Kooks complete system (headers/exhaust)
 

I need advice/opinions about headers exhaustfrom those of you who are more knowledgeable than I am about motors (which is most of you!). I have a 2SS/RS automatic (Due to a medical issue, I can't drive a manual easily and I really love my A6 anyway.)

I am seriously considering this complete exhaust system from Kooks:
http://www.kookscustomheaders.com/show.php?pid=890

If I decide to do this, I will have IPS Motorsports in Columbus, OH install it and do a tune (which will include eliminating AFM).

The only other engine mod I will have done is a CAI intake. (Some of my Ohio C5 friends have been kind enough to say they'll help me install it this weekend.)

Why do I want to put in the Kooks system? Well, I want my car to sound more like a V8 than it does with the stock exhaust. I do not want my car to be extremely loud - I want to be able to hear my music and carry on a conversation), but I do want it to have a powerful growl to it! More power is always a plus as well. I don't plan to race my car except for maybe an occasional fun day at the track with friends. It will to be used mostly as a weekend, fair-weather fun car. I want it to sound great and be VERY fun to drive.

By the way, I am having IPS install the Pfadt suspension package+ next week which will lower the car a bit and should improve handling.

The reason I'm posting here is because I know many of you know more than I do about these things. I'm a novice at this stuff, but I want to mod my car. It's fun to learn about my Camaro from others who share that interest. I want to get the best bang for the buck with the mods and not wish I'd taken a different path in modding my car. ("Gee if only I had done my homework I would have done it this way...") I'm trying to do my homework and line up my mods. I've done some reading, but I find the practical experience of folks like you is often the best way to learn. Any advice you can give on the Kooks system or if you recommend a different set up is appreciated.

Thanks to all of you for all I've learned in these forums. You are great.

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:Getting fat on the extra buttered popcorn,watching this thread intently.(my CAI should be here tomorrow and seriously considering the Kooks headers and my Loudmouth IIs)

I am anxiously waiting some recommendations too. I think i have read/listened to every exhaust post on Camaro5 and still can't make up my mind on which exhaust. I share your concerns with being too loud but also worry about drone i definitely don't want to deal with that. Love the sound of the Borla cat back but read drone could be an issue. it seems as if Solo Mach X may be a drone free system with a nice sound.
Hopefully we will learn more. Great post. :popcorn:

Kooks is def. what you want then. It is very quiet in the car at crusing speeds/idle. at WOT however, it is an entirely different beast. I'm kind of an exhaust whore and had quite a bit of exhausts on my 4th gen. I know what a good exhaust sounds like compared to a bad exhaust. and to be honest with you, the kooks is by far my favorite. It's quiet enough that I'm not pissing off my neighbors when I leave for work in the morning (too much), but it's loud enough to make the guy in the 370z with straight pipes yell out to me "holy shit that thing sounds mean" as I "aggressively pull away from him at a stop light"

http://s122.photobucket.com/albums/o...dclipofcar.flv

(edit: if you watch the video, the car was on a cold start, so the idle was at ~1000 rpms until about 0:50 into the video)

Kooks has 2 complete systems, there is the 6510 which I mentioned in the first post which has 1 3/4" primaries, but now I see they also offer the 6511 which has 1 7/8" primaries. The prices are similar between the two systems.

For some reason (again, noob here), IPS Motorsports quoted me the 1 3/4" system (the 6510). What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?

They did say at IPS that having the 3" muffler pipe on the 6510 would be great on my car instead of a 2.5" muffler pipe because with my CAI intake, it would help. (I hope I said that right.) Again, I'm just looking for discussion of the ins and outs of the options that are available. I defer to the experts. Thanks.

danhr, thanks for posting that video.

Kiss your warranty good bye, with those mods ...

I run the kooks long tube's w high flow cats they are awesome call and talk to Brandon at Maryland speed he gave me an awesome deal and he really gave me the best customer service I have experienced in a long time :happyanim:

I realize that any part directly affected by these mods would probably no longer be under warranty. If one wants to mod, one must kiss some security good bye. MWA! ;)

+1:thumbup:

I have the kooks 1 7/8 catted with a borla catback and a cold air industries intake and my car sounds freaking ridiculous. The guy the helped my installed said "man I'm not trying to stroke you off but that is one of the best sounding exhausts I have ever heard". The guy does custom exhaust work for a living so I think I'll take his word for it.

My understanding from talking to Eric at IPS is that the Kooks "complete system" is fairly new. He also said the sound from the 3" pipes is a bit deeper than the 2.5" Magnaflow he had talked to me about previously.

So, do you think the Kooks with the 1 7/8" primaries is better to use than the 1 3/4" primaries? I just talked to my brother (who is a total motorhead) and he said the thing that the 1 7/8" primaries do is they make the car better able to move it to the next step up. (I'm assuming he meant a supercharger.) I don't think I'd ever go that far with it.

i had a discussion ith eric at ips about headers yesterday and the 1 7/8 is definitely what you want if you plan to be in the 500-600 rwhp range. now im no pro so if im wrong correct me please but my understanding is the 1 3/4 headers are good up to about 400 rwhp range then 1 7/8 500 rwhp 2 inch being anyhting 600hp and up for very serious modding. right now i have no motor mods. A rotofab on the way from ips but i plan on headers and full exhaust and eventually charger so im going with 1 7/8's it may be more than enough now but i dont wanna put my back against the wall when i buy a blower and have to get new headers so its good to think ahead IMO

:word:

He's opening your eyes a bit. Your ENTIRE powertrain warranty is gone if you flash a tune to your car. Have you thought about an axle back system? If sound is what your looking for, why headers? Just curious.

if you even think about putting a 1 3/4 primary header on one of these cars, you need to be shot. even if the only thing you are doing to your car is just exhaust. Compare it to the LS1. It was 1 3/4 headers were very controversial for stock-bolt on LS1's. Even the fastest bolt on LS1 cars had 1 7/8 headers. Why would you want to put something even smaller on a motor that's bigger?

1 7/8.... if not, then go trade your car in for a v6, because you were not meant to drive a v8 camaro. (no offense to any v6 owners)

and i've known plenty of people that have put headers/exhaust on a car without voiding the warranty. all depends on the dealer. believe it or not, a dealer still makes money on warranty work. and if not.... i did my headers/exhaust in under 2 hours... that's proper removal and installation. If you need to go in for warranty work... keep your factory exhaust, and swap them out before you take it to the dealer

The OP is from Ohio, which has state inspections. Meaning he will most likely opt for the catted x-pipe version. I don't see why he would HAVE TO reflash his pcm? To gain optimal gains, of course he would have a tune. BUT he will still see substantial gains without a tune. and a nice exhaust note as well.