Cat back exhaust- worth waiting longer?

[jbt56]

Originally Posted by Xmicro_SS

SOLO also has built custom mufflers for various cars. So many that most will fit other cars in various combo's. These guys are the only EXHAUST only shop left in North America,

Huh??

They have one of a kind resonators.
- The Mach X, has 4 chambers to prevent the packing from moving and changing sound over time.
- They use a combo mesh of stainless & Ceramic.
- The X pattern has a specific "wave" to it to help remove drone - This was very difficult to achieve and took 6 - 12 months in development.
- Down to the size and shape pf the louvers, everything was designed to improve what they were installing from other makers.

We do not know how much time anyone actually spends on R&D, you are assuming because they take longer to come out........that is a BIG assumption. And you are ASSUMING their numbers are not faked, or skewed, and MOST are.

I think that with Flowmaster, whose parts I've used for 20 years now, they have built a strong reputation of being the top of the heap in exhaust for what, over 25 years, and really doesn't need to 'fake' anything. They do appear to invest a lot into their exhaust, too. And, heck, at least they make something other than a glasspack! Interestingly, I remember seeing the silver prototype Camaro running around CA a few years ago. Guess whose mufflers (I looked!) were on that prototype?

Just as an example of flow. The stock exhaust system had over 1000 miles on it when I reached SOLO's main shop in Canada. The system only bronzed up to the factory resonators, just past the "H". When we were done with the MACH X, With only 50 MILES, I was bronzed all the way back to the rear fascia. It was a HUGS improvement in flow and Throttle Response.

I will be getting my car dyno'd soon and will post my findings. I will bet on 15-25HP on the LS3.

While you may have gained some level of performance, your pipe changing color has nothing to do with it. The fact that your stainless pipes are turning colors just means the car is running leaner, and therefore hotter. Heat is what makes your pipes turn "bronze".

[Xmicro_SS]

Originally Posted by jbt56

Huh??

I think that with Flowmaster, whose parts I've used for 20 years now, they have built a strong reputation of being the top of the heap in exhaust for what, over 25 years, and really doesn't need to 'fake' anything. They do appear to invest a lot into their exhaust, too. And, heck, at least they make something other than a glasspack! Interestingly, I remember seeing the silver prototype Camaro running around CA a few years ago. Guess whose mufflers (I looked!) were on that prototype?


While you may have gained some level of performance, your pipe changing color has nothing to do with it. The fact that your stainless pipes are turning colors just means the car is running leaner, and therefore hotter. Heat is what makes your pipes turn "bronze".

So this is your first post??

What the pipes bronzing all the way to the back means is GOOD FLOW. It means, UNLIKE the stock system, the heat is getting further back faster. The engine is tuned to run rich from the factory and the stock system after 1200 miles only bronzed to the "H"(middle).

If you like flow master, that is fine, and they are fine. I am talking about the quality of SOLO, which is a smaller, less known, company but also has a great quality standard and amazing local reputation, who happens to be building quality systems for an amazing price! And they do not make "just a glass pack". Their resonators are designed with a blend of stainless and ceramic mesh. They also design and manufacture headers, hi-flow cats, and complete kits for many different cars (including the Camaro, hopefully coming soon).

They are the only "EXHAUST ONLY" shop left in North America, why is that confusing? The rest of the "Exhaust shops" now do brakes, oil changes, and other work. Zorro Mufflers, Home of SOLO, still does ONLY Performance and standard Exhaust systems. To each his own, you either stick with a name you know for 25 years and get the same old or you try a new name that may actually design better parts that are mandrel bent and hand built for better alignment and quality. You never know until you try.

And I am getting quite a bit of performance increase. I have better throttle response, More Torque (very noticeable in 6th gear), and more HP snap. Not to mention the car sounds very high end, and doesn't drone on the highway like most that I have heard do.

[HotRod6769]

Originally Posted by Xmicro_SS

SOLO also has built custom mufflers for various cars. So many that most will fit other cars in various combo's. These guys are the only EXHAUST only shop left in North America, and they spent much time installing all the other systems. They came out with their own because they knew, first hand, of the issues with other systems. They have one of a kind resonators.
- The Mach X, has 4 chambers to prevent the packing from moving and changing sound over time.
- They use a combo mesh of stainless & Ceramic.
- The X pattern has a specific "wave" to it to help remove drone - This was very difficult to achieve and took 6 - 12 months in development.
- Down to the size and shape pf the louvers, everything was designed to improve what they were installing from other makers.

We do not know how much time anyone actually spends on R&D, you are assuming because they take longer to come out........that is a BIG assumption. And you are ASSUMING their numbers are not faked, or skewed, and MOST are. There was one large company claiming 5-7HP increase in the Saturn SKY Exhaust they were selling. Well when a few members dyno's theirs, it was 2-3HP. Then comes the back peddle and blah blah about conditions, elevations, etc.

As far as the regular dyno, as others have said, on most cars the HP gains are so small it really doesn't matter. Throttle response, torque, Flow, and sound are the utmost important. Being invloved in the developement of the Mach X, I can tell you the proof is there for all of the above.

Just as an example of flow. The stock exhaust system had over 1000 miles on it when I reached SOLO's main shop in Canada. The system only bronzed up to the factory resonators, just past the "H". When we were done with the MACH X, With only 50 MILES, I was bronzed all the way back to the rear fascia. It was a HUGS improvement in flow and Throttle Response.

I will be getting my car dyno'd soon and will post my findings. I will bet on 15-25HP on the LS3.

- The Mach X, has 4 chambers to prevent the packing from moving and changing sound over time.

I call BULLSHIT!!!

- The X pattern has a specific "wave" to it to help remove drone - This was very difficult to achieve and took 6 - 12 months in development.
- Down to the size and shape pf the louvers, everything was designed to improve what they were installing from other makers.

WOW this little muffler shop did all this and Bola, Magnaflow could not?

By the way where is there manufacturing plant? or are these the cheap Chinese knock-offs they throw in a kit they make which would explain the 304 muffler with 409 pipes. What grade 409 is it and yes there is different types of 409. If they use the cheap stuff it will rust just like the OEM stuff does. By the way what is there warranty?If something happens to it will they take care of my being thousands of miles away?and how? because stuff happens.

[jbt56]

Originally Posted by Xmicro_SS

So this is your first post??

Yep. That's very observant. I guess your tone is meant to imply that a first-time poster obviously has no knowledge. Dangerous assumption, friend.

What the pipes bronzing all the way to the back means is GOOD FLOW. It means, UNLIKE the stock system, the heat is getting further back faster. The engine is tuned to run rich from the factory and the stock system after 1200 miles only bronzed to the "H"(middle).

No, discoloration on stainless steel is caused by excessive heat. Since all engines today are tuned to the absolute maximum 'lean' (not 'rich') to achieve the best possible mileage, opening the exhaust to the level of a 'straight-through' muffler causes an even leaner condition, which causes the pipe to discolor further.

If you like flow master, that is fine, and they are fine. I am talking about the quality of SOLO, which is a smaller, less known, company but also has a great quality standard and amazing local reputation, who happens to be building quality systems for an amazing price! And they do not make "just a glass pack". Their resonators are designed with a blend of stainless and ceramic mesh. They also design and manufacture headers, hi-flow cats, and complete kits for many different cars (including the Camaro, hopefully coming soon).

So is Solo a manufacturer, or a muffler shop? After looking at their website, they appear to be a retail shop (or small chain), and not a manufacturer, per se. Although I didn't spend a lot of time there, the site didn't seem to say anything about headers or cats, but I may have simply missed it. As the above poster alluded to, I am also curious as to why Solo uses some unquantified 409 SS for their pipes, but 304 SS for their mufflers. Often, that indicates a shop that buys the mufflers (outsources) and bends the pipes, rather than manufacturing everything, like Magnaflow, Flowmaster, Borla, etc. There's really nothing at all wrong with that, but if I'm going to spend $500-1000 on something, I want to know all I can about it.

They are the only "EXHAUST ONLY" shop left in North America, why is that confusing? The rest of the "Exhaust shops" now do brakes, oil changes, and other work. Zorro Mufflers, Home of SOLO, still does ONLY Performance and standard Exhaust systems. To each his own, you either stick with a name you know for 25 years and get the same old or you try a new name that may actually design better parts that are mandrel bent and hand built for better alignment and quality. You never know until you try.

Okay, so they ARE just a retail shop. Where do they source their mufflers from? And really, there are thousands of muffler shops who would disagree that Zorro/Solo is the ONLY "exhaust only" shop in North America.
I, personally, am always on the lookout for BETTER products, whether it's a tastier burger, or better exhaust, or a more efficient brake pad, or whatever. After looking at this Solo product, I'm not close to convinced that they have built a "better mousetrap". Like many small businesses, they appear to have made some minor changes to very old muffler technology, wrapped it in a shiny box, and offer it up as the 'newest' thing out there- as if simply being 'new' means it's good.

And I am getting quite a bit of performance increase. I have better throttle response, More Torque (very noticeable in 6th gear), and more HP snap. Not to mention the car sounds very high end, and doesn't drone on the highway like most that I have heard do.

Excellent! The fact that you're happy with your choice is really what matters. Personally, as I said above, I'm not convinced, and the fact that Solo doesn't even tune their systems according to the vehicles' needs (except by "Butt dyno" ). From what I've heard/read over the years, Flowmaster, anyway, develops their exhaust systems on the car, and apparently it takes forever, due to all the dyno testing they do during the process. Oh, and they, like Magnaflow, et al, ALL mandrel-bend their pipes.

BTW, do you work for Solo? You seem to be awfully defensive of them, and also seem to know quite a bit about their operation. Either way, I don't mean to say they are anything but a perfectly upstanding company, and I'm sure they do everything they do to the best of their ability.