the truth on cat back exhaust systems

[frank jacobs]

i have a 96 4.0 ex and would like to up grade to a cat back system. there are so many to choose from with so many claims og HP and gas milage, whats the real story and i dont want something thats going to be to loud

 

[mrboyle]

Most cat-back systems will improve the exhaust flow of your vehicle. This in turn relates to improved power and mileage, because the engine can breathe better. IMHO, any of the systems available are worth the purchace price. The determining factors when choosing one boil down to, how much you are willing to spend (typically-the higher the price the higher the quality), the difference in sound (some are louder, some deeper) and the type of material the system is made of (stainless, aluminum coating, bare steel).

 

[Rhett]

Someone told me cat-back's cause your engine to run leaner in the low rpms. Is this true or is it smoke? What was their reasoning behind saying this?

 

[drmoore71]

i got a borla cat back for my '95 xlt and i love it! not too quiet, not nearly as loud as my mustang. sounds great, and even freed up a few hp from my tired (115k miles) old ohv.

 

[01EB5.0]

I have the Borla too. it is definatly worth it! I love it and just got done installing one of Jas84's 96 XLT. he noticed a difference in perfornmance too. The Borla is also cool because it is stainless steel and it has a million mile warentee

 

[yob_yeknom]

Borla! Borla! Borla!

I love my Borla! It sounds great. After installing it I went from 17mpg to 21+ mpg. Felt a lot more power too.
I've never heard that a new cat-back can make the engine run lean.

 

[Rhett]

I did not think they made it run lean. Too many people have cat-backs for that to be a problem. Incidentally I finally found a Borla cat-back for a 94 2-door sport for $523. Wow that is xpensive. It was on the Stillen website. That's the first time I have ever found a Borla for my model. Any other places anyone has heard of?

 

[Jason94sport]

Chances are they do not have it. Borla stopped maked the sysetm months ago for the 94 2 door.

 

[Rhett]

I'd say they quit making it more than months ago, Jason, as I could not find one over a year ago when I bought my truck. If I can't get a Borla I will just get a Flow 50 or Magnaflow. I wish Flowie or Magna was stainless steel though.

 

[JDraper]

I had a Flowmaster cat back on my '92 sport and loved it!! It was aluminized steel, so I never had a problem with any rust. It definitely helped the power and gas mileage. Check out Dead Link Removed . They offer the cat back for the X for about $150.00

 

[sundown]

Well, I hate to be the "stick in the mud", but here it goes....

I installed a Borla and:

I didn't see ANY improvement in mileage or power, none, nada, zilch, zippo.......but, I live in Vermont (snow & salt) and it was worth the money to me to get a stainless exhaust, otherwise I'd be replacing it every other year.

So that's my advice. Get it for that reason, or because it sounds better, but don't rely on the mileage savings to pay it off....

 

[BajaXplorer]

The real culprit on most cars and SUVs is the ypipe for the manifolds. its all kinked and small. open that up with headers etc. and then you'll noyice a HUGE difference in the mileage as well as power..

 

[Brandon1993Sport]

I'd recommend going with a Flowmaster instead of Borla. I mean come on, $523 for an exhaust system? You could get a Flow installed with new pipes and tip for $165. I've had mine for two years and I live close to the beach and drive on it almost every weekend and there is no rust on my pipes or muffler. You can also get a quiet one or a loud one depending on which series you get. It just doesn't seem practical to me to spend $500+ on an exhaust system. That's extra $ you could be spending on headers or something.

 

[espnfreak]

shop around guys, i got my borla for $300 bucks from truckperformance.com during a sale they had going a few weeks ago. I think that was money well spent, and i notice gains in hp, significant, so i dont know what that other guy was talking about... mpg gains...not sure yet

 

[4Wheelin]

What if you got just the Borla muffler and tips but not the piping between the two and instead used regular piping? Would that change performance or anything?

 

[drmoore71]

not to gloat or anything, but some of us on the site were able to get or borla cat backs for only $165!!! hee hee. this might be the place to ask, i have a friend with a 98 ohv 2wd sport, and he is in desperate want of a catback system. aside from www.summitracing.com , where else can i send him to look for a catback? he is interested in borla (cheaply) or flowmaster (not too loud) and maybe even gibson (with some feedback from some of you out there who might own one. can y'all help out please?