Folks, I just bought a beautiful 2003 Lightning. It will be at the dealer for a week or so until I move some money around to finance it the right way the first time. Anyway, I'm excited as heck and have a few questions.

It apparently has a Flomaster cat back system on it which I thought sounded pretty good in my 2 test drives. But I am not a huge fan of Flowmaster-- I had a Borla cat back on my Z28. So I was wondering... 1) what flowmaster cat-back is this, and 2) what do you guys think of its sound vs other cat-backs, and 3) what performance gains if any can I expect with this exhaust. I've seen some posts on here speaking negatively of Flowmaster but I don't know if there are multiple FM systems available for an L or what.

I wish I could take a picture but its not in my garage yet so I'll try to describe it. I believe it is an aluminized version, it is definitely not stainless. It exits in the stoc location, with regular slash cut tips, they look like 2.5" pipes. There is an H-pipe goining the pipes. There are two tiny mufflers near where the pipes bend to exit. The mufflers are approx 3" x 8", no larger, and they have the Flowmaster name stamped into them.

Thanks!

 

Here is their site and I could not find a "cat/back system"

I would doubt you'd get any performance increase, just a different sound from stock.

Dan

 

95% sure that's not a flowmaster catback. as far as i know the only catback they make for the L is the american thunder one which features a dual in-dual out 50 series muff. Sounds like a custom job not a pre-bent kit.

 

i recommend bassani

 

Flowmaster makes a cat back for the L .... ....the tips are kind of odd though.


http://www.rpmoutlet.com/flo17367.htm

 

As mentioned previously, Flowmaster makes an American Thunder version that includes a 50 series muffler. I personally like the tips and the sound.

 

I have heard alot of dislikes about the flow master set up. However, most feed back from the track and from the street seen is they like the sound. I ran my flowmaster set up for 4 years but just recently changed to a Magnaflow cat back with Magnaflow hi flow cats. Sounds to wimpy to me! When I pushing on it and let off you can bearly hear the truck runing. When I first changed over to MF I thought my truck had stalled.
I was runing the Bassani shorties, Flow master 2 in 2 out set up with H pipe, and no cats!

Suavy

 

suavy, what type of hpipe did you have, i can't find any for our trucks. i'd like to ge a mac one if possible but can't find it on their site. don't want bassani to much for so little.

 

Hmmm.... I see that it is for sure not a FM catback then. Weird. OK, well, I'll post some pics when I get it. They did a pretty good job of welds and bends so I figured it was a kit. I like the looks of that FM American Thunder kit. I will also look into the Mac. Although I really want to know what kind of mufflers these are on this truck first. So I'll research when I know more.

THanks!

 

Another brand is Spin-Tech. They make a catback for our trucks too so you might want to check into that.

 

I am one week old in the Lightning world, but have had some experience with flowmasters....it sounds like your set up on the lightning is a custom fab. job, done with an h-pipe and then they welded on two 1-chamber flowmasters....

Lightnings kick ***!!

 

OK, I figured out my set up. I believe it's all stainless steel and the mufflers are Flowmaster 10 Series Delta Force Race Mufflers. I saw they had part #325108 stamped on them and looked that up. They retail for about $100 apiece. 2.5" in/out. Supposed to be a straight thru design that flows well (for race applications up to 1,000 hp!). Have you guys heard anything about these mufflers? Good/bad? I like the sound pretty good, nice growl when you step on it and pretty mellow @ lower rpm. Worst resonance is right at 2k rpm but it is not as bad as some Flowmasters I've heard.

Do 2nd gen stock lightnings come with an H-pipe in the exhaust setup?

 

I too have the flowmaster I really like the sound and I love the tips they fill up the whole side exit