Z/28 Exhaust Inquiry

[pzero]

Originally Posted by Yessa

It's difficult to understand how (or why) the LS7 does not have H. Also, is the stock exhaust mandrel bent all the way out to the mufflers?

My Z/28 is stock but always felt the LS7 was meant for headers and full open mandrel bent pipes to the mufflers.

Are the Mufflers fairly open?

Which Cat-back and Headers are the most popular for the Z/28?

I want a little more sound -- 10-30 more horses.

My fuse is not pulled.

FYI: I did 1-7/8" Kooks LT headers. Other options are American Racing headers or Texas Speed Headers. This will depend on your budget, but I took the one in the middle of price range Kooks.

I would get rid of the stock exhaust manifold, it's heavy and more like cast iron with rough edges inside and out.

I deleted the resonator and the cats and went with straight pipes (off road).

I used the stock H pipe in the middle so I can get that old school choppy sound. You can go with X pipes in the middle but it will change the sound to more like Euro hot rod.

I used the stock muffler, it's well made and has the flap control with fuse in or out. With fuse in it will open under 2000 rpm, over 2000 rpm it will close. With fuse out it will stay open all the time (more sound).

See picture: In black, I got rid of those. In red, that the lift points. In green that the jack points. Yellow is the stock H pipes or change it to X pipes there. Good luck and have fun with your Z.

[pzero]

Sound of my Z/28. This is just headers doing its work. Everything else is stock. Turn up the volume loud!

https://youtu.be/9-nDmbceveo

Forgot to add the important thing....find a good tuner after install. You'll get easy 30 horses or more.

[GeneRoss]

Have ARH long tubes stock cat back and H Pipe with mild to wild switch. Exhaust Flaps are always open. Car is cammed. It sounds pretty sick. Gets a lot of attention from the sound alone.

[pzero]

Originally Posted by GeneRoss

Have ARH long tubes stock cat back and H Pipe with mild to wild switch. Exhaust Flaps are always open. Car is cammed. It sounds pretty sick. Gets a lot of attention from the sound alone.

Gene,
Post a video, would love to hear it.
I'm thinking about doing a cam later.
What kind of cam did you use?

ARH is well made. Pricey as well.

[MX621]

Originally Posted by Yessa

American Racing Long Tubes or Short Tubes, what's the difference?

Any other Recommended Mods for 10-30 more Horses?

Perhaps a Ram Air system?

Did you guys go with a local tuner or buy direct from American Racing?

ARH offers a “ short “ and a “long “ system.
Short system uses the factory mid pipe
Long system uses the ARH mid pipe.

Both short and long systems use the same longtube headers

https://americanracingheaders.com/co...5-short-system

https://americanracingheaders.com/co...15-long-system

[ronchev]

I have had a couple different set ups on mine, started with the ARH short long tube kit without cats running through stock exhaust...really liked the sound but wanted to try the larger mid pipes so I tried the ARH long kit with the X pipe that also replaced half of the tail pipes to stock mufflers. I really didn't like the modern sound of the X pipe and wanted to get it back to more of the old school muscle car sound but found out that nobody makes a 3" center section with an H pipe built into it. So it was either put the stock 2 3/4" H pipe back in or build a custom 3", I wanted to get away from the stock front section right at bends to where they come together because the factory pipes in the section do have a few bends or crushed flattened areas for clearance in this area. Last fall I built a custom 3" center section with a 3" H pipe, only got to drive it a couple times but so fare very please with the outcome and with the sound.

I have been temped to try different mufflers at times just to see but its very hard for me to get away from the flexibility of the NPP mufflers.

I will also say that without cats and the mufflers open this set up is very laud, so much so that I ended up putting a switch into the NPP control that I can open and close the flaps when I want, most of the time when I have it on the street they are closed. The thing still has a good sound when they are closed but not near as obnoxious.

Just my experience, most people like the x pipes sound now days but me I must be different or old LOL but give me the H pipe sound anyday. Hope this helps some

[Biergut]

Originally Posted by ronchev

I have had a couple different set ups on mine, started with the ARH short long tube kit without cats running through stock exhaust...really liked the sound but wanted to try the larger mid pipes so I tried the ARH long kit with the X pipe that also replaced half of the tail pipes to stock mufflers. I really didn't like the modern sound of the X pipe and wanted to get it back to more of the old school muscle car sound but found out that nobody makes a 3" center section with an H pipe built into it. So it was either put the stock 2 3/4" H pipe back in or build a custom 3", I wanted to get away from the stock front section right at bends to where they come together because the factory pipes in the section do have a few bends or crushed flattened areas for clearance in this area. Last fall I built a custom 3" center section with a 3" H pipe, only got to drive it a couple times but so fare very please with the outcome and with the sound.

I have been temped to try different mufflers at times just to see but its very hard for me to get away from the flexibility of the NPP mufflers.

I will also say that without cats and the mufflers open this set up is very laud, so much so that I ended up putting a switch into the NPP control that I can open and close the flaps when I want, most of the time when I have it on the street they are closed. The thing still has a good sound when they are closed but not near as obnoxious.

Just my experience, most people like the x pipes sound now days but me I must be different or old LOL but give me the H pipe sound anyday. Hope this helps some

I'm with you and love the old school sound. Mine is stock and with the fuse pulled is loud enough for me. I only wish the factory had put in a switch for the flaps a la some Porsches. My car needs to remain 100% so I won't be installing a homemade switch.

[Yessa]

Originally Posted by MX621

ARH offers a “ short “ and a “long “ system.
Short system uses the factory mid pipe
Long system uses the ARH mid pipe.

Both short and long systems use the same longtube headers

https://americanracingheaders.com/co...5-short-system

https://americanracingheaders.com/co...15-long-system

Sorry, I am confused. I should order short American Racing Headers? My Z is stock and want to keep it that way if possible .... Minor mods are fine.

Any Camaro Tuners in St Pete/Tampa?

[AustexaSS]

Originally Posted by Yessa

Sorry, I am confused. I should order short American Racing Headers? My Z is stock and want to keep it that way if possible .... Minor mods are fine.

Any Camaro Tuners in St Pete/Tampa?

See post 13 from 1970judge.

Buy the 1 7/8" long tube system with X pipe from American Racing Headers. Leave the stock mufflers in place and pull the exhaust flap fuse in the trunk. Your call on cats or no cats as related to vehicle inspection vs. performance. Consider getting a ceramic coating on the headers for better heat management. Get some ACCEL Extreme 9000 Ceramic Spark Plug Boots part 9070C, dont cheap out with heat socks and try too keep the stock boots, just get the ACCEL. Consider a ported MSD Atomic Airforce Intake and definitely get a tune regardless of intake or not. A quick internet search for the Tampa area and other forums it would appear that shop.tampatuning.com is a reputable tuner and has experience with the LS7 platform.

[d kings z28]

On my Z I use 2” American headers& cats big motor needs to breathe also ported heads BTR stage 3 an mgw

[j o n]

Originally Posted by Yessa

It's difficult to understand how (or why) the LS7 does not have H. Also, is the stock exhaust mandrel bent all the way out to the mufflers?

My Z/28 is stock but always felt the LS7 was meant for headers and full open mandrel bent pipes to the mufflers.

Are the Mufflers fairly open?

Which Cat-back and Headers are the most popular for the Z/28?

I want a little more sound -- 10-30 more horses.

My fuse is not pulled.

Originally Posted by Yessa

American Racing Long Tubes or Short Tubes, what's the difference?

Any other Recommended Mods for 10-30 more Horses?

Perhaps a Ram Air system?

Did you guys go with a local tuner or buy direct from American Racing?

Originally Posted by 1970judge

1) Long tubes/mid pipes/tune will net you about 30.
2) The car already has short tube style headers

3) Ram air? The car also has a great intake, in factory trim. Whatever you replace it with will net you almost nothing, for a lot of money.

4) find a good tuner.

Originally Posted by MX621

ARH offers a “ short “ and a “long “ system.
Short system uses the factory mid pipe
Long system uses the ARH mid pipe.

Both short and long systems use the same longtube headers

https://americanracingheaders.com/co...5-short-system

https://americanracingheaders.com/co...15-long-system

Originally Posted by Yessa

Sorry, I am confused. I should order short American Racing Headers? My Z is stock and want to keep it that way if possible .... Minor mods are fine.

Any Camaro Tuners in St Pete/Tampa?

Where's your confusion at? Order the short system ARH Headers. That's all you'll need to change to get your 30 hp with a tune

[Grüne Hölle 1LE]

I went with Tampa Tuning for the calibration work.
Phil did an outstanding job tuning my car.
Only one I can recommend in the Tampa area.

[MX621]

Originally Posted by j o n

Where's your confusion at? Order the short system ARH Headers. That's all you'll need to change to get your 30 hp with a tune

LOL, I don’t know how I can help any more. I literally copied the links that show what each setup is.

[Yessa]

I understand now I think. I'm not very mechanical. How about these tuners?

https://www.forzatuned.com/

http://lhtperformance.net/