Tonyrodz's Tahoe Build Thread

[iamdub]

Why two mufflers?

As Tony said- it was too loud once I deleted the cats in favor of long tube headers. With cats, it was perfect with just that 18" muffler. That additional 22" muffler got it down to almost where it was with the 18" alone. Cats are quite an effective muffler.

For the times I want it loud, I have the electric cutout. I was aiming to have an adjustable "exhaust volume" range of stock or nearly-stock to straight-piped. I mostly had that for about 1,000 miles. But then the butterfly valve for the unmuffled side broke off so my range was just "loud" to "loudest".

 

[iamdub]

This is how I know y'all be getting too old and stuff.


Serious question, tho....instead of two mufflers why not just put cats back in and run a more stock exhaust setup if you're trying to quiet it back down??

Bcuz racetruk.


Other than for sound, I want the exhaust to be as unrestricted as possible, but only when I want it to be. Thus, the cutout. It's still the family road trip car so it's gotta be quiet enough for that.

The other aspect is the smell. Cutouts and mufflers all manage the sound levels, but them fumes are ridiculous. I can't let it idle with the doors or windows open and can't cruise with the windows down and/or roof open.

I wish I could put cutouts in front of the cats to have both systems but that'd be a mess of equipment and piping crammed around the firewall and bellhousing area.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Oh got it. Are you going to do the cutout too?

Nope, gonna try the 2 muffler setup, then go from there.

This is how I know y'all be getting too old and stuff.


Serious question, tho....instead of two mufflers why not just put cats back in and run a more stock exhaust setup if you're trying to quiet it back down??

Watch your filthy whipper snapper mouth!

 

[Sparksalot]

Nope, gonna try the 2 muffler setup, then go from there.

Watch your filthy whipper snapper mouth!

@07Burb

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

WOW that's a trippy exhaust haha! Love the cutout. Are you the stock 5.3? I don't recall. I played around with running just my cats, and had bad results on the trail. My low end torque was gone, and my gas mileage was worst I've gotten. My 6.0L build is really sensitive to backpressure.

Did you notice any adverse effects to power w/ the cutout?

These should be sufficient. I did weld that cross member back in.

View attachment 369046


It looks really crooked here, but that's just cuz the driveshaft is angled downward so much from the rear end drooping since it's on a lift:

View attachment 369047

My friend built sand rails for racing in the Baja. He also built up a few CK trucks. He highly recommended Gibson. I'm looking to retrofit a factory dual exhaust to one of their dual mufflers for CK application. I believe the 2002 Cadillac Escalade w/ 6.0L had dual exhaust. I was able to rob most parts off of a wrecked on at junkyard, except for downpipes... The system goes back to a muffler w/ two pipes going in and one out (I have muffler in my attic and most of cat back there..

However, I cannot for life of me get hands complete downpipes... I've come across a few at junkyard but they cut that side off when they pull motor and throw engine side away, instead of unbolting manifolds. I may just cut mine and put elbows in them... unsure... My plan was to take the factory dual CK exhaust designed for 6.0 and bolt a gibson muffler to it. But it's SUPER spendy for new downpipes.

 

[iamdub]

WOW that's a trippy exhaust haha! Love the cutout. Are you the stock 5.3? I don't recall. I played around with running just my cats, and had bad results on the trail. My low end torque was gone, and my gas mileage was worst I've gotten. My 6.0L build is really sensitive to backpressure.

Did you notice any adverse effects to power w/ the cutout?

Mods in sig.

I've noticed no adverse effects. I'm 80-100 HP stronger according to my before and after 1/4 mile times yet I get the same or better MPG as I did stock with AFM. Cruising at 70, I opened and closed the cutout and saw no change in my instant MPG as indicated on the dash. So, efficiency seems to be unaffected. As far as power, I'd assume there's a minor loss of low RPM torque. Probably nothing I could feel or see if I did back-to-back runs comparing closed and open. I'd never be able to tell if any changes were due to the cutout status or the other variables involved. My mufflers are 3" and it tapers down to 2.75" after it goes over the axle. So, it basically mimics the stock design, just one step larger and has free-flowing mufflers. I'd say the muffled side is barely any more of a restriction than the cutout side. Ideally, on the strip, I'd start with the cutout closed and open it around 3,000-4,000 RPM. Pretty much the same idea as the active exhaust on the Corvette. The single digit gains, if any, aren't worth the hassle.

 

[Rocket Man]

Mine might be replaced with empty space soon

Do it!

 

[Fless]

Do it!

This. From a crossmember to a cross-dismember!

 

[Tonyrodz]

Just bought a used rear from an 02 Yukon for $350. Best reasonable price I found. One yard wanted $950 for theirs! I'm tired of it just sitting.

 

[Rocket Man]

Just bought a used rear from an 02 Yukon for $350. Best reasonable price I found. One yard wanted $950 for theirs! I'm tired of it just sitting.

Good luck, hope that fixes your problem.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Good luck, hope that fixes your problem.

Me too. Just for labor, mechanic wanted $1800 for a rebuild--without parts.

 

[Sparksalot]

Me too. Just for labor, mechanic wanted $1800 for a rebuild--without parts.

Appropriate page number for such an evil quote.

 

[Rocket Man]

Me too. Just for labor, mechanic wanted $1800 for a rebuild--without parts.

Need a different mechanic.

 

[89Suburban]

Me too. Just for labor, mechanic wanted $1800 for a rebuild--without parts.

Need a different mechanic.

Told ya!!! I just got ass ***** for my rear end too!!!!

 

[Tonyrodz]

Told ya!!! I just got ass ***** for my rear end too!!!!

I said fu ck that! I'm not doing that. My original lasted almost 300k. Now I just wonder what he's gonna charge me for the swap.

 

[Rocket Man]

I said fu ck that! I'm not doing that. My original lasted almost 300k. Now I just wonder what he's gonna charge me for the swap.

It only takes a couple hours to swap them out.

 

[Tonyrodz]

It only takes a couple hours to swap them out.

I wish I had the time and help to do it myself. I'd rather do that then pay someone.
Guy flaked on me with the rear, so the search continues.

 

[89Suburban]

I wish I had the time and help to do it myself. I'd rather do that then pay someone.
Guy flaked on me with the rear, so the search continues.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Possibly found another rear, supposedly a GT4. Is there a way to bypass if it has the JL4 option--which my truck doesn't. 4 hundo.

 

[Rocket Man]

Possibly found another rear, supposedly a GT4. Is there a way to bypass if it has the JL4 option--which my truck doesn't. 4 hundo.

Just swap your brakes over- lines, calipers, parking brakes etc.