Changed Belangers Cat back to OEM

[stradman]

Ok guys just my personal observations. I bought a full Belangers Headers HF cats and exhaust about 4 months ago. After running it for a about 400 miles my impression was that it was louder-but more importantly there was also an associated somewhat irritating drone with the exhaust. Nonetheless I soldiered on with it and eventually took the car to the track(where ultimately I might add on the day I melted the rear O2 sensors and had a voltage issues as a result). Nonetheless managed to get about 8 laps in the car beforehand, where I got black flagged because I was too loud-108db drive by. Anyway before that, I realised also that the drone was doing my head in as I could hear it even with my helmet on. I had a pro instructor as well in the car with me-as it was my first time at this circuit- and he said the same thing- that it was an uncomfortable loud noise. Well anyways as a result of the black flag and the combined ear ache effects of the exhaust I decided to put the oem catback back on-of course I kept the headers and HF cat.

Well now that I have done this, I can categorically say the persistent drone has gone-which I found before was evident throughout the rev range- and now only gets a bit boomy at the the very higher rev range past say 4500- 5000 rpm -which I can handle. But the interesting thing, which I can't totally explain, is that the car actually feels faster now. I'm not joking it feels more responsive and more powerful. I'm not sure if perhaps the car benefits from the added back pressure or not but something has happened. Btw I'm running an Arrows controller as well.
Now these are only my own observations and I'm certainly not saying that everyone is likely to feel the same way or it will work in the same way for them, but its something I felt I had to write about that's all.

[slowhatch]

The car feeling faster is all in your head.

Yes the Belanger drones, you cant have an exhaust that deep and not have drone, its a trade-off. I ran mine for 3 years on my gen 4 and absolutely loved it.

[hans christian]

Stradman,
I am 100% in your boat - I have a similar setup and the drone is also killing me. I thought it was just me and may try your solution. Can I ask you to share a sound recording at various rpms.

Thank you

[Dman]

My first gen5 I did Belanger and hiflows and JonB told me, I'd have to stock catback to pass db limits, and he was right, like always. Belanger with stock catback screams at WOT and is nasty, any more and it would kill my hearing and you're having to lift at the track so you're not flagged. The sound of the Belanger is great either way, but I personally prefer it with the stock catback.

On my new ACR I have ARH exhaust, full, and I'd swear it's quieter than the Belanger with stock catback. It's has a very different tone, that IMO is much less ear damaging, the tone is great but it doesn't drill into your brain like the Belanger did. I also have no real drone. The Belanger had a low drone, but the tone of it would ring the ears more post-drive than the ARH. And my ACR is a heads/cam car even. I have a titanium exhaust catback with it but not on the car due to db track limits and not wanting to deal with that, and liking my hearing. I've done full exhaust on all gens of my vipers, my gen4 vert I went too aggressive and ended up having to wear ear plugs on long cruises or else ending up with 'concert hearing' after. I'm done with those days.

I'm not overly surprised by your comment about the feeling of power change. It's most likely that the sound matches the pedal input and sounds like it's mkr responsive and hence faster. I've played with exhaust on cars and bikes and based on the exhaust tone and diameters gotten neglible HP changes, but felt faster or more responsive.

Main thing is you've gotten it to a prefect level for you, congrats. I had the luck of talking with JonB before my first mod and got great advice, which put me in the same place on my GTS that you got to.

[stradman]

Stradman,
I am 100% in your boat - I have a similar setup and the drone is also killing me. I thought it was just me and may try your solution. Can I ask you to share a sound recording at various rpms.

Thank you
Love to share a sound recording although I think it is difficult to accurately represent it, and anyway its mainly when its on the go that the difference is present. Took car out today, with a mate who had also been in the car with the full Belangers, and he said categorically that it was much much better now and much more acceptable.
I'm not sure its in my head as you suggest Slow hatch, and as I said can't explain fully, but the feeling that I have had in the last couple of days is damn this car is ferociously fast now. I really cannot remember it being this responsive. Maybe I'm inhaling toxic fumes or something but the feeling sure good.
The same friend who I just mentioned took the car for a drive as well- and he dailys an SLS with 620 hp and he was shitted by the power!
Either way, I'm happy now!

[Jet Slicker]

On my new ACR I have ARH exhaust, full, and I'd swear it's quieter than the Belanger with stock catback. It's has a very different tone, that IMO is much less ear damaging, the tone is great but it doesn't drill into your brain like the Belanger did. I also have no real drone. The Belanger had a low drone, but the tone of it would ring the ears more post-drive than the ARH. And my ACR is a heads/cam car even. I have a titanium exhaust catback with it but not on the car due to db track limits and not wanting to deal with that, and liking my hearing. I've done full exhaust on all gens of my vipers, my gen4 vert I went too aggressive and ended up having to wear ear plugs on long cruises or else ending up with 'concert hearing' after. I'm done with those days.

Awesome, I'm looking to do the same setup; ARH headers and catback. I take many long road trips and didn't want something as loud as other setups, but still want the power. Really glad to hear the drone is a bit better and possibly quieter than other setups too. Do you have any other input on how it sounds or livability with it? I know you have heads and cam but I don't think it would be terribly different than my stock car.

[Voice of Reason]

ARH + high flow cats + stock cat back is a very liveable combination, I've had this on my car for 13.5k miles. It cracks hard when it starts, screams at WOT, but cruising is somehow better than stock. The Belangers I've heard sound more muscle car where as ARH tips towards exotic (IMO).