01 Tahoe tune incoming, what (cold) air filter and exhaust?

[Tonny]

Hi guys, Tonny from the Netherlands here.

I've a stock 4x4 Tahoe LT 5.3 2001, original Dutch delivered.

I found a famous Honda tuner nearby, where I went for a visit yesterday. I went there yesterday and looked at the options, he can pretty much do the same as Black Bear Performance so that's great, and he is nearby.

Now my following question. Because I've a muffler bigger than a truck, you can barely hear the beautiful v8. In some cases it's actually handy but I really want better sound, and if possible with my budget, a exhaust that can give some extra power and torque in combination with the tune incoming. My exhaust:


Air filter: Is it worth taking a K&N cold air intake for like €300 dollars over a ebay version for like 60/80 dollar? I mean, that is a big difference.. Or Airaid?

Exhaust: options in the Netherlands are a lot less then you guys have in America. But I can get for example a flowmaster 40 series muffler for €155, 3 inch in and out. Also possible to get Magnaflow mufflers in Holland or Germany for example. I first wanted to straight pipe it, but it will probably be to loud.

So what do you guys reckon? Waiting for your opinions.

All make the best of this weird time and lets hope for the best in 2021.

Groetjes Tonny

 

[Tonny]

Borla might also be a possibility I just found out..

EDIT: Or like a super 44 or super 40. Don't need to get problems with the MOT, or at least, that's the best, otherwise i've to change it every year haha. If I remember correct, 97 decibels is the max for my vehicle in the Netherlands..

Thrush mufflers... €100 euro. Description doesn't sound bad.. : https://www.ajspeedshop.nl/a-47405035/thrush-dempers/uitlaatdemper-thrush-welded-3-inch/ description actually in English!

Edit2: Flowmaster FlowFX muffler, €85 for 3 inch in and out: https://www.ajspeedshop.nl/a-574228...lowmaster-flowfx-mufflers-2-25-2-5-en-3-inch/

Also found a chart that might be usefull. I think the normal 40 series will be to loud, I also have neighbours, who now (still) like me a lot haha.

 

[iamdub]

Save your money on an air intake. Get an AEM DryFlow drop-in filter and, if you want a little more sound and maybe a few horses, an Airaid MIT. The MIT alone will give you a throaty sound that is very much like an aftermarket muffler, so you won't be longing for such a loud muffler just to hear the V8.

 

[Tonny]

Save your money on an air intake. Get an AEM DryFlow drop-in filter and, if you want a little more sound and maybe a few horses, an Airaid MIT. The MIT alone will give you a throaty sound that is very much like an aftermarket muffler, so you won't be longing for such a loud muffler just to hear the V8.

Sound legit, was just reading about the Airaid. Yes, I want to hear the sound a little more but when driving around town, people sometimes don't even hear me coming, (then me thinking hey v8 what's up?!) The 3 cilinder 1.0 Citroen C1 from my sister fully stock is louder then my Chevy to give you an example. Or a 2012 diesel, more noise... So this filter configuration sounds good.. And my guts say: combine it with a flowmaster FlowFX Muffler: https://www.ajspeedshop.nl/a-574228...lowmaster-flowfx-mufflers-2-25-2-5-en-3-inch/

 

[Tonny]

Save your money on an air intake. Get an AEM DryFlow drop-in filter and, if you want a little more sound and maybe a few horses, an Airaid MIT. The MIT alone will give you a throaty sound that is very much like an aftermarket muffler, so you won't be longing for such a loud muffler just to hear the V8.

Do you have a number of the filter? I can't seem to find it in Europe...

EDIT: SKU: 28-20129 ? EDIT2: Ok, this filter I can get from the UK for like 40 dollars but the Airaid 200-912 is not available in EU or UK. With shipping and sending it will cost me like 250 dollars, I can almost get a K&N Cold air intake system for that money in Europe. I contacted my cousin in America, asked him when he will come to the Netherlands so maybe he can take the Airaid MIT...

Still interested in others experiences, so lets go

 

[Tonny]

Just found some very good comparison video's on youtube from the Flowmaster exhausts, this made me wondering that this is probably enough: https://www.ajspeedshop.nl/a-57986483/flowmaster-dempers/flowmaster-50-series-delta-flow-3-inch/

 

[Jason in DLH]

Hey Tonny! I love the Borla XR1 muffler on my 6.2L. That’s their racing muffler and apparently at wide open throttle it will improve the exhaust velocity (even better than no muffler at all). I’ve taken my resonator off as well and dumped it below the third row seating. I think it sounds great and my wife thinks it’s too loud. It’s not not as loud as other mufflers, but the whole velocity sold me. I was running no muffler for short awhile and that was fun until I got tired of all the noise.

 

[Tonny]

Hey Tonny! I love the Borla XR1 muffler on my 6.2L. That’s their racing muffler and apparently at wide open throttle it will improve the exhaust velocity (even better than no muffler at all). I’ve taken my resonator off as well and dumped it below the third row seating. I think it sounds great and my wife thinks it’s too loud. It’s not not as loud as other mufflers, but the whole velocity sold me. I was running no muffler for short awhile and that was fun until I got tired of all the noise.

Thanks for the reply! Just searched for some video's, all though I will do single out, wil it be like this?

I don't have a extra resonator so it will be from the cats to the Borla then, and want to use the old 3 inch pipe out the back. My Tahoe has only the front seats left as I drive it for my business and need the space. We've a weird system here in Holland but in this way I pay a lot less taxes, and I need the space. But it means that I got a rear bulkhead (wooden separation) behind the front seats and the back space of the Tahoe. But I think the Airaid will also help to sound better interior wise, I want to hear the exhaust also in the inside but less resonation then a flowmaster 40 series for example!

How the interior is in my Tahoe:

 

[Tonny]

Hey Tonny! I love the Borla XR1 muffler on my 6.2L. That’s their racing muffler and apparently at wide open throttle it will improve the exhaust velocity (even better than no muffler at all). I’ve taken my resonator off as well and dumped it below the third row seating. I think it sounds great and my wife thinks it’s too loud. It’s not not as loud as other mufflers, but the whole velocity sold me. I was running no muffler for short awhile and that was fun until I got tired of all the noise.

Looks kinda the same as a flowmaster FlowFX, who is cheaper and easier to get for me here...

 

[Tonny]

Just did a check in the goverments MOT requirements. In my case, the Chevy may not make more then 95+2 decibels nearby the muffler under 3500rpm.

EDIT1: Just spoke with my cousin who is trying to get to the Netherlands somewhere in the next months. No problem for him to take the Airaid 200-912 for me if I order it and send it to him. But we first gonna wait until he knows more about joining a flight!