Exhaust decisions... Corsa vs Magnaflow 12909 - '16 Denali

[bamachem]

So, I've read about 50 posts on various exhaust setups and watched about all the videos I can find for 6.2L 2015+ GM truck exhausts.

My 16 Yukon Denali XL has the stock exhaust with the flapper bolt mod. I want to add a set of black tips similar to Corsa, but also want to get a better tone.

Options:

I found a deal on a corsa exhaust under $900 delivered plus $100 gift card. Install and hope it's not louder than I want.

Borla GM - maintains the flapper and may be too quiet, and extra $ for the tips.

Borla - no flapper but still have to buy the tips

Magnaflow 12909 muffler swap, but adding the dual side-exit tip means deleting the resonator as well. Will it drone or be too loud if i do both? Thinking about deleting the flapper too if i do a muffler swap.

I like the sound/tone of the magnaflow videos I've found, but afraid deleting both the flapper and the resonator will lead to issues.

I like the price on the corsa kit, but afraid it will be too loud for me (but I am running 33 MTs so noise isn't going to bother me too much).

I'm not really considering the Borlas right now even though I run some on my 72 K5 Blazer and live the sound/tone.

 

[CMoore711]

Based on your post and what you've described I'd go with the on the Corsa system you found with the black tips. Worse case is if after driving it for a while you feel it's too loud, you can always add a vibrant resonator back into the system and lower the sound level without losing the great tone the Corsa muffler provides.

 

[Big Mama]

Exhaust preferences really vary based on taste. The Corsa system seems to fit your need. Did you listen to resonator delete videos?

 

[08HoeCD]

Go Corsa if you like it raspy; Magnaflow or Borla if you like it deep & smooth.

 

[bamachem]

The corsa system was just too cheap to pass up. Should be here today.

 

[mbp1979]

The corsa system was just too cheap to pass up. Should be here today.

I love mine sounds so good on a cold start. You didnt go wrong

 

[TooMuchTxn]

I've had the Corsa on my supercharged 5.3 and i love the rasp but its a little too loud under load for my daily. It is def tame sounding if your light on the foot BUT the cold start is so freaking loud that ive had my neighbors make comments a couple times. It quiets down after a few seconds but wow. It blasts on startup. I have a vibrant resonator sitting on my work bench just have to make an appointment to get it installed.

 

[bamachem]

So installed the Corsa yesterday. Easy job.

I started it up with nothing after the Cat to see what it would sound like. A lot quieter than I expected.

After install, I took it for a 70-mile round-trip to the beach. Overall I like it but not loving it. Quiet when light on the pedal and wakes up when I get on it. However, the cold start is just about obnoxious. It's not much different at idle once warmed up compared to my OEM exhaust with flapper mod to be honest, but it's WAY different on the cold start and at low speed in the neighborhood. Not sure I'm going to keep it. May have to swap over to Magnaflow to be honest. The tone isn't as deep as the OEM and it's definitely more "raspy".

 

[CMoore711]

Before you take it off look into adding a vibrant resonator into the exhaust system, not only will it reduce the "raspiness" it will also reduce the sound level some, especially on the cold start.

There's a couple videos in this thread here that will give you an idea of a before and after cold start sound level on adding in a vibrant resonator.

https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/corsa-muffler-replacement.111623/#post-1353136

 

[08HoeCD]

However, the cold start is just about obnoxious. It's not much different at idle once warmed up compared to my OEM exhaust with flapper mod to be honest, but it's WAY different on the cold start and at low speed in the neighborhood. Not sure I'm going to keep it. May have to swap over to Magnaflow to be honest. The tone isn't as deep as the OEM and it's definitely more "raspy".

Corsa sounds like NASCAR to me---that's fine for a 'racer' but seems way out of place on a Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon.

 

[bamachem]

Yeah, agree. I'm trying to decide if I want to swap to a Magnaflow muffler onto the Corsa piping and sell the Corsa Sport or just pull the whole thing and go back to stock pipe with a Magnaflow 12909 and copy-cat tip.

Anybody want a deal on a lightly used Corsa cat-back for a 6.2L Denali XL?

 

[RThomasII]

Dropped the Yukon off this morning to have the Magnaflow 12909 installed. I decided to leave the flapper and all resonators in place. Sounds MUCH better than I thought it would. There is a slight vibration in the floor now that I didn't notice before but absolutely zero DRONE. Cabin sounds basically the same.

Sorry... No install pics but I'll post some before and after sound clips when I get a chance. I was looking for a more aggressive sound but wanted to keep the stock appearance. I think this checks all the boxes....

 

[G00se]

Before and after sound clips? Thinking of doing this. To install, Just need to cut out old one and replace?

 

[RThomasII]

Before and after sound clips? Thinking of doing this. To install, Just need to cut out old one and replace?

Sound clips are coming. I purchased the muffler from NorcalSS and he said I need to give it a good month to break in soundwise. I rarely drive the Denali so it's gonna take a while.....

The install apparently was pretty straight forward once I found the right shop. The job itself is a simple rip and replace. The 12909 is a center/offset design and the factory muffler is offset/offset so the Magnaflow has to be installed at a slight angle. The 1st shop I went to wanted to argue the OEM exhaust diameter and required me to buy 10ft of stainless pipe in addition to labor to do the job. The 2nd shop looked at the truck and muffler and the guy literally said "Come back in about 2 hours. We do these upgrades all day long." Moral of the story.... Unless you can do the work yourself, make sure you find a muffler shop that knows what they are doing.

 

[1sikryd]

Dropped the Yukon off this morning to have the Magnaflow 12909 installed. I decided to leave the flapper and all resonators in place. Sounds MUCH better than I thought it would. There is a slight vibration in the floor now that I didn't notice before but absolutely zero DRONE. Cabin sounds basically the same.

[/ATTACH]

I went the same route on my RST. Peel back the carpet between the 2nd and 3rd rows and slap in some sound deadening mats. Also throw some under the rear storage. box.

 

[dan opatkiewicz]

I just put the corsa on my Denali I could be happier glad I didn’t get the Borla

 

[sealandsky]

So, I've read about 50 posts on various exhaust setups and watched about all the videos I can find for 6.2L 2015+ GM truck exhausts.

My 16 Yukon Denali XL has the stock exhaust with the flapper bolt mod. I want to add a set of black tips similar to Corsa, but also want to get a better tone.

Options:

I found a deal on a corsa exhaust under $900 delivered plus $100 gift card. Install and hope it's not louder than I want.

Borla GM - maintains the flapper and may be too quiet, and extra $ for the tips.

Borla - no flapper but still have to buy the tips

Magnaflow 12909 muffler swap, but adding the dual side-exit tip means deleting the resonator as well. Will it drone or be too loud if i do both? Thinking about deleting the flapper too if i do a muffler swap.

I like the sound/tone of the magnaflow videos I've found, but afraid deleting both the flapper and the resonator will lead to issues.

I like the price on the corsa kit, but afraid it will be too loud for me (but I am running 33 MTs so noise isn't going to bother me too much).

I'm not really considering the Borlas right now even though I run some on my 72 K5 Blazer and live the sound/tone.

I "think" that I have the Corsa exhaust and also have the flapper valve removed. I find the sound to be a deep baritone that sounds great. There is a little blast at cold start but it mellows out after a few seconds. It sounds nasty at WOT and bouncing off a freeway sound wall!

 

[MechEng813]

I installed the Borla Sport (no flapper) and it was loud and mean, but too much for the amount of highway driving I do.

Wound up picking up a GM Performance version of the Borla Touring and recycled the chrome tip segment. (GM kit has just straight cut pipes)
So I have the nearly new Sport version (minus the tips) sitting in the box ready to go.

 

[NE-KID]

Before I installed the Corsa sport exhaust on my 2019 Tahoe Z71 black out edition I had the Borla touring exhaust it sounded good for the time I had it (three months) I wanted something aggressive and throaty when the vehicle is cold started and running so I went and purchased the Corsa sport exhaust I've been happy with it ever since.

 

[dan opatkiewicz]

I love my corsa sport on my Denali