Need advice on furthering my 3800's exhaust...

[Doug96CamaroRS]

FINALLY got to open up the 3800 a little bit. My guy at the performance shop did a dynomax super turbo muffler with some cool 45 degree slash tips.. Sounds a ton better... runs a little bit better.. Now he says I should let him cut out my magnaflow hi-flow cat for a throatier sound and some more horses... he also wants to do a programmer down the road, and I know I want to get an slp cold air intake when I get my graduation money... I'm just looking for advice on whether or not to let him cut the cat and how I can make it sound even better. From what I've heard on forums for the v6s, they sound good (low and rumbly) below 2000 rpms and that's about right with my muffler too. Is there any way to make it sound more aggressive, but not too nasty? and I forgot to mention he insisted on keeping the stock 2 and 1/4 pipe from the cat back to the muffler. the car is also bone stock except for the cat and muffler back.... I'm not gonna do too much to the car, just enough to satisfy me through college while I save up to do an LS1 swap :] please help me out guys.
-Doug

[bri2203]

Well I owned a 3.8 for two years and I gutted the cat for a short period of time and in my opnion is sounded AWEFUL! The V6 rasp was more evident with better flowing exhaust. Personally on a 3.8 V6 I would keep it quiet as possible.

If your saving up for a LS1 swap..why spend money now that you will spend again later?

My suggestion from what you have said, leave it alone. Change the oil once and while, wash it every few weeks, and drive the crap out of it.

[Doug96CamaroRS]

yeah... I wash and wax the crap out of it... I love making it shine, because it's in extremely good cosmetic condition for being a 96, although I did have the hood repainted due to rock chips. I know I at least want to do a cold air intake; I just wanna get closer to the potential of the engine stock. I can feel that it isn't breathing like it wants to and I know some people can make them sound pretty mean, but Idk how :l

[Lucky SOB]

LEAVE THE CAT IN!!! Not worth the 2 hp, it will sound terrible...

Also, auto or manual? If auto, might consider a stall to make the car more fun to drive until you swap the motor?

[Fbomb]

Supporting mods IE subframe connectors and suspension stuff. You could make it corner for now since it won't be "fast" and if you're going to swap it anyways there's not really any point in investing money to throw away.

[bri2203]

I know some people can make them sound pretty mean, but Idk how :l

you should ask them?

the only NA 3.8 that sounded good to me were cammed.

[WMCCjames]

Sound is too subjective...save your money. Some people say v6's can sound good, but I've never heard one...they all sound like tractors to me. Vinnie is right, if you want to spend money on the car, spend it where you will still be able to use it when you do your swap...ie. suspension.

[steddy]

Unless you're willing to rebuild and cam it, then program the SES light from the cat being gone (assuming its OBDII like mine is), I'd just do the cold air and be happy with it. With CAI, I'm pretty sure you'll have a noticeable difference that will keep you happy until suspension mods are done and the LS1 swapped.

[04DetroitLS]

you should ask them?

the only NA 3.8 that sounded good to me were cammed.

First fire up
http://www.streetfire.net/video/firs...-up_681089.htm

Adjusted idle (idle hadn't kicked down yet, was still ~1500, normally around 1100)

WOT run

I love it @ idle, sounds mean, @ WOT the angry hornets show up and ruin my fun. It isnt bad cruising (if you dont mind the drone due to no cat/rez/Dronemaster 40s)


I want to quiet her up alot this year, we'll see if it happens or not

[97rs4life]

leave the cat in there, they sound bad with a straight pipe and you would need hptuners to tune the code out of it which again you need a 97 PCM for...so your cheap mod turned into a $500 mod unless you find someone with hptuners then you are gonna be around $150-200 for it at minimum.

You are wasting time if you are stuck on leaving the 2 1/4" piping and modding your car.

[Darren]

Joel added a stock SS camaro exhaust to his v6 and it sounded great. Not loud but more then the stock v6... might be worth looking into if your dying to change something.

[esoteric18]

stock firebird v6 exhuast sounds pretty good until you hit 2k lol then it sounds like a honda

[MP81]

Yeah, just get a stock catback from a V8 car, and leave the cat on.

Most of the aftermarket exhausts on a stock 3800 car idle nice, but sound like a 4-cylinder when you get on it.

Carl's (steddy) is one of the few 3800 cars that sounds bad ass, but he's got a nice cam in there too, and that really helps.

[Derek]

I had several different setups on my old v6.. started out stock and that was too quiet. added a flopro vforce muffler in place of my stock dual exhaust muffler and that was louder and sounded pretty good. Took out the cat and put a high flow bullet one in there, and threw an SLP loudmouth exhaust on the car once I supercharged it and it sounded nice at idle, HORRIBLE at anything else. It was so annoying; my interior pieces would rattle it was so loud, and it droned terrrible. Took out the worthless loudmouth bullet "resonator" and put in a twister bullet muffler and it quieted the drone down some, but it was still obnoxiously annoying when in the throttle Then I parted the car out and threw a stock trans am dual exhaust on it with the high flow cat, sounded great! Not loud at all, but on the throttle it almost sounded like a quiet V8 (and yes I know what a v8 sounds like, I drive one now.) Moral of the story, just leave your car alone or throw a stock v8 exhaust on it and save your money until you can buy a v8 car. Don't bother with the programmer either, there is noooo point in spending money on that crap, you would never feel the gains. In the end you can do what you want, but coming from someone that had a heavily modified v6, it wasn't worth it at all.. Save for the v8, you'll be happier.

[Doug96CamaroRS]

thanks a lot for all of the replies guys! I'll leave the exhaust alone, because I'm satisfied with the muffler and tips for 200 bucks, and I know there's no point doing minor mods to a v6... so the intake will be the last thing I do, then I can start saving up for my v8 :] now the question is: which motor could I get more power out of for my money??? I know LS1s put out quite a bit more power, but I could buy an LT1 and some nice bolt ons for the same price... any suggestions? and who would be willing to help an inexperienced stranger out with the swap??? the swap is a good possibility, but I'm still back and forth between that and just selling mine and buying a v8 car, which would be wayyyy easier.