[SedonaArmada]

I just joined today but have been reading up here and at ClubTitan about what I can do to get more power and better milage. That is really all I am after. So, I now have synthetic in the engine and diff, 38 psi in the tires, refuse to drive any differently, have ordered the AirRaid throttle body plate (may do nothing, but it is cheap), and ordered the Volant Intake per your comments.

Only one more upgrade to go (at least until we can get a chip)---exhaust. I have not been able to come to any good conclusion on this after reading all of this forum's posts and at ClubTitan. So, maybe I can get some help on this guys.

Here are my criteria--
I dont care if I have single or dual, 2.5" or 3" piping, or stainless or aluminized. I dont want it to be too loud but am willing to have a moderate sound increase. I dont care if the tip is cool or not, it can be easily changed. I dont care if the exhaust note is cool either. I just want power!!

I have seen some dyno sheets that show that most systems give 13 to 20 HP gain but the data is noisy and too few to base a decision on.

Oh, I see that Stillen makes one for the Armada too but i have not read anything about it. If you have some feedback on it I'd like to hear it too.

Please help.

 

[SedonaArmada]

replying to my own post...

Just spoke to a guy at Proficient Performance who says that the Banks quality and fitment is poor and that he gets complaints about that. He also says that the sound is raspy and tinny.

He suggested the other brand they carry, Magnaflow, and says they are very high quality. He says that the reason that the new piping only starts after the y-pipe is because Magnaflow did testing and saw no power gains by replacing those sections after the resonators. Of course he may be exaggerating or even lying about any of this.

 

[scr38]

I have the Gibson 3" SS single on my Armada. I think it is the best choice for power increase and has a good sound. There are several others here with the Gibson and I think all have been pleased. Very good quality system, and quick and easy to install. It is a true cat back system, not like some others that use the factory Y pipe.

 

[Armada]

I don't want to cross-post too much, but if you go over to Titantalk.com in the performance modification section there is a ton of info about exhaust systems and a bunch of data in a "sticky" about all the various mods and how they affected acceleration times and dyno runs.

Since our system is a different length, you can't take the Titan systems and just bolt them on. But many of them are using the same Y pipes and mufflers, so that might give you an idea.

I have not modded my own exhaust, so I can be objective. I haven't fallen in love with any particular style, sound or that sort of thing. It does seem over there that the 'Y" pipe is restrictive and that changing it out to a larger one or going to a muffler that has a dual in, single out (thus replacing the Y pipe) is generating more power.

Just check the data and make up your own mind. I'm looking at the Y pipe issue, as it seems that it really necks down. I am considering replacing the Y pipe and leaving the rest of the Armada system stock and see what happens.

 

[m4ck]

Listen to SCR38 with the Volant and throttle body spacer you should get the Gibson Cat back single. Check with Slurppie and JetTech over at www.clubtitan.org for the exact one. Slurppie's dyno numbers were really good with these mods.
Myself I went with Flowmaster custom exhaust but that was because there was nothing out for the Titan when I got mine. I like the sound a lot but I wound up losing low end tq with my setup. Oh well live and learn. I may switch out exhausts this summer.
M4ck

 

[SedonaArmada]

Thanks for the help guys. If the y-pipe is restrictive then that means that the Magnaflow cat-back is out since it keeps the stock y-pipe.

So, I think I have narrowed it down to the Gibson system which is only available in the single side swept version unless I modify a Titan system, or the Borla dual rear system. Both of these replace the y-pipe, have good performance and sound and are of high quality.

Now I will go through the tons of posts over at ClubTitan to try to figure out which of these 2 might make the most power. mAck may be right in that the Gibson is best when combined with the Volant CAI and TBS.

I'll get back with another post on what I find.

 

[SedonaArmada]

OK, I've learned a lot in a short amount of time about these 2 candidates.

Both systems give good power gains according to ClubTitan dyno results. So, it really doesnt matter much which I go with for power gains. However, I do think that the Borla dual looks best.


GIBSON--
The SS version is $562 delivered at TruckPerformance.com.


BORLA--
The Borla system uses 2" piping on both the Titan and Armada, according to Borla. Some of the ClubTitan guys are wrong about them being 2.25 or 2.5". Next, both Titan and Armada are backordered to 6-8 weeks. So, now I'm calling around trying to see if anyone has it in stock. If not, I'll get the Gibson since I dont want to wait. ...Nope, nobody stocks these systems. But I did learn that TruckPerformance.com ($793 delivered) has the best price on this out of 10 or so suppliers.

So I will order the Gibson SS system today.

I hope some of this is of help to others.

THE END.

 

[scr38]

You should be able to get the Gibson SS single for less than that. I paid $475.00 delivered. Check with socalmotorsports.com for a better price.
Click on this link:
http://www.socalmotorsports.com/
Tell John or Tony that you are a member of ClubArmada for the best price.

 

[SedonaArmada]

Thats who I ordered it from. It is $562 now for the SS. All that really matters now is that i will have it next week and that with the Volant and TBS plate I will be up 20-25 HP and 30-40 torque. If the milage goes up from a very consistant 15.5 to 17.5, I will be overjoyed. With the way I'll be driving though for a while after these mods I'm sure I wont get 17.5.

 

[scr38]

I hope you can get 17.7 MPG. The best I have got is 16.88, driving 76 MPH with a load of about 600 pounds.

 

[andy]

2 questions:
1> What is difference between SS and aluminum exhaust? Does it sound different? It it just looks, durability?
2> How do you guys get 15+MPG? I get 12-13 no matter what I pull, load, or the way i drive. I do about 10% freeway, 90% street. Are you guys on the freeway a lot?

 

[92TripleBlack]

2 questions:
1> What is difference between SS and aluminum exhaust? Does it sound different? It it just looks, durability?
2> How do you guys get 15+MPG? I get 12-13 no matter what I pull, load, or the way i drive. I do about 10% freeway, 90% street. Are you guys on the freeway a lot?

Stainless steel gives you looks and durability. Aluminum gives you lighter weight.

Higher mileage happens when you stay on highways using cruise at speeds of 55-65mph. Deviating from this lowers mileage.

 

[scr38]

There seems to be some confusion about the exhaust systems. There is no aluminum system. It is alumized steel. In other words it is steel with a very thin coating of aluminum, similar to galvnized steel, which has a coating of zinc. The stainless will give a much longer life in high moisture areas, like here on the Gulf Coast. There is very little differences in the weight of the systems. There won't be any difference in sound between the two.
I keep my vehicles a long time, so the SS is worth the extra cost to me.

 

[92TripleBlack]

There seems to be some confusion about the exhaust systems. There is no aluminum system. It is alumized steel. In other words it is steel with a very thin coating of aluminum, similar to galvnized steel, which has a coating of zinc. The stainless will give a much longer life in high moisture areas, like here on the Gulf Coast. There is very little differences in the weight of the systems. There won't be any difference in sound between the two.
I keep my vehicles a long time, so the SS is worth the extra cost to me.

There were different exhausts available for my vette. The Stainless one weighed more. Different maker. Must have been the construction or design, not the materials used that accounted for the weight difference. Good call.

So stainless gives you looks and durability, and weighs the same. :schla24:

 

[Cammer]

K/N Off road intake and Borla exhaust

My first post here. I just wanted to share my experience with these to add ons. Both were very easy to install and have worked flawlessly. Below 3000 rpms they are quieter than stock. But if you get in to it WOW it sounds impressive! I have been averaging approx. 15.5 mpg over the last 10 months and I am an aggressive driver. Good experience so far and man the Borla Dual exhaust looks sweet!