Help making my idle louder

[1Sail0r]

Hey all,

So i just bought a borla atak axleback and it sounds great under WOT, especially when you're cruising and the RPMs drop below 3k there's a very satisfying crackle. However, I'm very unimpressed with the sound at idle, can barely appreciate it. My friend with a 6cyl charger and flowmastwr 40 axleback a gas a much meaner and fuller sound at idle, and he paid less than I did for his exhaust!

Anyone have any tips or next steps I can take?

[The Blue Angel]

Go long tube and catless!! Then get a good tune afterwards!!

[SSeniorMoment]

LTs are a noticable sound improvement, especially when you get into it. Cams can make a big difference too.

[1Sail0r]

I just wonder why it's so quiet, I thought the ATAK was the loudest exhaust available for the camaro. Is it possible to install long tube headers with an axleback? I thought you needed a full system for that

[SSeniorMoment]

Yes, LTs w/hi flow cats will match up with the factory pipes. I went that way until the Stainless Works 3" retro chamber exhaust was installed. Now that the SS is cammed, the exhaust needs to be toned down a bit.

[rontammy0]

Originally Posted by 1Sail0r

I just wonder why it's so quiet, I thought the ATAK was the loudest exhaust available for the camaro. Is it possible to install long tube headers with an axleback? I thought you needed a full system for that

Have you stock resonaters cut out and have a Magnaflow tru x pipe installed. No you dont need the whole system for long tubes.

[rontammy0]

Originally Posted by 1Sail0r

Hey all,

So i just bought a borla atak axleback and it sounds great under WOT, especially when you're cruising and the RPMs drop below 3k there's a very satisfying crackle. However, I'm very unimpressed with the sound at idle, can barely appreciate it. My friend with a 6cyl charger and flowmastwr 40 axleback a gas a much meaner and fuller sound at idle, and he paid less than I did for his exhaust!

Anyone have any tips or next steps I can take?

You have the axleback with your stock resonaters still in place. When you buy the cat back you get the x pipe with it. So if you remove your stock resonaters and install an non resonated x pipe it will sound like this....is this much louder then your setup?

[STUNNAH]

Originally Posted by rontammy0

You have the axleback with your stock resonaters still in place. When you buy the cat back you get the x pipe with it. So if you remove your stock resonaters and install an non resonated x pipe it will sound like this....is this much louder then your setup?

Damn that sounds good!!!

[DRKS1D3]

I must sound like a broken record on here but, get high-flow cats ASAP! I can't stress it enough. The stock cats put a strangle hold on the exhaust.

Here is my car (1st vid-with stock manifolds, high-flow cats and Flowmaster mufflers. 2nd vid-with BBK shorties installed):

[pyroguy]

DRKS1D3 beat me to it. High flow cats are a quick win. The factory cats are the biggest choke point on the factory exhaust. IF you are planning on going with headers later and you want long tube headers, they will make a significant difference in the idle sound. The other option would be exhaust cut outs or diverters. However, with the factory cats it will still idle somewhat quietly. When I was installing my catback I had to hear what the car sounded like without anything past the factory cats and it was surprisingly quiet for no mufflers. Don't get me wrong, it was much louder, but it was not as loud as I thought it would be. My long tube headers with cats and my catback is louder than shorty headers out factory cats and nothing else.

[Avenging Orange]

Start with the x-pipe first.
Your stock exhaust is great....flows pretty good.
I would wait on the hi-flo cats till you decide if you want headers (which will require a tune).
I say this because when you get headers....everyrhing changes and the hi-flo's you would buy now wont bolt up to the headers...so you'll end up wasting money.
The other issue is when you remove too many parts of your exhaust before the headers...you'll end up with one hell of a noisy/droning exhaust you may not like.
Rule of thumb here....exhaust starts at the front.

[paul84043]

Will HF cats cause any issues with emissions or codes? I'm assuming that they're still fully functional cats....right?

[PostNup]

I have a set of JBA 2 2/1" inlet and outlet (stock exhaust connections) for sale. They have about 5K miles on them. They even have the rear O2s connected.

Should not throw a code. These with a CAI might throw one, but O2 extender plug-ins are like $5 and will keep that from happening.

$200 plus the ride.

[DRKS1D3]

Originally Posted by paul84043

Will HF cats cause any issues with emissions or codes? I'm assuming that they're still fully functional cats....right?

No issues. They are essentially just there for a visual, emissions inspection. The high-flows don't do much, if anything at all, in terms of being an actual cat. Increased flow, increased power, increased sound and a significant decrease in weight as well. All of that stock junk weighed a ton. Between losing the manifolds, the stock cats and the stock mufflers, a lot of weight has been removed. I ran my high-flows for ~1 year before adding the BBK shorties. My set-up is essentially straight through now. The car runs much better and sounds a lot better too.