Finally got my exhaust!

nguyendot

So I've owned a few cars here and there, and *tried* to do some mods to them over the years. The problem is, the cars I generally owned were not part of the genre where you'd normally mod them. I've had a 92' Deville, 98 Malibu, 01 I30t (Infiniti), 06 STS V8 (northstar), and now a 09 CTS 3.6 DI.

The first four really didn't have many parts, or I just didn't have the time/money/parental approval (I was younger then) to do anything. I always wanted to do something tasteful but not go all out crazy since most of my cars were luxury or near-luxury cars. The STS had an intake, but it was ghetto, so I went back to stock. It had a V8, and I really should have installed an exhaust, but never got around to it. I would have loved that V8 sound through some magnaflows.

Well time finally came, we had some money, and it was my birthday, so my girlfriend paid to have some Magnaflows put on for me. The car is a 2009 CTS Performance package, with a 3.6DI engine. I skipped all the other high tech options (nav mainly) in favor of mainly performance on this car. The 2006 STS had every option, and all the electronics were nice, and "pimpin", but it only goes to show that the more stuff you have electronic, the more stuff there is to break. The nav on my last car, electronic start, and engine control module were all replaced, no less than 3 times each.

So I took the car up to Aadvance Muffler in Edmond, OK (301 S Broadway) and talked to a guy named Cass. He's a very nice gentleman and has an apprentice who works with him. 8:00 AM sharp and they were open. His shop isn't much on the eyes, and he doesn't have the best equipment in the world, but he knows what he's talking about, and is all about getting you taken care of for the price that he quoted. He was much nicer than the other muffler shops that I shopped around with, and was much more willing to explain to me what different mufflers would sound like, and look like, etc. I've read a lot but he's the expert so I went with what he told me. I would have honestly paid him 50% more than what he quoted me because of the service I have thus received.

Every shop around quoted me $160- $200 PER muffler on my car, which is crazy. I was looking at $320 minimum to just put two mufflers on, with no tips! Cass quoted me $115 each, and reinstall the stock chrome tips, or provide my own. I decided to do my stock tips for now, so the car looks stock. (Pics after).

Got them installed in under an hour, very nice welds. He fired up the engine, and it had a little drone at first, but once the engine warmed up it went away completely except for a minimal burble here and there, a hint of what is under the rear deck. When I hit the gas it definitely had the exhaust note I like, but once I hit 3000rpm, it actually sounded stock inside the cabin. I guess that's how the car is insulated, it's pretty quiet normally. I went and filled the tank and went driving. I noticed immediately a loss of power however. It wouldn't get up and go like it did earlier that morning. Low end torque was gone, and it took FOREVER to shift between gears on the auto. I had to force it into manual to make it shift faster, but even then the power was gone. A week went by driving like this, and I called Cass about it. He told me honestly it wasn't supposed to be that way, especially since I only replaced the stock mufflers (which have been proven very restrictive on this model of car, since most people want their Cadillacs quiet).

He told me to pull the battery for an hour and let it recalibrate. I did, no change. I kept telling myself it wasn't the exhaust, it couldn't be. Long story short, I put in a full tank of 91 octane after that week was over, and well the problem went away. Water in the gas maybe? I got the original tank from a higher end station, so I expected it to be good! The 2nd tank came from 7-11 of all places.

Anywho, I digress. During this time that I was wondering what was going on with my car, I noticed the stock tips were actually smaller than the 2.25" out on the mufflers, and Cass had to get some smaller pipe welded inside the output tube, to the tips. This restricted flow by some 20% or so. Honestly it probably didn't do anything, but I wanted it done right so I ordered some tips, 4" output, 2.25" input, 4.5" long. I took it back to him yesterday, which was two weeks later and had him install them. He only charged me $40, not bad for an hours work. The sound is a bit less tame, and if I'm driving with the windows down and get on it, the underpasses sound amazing.

And here are the pics:
(I apologize for the size, I use 1920x1200 lol)


Stock tips on magnaflow muffler.

Wider shot, same stock tips.

Stock tips cut off.

Same picture, wider.

New tips from a few steps back.

New tips up closer.

And here's a few pics of the D3 intake. Not many people make parts for my car...

Stock

D3 intake.

All pics taken with an Olympus E410 with the stock 14-42mm lens. It's still new to me so forgive the focus issues. I'll go back with the 40D later and get some better ones.

Also, I know my tag is in the pics, but oh well...

Sherardp

Put a set of 20s on that baby. Nice car bro.

Serendipity

Nice Caddy!

audiobliss

^^ Do NOT do that!!

Nice looking car, though. Glad you like the new exhaust note. I can't wait 'til I have a car with an engine that'll actually sound better with an aftermarket exhaust.

Serendipity

audiobliss,

eh?

xj4094dg

Sweet looking CTS. Larger than stock wheels will turn the ride to crap. These cars look and ride great as delivered.

Jstas

I wouldn't put giant wheels on that. Forget the ride, it'll destroy the handling dynamics of the car.

If anything, I'd get lighter wheels the same size.

Besides, the smaller the sidewall, the more harsh it makes bumps. Add to that the fact that smaller, stiffer sidewalls make the tire unpredictable. It'll break loose wit next to no warning. Not fun.

gdb

Beautiful. Now lose all the dealer advertising back there and you're finished.;)

exalted512

gdb wrote: »

Beautiful. Now lose all the dealer advertising back there and you're finished.;)

and black out the tail lights:cool:
-Cody

dane_peterson

^ Don't do that either.

Nothing like a nice exhaust system on a V8. I had a 94 SLS several years ago, and thought the engine/exhaust sounded so nice. And that was all stock!

thsmith

SO, did the larger tips fix the problem ?

Nice ride

Tony M

From your pics, it looks like the right guy did the job. Beautiful car. Now, come on over to Wilm. N.C. so I can hear it.:D

nguyendot

The tips weren't the issue, I thought they were, and on top of that I wanted something to fill the gap. I think I got a bad tank of gas the same day (immediately after) I got the mufflers originally.

I'll remove the dealer decal soon enough - I can just peel it off. My dad actually worked at that dealer for five years until two weeks ago, so I kept it for him. I'm actually going to debadge the whole trunk for a cleaner look. Everyone should already know its a CTS.

I thought about 20's, it's an option on the car already, but yeah the ride right now is just about where I want it, so the only thing I'd do is consider ligher aluminum wheels in a black color to match the paint of the same size as stock, possibly with a chrome lip to match the chrome on the car. I'm very happy with it the way it is right now, and I think I will do an X-pipe next as many CTS owners have reported nice results. After that I'm done adding stuff to it.

Now if I had my girlfriends car..... (06 G35).... I woulldn't be done by a long shot.

Thanks guys!

nguyendot

More pics:

Me and the car - long exposure.

In focus and cleaner engine bay.

Wide angle shot.

Another

Another


Took some time to play with the camera this time.

Jstas

nguyendot wrote: »

...so the only thing I'd do is consider lighter aluminum wheels in a black color to match the paint of the same size as stock, possibly with a chrome lip to match the chrome on the car...

Thanks guys!

That would be hawt!

Vette C6.r

As Tommy Kendall once told me - "That is a Mack Daddy Caddy"

audiobliss

Looks very nice! And I'm definitely jealous of your girlfriend; a G35 would be tons of fun!

nguyendot

Yeah she didn't really want the G35, but I figured it would grow on her so I found one and we bought it

dane_peterson

In my opinion, black rims don't belong on a Cadillac. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE black rims (so long as it has a polished lip) on sports sedans. (IE Mitsu EVO, WRX, G35, etc) but a Cadillac is a "luxury vehicle". Don't dress it up like a Honda Civic. If you do put new wheels on, go ALL chrome!

Additionally, all black rims are retarded. Might as well throw steelies on the thing.

Echosphere

Congrats! Nice ride! Love the last photo closeup of the passenger side front bumper. Sweet!

Sherardp

Just bought a Cadillac...........Throw some D's on it.

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Regardless though, that's a nice one. Agrreed no black wheels on it, unless you like that murdered out look. All chrome baby.

nguyendot

I've always liked an all blacked out car. I want black brushed metal rims with a polished chrome lip... 19" probably (also a stock size on my car/suspension).

audiobliss

^^ Hard to say for sure without seeing it first, but I'd imagine that would look pretty good!

exalted512

Sherardp wrote: »

Just bought a Cadillac...........Throw some D's on it.


Regardless though, that's a nice one. Agrreed no black wheels on it, unless you like that murdered out look. All chrome baby.

If you like that video...youll LOVE the lyrics of this...at least I find it hilarious.
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I like black on black...I say go for it.
-Cody

nguyendot

i gotta find some good lightweight wheels of that size, any recommendations other than tirerack?

nguyendot

Installed some HID fog lights last night too. They're...amazing.
Nice shot

Halogen vs HID

Yes sir, they are bright

I like the differing colors (I could have matched them 4300k, but decided against it)