Question for those with Borla exhausts

[CamaroCruzin]

OK first off thanks for the info guys...

Man I thought I did enough research on this but to be honest I didnt think about the AFM factor.
What are the issues with the AFM? (what is the annoying factor?)
Is it just on Borla exhausts?
What if I switch to a cat back?
As far as turning off AFM I take it that it will void the warranty on AFM alone?
Don't really plan to mod it out,right now at least... just wanted a better sounding exhaust and I loved how the S Type sounds. I did purchase an Airaid CAI with the exhausts also.

Thanks again for your help and insight fellas. Recommendations are welcome.

[010 Camaro SS]

Borla Type S installed...No issues at all...

[Phat Ralph]

Find another shop! My Borla ATAK cat back fit like a glove! Love it!!!!!

[Switchback700]

Originally Posted by CamaroCruzin

OK first off thanks for the info guys...

Man I thought I did enough research on this but to be honest I didnt think about the AFM factor.
What are the issues with the AFM? (what is the annoying factor?)
Is it just on Borla exhausts?
What if I switch to a cat back?
As far as turning off AFM I take it that it will void the warranty on AFM alone?
Don't really plan to mod it out,right now at least... just wanted a better sounding exhaust and I loved how the S Type sounds. I did purchase an Airaid CAI with the exhausts also.

Thanks again for your help and insight fellas. Recommendations are welcome.

Your stock exhaust is designed specifically to hide the sound of your car switching from 8 cyls to 4 cyls (AFM). It has a huge resonator in the center and Helmholz "J" pipes (google it, or search here) in the mufflers to cancel out specific sound frequency zones. As soon as I put my Borla Touring axle back on the sound of AFM coming on and off was verrry noticable.... sounded just like a 4 banger with aftermarket exhaust... terrible! I only made it a couple months before buying a handheld tuner and shutting AFM off (yes, this voids warranty), but it was so much more enjoyable to drive! This you have to weigh with your future plans, if you want your warranty (keeping AFM) I would not go Borla.

Axleback and catback will both have the same issues. If anything catback will be worse because you will then eliminate the giant stock resonator under your seat.

If you plan on tuning eventually, just save your money and get LT Headers, hi-flow cats, CAI, Catback, and a tune all at once. This option makes the L99 run and sound like it should! And if you wanted to save some money I have read that the stock exhaust with LT Headers actually sounds pretty good because Headers and Cats make it much louder. This is important to consider if you don't want to end up buying 2 exhausts... if you add headers and hiflow cats later, the axleback or catback that was "just the right volume" will now become "too loud".... Headers and cats increase the volume quite a bit. There have been a lot of members here that ended up switching their exhaust after adding headers because of this increase... another good reason to do it all at once or at least stay on the quiet side with the initial axleback or catback.

It is not just Borla from what I've read, but there are some exhausts that are supposedly better at hiding it (nothing will disquise it as well as stock IMHO, stock is actually a great design, just tooo quiet, but it has to be to hide AFM). Solo exhaust makes an axle back with a "J" pipe that is suppose to sound more agressive than stock and do a pretty good job at hiding AFM. Corsa makes a catback just for the L99 with extra resonators but I'm not sure how well it hides AFM. Magnaflow has a catback (The Street version I believe) that has resonator(s) added also.... but from what I've read here the Solo seems to be the best at this job.

Really consider what your longterm plans are... although that can be difficult... I started with just wanting more sound and keeping my warranty... this turned quickly into rolling the dice and getting the Header's package I mentioned above which voided my engine and drivetrain warranty, but this is a summer car for me that will only see maybe 8,000 miles a year, so at the 5 year warranty expiration I will only have 40,000 miles... I don't beat the crap out of it and am keeping my fingers crossed I make it to 5 years without a meltdown! If you are even considering making more mods and tuning before 5 years, wait and do it all at once.... kiss AFM bye bye and enjoy!

Good Luck and let us know if you have any more questions.

[CamaroCruzin]

Originally Posted by Switchback700

Your stock exhaust is designed specifically to hide the sound of your car switching from 8 cyls to 4 cyls (AFM). It has a huge resonator in the center and Helmholz "J" pipes (google it, or search here) in the mufflers to cancel out specific sound frequency zones. As soon as I put my Borla Touring axle back on the sound of AFM coming on and off was verrry noticable.... sounded just like a 4 banger with aftermarket exhaust... terrible! I only made it a couple months before buying a handheld tuner and shutting AFM off (yes, this voids warranty), but it was so much more enjoyable to drive! This you have to weigh with your future plans, if you want your warranty (keeping AFM) I would not go Borla.

Axleback and catback will both have the same issues. If anything catback will be worse because you will then eliminate the giant stock resonator under your seat.

If you plan on tuning eventually, just save your money and get LT Headers, hi-flow cats, CAI, Catback, and a tune all at once. This option makes the L99 run and sound like it should! And if you wanted to save some money I have read that the stock exhaust with LT Headers actually sounds pretty good because Headers and Cats make it much louder. This is important to consider if you don't want to end up buying 2 exhausts... if you add headers and hiflow cats later, the axleback or catback that was "just the right volume" will now become "too loud".... Headers and cats increase the volume quite a bit. There have been a lot of members here that ended up switching their exhaust after adding headers because of this increase... another good reason to do it all at once or at least stay on the quiet side with the initial axleback or catback.

It is not just Borla from what I've read, but there are some exhausts that are supposedly better at hiding it (nothing will disquise it as well as stock IMHO, stock is actually a great design, just tooo quiet, but it has to be to hide AFM). Solo exhaust makes an axle back with a "J" pipe that is suppose to sound more agressive than stock and do a pretty good job at hiding AFM. Corsa makes a catback just for the L99 with extra resonators but I'm not sure how well it hides AFM. Magnaflow has a catback (The Street version I believe) that has resonator(s) added also.... but from what I've read here the Solo seems to be the best at this job.

Really consider what your longterm plans are... although that can be difficult... I started with just wanting more sound and keeping my warranty... this turned quickly into rolling the dice and getting the Header's package I mentioned above which voided my engine and drivetrain warranty, but this is a summer car for me that will only see maybe 8,000 miles a year, so at the 5 year warranty expiration I will only have 40,000 miles... I don't beat the crap out of it and am keeping my fingers crossed I make it to 5 years without a meltdown! If you are even considering making more mods and tuning before 5 years, wait and do it all at once.... kiss AFM bye bye and enjoy!

Good Luck and let us know if you have any more questions.

Wow thanks for all that info, much appreciated. I just recieved my CAI and exhaust, unfortunately I think I will be trying to return the exhaust and look at some other AFM friendly exhausts. This is my DD and I would like to keep AFM and the warranty in tact as long as possible. I dont plan on any more performance mods until after the warranty expires. I'll probably just run with the CAI for a while and see how it sounds/runs and assess the exhaust in the summer. Hopefully I can return it with no issue, wish me luck. I'll keep you informed. Thanks again.

[myold88]

Originally Posted by CamaroCruzin

Wow thanks for all that info, much appreciated. I just recieved my CAI and exhaust, unfortunately I think I will be trying to return the exhaust and look at some other AFM friendly exhausts. This is my DD and I would like to keep AFM and the warranty in tact as long as possible. I dont plan on any more performance mods until after the warranty expires. I'll probably just run with the CAI for a while and see how it sounds/runs and assess the exhaust in the summer. Hopefully I can return it with no issue, wish me luck. I'll keep you informed. Thanks again.

Solo J pipes are the best in my opinion. I have the Solo Axle Backs on my '10 SS L99.
I was parked next to another Camaro SS with Borla exhaust at a car show and we compaired exhaust sounds while parked there.
1) The Solos on my car were much deeper/meaner/more agressive sounding than the Borla and
2) as stated above there's no hated drone with Solo, even with the AFM that I want to keep until my warranty expires.
Again IMO !

[Switchback700]

Originally Posted by myold88

Solo J pipes are the best in my opinion. I have the Solo Axle Backs on my '10 SS L99.
I was parked next to another Camaro SS with Borla exhaust at a car show and we compaired exhaust sounds while parked there.
1) The Solos on my car were much deeper/meaner/more agressive sounding than the Borla and
2) as stated above there's no hated drone with Solo, even with the AFM that I want to keep until my warranty expires.
Again IMO !

Just the guy I was looking for.... Thanks.... if I did it again I would go your route... although I do love the added horses and volume with the Headers, but for anyone wanting to keep warranty it sounds like Solo is the way to go!

[Ratt]

Originally Posted by CamaroCruzin

I recently spoke with a very respected and trusted shop owner in our area about installing a an axle-back Borla Type S kit for my 2010 SS. He said he'd do it but pointed out that he has had some trouble with Borla exhausts because they never seem to fit right without some adjustments being made on his part. Otherwise the pipes can be uneven or not level with each other... just wanted to know if any members with Borla exhausts had any issues like this?

Also he has never installed them on a Camaro, closest vehicle was a Corvette. But he always has issues with Borla on other vehicles. Thanks

He doesn't want to do the job. Borla is probably the company you would have the LEAST problems with as far as fit or anything else.

[Ratt]

Originally Posted by Switchback700

Just the guy I was looking for.... Thanks.... if I did it again I would go your route... although I do love the added horses and volume with the Headers, but for anyone wanting to keep warranty it sounds like Solo is the way to go!

I installed ARH headers with a Borla S cat back exhaust and my warranty wasn't voided. The only thing the service manager said when I had the oil changed was "I like those headers who makes them"

Always have the dealership change your oil and handle any low cost work you need done and you will never have any warranty issues.

Don't forget to bring donuts for the mechanics when you have your oil changed.

[Hutch52]

Borla type S cat back installed, No problems very nice set up

[mlee]

Originally Posted by Ratt

I installed ARH headers with a Borla S cat back exhaust and my warranty wasn't voided. The only thing the service manager said when I had the oil changed was "I like those headers who makes them"

Always have the dealership change your oil and handle any low cost work you need done and you will never have any warranty issues.

Don't forget to bring donuts for the mechanics when you have your oil changed.

Originally Posted by Hutch52

Borla type S cat back installed, No problems very nice set up

...and it sounds good too... If AFM doesn't bug you now keeping your stock resonator and just going with an axle back you will be fine.

[Ratt]

Originally Posted by mlee

...and it sounds good too... If AFM doesn't bug you now keeping your stock resonator and just going with an axle back you will be fine.

Just had it Dyno'ed and the AFM system is gone. I love it, with the Tranny tune its like having a whole new car. No more drone and a Warp speed to boot.

I haven't seen the service manager since the tune but he hasn't bitch about anything else so maybe he will look the other way on this one.

[mlee]

Originally Posted by Ratt

Just had it Dyno'ed and the AFM system is gone. I love it, with the Tranny tune its like having a whole new car. No more drone and a Warp speed to boot.

I haven't seen the service manager since the tune but he hasn't bitch about anything else so maybe he will look the other way on this one.

Yeah... hopefully they just play the commen sense card with you. If it's something you did then you pay otherwise enjoy the heck out of that tranny tune... that's the best part for sure...

[navyblueburnout]

I installed my own cat back borla atak and it fits nice. Just stand back and make sure the tips are level and centered before tighting down the clamps.