Trillions of Newbie Exhaust Questions

70stangcoupe · Dec 31, 2003

Just got the 97 GT here recently, and I want to keep it FULLY as reliable as it was from the factory, as funds will be short in a few months and I won't have the extra money to waste on the car. But I do want exhaust. I've got a few questions for you:

Stock exhaust pipes are Stainless Steel, correct?
What size are they (I'm thinking 2.5", right?)
I have OBD2, which means there is an o2 Sensor in front and behind the catalytic convertor. I want to leave both the cat and the o2 sensors (Sine Ford's are "high flow" anyways). Will adding Mufflers tamper with the performance of these two (including the check engine light)?
If the stock exhaust is Stainless Steel, I'd like to just cut out the stock mufflers and install aftermarket mufflers. Would you recommend this?
Will mufflers affect performance, at all (for better or worse)?
Will new, aftermarket mufflers trigger a check engine light, or cause the car to run any differently?
Are there any specific items to be aware of?

Thanks guys!

snowb07 · Dec 31, 2003

hello, if you are looking for hp gains you will not see much from just installing new mufflers, for one the stock pipes are just bent and not mandrel-bent , so they may be only 1.8 in some spots,,
so the best bet is to just get a new cat back system,
-fred

NYStang2002 · Dec 31, 2003

70stangcoupe said:
Just got the 97 GT here recently, and I want to keep it FULLY as reliable as it was from the factory, as funds will be short in a few months and I won't have the extra money to waste on the car. But I do want exhaust. I've got a few questions for you:

Stock exhaust pipes are Stainless Steel, correct?

What size are they (I'm thinking 2.5", right?)

I have OBD2, which means there is an o2 Sensor in front and behind the catalytic convertor. I want to leave both the cat and the o2 sensors (Sine Ford's are "high flow" anyways). Will adding Mufflers tamper with the performance of these two (including the check engine light)?

If the stock exhaust is Stainless Steel, I'd like to just cut out the stock mufflers and install aftermarket mufflers. Would you recommend this?

Will mufflers affect performance, at all (for better or worse)?

Will new, aftermarket mufflers trigger a check engine light, or cause the car to run any differently?

Are there any specific items to be aware of?

Thanks guys!

The entire Ford exhaust from the h-pipe to mufflers are garbage plain and simple. Do yourself a favor save your pennies and replace the entire catback system (bassani, magnaflow, flowmaster ect...)and get yourself a high quality h-pipe or x-pipe with high flow cats. It will be more reliable than the factory exhaust, it will give you a few more horses and sound way better than stock.

68 & 00 GT · Dec 31, 2003

if you really want to weld in new mufflers just go do it. I did in my 00 on the way home from the dealership with my sticker still on the window.

It will be 100% fine. Personally I'd get a better system since you'll end up upgrading it later anyway you actually end up wasting money in the long run, unless you know it's only temporary anyway -

70stangcoupe · Dec 31, 2003

Thanks for the help guys. Your responses have stemmed a few new questions:

Catback systems don't alter the back o2 Sensor, right?
Which system does everyone recommend?
Where is the cheapest place to get a cat-back?
I can get an American Thunder catback by Flowmaster for 300$ shipped. Is that a good deal?

Thanks again guys, and thanks for understanding that my ultimate goal is to save money, sound good, and not lose hp or torque by installing the new exhaust. Gains aren't really a big deal.

68 & 00 GT · Dec 31, 2003

Catback systems don't alter the back o2 Sensor, right?
No

Which system does everyone recommend?
Magnaflow for o/r mid pipes, or Magnapacks for catted mid pipes

Where is the cheapest place to get a cat-back?
Houston Performance ? (281) 893-6080

You wont loose amy power by adding exhaust. Some have said longtubes can lose torque, but I didn't, and I rarely hear anyone say that anymore.

You need to get the SLP X pipe eventually. You can use it with stock exhaust manifolds, and alter it's configuration for longtubes if you get those later on, and you can bolt the cats in and out if you want to run off road, or catted. If you go that route I'd get the regular Magnaflow catback. Packs may be too loud off road. Hope that made sense. Sounds like a perfect idea to me but don't expect the Magnaflow to be very loud with the stock midpipe in the mean time. If you'll never change your mid pipe get the packs. Don't worry so much about your o2 sensors, and loosing power by adding exhaust.

decoy562 · Dec 31, 2003

70stangcoupe said:
Just got the 97 GT here recently, and I want to keep it FULLY as reliable as it was from the factory, as funds will be short in a few months and I won't have the extra money to waste on the car. But I do want exhaust. I've got a few questions for you:

Stock exhaust pipes are Stainless Steel, correct?

What size are they (I'm thinking 2.5", right?)

I have OBD2, which means there is an o2 Sensor in front and behind the catalytic convertor. I want to leave both the cat and the o2 sensors (Sine Ford's are "high flow" anyways). Will adding Mufflers tamper with the performance of these two (including the check engine light)?

If the stock exhaust is Stainless Steel, I'd like to just cut out the stock mufflers and install aftermarket mufflers. Would you recommend this?

Will mufflers affect performance, at all (for better or worse)?

Will new, aftermarket mufflers trigger a check engine light, or cause the car to run any differently?

Are there any specific items to be aware of?

Thanks guys!

No, mufflers will not effect the o2 sensors, as long as you have cats, you can put a catted midpipe on and be fine too, and it will give you more power than the catback will.

menasci · Dec 31, 2003

I don't think a whole new catback will do much more than just mufflers on a N/A Stang.
I even talked to Tim at T&J Performance about getting a full cat back or just mufflers and he said the same thing.
If it were S/C then I could see the benefit.

Save your money and just get the mufflers.

JonJon · Dec 31, 2003

NYStang2002 said:
It will be more reliable than the factory exhaust, it will give you a few more horses and sound way better than stock.

More reliable?

decoy562 · Dec 31, 2003

I got my Magnaflow catback system from www.fulllineexhaust.com for $300, hope this helps

LI98GTStang · Jan 1, 2004

70stangcoupe said:
Just got the 97 GT here recently, and I want to keep it FULLY as reliable as it was from the factory, as funds will be short in a few months and I won't have the extra mone
[*]What size are they (I'm thinking 2.5", right?)

Thanks guys!

Just wanted to jump in here and say that the stock exhaust is 2.25 and most aftermarket exhausts are 2.5" with 3.0"+ tips. You will not believe how much the exhaust is crimped even further until you take it off and examine it. I felt gains from both adding a catted X and then doing the catback later. To stay fully reliable, you need to stay Stainless. I'm pretty sure the Flowmaster catback you can get for 300 is not stainless, make sure before you order though (I love the sound of flows). Don't overlook sound quality, whether and how much drone at 2k rpm you can accept if not going with an exhaust that is designed to either minimize drone or eliminate it i.e. FRPP catback. I personally think your shortlist should include a quality SS mid pipe such as Magnaflows and a SS catback such as either of the Magnaflows or Bassani if you have the money now. Good luck in your decision.

70stangcoupe · Jan 2, 2004

Thanks alot guys!

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