After reading several threads here comparing the tones and the various mufflers I think I have chosen to go with the cattman muffler for my 2002. I have a few questions though that I have not been able to find doing the yahoo search. First, I treasure low end torque and would not want to loose a single foot pound of it. I know the factory muffler has an internal valve to keep some back presure in at low rpms. Have those with after market setups lost any low/midrange torque as a result of the change. Second, on the cattman and budget websites they both sell the ypipe but do not mention it being able to work with 5.5 gens. How are some of your guys running the cattman y with a 3.5 liter? Thanks

 

i am running the cattman catback and berk/apexi intake on my 2k2 6spd.....haven't felt a single lose of low end....

but i could be wrong if your automatic....they tend to lose more hp than the manuals anyway.....

either way you gain mid-range top-end HP as the result of low end....its well worth it in my opinion.....the cattman noise might be a little too loud for u tho....depending on how much tolerance u have for loud exhausts....as for me I have high tolerance and a ypipe with full catback isn't loud to me what-so-ever....

 

steven88...thanks for replying.. mine is an 02 6 speed. I do feel like it gets a little winded at the top of 2nd gear - 5k to redline. It does not have quite the urgent rush of the 3.0. Is this something that you think the y-pipe will help or is this the result of the larger displacment? Midrange is great... breaks the tires away in first everytime around 3,500rpm in this cold air... so I know its not an issue with lack of power.

 

Honestly, I wouldn't even bother with a Ypipe for a 2k2-2k3....I would buy Cattman Headers or Hotshot Headers (revised version that is).....Becuz the 2k2-2k3's are cali spec and the real restrictive precats are before the ypipe...unlike the 95-01's they have their precats ON the ypipe.....so putting on a ypipe on a 2k2 will not get rid of the restrictive precats since they are before the ypipe......u will get some gains tho....I'd say in the 8whp range from a ypipe on a 2k2.....but with headers your lookin at solid 20whp all across the range and maybe even 30whp in certain areas as the .org member FEZZIKs has proven...

 

I also run the the full cattman exhaust Y pipe and cat back and love it. You do not lose a thing.

You will love the set up and it fits perfect. My next mod may be the cattman headers so I may have a Y pipe forsale in the future.

Burton

 

BEt you could gain a decent amount by just gutting the exhaust manifold. AKA "Poor man's headers".

 

I did that, doesnt do a thing and actually created leaks around the part where the precat bolts up to the exhaust manifold. I lost alot of low end power by doing that on my 3.0L. If you ever looked at how the flange looks ontop of the precat where the manifold bolts up to- it goes from a 2-3"ish in diameter collector to a huge 6" round canister ( the precat ) that is now empty (and tends to resonate without the honeycomb) and then back to the 2-3"ish bottom part of the precat where the Ypipe bolts up to. I think you create a bottle neck in the precat by gutting it- but this is from my own experience vs headers vs precats and Cattman Ypipe. Don't forget 01 uses the same front exhaust manifold/precat as the 02-03 car... and DE-K engines love top end power.