Want an aftermarket exhaust to make the car sound as "mean"

[rcox58]

Good morning, all. A few of you have been istrumetal in providing me the knowledge I needed to get a used engine put in my 2000 SSEi for what seems like the right price after getting beaten the first time around. Now that it seems like the car is mechanically sound (with a couple of exceptions that I'll probably address in the proper forum but have to touch on here as they relate to performance) I'm interested in making the car SOUND like it makes me feel when that supercharger kicks in.

To start, I really like the sound that comes from my exhaust at idle but I only hear it if there car is running and back near the tips. I'd like to put in an aftermarket exhaust that amplifies that somewhat and also makes the car sound fast when I get on it. I don't necessarily want it to be real loud like a kid might want but just some nice beefy rumble. Here's where a mechanical problem relates: I've burned through 3 catalytic concverters since the used engine was installed at the beginning of this year. I know I need to find out why that is happening . My current repair shop says it's not throwing codes/tripping any sensors but the used engine does have a very small oil leak burning off at a rate of about a quart every thousand miles. The bad cat on the car now is warrantied so will be replaced at no part cost to me. Unfortunately, I bought it direct from a part store and took it to a shop to install so I have to keep paying the labor each time one craps out.

That's making me think seriously about putting the new cat I get from the warranty in my garage in it's box and leaving it there until I need it. Instead, I'm thinking of running a straight pipe back to an aftermarket exhaust to help get the sound I'm going for.

I guess the questions are: Will the straight pipe instead of a cat get me started in the right direction and is there a particular aftermarket exhaust that just seems to work well with the supercharged Bonneville to give it an ideal sound? I'm hearing a couple guys talking about loving the sound they're getting from their FlowMasters but they're pick up truck guys with the bigger cams and all.

Couple more relevant points: As much as I hate it, I'm using the car right now to deliver pizza in this 90+ degree NJ heat and humidity so I'm leaving the car running a lot to maintain the A/C. Between that and all the stop and go driving and trying to beat traffic lights, etc., I'm getting terrible gas mileage. I'm hoping whatever I do helps improve the mileage as well. Given my job, it should be obvious that cost is a factor so I'm not looking to get involved in any mods to the headers or other major changes unless somebody makes a really good case for that.

Is that enough info for any of you experts to weigh in? I'd love to review your input and go from there.

Thanks in advance.

Ray

[rcox58]

I forgot to ask...is a straight pipe and aftermarket exhaust something I can bold on myself after cutting out the cat or do I need a shop to weld everything in place?

[nos4blood70]

The only things that will improve gas mileage will be getting a Plog and a downpipe with a highflow cat, and even then it won't be a huge increase in gas mileage. Anything behind the cat won't do any good for performance, only sound. Personally I run Flowmasters and they make the sound the stock exhaust made but it's a bit more loud. It's not at all intrusive and there is very little drone inside the car. With cruise set at 30 or 35 you can't even tell the exhaust has been changed until the torque converter locks up.

[maroon111993]

I just had my resonator replaced with a pipe. Sounds good. Louder in the back where the sound is supposed to come from and can barely hear it inside. This is on a grand prix gtp though. Not sure what options there are for Bonneville but this only costed me $50 and i love it.

[swampthing]

Its hard to achieve good sound with this v6, removing the cat is said to add raspy noise, Do a search for exhaust, you will find lots of threads with various opinions

if and when i do exhaust i will be doing a 3 inch downpipe with cat to a long glass pack and ending with dual hooker aerochamber mufflers

[01bonneSC]

lol

Add a liter and two cylinders. Headers with a cam can make a 3800 sound pretty mean.

[yourgrandma]

My stock system with headers and no cat sounded sweet at idle and partial throttle. After that it sounds like a 3800. Aweful. Ive been considering the aerochambers that others have liked on here. Anything that cuts the high rpm rasp is also going to cut that awesome idle and tip in burble.

Also note that rockers changed my exhaust note. I just cant wait to hear what it sounds like with my cam.

[Ben1998SLE]

My friend did a straighpipe exhaust with no cat in his 98 Grand Prix GTP and I gotta admit, the car sounds like it has balls wether at idle or punching it. The good thing about straighpipes is they're fairly easy to do as me and my friend both did it ourselves. Cheap too.

[yourgrandma]

Oh dear merciful GOD NOOOOOO!! Straight piped grand prixs make me ashamed to own a pontiac.

There seems to be a strangely high consentration of straight piped v6 cars in my neighborhood. All sound completelt tragic and pathetic. Not a single good thing to say about the whole idea. Not to be a negative nancy but straight pipes should be a bbanned subject on here.

[3800SERIESII]

I deleted the muffler on my '96 bonnie and added a y-pipe just about where the rear doors end. Then I added elbows. need to tweak it, as it didnt come out the corners like I wanted it to. Need to move it back some. Sounds GREAT at idle. Small block, throaty v8 idle. No kidding. Also has a nice small block v8 rap up until about 2200 rpms. Does drone a bit hill climbing around 2500 rpm at 45 mph though. Town driving and freeway isnt bad as long as there is a constant speed. Barely notice it.

[3800SERIESII]

Also, you shouldn't be ashamed to own a Pontiac, as the motors that make the sound are Buick. I know what you mean though, ALL the grand prix's i hear that had a muffler delete just dont sound the same as a bonnie. Different exhaust route or configuration? The camaro and firebird 3800's sound GREAT straight piped. Ill post two of my fave 3800 Series II exhaust vids.

SSEi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXWf5RxEpt0

Camaro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR6sm_XfAtw

Twin Charged SSEi, Just so cool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v8PHCPAGro

[nos4blood70]

The Camaro is a true dual exhaust. Doesn't that change the game quite a bit?

[3800SERIESII]

Yes it does. I was just posting good sounding 3800 exhaust. Not necessarily just muffler deletes. Those vids dig a bit more into the budget, but sound great.

[Ben1998SLE]

Oh dear merciful GOD NOOOOOO!! Straight piped grand prixs make me ashamed to own a pontiac.

There seems to be a strangely high consentration of straight piped v6 cars in my neighborhood. All sound completelt tragic and pathetic. Not a single good thing to say about the whole idea. Not to be a negative nancy but straight pipes should be a bbanned subject on here.

Then again he has a 3 inch downpipe that I forgot to mention that helps with the quality of the sound.

[01bonneSC]

No one will ever ever ever be able to convince me that anything other than 8cyls sounds good with a performance exhaust. All those vids sound weak. No guts in that exhaust tone at all.

Why wouldn't anyone wanna stay quiet and sleepery with their hopped up V6s. That's the way to go if ya ask me. My Camaro is going to get headers, hi flow cats, and a stock V8 muffler. The Bonneville would have been pretty much the same if I kept it, minus the V8 muffler.

[yourgrandma]

Can't agree much less that a straight piped 3800 camaro sounds good. That's one of the cars in my neighborhood.I feel physically ill when he drives it. Straight pipes don't sound "mean" or "throaty" or any of the othe adjectives people make up to try to justify an obnoxious-as-hell car. Sounds precicely like a fwd demolition derby.

[nos4blood70]

The twin charged 96 sounds Japanese, almost 2JZ like. A nice note, but not something I want coming out of a Bonneville.

[3800SERIESII]

Twin charging a car isn't something to modify exhaust anyway. It is for performance. I didn't post it for exhaust note, just thought it was unique. I think a 3800 can sound "good" at idle and low rpm, but I agree, whatever you do to modify it, it will NEVER sound good at high revs.

[01bonneSC]

Twin charging a car isn't something to modify exhaust anyway. It is for performance. I didn't post it for exhaust note, just thought it was unique. I think a 3800 can sound "good" at idle and low rpm, but I agree, whatever you do to modify it, it will NEVER sound good at high revs.

Right and to really scoot with small cubes, you gotta rev them.

I don't even like how V10s sound. There are some built Ford straight 6s, non 4.9L, and Dodge slant 6s that have sounded pretty mean through the rpm range but these were not very streetable at all.

[2000Silverbullet]

I agree with most. I wouldn't recommend changing the factory exhaust unless it NEEDS to be replaced.

A less restrictive exhaust using headers, 3" to twin flow thru mufflers (any type) will never sound like a V8.

It does, however, increase HP noticeably with complimenting mods to the intake blower end. It will also ignite unburned fuel producing a fart during the 6200 rpm 1st to 2nd shift.

If you want to set records, go for it. It's worth about 1/4 second in the quarter.
If you want a nice quiet sleeper, don't do it. Save your money for an intercooler.

My Bonne exhaust gets the wrong kind of attention when I'm in the boost (red & blue flashing lights)...............it must be the sound of the exhaust mixed with the sound of both front tires spinning wildly.

The FireBird exhaust, on the other hand, is pure pleasure to listen to and even though it is virtually identical in design to the Bonne's (component wise), it does not attract bad karma.
In fact it worked so well I needed a larger fuel pump.