Hey I've seen electronic cut outs on performance websites, and I think I get the jist of it. Switch in your car, hit it to open the cut outs, which are up near your front exhaust/header area. Car gets loud and a few more horsepower.. Switch to off.. car goes stock again.

I was thinking this was a pretty neat idea, but is there any downs to it? I mean other then when it breaks one way or another your pretty much stuck like that till it gets fixed.. but is there back pressure problems? Is it more performance to buy headers and exhaust then get this? Would putting this on a stock Z28 exhaust be the same as gettin an aftermarket header and exhaust system? Lots to know, tough to find.

 

No, these absolutely will not take the place of a set of headers. You have the idea of the cutout operation correct. The major down to it is they're a little pricey for what you get in my opinion. Don't worry about the mythical "back pressure" you can run your car with open headers and it would run just fine. You may lose some low end torque, but that would be the only consequence, and it would be made up for in the high RPM ranges. Honestly I would recommend looking into a nice set of headers and a good Y-pipe before going for a cutout. You'll get more gains in power and torque and they'll support future modification better.

 

Ah, well thanks for your help. Since your helping me out here so well, what's on my car right now stock for exhaust? Is it a Y -pipe (if so i'm guessing probably restrictive). If not, throwing a Y-pipe on won't be too overly loud with the cops will it? I had a 97 RS, with a X-Pipe straight exhaust with glass packs and I got pulled over a couple times with warnings of "the volume of my car"..

 

The car currently has a Y-pipe on it. The stock Y is pretty restrictive due to the way they route it and the fact that it's all compression bent. Ideally you're going to want a set of long tube headers and a 3" Y-pipe. You have to replace the Y if you're going to run long tubes. A good header and Y pipe setup can support over 500 HP, so don't worry about it robbing power. Headers will probably make your car a little louder. There's an exhaust clip in my sig of my car, I run long tubes, a catted Y and a set of resonator tips (no muffler). It's pretty loud when you get on it, but if you're not lead footed you'll be fine with headers.

 

So I know I'm bringing this thread back from the dead.. but.. If I were to purchase headers and electronic cutouts, would that have the same performance as a full exhaust system? And be able to support any future mods?

I just ran into some money, and I want the most performance. So I know I can get the full new exhaust, headers, cat back, and all that, but I was just checking if I could just get the headers and electronic cut outs and have the same performance wise? I realize it'll be louder than if I got the actual exhaust system.

 

Anyone? haha I'm not sure if it'll give the same performance and I don't wanna waste the money

 

Sometimes you have to wait for a good response, members volunteer their time here, so most of us come when we have the chance...be patient, someone will come along that can answer your question...

If you want to get cutouts and long tube headers/Y-pipe you'll get similar gains through the cut-outs and a full cat back, potentially more from the cut-out system. That said, you're probably not going to want to run with the cut-outs open all the time...It will be LOUD. If you want the performance increase at a track that's one thing, but personally I think cut-outs would be obnoxious on the street.

 

Yeah haha I guess i'm just impatient. I'm working on it.

Well I guess I'm getting a Dynomax exhaust system, but it won't have mufflers when I first get it on.. so it'll be loud anyhow. I'm sure I'll be buying some quickly after.

 

If you do it correctly you don't need "mufflers" but you need something to decrease the volume a little. For instance, my car doesn't have "mufflers" but I run a resonator tip to take some of the edge off.