CAI vs cat-back - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Witchdoctor92 · 09-12-2011, 03:28 PM

If you could only do one right now which would it be. I am looking at the CAI intake and the Flowmaster AT Cat-back. Budgetary constraints mean one now and one in a year. Which would you do first?

Bobby @ LG Motorsports · 09-12-2011, 03:30 PM

Depends on what you are looking for.

The mufflers are going to do more to remove some weight and change the sound of the car vs adding HP to it.

The cold air, while it isn't going to increase the volume of the car, will pick up more HP and will generally require a tune to work 100% correctly.

96/10SS · 09-12-2011, 04:06 PM

Catbacks give minimal to no gains so its whether you want sound or performance.

Rhino79 · 09-12-2011, 05:05 PM

I'd go CAI. Will be my next mod for sure. Followed by HF Cats.

ChvyBoss · 09-12-2011, 05:19 PM

I would go catback exhaust because the stock exhaust just sounds to weak

Parag · 09-12-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChvyBoss

I would go catback exhaust because the stock exhaust just sounds to weak

mikeSS · 09-12-2011, 05:31 PM

exhaust. a CAI is not going to do much to a stock car. do you really want to drive around with those ugly stock mufflers and quiet camaro ? i didnt think so

Juiced1 · 09-13-2011, 04:30 PM

I'd want my Camaro to sound good first... contact us for a combo deal. Maybe you can get both at the same time!

Texas2SS · 09-13-2011, 04:32 PM

CAI and muffler delete.

Get some performance and better sound.

n116ebo · 09-13-2011, 04:37 PM

I went CAI Inc. first and then the Borla S axleback about 6 months later. They both cost about the same.

JWoj3540 · 09-14-2011, 09:23 PM

that's easy, cat-back first...your LS3 should hold you over performance wise for a year and the improved exhaust sound will turn some heads

Padre · 09-14-2011, 09:47 PM

If I had it to do over again, I'd do catback last. I could care less about noise (though it's fun

). I would do in this order: CAI, headers/cats, torque converter, then a tune. If I ever thought the weight of the trashcan stock exhausts would be best removed, I'd just go axle-back. The stock resonator (L99) is fine.

Padre

Juiced1 · 09-15-2011, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padre

If I had it to do over again, I'd do catback last. I could care less about noise (though it's fun

). I would do in this order: CAI, headers/cats, torque converter, then a tune. If I ever thought the weight of the trashcan stock exhausts would be best removed, I'd just go axle-back. The stock resonator (L99) is fine.

Padre

Thats a good order performance wise. A torque converter makes a ton of sense for auto cars. It really is the best bang for your buck.

I'd still get an exhaust though, can't stand quite v8s. Being on a budget a muffler delete makes sense. Or a simple muffler swap.

JWoj3540 · 09-15-2011, 11:02 AM

there you have it witchdoctor92...a variety of answers! As the first poster indicated, it really depends on what you want!

09-12-2011, 03:28 PM	#1
Witchdoctor92 Drives: 2012 1SS Black with white rally str Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 611	CAI vs cat-back If you could only do one right now which would it be. I am looking at the CAI intake and the Flowmaster AT Cat-back. Budgetary constraints mean one now and one in a year. Which would you do first?

09-12-2011, 05:19 PM	#5
ChvyBoss THAT BOOST TURNS HEADS Drives: Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: SOCAL Posts: 2,084 View My Garage	I would go catback exhaust because the stock exhaust just sounds to weak __________________ SoCal HT5 ENOUGH SAID

09-13-2011, 04:32 PM	#9
Texas2SS Vroom Drives: Rarely Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: 620 Posts: 4,901 View My Garage	CAI and muffler delete. Get some performance and better sound. __________________ *LSX, Boost, 9", TH400* xxxxhp - xxxtrq

09-14-2011, 09:47 PM	#12
Padre Only drives on Sundays Drives: '16 2SS A8 NPP MRC NGray Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 2,500 View My Garage	If I had it to do over again, I'd do catback last. I could care less about noise (though it's fun ). I would do in this order: CAI, headers/cats, torque converter, then a tune. If I ever thought the weight of the trashcan stock exhausts would be best removed, I'd just go axle-back. The stock resonator (L99) is fine. Padre __________________ OLD HOTNESS: The "Heretic": '11 2SS/RS L99 A6 Black/Inferno. Build Journal, Videos D1SC GT9 JBA-LT = 720/680 \| 10.330 @ 133.61, 1.546 sixty... Camaro King at ECS V, Darlington. NEW HOTNESS: '16 2SS A8 NPP MRC. Bone Stock, 1/8th: 8.051 @ 89.44, 1.919

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09-12-2011, 03:30 PM	#2
Bobby @ LG Motorsports Drives: 03 Cobra Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Plano TX Posts: 130	Depends on what you are looking for. The mufflers are going to do more to remove some weight and change the sound of the car vs adding HP to it. The cold air, while it isn't going to increase the volume of the car, will pick up more HP and will generally require a tune to work 100% correctly.

09-12-2011, 04:06 PM	#3
96/10SS Drives: 2010 2SS Orange w/ Grey stripes Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: SFL Posts: 372	Catbacks give minimal to no gains so its whether you want sound or performance.

09-12-2011, 05:05 PM	#4
Rhino79 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99/Auto Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Cabot, AR Posts: 2,827 View My Garage	I'd go CAI. Will be my next mod for sure. Followed by HF Cats.

09-12-2011, 05:31 PM	#7
mikeSS Drives: 2015 c7 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: MI Posts: 7,462	exhaust. a CAI is not going to do much to a stock car. do you really want to drive around with those ugly stock mufflers and quiet camaro ? i didnt think so

09-13-2011, 04:30 PM	#8
Juiced1 Account Suspended Drives: 2012 2SS CAMARO 45th Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: St. Charles, IL Posts: 18,663	I'd want my Camaro to sound good first... contact us for a combo deal. Maybe you can get both at the same time!

09-13-2011, 04:37 PM	#10
n116ebo n116 Drives: 2010 2SS YELLOW TRANSFORMER AUTO Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAN ANGELO TX Posts: 633 View My Garage	I went CAI Inc. first and then the Borla S axleback about 6 months later. They both cost about the same.

09-14-2011, 09:23 PM	#11
JWoj3540 Drives: 2012 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 696	that's easy, cat-back first...your LS3 should hold you over performance wise for a year and the improved exhaust sound will turn some heads

09-15-2011, 11:02 AM	#14
JWoj3540 Drives: 2012 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 696	there you have it witchdoctor92...a variety of answers! As the first poster indicated, it really depends on what you want!