Exhaust experts needed

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Ok guys, like so many other v6 owners, I have decided to change the exhaust setup on my car. I have read countless posts and watched hours of YouTube videos trying to decide what route to go. Initially I wanted to have a custom 2 1/2 inch cat back made, but now I'm considering leaving the stock piping under the car and add the magnaflow resonated x and some aftermarket mufflers.
I have a couple questions
1- how much of a difference in sound can be expected between 2 1/4 vs 2 1/2 inch pipes?
2- the resonated x from magnaflow, is it 11385 (2 1/4) or 11386 (2 1/2) that people always use?

Before anybody asks, I'm mainly looking for a nice sound that isn't overbearing and very little if any drone. I used to enjoy loud exhaust, but now it gets annoying to me. I know I will gain some power but this is no race car so I'm not trying to squeeze every pony I can out of it, especially since it has about 160k. Any thoughts or input?

[Kenny Camaro]

If your looking to not have drone issues or lower the possibity of overbearing drone, stay away from the round mufflers and look more at oval mufflers, as the drone less than round mufflers.

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Thanks for the input Kenny. Right now I am considering the cherry bomb vortex (like riozland did), dynomax ultra flow, or magnaflow. I have been shopping around and saw thrush turbo mufflers. They are pretty cheap, but the price isn't that big of a deal. My biggest concern is the sound, but I haven't heard an exhaust I didn't like when using the magnaflow resonated x. Decisions decisions.....

[BumbleBeeV62011]

The stock exhaust is 2 1/4 correct?

[Camaro1037]

You will have many differences of views on this matter.
For my V6 I went with solo performance high flow cats. Followed up with Borla Type S exhaust system. For me it sounds and works the best for the V6 . At the end of the day it comes down to cost out of your wallet. The time spent in searching for your product. The man hours putting it into the car. You will learn a lot in this exhaust journey . Trust me on that but enjoy it

[Silent...]

Magnaflow for your consideration. Minimal drone with the windows up at highway speeds. No need for a resonated xpipe IMO.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=485712

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Originally Posted by Camaro1037

You will have many differences of views on this matter.
For my V6 I went with solo performance high flow cats. Followed up with Borla Type S exhaust system. For me it sounds and works the best for the V6 . At the end of the day it comes down to cost out of your wallet. The time spent in searching for your product. The man hours putting it into the car. You will learn a lot in this exhaust journey . Trust me on that but enjoy it

I do like the sound of borla and MRT but I can't bring myself to pay 500+ for an axle back, which is why I'm going custom. I did get an estimate from a local exhaust shop. He said that a full 2 1/2 inch cat back with magnaflow X pipe and magnaflow mufflers would be 500. I'm just not sure a full magnaflow setup will give the sound I want. I like an aggressive exhaust note, but not really loud. I'm still listening to sound clips to figure out what will give the sound I want without being extremely loud

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Originally Posted by Silent...

Magnaflow for your consideration. Minimal drone with the windows up at highway speeds. No need for a resonated xpipe IMO.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=485712

I like it more than I expected. It has a nice mellow tone at idle. I also scrolled through and watched the acceleration video. It sounds similar to the V8. Now I'm curious how much the sound will change with the resonated X. im going to keep looking but those magnaflows are at the top of my list of possibilities

[KillboyPowerhead]

There is a video on Youtube where the guy put a Camaro V8 Magnaflow cat-back on his V6 and it sounds pretty good. The cat-back has an x-pipe (non-resonated) and then 3" pipe to two mufflers. Not sure how the drone is.

[awdmofo]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeV62011

The stock exhaust is 2 1/4 correct?

After the Cat there is 2.5" then it goes into 2.25" into the stock resonator and stays 2.25 back to the tips. I have some magnaflow's (the same ones that are in Silent's video he posted in this thread) that use a 2.25" inlet/outlet I took off my car to go straight pipe. Not much louder than a stock setup but also zero drone even with the stock resonators removed. let me know if you want to see a pic of them and I can shoot you a PM.

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Originally Posted by awdmofo

After the Cat there is 2.5" then it goes into 2.25" into the stock resonator and stays 2.25 back to the tips. I have some magnaflow's (the same ones that are in Silent's video he posted in this thread) that use a 2.25" inlet/outlet I took off my car to go straight pipe. Not much louder than a stock setup but also zero drone even with the stock resonators removed. let me know if you want to see a pic of them and I can shoot you a PM.

How many miles on the mufflers? Any damage to them?

[riozlander]

I got square mufflers on my v6 from cherry bomb the vortex mufflers. I love them alot.
Not to loud not to quite just right for me. The drone I get is little. Its hard to explain.
when on the throttle I get a nice burrrrrrrr from the back but its not overbearing or defining. I can hear music on a low volume hold a conversation and get a good smile from the sound.
Under heavy acceleration its really good but dissipates in the highs rpm's no nasty rasp.
But if I want to sneak around the streets not draw attention to my self just normal light driving and nothing is heard at all
Even at 80mph just holding at that speed nothing nice and quiet.
A little gas and it can be heard as a slight reminder from the back going hay I'm here and sound good. I'm totally in love with my mufflers.

[anth331]

I have a post "MESSED UP" in the LLT section. If I had to do it all over again I would have done what I winded up with the NPP exhaust or I would have saved my pennies and got a Borla system like I have on my 16 Silverado. I had the Magnaflow X pipe installed and straight piped, way to loud for me. It had a lot of drone also. Like everybody says it depends on what bothers you and what don't.

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Originally Posted by riozlander

I got square mufflers on my v6 from cherry bomb the vortex mufflers. I love them alot.
Not to loud not to quite just right for me. The drone I get is little. Its hard to explain.
when on the throttle I get a nice burrrrrrrr from the back but its not overbearing or defining. I can hear music on a low volume hold a conversation and get a good smile from the sound.
Under heavy acceleration its really good but dissipates in the highs rpm's no nasty rasp.
But if I want to sneak around the streets not draw attention to my self just normal light driving and nothing is heard at all
Even at 80mph just holding at that speed nothing nice and quiet.
A little gas and it can be heard as a slight reminder from the back going hay I'm here and sound good. I'm totally in love with my mufflers.

I was keeping up with that thread. I like the sound of your exhaust. It's not really loud, but has a nice tone. I did see on one of your posts that you bought both mufflers for $50 on Amazon, but I only found them to be around $60 each. Can you share a link to the seller? I think I have leveled my options down to the cherry bomb vortex and magnaflow mufflers. My problem is I can't decide if I want to get the 2 1/2 inch pipes installed or use the stock pipes