Exhaust help, I'm so lost!!!

[tbarn]

Unless you're willing to tune or buy a Range device, leave the flapper valve. I ended up with a flowmaster delta series stainless and removed the resonator. Sounds great to me. No drone.

[tim5779]

Thanks alot fellas, you've all helped me make up my mind.  I'm just going to have them do the muffler swap and thats it.  Resonator and flapper stays for now.

[tbarn]

Actually that's I how started. Installed the muffler but it was too quiet still. Then removed the resonator.

[tim5779]

21 hours ago, tbarn said:

Actually that's I how started. Installed the muffler but it was too quiet still. Then removed the resonator.

You cant argue with just doing one at a time.  Especially if you're as indecisive as I am

[3tspapat]

Hey surface area and filter media are important but don't forget the effects of bends and turbulence on air flow and also the effects of a CAI on drivability. I know some intakes make more HP than others, but also check out the tq/hp curve to see how the gains look.

[ic3man5]

I originally started with a dynomax VT cat back system (discontinued now because it was such a POS - won't ever use dynomax every again because of it). I ended up chopping off the muffler and running it straight. Sounded great, everything was great about it besides the noise on the expressway when towing and cold starts in the morning (My neighbors had to hate my guts). I recently moved to a magnaflow 14419 now. Really quieted it down enough to be tolerable. Any normal cat-back system is going to be quiet as hell on this truck because the cab is so insulated. 

[tim5779]

13 hours ago, ic3man5 said:

I originally started with a dynomax VT cat back system (discontinued now because it was such a POS - won't ever use dynomax every again because of it). I ended up chopping off the muffler and running it straight. Sounded great, everything was great about it besides the noise on the expressway when towing and cold starts in the morning (My neighbors had to hate my guts). I recently moved to a magnaflow 14419 now. Really quieted it down enough to be tolerable. Any normal cat-back system is going to be quiet as hell on this truck because the cab is so insulated. 

I just ended up doing the muffler swap with the Borla.  Left the flapper and resonator.  It sounds decent...but now I'm wondering if I need to chop off the resonator :oP  ha ha, in all honesty, I need to have my wife drive it down the street so I can actually hear what it sounds like.  Cause like you said, it's hard to tell from the cab.

[SirenRed16]

I just ended up doing the muffler swap with the Borla.  Left the flapper and resonator.  It sounds decent...but now I'm wondering if I need to chop off the resonator :oP  ha ha, in all honesty, I need to have my wife drive it down the street so I can actually hear what it sounds like.  Cause like you said, it's hard to tell from the cab.

Chopping off the resonator will wake up the Borla for sure. When I first got my Carven installed I had the guy leave the resonator to see how it would sound and it was bearly louder than stock, it had a muffled sound then I removed the resonator and BOOM the truck woke up for sure.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[gi1jam024]

By chance did you ever take a video of the borla?

[DenaliX14]

On 12/30/2018 at 9:05 AM, tim5779 said:

Alright, so I've literally spent probably 8 hours or so researching on this forum about exhaust and intake upgrades.  (I have a '17 Sierra 5.3) Obviously the CAI horse has been beaten to death on pretty much every forum immaginable.  I'm a Mechanical Engineer by trade so data goes a long way with me.  From what I've seen, on this new Ecotec engine, you don't really gain a whole lot with a CIA, many have just resorted to the Airaid MIT, but even that only see's minimal improvements and only around 5,500 rpm.  So I just opted to go with the AEM dry filter for a bit more flow, and call it a day.  I've even thought about doing the airbox mod, but when I got everything apart, the cross sectional area of the square hole in the airbox looks to be about the same as the cross sectional area of the intake tube diameter...So whats the point? (unless I'm missing something). So I just left it at the new AEM filter and called it a day.  I have the level and 33's on this truck, so I'm not looking to drag race it.  Just get it to breath as well as possible. Any input or opinions on this setup would be appreciated.  Now on to the exhaust.  I plan to just do a muffler swap, so I bought a new Borla Pro XS.  I've seen a TON of debate on "leave the resonator, remove the resonator, leave the flapper, remove the flapper". I dont want this thing to be loud.  I just want it to sound good and "natural". So as I said, I just opted to leave everything stock and replace the muffler.  HOWEVER, I scooted under the truck this morning just to take a look, and now I'm completely baffled (pun intended). It looks to me like the resonator on this truck is AFTER the muffler!?!? You have the giant oil barrel shaped muffler with the flapper just in front of it, then downstream you have a (roughly) 8" diameter round barrel which I can only assume is the resonator? So my question is, is that correct, or am I missing something? ...maybe I have it backwards? Also, is leaving the flapper and resonator the correct thing to do if I just want a slight sound upgrade? Thanks guys!

Do yourself a favor. Get a DOD/AFM delete (mechanical or digital) and swap your cat back with a magnaflow or flowmaster pro series. You will love the Sound and performance. You will also eliminate the dreaded lifter crash. 

[tim5779]

19 hours ago, gi1jam024 said:

By chance did you ever take a video of the borla?

I havent gotten a chance yet, I willnget on that soon.  I will however tell you that I was a bit disappointed when I first left the muffler shop.  Now 5 weeks later its perfect.  Give it some time to break in the fiberglass before you make the decision to remove the resonator.

[SS502]

19 hours ago, DenaliX14 said:

Do yourself a favor. Get a DOD/AFM delete (mechanical or digital) and swap your cat back with a magnaflow or flowmaster pro series. You will love the Sound and performance. You will also eliminate the dreaded lifter crash. 

I just got my Range in the mail today and can’t wait to start using it. I have the Borla ATAK Cat-back and although I’m in L7 90% of the time, I can now actually use that 8th gear without the dreaded V4 garbage. Hopefully I will not have any AFM lifter issues. When warranty is over I’ll look into a tune. But if anyone is interested the Range I just got today from Range website came with version V8.6R1

[DenaliX14]

4 hours ago, SS502 said:

I just got my Range in the mail today and can’t wait to start using it. I have the Borla ATAK Cat-back and although I’m in L7 90% of the time, I can now actually use that 8th gear without the dreaded V4 garbage. Hopefully I will not have any AFM lifter issues. When warranty is over I’ll look into a tune. But if anyone is interested the Range I just got today from Range website came with version V8.6R1

Great pick. That will keep you away from

the common issues. Make sure you still check the VLOM filter and change your oil religiously. Nice!!!

[SS502]

19 minutes ago, DenaliX14 said:

Great pick. That will keep you away from

the common issues. Make sure you still check the VLOM filter and change your oil religiously. Nice!!!

I am at 3169 miles and only drove about 320 of those with AFM activated, of those 320 miles it was in V4 mode for maybe 20 miles max. First oil change was right at 2K miles and if it matters I run a RXP dual can setup. Not sure where the VLOM filter is but guess I better find out! The Range works great...felt weird putting it in Drive, not L and hitting the button until I got to L7...went to dinner and it worked perfectly!

[DenaliX14]

Great video on AFM and some tips.