I'm hoping for quite a bit more after i get rid of those *S%@ty* manifolds, the "Y" pipe that looks more like a sideways "T" pipe, the stock cat and what appears to be 2 1/4" mainpipe. Its getting replaced by a 3" high flow cat and a mainpipe out of a friends Z28 which appears to be between 2 1/2" and 2 3/4"

so yeah, thats 1st on the agenda. Note to self tho: be gentle with EGR. Heat if necessary... trying to avoid others mistakes i have read so much about....

 

The stock intermediate pipe on an '01 3.8L is 2 in., so yours is likely same.

Do you have an S-Pipe on yours? If not, then your I-Pipe is probably 2.25 which is what the end of the S-Pipe is.

I wonder what kind of low end torque you will miss by these changes. Would be good to see a before and after dyno chart...

Going to put a stall on it too?

 

No, i dont believe i have an S-pipe. Mine is strait through to the best of my knowledge.

Really don't know about low end torque... Hope not much... It could use a little more. (hence the supercharger)

No plans for a higher stall converter right away. Not in the budget. As it is it will probably take over a year to finish given my situation...

Sorry, no before and after dyno (dyno time also not in budget) BUT, i am going to take her back to the track for a run or too to compare time slips. Track time is only $12 a night where i live Bone stock it ran 16.3's 3 times in a row so she is consistent enough to get some good before and after data

 

So you have your I-Pipe with that flange right off the cat then, right? I think you are lucky then, since later 3.8Ls (98-02) have the cat welded to the damn restrictive S-Pipe and then connects the even more restrictive I-Pipe...

I would suggest contacting a local speed shop -- they might be willing to become a "sponsor" and help create and possibly sell a variant of what you are doing. Then you might get sponsored (free) dyno time. Just a thought.

Everyone loves to do upgrades, but most forget to measure the improvement, so good that you at least measured your 1/4 before.

 

I believe so on the I pipe. I need to get my car up on a lift to be positive... and to do the job for that matter. F**K doing all this work from jackstands! in JULY! I can be patient and wait for my local mechanic shop to loan me some "lift time"

hahahaha... i live in the *boondocks* my nearest speed shop is at LEAST 45 miles if not 65 miles away... But, i may shoot for the stars i guess.. never hurts...

Oh, and of course you have to measure results somehow... Poor folks got poor ways tho. But it works!nI plan on (hopefully) getting a before and definatly an after dyno run once its time to tune the SC.

 

I read you're S-pipe thread else where on the camaro5 forums, and looked up some diagrams for a Z28/3800 comparison. It appears I may just have an s-pipe on mine. If so i plan to have my exhaust shop just bend me a 3" s pipe to fill the space between my cat and the 2 3/4" Inlet of the Z28 mainpipe (which i will swell to 3") Then where it meets the muffler its 2 1/2" (i will swell it a bit also so i cant slip it over my 2 1/2" inlet muffler.)

I am a big believer in Stainless steel Exhaust clamps and not welding. Thats the reason for all the swelling and such. I plan to use 3" wide clamps on all my joints for 3 reasons.

1. Easy to service and take apart. (ie if i need a fuel pump etc)

2. Welds are ALWAYS the first spots to rust ESPECIALLY on a aftertmarket system.

3. My uncle has a Z28 with a 3" system and its all clamped and its tight as a drum. NO leaks.


So anyway.... I just can't wait to get the $ together and get it put on

 

Do you guys know where I can buy the intermediate pipe? between the headers and the S-pipe? I just need that part. Thanks.

 

stock or aftermarket? what are you wanting?

 

On an '02 3.8L, Headers would goto the Y-Pipe, that goes to a cat (or no cat), into an S-Pipe, then Intermediate pipe which is the start of the cat-back.

So which of those parts are you looking for? Sounds like the Y-Pipe. Magnaflow, Clear Image Automotive, Pacesetter, etc. sells them.

 

My research has been this. The only kind of headers you can install in this model is pacesetter shorties. You cannot get the clearance with long tubes much less even manufatured. I did discuss the same issue with a MIdas manager. He stated you would not feel much of a difference. However, to try to stay with the originall cat because aftermarket ones are not worth the investment. The cheapset I could find in pacesetters were around $215.00 uncoated. My question is does uncoated put out that much heat?