I bought some lm1s and got them installed last week with an x pipe. I really like the tone but they are just not quite loud enough. I'm thinking about ditching the cats to make it louder. I know it will make it a little more raspy but will it make it sound like crap? I don't mind some rasp but I don't want to ruin the whole sound of the car. How bad will the drone be as well? I've got a guy that will cut them out and replace them with tubing for $100. I'm holding off on headers for about a year because I'm getting a motorcycle and that will tie up some money for a while. I don't have to worry about emissions till April. I'm getting a vararam for Christmas so I'm going to get it tuned after that and tune out the rear o2s. Any imput is appreciated.
I ran a welded in x pipe and straight pipes for a while. It was loud but sounded amazing from outside the car. Keep the cats until you decide to do headers. Then go with a high flow catted system or catless. Be wary catless will have alot of rasp and high flow cats really clean up the sound and dont quiten the car too much.
First step in exhaust modding should be long tube headers, they sound so much better than cast iron manifolds and give you power along with the improved sound. Then start tinkering with the cat back, X-pipe and mufflers.
Although i did the xpipe/muffler mod first just because i wanted sound, i knew i wouldnt get the HP gains i would have from doing long tubes. Even though i probably gained 1hp, i love the sound. I can just imagine what long tubes will do to my setup lol
Not to mention i did the work myself. No way im going to tackle a header job after reading the "how to" lol. Plus worrying about breaking a bolt? No thanks.
After my car gets inspected around february im having long tubes installed though. I cant wait.
I had flowmaster 44s and a resonator delete, it sounded great and was pretty loud inside the car. Switched out the flowmasters with straight pipes, and put an X pipe in place of the resonator and it is much louder outside the car, but quieter inside the car somehow (might have to do with the X pipe). I've ordered electric cutouts and once they are installed, I expect the car to sound downright disrespectful...
You can't go wrong with straight pipes. Very cheap and efficient. If you do not like it you can always add an X or H pipe to tweak the sound (also very cheap). All in all you can have a very loud, nice sounding muscle car for about $250.
People like you are what kept me from doing straight pipes earlier. I've heard this over and over, but with the straight pipes and X pipe I only get compliments and questions on which full exhaust I've got. Sounds amazing. I'm sure without a crossover it wouldn't sound too great though, just loud.
On my 05 I had a decent came all long tubes high flow cats and lm1 cat back and it was one of the nicest sounding cars I ever heard and it was loud as hell.... sounded perfect and it DID NOT sound like straight pipes
thanks for all the input. I think I am going to keep it how it is until I can get headers and mids. now i just have to try and save close to $1000 for headers, mids and a tune. :bomb:
I was in the exact same predicament you were in. Had LM with X-pipe. "Wasn't loud enough" says me. Put Kook's SS LT's and catless mids on. "Ok way too loud and unbearable drone at 1900-2100 rpm" said me afterwards.
Don't do it. LM1 sounds pretty decent with the stock manifolds and resonater.