I am looking into changing up my exhaust for some performance related gains. I have been looking at some catback systems, but I had a questions about catback versus free flowing mufflers. Am I correct in thinking that the performance gains are the same between the two and the only difference would be in the cost? Thoughts/suggestions? Thanks.

 

all i'll say is don't waste your money on the TRD cat back system. it's OK but you will spend a lot more for probably the same performance as just getting a flowmaster or magnaflow muffler. had i known this years ago i would not have purchased the TRD, i don't know about any of the other cat back products though, just the TRD and my experience with it.

 

You probably won't notice much with either system. I redid my entire exhaust with magnaflow cat and flowmaster muffler and I didn't see much of an improvement.

 

According to TRD's website and an engineer I spoke with there, the catback in combination with the TRD CAI adds +22hp. I noticed it revs more freely toward redline at the expense of a slight loss of low end torque.

Weight prolly isn't an issue, but the TRD catback is about 14 lbs. lighter than the stock exhaust.

 

After research and bang for your buck I think I'm going to go with a magnaflow or flowmaster muffler.

 

Good choice. And if you want a full cat-back system, take the muffler you choose into an exhaust shop and have them bend the pipe for you. It's a whole lot cheaper than the bolt-in systems out there.

 

Stillen may still have one or two of their systems available...

Perfect for you dual cat Calif models.

It uses a magnaflow muffler. With a nice tip and mandrel bent piping. Can't say it is any lighter but the muffler shop guys seemed to think it was pretty similar to the TRD offering.

here is a linkie

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f44/...lowout-184558/

 

I just bought a Flowmaster Super 40 clone muffler for $50. If you put it up next to the real thing it has the same welds/demensions as well as the same guts. I paired this muffler with the K&N fipk CAI and I've noticed more power (I can cruise at 60-75 with less throttle). If I stomp it I can really feel the extra hp after about 3k rpm's. I went from 16mpg city/21 hwy to 17 city/25 highway. Also replaced coils, spark plugs, fuel filter, cleaned throttle body/AIC, and ran 7 tanks with Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant. I've not heard many mufflers that are as deep and boistrous as a Flowmaster Super 40, plus I welded up a 45 degree angled 12" long tip (2 1/4" inlet/ 3" opening). I paid $18 for the tip, $12 for clamps, $6 for welding sealant. I cut off the old muffler with a friend and welded up the new one yesterday with the tip and I am 100% satisfied with the job. Paired with a CAI I think that you will see a noticeable gain in power and mpg's. I don't think you'll see a 22hp gain with the 5vz-fe, but 16-18 sounds about right (the 22re would probably see 22hp or more, especially in OBD 1 models). All in all, I paid $202 for the CAI, and $86 on my exhaust (sounds much better than the TRD kit... my buddy has it on a 01' Taco). You can rent a MIG welder at some places along with a helmet and practice for a couple hours before you do the job. We used a MIG, hand held cutter (15k rpm with carbon blade), and a typical hand held metal grinder. You just cut out the old stuff along with the stock muffler mounts, then you measure out about 6-8" of 2 1/4" pipe, take the new muffler and slide it over the old piping coming out of the cat, clamp it down tight, then take that 6-8" pipe and stick it in the muffler's outlet and clamp it tight, then take a 2 1/2" cufflink pipe to join that 6-8" pipe with the tail end stock pipe (no bending is required for this job) and clamp it down tight. After that you can cut the tip if you want but you'll have to save the mount that's welded to the OEM tip so you can re-weld it to a new tip. After you have all you're new stuff clamped up you tack weld everything together (no need to weld all the way around the pipe... it won't leak, many people and shops will use clamps ONLY and NO welds). If you put it together yourself I think you will like it even more!

Side Note: Minekie and 2 other shops quoted me $290-$370 for this exact set up with the name brand muffler. Was quoted $450 for duals.