Headers on a 6.2L with Stock Muffler/Cat-Back?

[Tonyrodz]

I got my rear main housing replaced and headers installed yesterday. It went fairly smoothly, only had one broken manifold bolt to fish out and one of the studs on the stock cat-back snapped right off so I popped that out and used a bolt and nut. Of course, once I got the headers in I realized they actually aren’t at all in the way of getting the starter or transmission out, which is a first for all the vehicles I’ve installed headers on but it’s done and I have no more leaks to worry about.

I’m very pleased with the headers and stock cat-back. That first video I posted really had me worried and I’m happy to say it does no justice for how it really sounds. At idle and at cruising its almost not even noticeable compared to stock and under harder acceleration it is definitely louder but far from deafening. I actually would have still been happy if it were a bit louder. It does have the bit of raspiness to it that long tunes add so it kinda adds a Corsa-ish tone to it. It sounds great though and I’m very happy. It doesn’t sound out-of-place being on an Escalade either which was also something I was a little nervous about. Even with the catted y-pipe the P0420 and P0430 set before I even got home! It was late by the time I was done so I only took this one video of acceleration from inside the truck, all windows up.

I like the 2 mpg!

 

[Moose912]

Hoping to get headers and see how my 6.2 sounds.

 

[Beach Goat]

OP not sure if you've made your decision yet, but as someone who has a lot of experience with LS engines, I've found that Corsa sounds exceptionally raspy and unpleasant at anything but idle. I have never understood the appeal of making your big muscular V8 sounds like a ricer with a fart can.

 

[Beach Goat]

So how does it sound now? Are the headers going to change the tone and sound that much? Is your resonator and muffler in tact? I have zero experience with adding headers to a stock exhaust but I can’t imagine the sound being that different. What if you do just the tune then stash the headers money away til you can get the corsa? Just tossing stuff out there.

Headers help airflow, even on a stock cam, and more airflow equals more sound, so they will add volume at certain throttle openings even with stock mufflers. Also cast iron manifolds are an excellent sound insulator...with them gone you can hear more of the actual engine sounds when you crack the throttle wide open. You're hearing more from up front as well as more out back.

 

[91RS]

I'll be staying with the stock muffler for now. I love Corsa though. Yes it is a bit raspy but it certainly isn't unpleasant and sounds nothing like "a ricer with a fart can." That being said, headers to increase the raspiness of any exhaust so on this particular vehicle if I did still do a Corsa it would likely be the touring.

My favorite exhaust of all the cars I've owned is still the Grand Sport with headers and Corsa Xtreme. I even had Corsa on my Cadillac STS and STS-V with Northstars. Flowmaster sounds awful. Borla/GMPP have good sound but lots of drone. The B&B might be my favorite exhaust for an LS at WOT but only at WOT, lots of drone. Magnaflow doesn't sound good on any LS I've ever heard (loved the MF on my I6 Trailblazer though).

 

[Big Mama]

Good choice. When unsure wait until you see/hear something in person.

 

[kbuskill]

I'll be staying with the stock muffler for now. I love Corsa though. Yes it is a bit raspy but it certainly isn't unpleasant and sounds nothing like "a ricer with a fart can." That being said, headers to increase the raspiness of any exhaust so on this particular vehicle if I did still do a Corsa it would likely be the touring.

My favorite exhaust of all the cars I've owned is still the Grand Sport with headers and Corsa Xtreme. I even had Corsa on my Cadillac STS and STS-V with Northstars. Flowmaster sounds awful. Borla/GMPP have good sound but lots of drone. The B&B might be my favorite exhaust for an LS at WOT but only at WOT, lots of drone. Magnaflow doesn't sound good on any LS I've ever heard (loved the MF on my I6 Trailblazer though).

Not trying to start an argument by any means but when you say "Magnaflow doesn't sound good on any LS I've ever heard" are you referring to Magnaflow mufflers in general or just their straight through design that most of the guys on here replace their muffler with???

The reason I ask is because I have a Magnaflow XL 3 chamber muffler that is about 3' long on my Burb with shorty headers and no cats and the factory resonator still intact and I think it sounds great... I've actually had people follow me into parking lots and ask me what kind of exhaust I have on it because they like it so much... lol

Mine is a 5.3L but same basic engine.

I realize that everyone has their own idea of what sounds good and what doesn't... I was just curious what Magnaflow mufflers you have heard on these engines.

I will say that my exhaust went through several iterations before I finally got it to my liking though.

 

[kbuskill]

This was with just the factory muffler removed and a Jones performance muffler installed in its place... resonator still intact...

Then with the JBA shorty headers and the cats removed through the Jones performance muffler... this was way to "mud truck/race truck" loud for me...

Then I added the Magnaflow XL 3 chamber muffler without the factory resonator... I liked the way it sounded but it had a bad drone at about 60-70 mph...

So my last and final iteration was the JBA shorties, no cats, new custom 2 1/4" extended Y-pipe into the Magnaflow XL 3 chamber muffler with the factory resonator reinstalled to kill the drone... this is perfect for me... not obnoxiously loud and no drone...

Sorry to clog up your thread, just thought it might help others in the future being able to hear different exhaust configurations on the same truck in one place.

 

[91RS]

Not trying to start an argument by any means but when you say "Magnaflow doesn't sound good on any LS I've ever heard" are you referring to Magnaflow mufflers in general or just their straight through design that most of the guys on here replace their muffler with???

The reason I ask is because I have a Magnaflow XL 3 chamber muffler that is about 3' long on my Burb with shorty headers and no cats and the factory resonator still intact and I think it sounds great... I've actually had people follow me into parking lots and ask me what kind of exhaust I have on it because they like it so much... lol

Mine is a 5.3L but same basic engine.

I realize that every has their own idea of what sounds good and what doesn't... I was just curious what Magnaflow mufflers you have heard on these engines.

I will say that my exhaust went through several iterations before I finally got it to my liking though.

I'm just saying the ones I've heard. I have no idea what models they were. I've heard a few cat-back systems and some exhaust shop weld-ins. I didn't even like the cat-back system I installed on a C6 Z06 for a friend. Obviously, I've not heard every possible combination imaginable so that's why I added the "I've ever heard" part. Everyone has different tastes so I'm glad you found what works for you.

 

[ls1frc]

Any exhaust smell in the cabin after the catted header install?

I have brand new catted kooks about to go on, but I don't want to ruin the truck by having exhaust smell go in the cabin. I have a good amount of experience with catted header systems on these LS engines. Had a c5 with catted headers and cam, no smell. But then my G8 with ARH catted headers stunk badly, like it was catless. That was my family hauler at the time, and I got a lot of complaints.

The truck is still going to be a 15 second vehicle after headers, so really not worth ruining the comfort considering it's still very slow lol.

I don't care if it smells out the tailpipe a little bit...just concerned about windows down and defrost on.