BEST Exhaust w/Headers

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Hi all. I plan to give OBX headers a try and want to know the best exhaust to use for performance and free flow to use.

What say you all?

[Daniel_Mc]

Brett,

I prefer the look and sound of B&B but the Corsa systems have the best flow. With one of the cars I did a Melrose SS system with Dynomax mufflers and have been happy with the result (L98 car).

Daniel

[Kevin]

corsa or b&b

[VetteMed]

Marc Haibeck's testing showed the Corsa to flow the best, and apparently the later (quieter) versions of the B&B are significantly more restrictive. I run headers with the Corsa and it's very liveable at cruise, no drone. My prior ZR-1, with no mods other than headers and Corsa, put down 364 rwhp.

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Sounds like Corsa gets the nod.

Thanks, guys!

[ZZZZZR1]

corsa or b&b

Either one. I prefer Corsa myself.

:cheers:

David

[Kevin]

Either one. I prefer Corsa myself.

:cheers:

David

I don't like the sound of the corsa but i do like the flow

[PhillipsLT5]

Corsa

[-=Jeff=-]

I have 2" primary Watsons with 3" Magnaflow cats and Corsa Exhaust, Love the no drone

[USAFPILOT]

I did B&B 3" and requested an xpipe instead of the resonator and it sounds sweet! Headers are next and I will be going with stainless works.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Opinions are like you know what. I would find the opportunity to hear some for yourself and see what sound you like and get a ride if possible. Whatever you do, don't listen to recordings over the internet and judge by that. So many different opinions like personalities. If you ask the various tuners they have their own opinion too. Aaron Scott will tell you nothing sounds better than headers and B&Bs (which version?) with a set of cams and X pipe, no resonator. No cams and he will recommend something different. Power wise I know there is no way that all being equal, the car with Corsas or vice versa will beat the car with B&Bs, Stainless Works or FlowMaster, Dynomax or whatever homemade system. I would also consider about the looks and what you think matches as far as the tips and muffler, etc. My choice was B&Bs and I think they look and sound badass, but I like loud and obnoxious.

Good luck in your quest for the best exhaust with headers. What made you decide about OBX headers?

[XfireZ51]

Brett,

I enjoy the look and sound of my Magnaflow system. Either at the track or on the dyno (~400rwhp w top end) I did not see any evidence that the system was restricting power. Cruising drone is virtually non-existent. Overall fit and quality is good but the hanger system leaves something to be desired and needs some rework to hang satisfactorily.
Al and Bob G use the Dynomax muffs w B+B tips and vacuum operated flapper valve (C6Z06) to control noise.

[Kevin]

Brett,

I enjoy the look and sound of my Magnaflow system. Either at the track or on the dyno (~400rwhp w top end) I did not see any evidence that the system was restricting power. Cruising drone is virtually non-existent. Overall fit and quality is good but the hanger system leaves something to be desired and needs some rework to hang satisfactorily.
Al and Bob G use the Dynomax muffs w B+B tips and vacuum operated flapper valve (C6Z06) to control noise.

any word on how the flapper worked to keep the drone down?

[XfireZ51]

any word on how the flapper worked to keep the drone down?

Pretty well from what Pete and Al say. But then they were already deaf.

[Pete]

Corsa sounds like sh!t at WOT w/headers from outside of car.

If you know anybody with headers and Corsa's have him drop you off side of the road and have him hammer it from 4k as soon as he gets next to where your standing also have him do a WOT fly by to 7k let us know how it sounds.

Me i like the old school big V8 sound/rumble.
I have old 1 design B&B, X-pipe, 2" primary headers,no cats, run close to 130MPH 1/4, no freaken way a 2 1/2" Corsa will outflo my full 3" setup.

Bob and Al have B&B exhaust system w/x-pipes, replaced mufflers with Dynomax,this set up also sounds very good, mufflers are straight thru quiter then my B&B's, again no way a 2 1/2" Corsa will out flo these full 3" straight thru systems.
I'd have to see it with my own eyes.

If you want old school big block sound with good flow find a used B&B (Marc H. has one for sale) cut off the crappy B&B
mufflers, rasonator and tips get yourself an X-pipe,Dynomax mufflers 3" inlet 2-2 1/2" outlets find C6ZO6 mufflers cut off vacuum flappers weld flappers with B&B tips to the mufflers you will have quiet idle/cruising at WOT it will sound like old school thunder.

Flappers work nice for cruising speeds and at stoplights cuts the sound down and i can hear myself think when taking long highway drives.
In sixth gear at 1400-1500 rpm tip in the throttle still drones but i don't do it that often i will usualy downshift.

Pete

[XfireZ51]

Pete,

Could you clarify further your position on the Corsa exhaust?

Brett,

Marc believes the Corsa is not restrictive and he bases that on observations he's made during dyno testing. Sound is a different story. Motors like Al and Bob's are big cube and so that may be one factor driving the need for larger exhaust and more flow.
As for Pete's stock block, who can argue w what he has achieved?
One other alternative could be using an
LT-4 resonator (which is straight thru) with Dynomax mufflers.
Should be pretty good on drone.

[Pete]

Pete,

Could you clarify further your position on the Corsa exhaust?

Brett,

Marc believes the Corsa is not restrictive and he bases that on observations he's made during dyno testing. Sound is a different story. Motors like Al and Bob's are big cube and so that may be one factor driving the need for larger exhaust and more flow.
As for Pete's stock block, who can argue w what he has achieved?
One other alternative could be using an
LT-4 resonator (which is straight thru) with Dynomax mufflers.
Should be pretty good on drone.


Dom,try the test for yourself, you tell me.

Pete

[Blue Flame Restorations]

How about I just let Pete build the exhaust while it's at his place. Hard to argue with 129mph in the 1/4.

[-=Jeff=-]

My favorite Exhaust would be B&B sound with the drone of Corsa. My ears cannot take any drone anymore which is why I have Corsa. I have an idea for my Corsa I need to try maybe this winter. I just refuse to have drone again.

That said, drone is all based on perception. What may be no drone to one is drone do another. Dom,s Aqua car was low on drone. Not sure about his BR car. I don't care for the WOT sound of Corsa, but my ears like the minimal (basically none) drone.

[XfireZ51]

Dom,try the test for yourself, you tell me.

Pete

Pete,

I knew I should have used an emoticon. I was teasing you there.
:-D

[Kevin]

How about I just let Pete build the exhaust while it's at his place. Hard to argue with 129mph in the 1/4.

have him make 2

[XfireZ51]

My favorite Exhaust would be B&B sound with the drone of Corsa. My ears cannot take any drone anymore which is why I have Corsa. I have an idea for my Corsa I need to try maybe this winter. I just refuse to have drone again.

That said, drone is all based on perception. What may be no drone to one is drone do another. Dom,s Aqua car was low on drone. Not sure about his BR car. I don't care for the WOT sound of Corsa, but my ears like the minimal (basically none) drone.

The MFlow is pretty good when it comes to drone. I do want to reiterate that drone is not just a function of the exhaust. Tuning can mitigate some of that.
The "blubbering" of the exhaust is indicative of a fat mixture. I find that leaning out cruise produces a tighter more mellow engine note.

[Pete]

have him make 2

Marc H. has a used B&B for sale good starting point.

Pete

[lbszr]

Corsa sounds like sh!t at WOT w/headers from outside of car.




I would have to agree....heard one on a dyno.

Mine has headers, BB with a H pipe forward of two 3 inch magnaflow bullets, BB mufflers. I tried it with straight pipes instead of the BB resonator, but the drone was so bad I only drove it about 12 miles.

It drones more than the BB resonator did, but not much.

If it was a everyday driver, I would have to reduce the drone. At WOT, it makes it all seem worth it.

[richard sanderson]

I'm very happy with OBX and Corsa! But there again, I've never heard another ZR-1!

[Kevin]

I'm very happy with OBX and Corsa! But there again, I've never heard another ZR-1!
well, I just can't sit here and let that be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkOSJ79wGbI enjoy

[wprice]

I too have to agree with Pete I have the early design B&B exhaust, X-pipe, 2" primary headers and no cats! I always get compliments on how good it sounds from other corvette people. It's loud but I would not trade it for nothing!

Wayne

[ALZR1]

If A Corsa system being 2 1/2" has the best flow,than why would the factory system need bigger piping for our motors?
The corsa's may be quiter but I certainly dont think it outflows A 3" system.



AL.

[LGAFF]

I think some of Haibecks comments are being misinterpreted....and he can speak for himself and correct me, but my impression is that he is saying a 2.5 corsa can outflow a 3" exhaust, when that 3" is restricted if the resonator or the muffler, etc.......

David Vizard makes the same point in his book, and he even points out, although indirectly, that even within a brand some are good and some are bad designs....noting on one page how well a borla flows, and on the next commenting on how another is restricted by the wadding in the muffler....

I have read a post were someone outflowed a large LT-5 exhaust with a 2.25 inch also

But maybe I am completely wrong..

[XfireZ51]

Lee,

To Vizard's point, the B+B exhaust flow got worse with each new generation in the attempt to reduce the drone.

[LGAFF]

Vizard built what is supposedly the ultimate C4 anti-drone exhaust....

For all of you guys that really should be driving a Caddy instead....


I will post a pic....

[LGAFF]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/60685395/Scan-0004

[richard sanderson]

Well, we fitted OBX headers onto a Corsa that was already on the car, and it fitted perfectly! Is the 3 inch piping somewhere else?

[Pete]

Lee,

To Vizard's point, the B+B exhaust flow got worse with each new generation in the attempt to reduce the drone.


Yeah,what he said.

I was not comparing the 2 exhausts i know B&B has changed thru out the years and restricted there system all i was trying to say is a good free flowing 3" exhaust i.e.(2"primary headers,3" X-pipe,3" Dynomax straight thru mufflers,no cats) will outflow equal or same set up in 2 1/2" exhaust.

Personally i think the mufflers Al & Bob are using flow better then my old B&B mufflers if you drop a golf ball in there mufflers it will drop out the other side with B&B's it'll get lost.

I've tested the B&B mufflers on the dyno pullled the mufflers (basicly straight 3" pipes) with minimal gains 3-4hp.

Comparing sound the Corsa sounds like fart cans at WOT the B&B sounds like old school big block rumble idle and WOT.
Yes,you get some drone either keep it above 2k RPM or keep your foot steady on the throttle at cruising speeds or do what Lee said buy a Caddy.

Just click on my videos below to hear the B&B's at 7500 RPM.
If anyone has a video of a Corsa in the burn out box or a fly by at the track please post up.

Peace:fahne:
Pete

[Paul Workman]

Dom claims his Magnaflow "cat-back" does not drone, AND he was making 400 hp to the rear wheels before installing the ported heads and regrind cams. So, I (for one) am curious to see what that car makes now, MF and all. IF he gets to 450-460 with current mods, then the MF system might be a consideration for power and no resonance? Oh! Did I mention his system really sounds nice and throaty?

Just a thought.

P.

[XfireZ51]

Dom claims his Magnaflow "cat-back" does not drone, AND he was making 400 hp to the rear wheels before installing the ported heads and regrind cams. So, I (for one) am curious to see what that car makes now, MF and all. IF he gets to 450-460 with current mods, then the MF system might be a consideration for power and no resonance? Oh! Did I mention his system really sounds nice and throaty?

Just a thought.

P.

Paul,

450-460 would be awesome. I think Pete is estimating 440-450. Waiting for the weather to get cooler.
Anyway, my last dyno tuning session started with the motor making 389/349tq at the rear as a benchmark. We did 6 pulls where I played with Fuel and then timing ending at 399/359tq. That's SAE corrected but the ambient weather was pretty good so very little if any correction. Full exhaust including resonator. Is it possible that removing the resonator etc increase power? I'll assume it would but it doesn't appear that the exhaust was holding back the motor from producing an additional 12 crank HP and TQ.
I was happy with that. However, I'm willing to think that perhaps with more air coming through with heads and cam changes, the exhaust flow may not be enough. I'll base my judgement on what I end up observing.
From an exhaust note standpoint, its pretty darn good. I invite anyone for a ride if interested.

[-=Jeff=-]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/60685395/Scan-0004

Sorry! This document is not publicly available.
The owner has set this document to private.
You will not be able to read it unless the owner changes it to public on their "My Documents" page, or sends you a direct link.


Could you email it to me? I would love to read it

[secondchance]

Well, we fitted OBX headers onto a Corsa that was already on the car, and it fitted perfectly! Is the 3 inch piping somewhere else?

I am glad to hear that!
I picked up a set of OBX yesterday at an unreal price. Thanks to Phil for checking a local Craigslist and giving me heads up. This guy ordered a set of headers for his Mgnum and got ZR1 set due to screw up. OBX sent him a correct set but no instructions to return ZR1 set. I reminded him that there are only 69xx ZR-1s and he let me take them dirt cheap.:dancing