Well when i do my cam install i want to put cutouts on so u can hear the cam better, but i run my pipe before the rear axle with a couple of turndowns. So would it make a difference at all since i dont run piping all the way back? thanks!

 

All depends on the power curve you want. If you run a supercharger that boosts the motor, it is like running a 454 motor, and will give great power benifits all around. If you are mostly still stock motor, you will get a power gain, but will loose your down low torque, so it depends on how high you run you rpms.

Most people say that the motor needs back pressure to run. This is not so, exhaust systems do two things, quite the system, and adjust the power band. More restrictive the motor exhaust, the more force the motor is applying to press out the exhaust(to a limit, to much back pressure will kill the motor), loss of horsepower, but more torque due to the extra force of the motor. Less retrictive, more horsepower with less pressure on the system, but loss of down low pulling power since the motor can spin so easily. For most all applications I would leave your system alone, or use a single cutout. That is if you are running a singular exhaust, and not true duels, but I would be real surprized to see you run true duels on a stock motor, not including bolt ons. The 5.3 is still pretty small of a motor. If you are running like 6500 rpms, you should get a better run in the quarter, but that is a lot of rpms for this motor. I would not be surprized if you just were really dissappointed by how the motor reacts to a cutout. I know plenty of people that were real dissappointed by runnins something like that. Know if it is just for crazy noise, then go ahead, it will run fine.

My friend has a 2001 Camaro SS with redone heads, cam, intake and electric exhaust cutouts. He is still running an X pipe. He dynoed at 408rwhp. He ran about .3 seconds faster in the quarter mile, when opening the cutouts. Now he had a lot of motor work done though, so you will not see this benifit like him, but his car sounds just like a Nascar motored vehicle when he cuts them open.

 

If you are already getting the exhaust redoe, why not? When I installed my headers I noticed a gian running open headers on a basically stock engine (w/ bolt-ons and HPP3). I had the exhaust redone afterwards and could notice the restriction. If you are going with headers, I would definantly do it. Doing just a cam, I would do it if the price was right. You should also think about getting a higher stall torque convertor if you have an automatic too. That will take even better advantage of the unrestricted exhaust.

Hodgeee is right about how the exhaust restricts are and all. A .3 gain is a pretty nice gain for the 40 bux the cutouts cost I think ...

 

K guys, to answer a few of ure questions. I do have headers already, and i do run "true" duals and i have a 3200 stall on order. Maybe now u can tell me if its worth it or not?

 

Yes,go for it you'll gain about 8 to 10hp.Get the electric operated ones they open in about 5 seconds and you don't even get dirty.

 

So where do most guys put theres at? Right after the headers? Right before the mufflers?

 

Put them between the headers and mufflers after the x-pipe if you run one.

 

The best thing about cut outs is the throttle response it will allow the motor to reach peak horsepower more rapidly. Where most guys screw up is they over rev they're engine. No sence winding it to 6500 rpm if the motor isn't cammed for that. If you have a basically stock motor cut outs will still help a little just by letting the motor do what its supposed to quicker.

 

Ok now tell me what I need to do. Iv got a borla (single muff dual out) catback and AMS's on the way. Im going to to run cats so where do I need to place a cutout?

 

Run a 3" cutout just behind the wye-pipe.