plan on keeping the car so going all out and replacing the entire exhaust seems to be the wisest choice rather than spending cash on the patch-up job and replacement of muffler/cat and the shop costs required that I'll just be getting rid of down the road if they last. Ok, now that my explanation is out of the way....on to the post.


I want a complete exhaust replacement, headers back. I have stock stuff in there now but the system broke off after the cat and I no longer have anything from the cat back. I'm on a budget, and I'm not looking for race power or something loud enough to give me a headache on my 2 hour commute everyday. Meaning, 2.5" pipes are perfectly fine for me with my stock 305 TBI. I want minimal shop help (if possible, no welding/cutting modifications). That being said, this is what I have in mind so far.

What I want:

Hooker 2460 headers. Can be had for 190 bucks. No reducer (can someone tell me why I need one?) and no y pipe. Can anyone give me a price that it cost them to have a y pipe made for these?
If the y pipe fabbing costs too much, the next best may be Pacesetter Headers: PSM-70-1336 - summitracing.com
300 bucks gets me the whole kit headers and y pipe and reducer and all the hardware ....but earliest shipping is next month.

I also need the pipe from the y pipe to the cat. Does everyone just get some generic pipe cut at a shop or what? I've not seen it in any kits I dont think. Is this included with the y-pipe?

Cat I was thinking a Catco direct fit, costs 105. It's 2.25" inlet, but that doesn't bother me as the bigger inlet cats cost significantly more.

From the cat back, I was thinking the system by dynomax.. Dynomax Super Turbo Exhaust Systems: WLK-17493 - summitracing.com
It's 170 so the price is right. 2.5"

By now I hope you get where I'm going with this. The questions about the hooker y pipe and the pipe from the headers to the cat are the most important. If anyone can give me some feedback on those I'd be really appreciative. Also any suggestions on better choices for roughly equal money would be very welcome as well.

If i go pacesetter, catco, dynomax, hardware will cost me about 575.
So that's pretty much my range for the entire exhaust system.

 

1. The cost of a custom Y-pipe fabrication depends on where you take it. Call up a few exhaust shops in your area and ask around. And you need reducers to go from (example) a 3" pipe to a 2.5" pipe.

2. The Y-pipe connects the headers directly to the cat. At least, it should.

3. I think Catco is a good brand. Make sure you get the proper inlet size to match up to the Y-pipe.

4. I have the Dynomax cat-back on my car, and I like it. Gives a nice little rumble without waking up the neighbors (unless you want it to )

If you get a Y-pipe that will fit up to the cat and the cat fits up to the cat-back system then you can do this all at home in one or two afternoons if you pace yourself. Good luck.

 

If the cat bolts directly to the y (supposed to any) then the reducers that come with the y pipe (since it has a 2.5" outlet) should be reducing it to the stock cat inlet size of 2.25", correct? Assuming it has reducers, like in the pacesetter package.

Also, one additional question about headers like the hooker 2460's and pacesetter. The stock spark plugs have some angled and some straight, some posts seem to suggest that straight plugs will hit the tubes of headers. I'm only concerned because I just bought these wires and i'm not sure of the cost of buying them individually from some place.

 

Yes the reducers should go from whatever size the Pacesetter Y-pipe is to the stock 2.25" size.

And you're going to have to get the headers on before you can really be sure if the plugs will hit or not. And if they do, then you'll just have to get new ones. You're going to spend $575 on a new exhaust, the cost of new wires should be the last thing on your mind.

*Edit* Also, you could just keep the 2.5" from the Y-pipe back to help flow a little more. Get a 2.5" cat and a 2.5" cat-back system and you'll be set.

 

I'd like to stay 2.5" the entire way, but the only 2.5" cat from catco I could find doesn't have an AIR tube, and I'm not sure how that will effect the emissions test that i'm still required to take. I looked at magnaflow too and also came up without AIR tubes.

 

No AIR tubes? That's odd. Don't know how to help you there. Maybe someone else will chime in and help.

*Edit* Here's a list of 2.5" catalytic converters with AIR tubes on Summit...

Catalytic Converters - summitracing.com

 

those are all universal, I was under the impression that universal fit cats are a pain to install, requiring cutting/welding and other such work. The cats I was looking at were all Direct fit.

 

As long as you get the right sizes (length, height, inlet diameter) then you should only have to worry about welding on a mounting bracket. Any half decent shop can do that. Again, hopefully someone else with more experience will chime in. And be aware that installing a completely new exhaust is going to be a pain in the *** no matter what. Nothing ever fits right.

 

The way it looks, if i get a 2.5" cat inlet and outlet, then i'll need to get a flange welded on to both the Y-pipe and the inlet/outlet of the cat (3 all together) since the inlet pipe of the cat will be the same size as the y, and wont be able to slip inside it. Most of the direct fit cats are 23" or more, but the universals are 16"

 

Good point...

 

I bought the cat back exhaust system I mentioned above. I also got the catco 2.25 -> 2.5 direct fit CAT. I'm tentative on getting headers and a new Y unless I come across a good deal, since I really dont need to replace those to pass inspection, and they would cost more than the rest of the exhaust system did.

So far the cost of the system shipped to my door is a little under 280.

 

Just to let you know, summit racing sells a y-pipe that is made to fit the hooker 2460 headers for around $200. Part number is HOK-16767HKR.

 

that's true, but at that price, the pacesetter setup beats it by almost 20%, which is why I was wondering if it was common or not to have a shop built Y be less than 200 bucks.