Planning/Ideas/Opinions: new cat and possibly muffler. 1995 7.4L k2500 suburban

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termite

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So, I'm not necessarily 'in need of' a new cat and muffler due to diagnosing an issue. That said, they are the OEM units with 30 years and nearly 250k miles racked up. I'd like to put some more free flowing exhaust on the suburban and see if I can gain a little bit of seat dyno power and maybe improve mileage by 0.25mpg in doing so.

I've never gotten into custom exhaust beyond paying a shop to put basic duals on so I'm seeking some help here. Would rather keep it a simple single tailpipe system reusing the OE pipe where possible. Currently I'm eyeing the cat below, no need for CA CARB compliance but a cat is staying on the truck, no need for debate on cat vs no cat.

Cat:
www.summitracing.com/parts/flo-2010025/make/chevrolet/model/k2500-suburban/year/1995

Muffler:
I don't have a muffler in mind here but do have some desires. Mainly, not 'loud' but I would like some tone. In the past I've had a set of xlerators on a vortec 350 and was satisfied with them.

Thanks for input guys and gals. Let's leave the cat vs no cat debate at the door as I'll be keeping a cat in place.

Edit: existing pipes are 3".
 
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Sean Buick 76

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I’m going to try this 3.5” by flowmaster as I’ve always used f Magnaflow so I wanted to do something different.
 

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termite

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Magnaflow muffler, single 3.5” would be my vote.
Suppose I should put the calipers on the pipe and see what size I'm working with to start. Are magnaflow mufflers one of those that turn off raspy and popping when you make a WOT pull after they've gotten some miles on them?
 

EKOBS

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So, I'm not necessarily 'in need of' a new cat and muffler due to diagnosing an issue. That said, they are the OEM units with 30 years and nearly 250k miles racked up. I'd like to put some more free flowing exhaust on the suburban and see if I can gain a little bit of seat dyno power and maybe improve mileage by 0.25mpg in doing so.

I've never gotten into custom exhaust beyond paying a shop to put basic duals on so I'm seeking some help here. Would rather keep it a simple single tailpipe system reusing the OE pipe where possible. Currently I'm eyeing the cat below, no need for CA CARB compliance but a cat is staying on the truck, no need for debate on cat vs no cat.

Cat:
www.summitracing.com/parts/flo-2010025/make/chevrolet/model/k2500-suburban/year/1995

Muffler:
I don't have a muffler in mind here but do have some desires. Mainly, not 'loud' but I would like some tone. In the past I've had a set of xlerators on a vortec 350 and was satisfied with them.

Thanks for input guys and gals. Let's leave the cat vs no cat debate at the door as I'll be keeping a cat in place.

Edit: existing pipes are 3".
I’ve liked the Magnaflow stainless mufflers for a while. They’re well made and I’ll pay the reasonable price for them; so far as sound, I have the 5x11” 28” long oval muffler with 3” in/out pipes, I wanted the quietest free flowing muffler I could get and I’m happy with it. I can sneak home at 1am and don’t get any complaints from the neighbors.
 

OutlawDrifter

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The Magnaflow(or any knockoff; Jones Max Flow, AP Xlerator Stainless, Cherry Bomb Salute, etc) 5x11x22" case muffler will give you a quieter deep tone with a cat. I ran one on my catted Vortec 7.4l with a Helmholtz resonator and it was perfect. Once catless I ended up with two Dynomax SuperTurbos with 20" cases as it became too loud for my ears.

Dynomax also makes a big, round bodied SuperTurbo 3" I/O in a 30" case p/n 17789, or 18" case p/n 17698.

For what it's worth, I prefer Dynomax mufflers 90% of the time, as I've had really good luck with them and prefer their sound. I've had UltraFlows on a lot of my pickups, 17233 is my preferred model, 20" case, 3" I/O.

I don't like drone, and I'm passed the age where I want the exhaust to overpower all other noises, so keep that in mind with my opinion.

My Z28 and my '49 are both loud enough when I need some noise, I like my driver's to be quiet with just enough growl to know there is a V8 there.
 

99xcss4

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termite

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I'd like to keep the cat functional without breaking the bank, or opening the wallet too far.

Drone bad, tone good. Magnaflow is looking like what I'll be going with when the time arrives.
 
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