Cadillac Owners Forum banner

Stainless Works Exhaust Install - 2004 CTS-V

13K views 44 replies 7 participants last post by  philistine 
#1 ·
Here is the stock exhaust system removed.

Muffler delete, yeah it drones at 2k rpm and under.


Here is a pic from shadybx7 and his install with a SW exhaust. That thread can be found here http://www.cadillacforums.com/forum...nce/198451-wrapped-header-sw-3in-exhaust.html

Here is what I received: Look closely at the elbows and compare with above.

Look how the rear aligns with the elbows and with mufflers on the hangers:

Here are the long pipes as it wraps around the differential - I don't have it lifted fully but it wraps around rear-end no problems.

Here is a pic of shadybx7 headers wrapped:

Here is a pic of my headers: wrapped and painted using DEI

Here is my problem aligning the catted lead pipes from the headers to the resonator. This was after hours of rotating in every possible way to fit both pipes centered into the resonator and with the resonator centered and level. I'm squeezing those pipes together with about 0.5-0.75" pulled from the sockets at the headers. The resonator is at a good height close to the chassis but not touching. Take a look at that offset.


I have experience with exhaust systems but claim to be no expert - cars are a weekend hobby, and this is by far not my first. So for those that think this is a weekend DIY in your garage thing...My car has been "garage queen" for a week. I can tell you that I have been in touch with SW and at this point...they are responsive but no resolution on any of my fitment issues. I started a thread when I ran into a sheared header bolt and it expanded to further frustrations with the fitment of the exhaust. That thread can be found here: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forum...ts-v-performance/267735-removing-headers.html

So many choices on what to do next but I'm leaning towards spending all that savings on this purchase of system and taking it to a shop to fix some very obvious fitment issues. I don't have the equipment to bend a 3" SS pipe to get a good alignment and since it takes a shop to do that...I might as well have them trim the elbows. BTW, I was told that this fitment is very precise and encouraged to keep trying. So I called a few fellow enthusiasts to see if they were up for a challenge. Well, I got back my "man-card" after no success on the fitment. I got one more expert coming by to give me the final word before I take it to shop or...if SW comes up with a resolution - whichever is first (umm, it's been a week).

Thanks for taking a look. I tried my best on this install.
 
See less See more
9
#3 ·
thats bs to spend that kind of money and have to get a exhaust shop to install it, a bolt on kit should do what its avertised.. bolt on!
if you have followed instrusctions and the system is not right , return it. i can understand slight alignment issuies with a kit, but having to spend coin to have a exhaust shop re do pipes is rediculious.
subscribed and hope you get it figured out.
 
#5 ·
Damn, sorry to hear about this. for what it is worth, my resonator is deff not level, its kinda torqued alittle. my drives side connection pipe is slightly shorter. you deff dont need to bottom out the connection pipe on the header to get a good seal.

you elbows look completely wrong. Did you show SW the comparison pics??.. I got my system used from the fabled Naf, so it was a early system.. they dont sell many from what i can tell but my fitment is good and i have never scraped(well it is stock springs)

BTW Very nice job on the header wrap. :thumbs: they smell terrible on first start up, nasty cookies.. smokes like crazy


my connection pipes look different,
 
#6 ·
Did you show SW the comparison pics??
Yeah, they are very responsive. They agreed on the elbows and took a look at the pics I sent with my concern on the resonator fitment. It's not very clear for them to see the issues I'm having from the pics. They want to see photos with a fitment that matches their photos - I can't get those angles because I'm on ramps - not a lift.

Just so everyone knows...this thing is going on my car! Excluding elbows, the pipes are not waaay off, the fitment from the headers to resonator is expected to be close enough for an installation shop to fit correctly. Unfortunately, this was not a DIY for me. I got a final pair of eyes on this and the work required to get it installed correctly is beyond the tools in my garage - I don't have the ability to crimp and bend 3" pipes.

From the videos and testimony, the SW sound is amazing and in the end...I'm hoping it's worth it. I don't want to discourage others from getting the SW exhaust. I just want to inform others of my experience so they can plan better. It's going to be quite memorable driving with headers wide open to the installation shop. Maybe I can get some videos of it. I plan to document as much as I can with any adjustments to the system.
 
#7 ·
Update...catted pipes & elbows sent back to SW. They have an LS engine and are going to test a few things to see what (if any) problems there are with the catted pipes and resonator fitment. They have been very responsive through emails and phone calls. The downtime gives me time to fix/replace unrelated stuff with the V...new seatbelt, dipstick, exhaust hangers, Gorilla black lug nuts, and OEM replacement bolts for stuff I broke.
 
#9 ·
:pop2: hopefully that gets resolved.. did they change jigs or something WTF

sounds like n NASCAR with open header but sucks because of the turd flywheel.. revs hang like crazy
 
#10 ·
So did you drive back from the exhaust shop with open headers too? Lol I hope you videoed it.
No, didn't drive it. I got some quotes from some local shops and the only one capable of customizing it for a perfect fit came to $400 - he has a mandrel bender etc and could fabricate a new pipes included in the quote. Other shops wanted to charge $200 barring any fitment issues.

hopefully that gets resolved.. did they change jigs or something WTF
They should receive the pipes sometime this week. I had to study the pics they sent me for a long time and I wrestled with the pipes for hours. I don't suspect it is their jig.
I think it is a welded section just before the cat on the passenger side lead pipe.

If it had a sharper angle, I think it will line up to connect the resonator - we'll see what SW comes up with
 
#12 ·
If it had a sharper angle, I think it will line up to connect the resonator - we'll see what SW comes up with
]

i agree 100% i got under the car yesterday tried to get my :tits: aligned better, just want to clarify that the center resonator has to take up all the slack in the exhaust, if the inlet/outlets on the resonator are not fully "bottomed out" so the exhaust piping is almost touching the resonator, you're doing it wrong, don't give up until its bottomed out.. deal with the tips last after the resonator/midpipes are torqued down.. allowing the rear elbows to sag slightly will yield more aligned tips..

a rubber mallet is going to be your best friend.. don't pay anyone to do it, you'll get ripped off.. its time consuming to get it right
 
#23 ·
:pop2: hope this gets resolved. also wondering how well the tips will align up
 
#24 ·
Got the refitted cat-pipe leads and elbows over the weekend from SW. Just started the alignment tonight - the leads go into the resonator...finally! It is still a wrestling match though. I have the driver side completed and will finish the passenger side tomorrow. I had to trim 1" off the driver side elbow - SW warned me they left a little just in case. The passenger side looks like I will have to trim 1.25 - 1.50". I hope to have it all done and fired up by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest...wife is out of town and I'm on kid duty. I've been waiting 3 weeks so a few more days...WTH.
 
#26 ·
I think you will be in good shape. Hopefully SW is looking more carefully with their product out the door. The little bend they put in the passenger side cat pipe made all the difference. An exhaust shop would have no problems with installation. I had to cut 1.5" off the passenger side elbow and got a good fit. If I really wanted to be picky, I could cut 0.5" off the passenger side long pipe and get it perfect wrapping around the differential but I'm saving that if/when I need a new rear-end. The alignment came in really good - satisfied so far.

I'll take some final pics of the install and share them once everything checks out. I'm hunting around for a tune with this one little mod.
 
#29 ·
Hey did you run into an issue with reinstalling the dipstick, I had to make a spacer to get it to mount up right.. it just wouldn't return to the stock position with the header flange in the way
 
#31 · (Edited)
Hey did you run into an issue with reinstalling the dipstick, I had to make a spacer to get it to mount up right.. it just wouldn't return to the stock position with the header flange in the way
Yeah but I didn't use a spacer. I actually f'd up my original and bought a new one. I shaved the bracket with a dremel tool - slid right in, no issues!

Here is a link to youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9LlKRdzBUE&feature=youtu.be















I had to adjust the pipes one more time...the pipes were pushing against the heatshield on the driveshaft - nasty! Drove it hard for about 30 min, sounds awesome, no drone, definitely feel the headers.
 
#32 ·
:pop2: now that is a properly installed SW system. :alchi: Mine is deffintaly not as high and tight at the elbows but i do have a 8.8 center section taking up most of the room.

hopefully SW learns their lesson and doesn't fck up the next exhaust.
 
  • Like
Reactions: philistine
#33 ·
Thanks! I re-adjusted the pipes from the pics, mainly for looks where the clamps are located - no biggie. I can now hear the whine from my differential, it's not bad but it's there. My buddy just installed a Kraftswerk kit in his 2006 Civic Si...we're going to the track this weekend. He's doing flat 13's dumping at 2k rpm at launch. I might be picking up pieces from my rear-end after this weekend trying to beat him.
 
#34 ·
Your buddy in the Honda running slicks? I was able to pull a 12.5 at like 114 with my old cobalt on ethanol. I wouldn't try to match that right now without some work in the rear.

The exhaust looks good by the way. I'm gonna have to do mine myself hopefully it goes smooth after yours. They are "quadruple checking" mine before it leaves.
 
#35 ·
Your buddy in the Honda running slicks? I was able to pull a 12.5 at like 114 with my old cobalt on ethanol. I wouldn't try to match that right now without some work in the rear.
Yeah but I don't know what brand - Just the 2 in front. I tried to dump my clutch at 2k rpm...no! I got bad wheel hop. I rode with him in the recent Auto-x event...sick fast - good driver! Just to get my dignity back...I beat him on the straight at the highway, pulled away from him but not easy. His car is so whisper quiet while mine was screaming...RAWR!
 
#40 ·
Sweet, well I'm lucky then, no speedbumps at work or in the neighborhood or the local stores so when I get the KWs, hopefully no scrapes. My setup should be here on the 26th so fingers crossed that there are no further delays. The only positive I have right now is that I will get a true baseline dyno in on the 30th before I install the exhaust. Then after I tune it and get it all set, I'll toss it back on the same dyno and see what kind of numbers we are looking at.
 
#41 ·
That's great! I didn't get dyno before...or after, lol. It's a little farty till it warms up. I'm saving my dyno tune cause it's about $500 regardless of mods. I'm following lolly's thread on heads/cam/intake...just need those numbers and write up! I'm gonna have to drop the exhaust again cause I really want that CS rear-end mod. I got so much wheel hop dumping at 2k...yuck - that and my buddy in his Kraftswerk Civic Si is pulling my man-card at every event! I don't even want to discuss the sickly modded S2k, 2012 Mustang, 2012 Challenger - my friends are dangerous to my wallet!
 
#42 ·
Ohhh a civic... pssh I used to jack them up hard with my cobalt. They would always say "Its just a cobalt" I always have negative experiences with civic owners, about 90% of them are tools. Now S2k owners generally are pretty cool. And new mustangs are sexy. But hat challenger... Lol those things weigh as much as the USS Nimitz, and handle about the same too lol. You have nothing to.prove to them.

I'm.gonna do anti hop axles on mine first. Then next year if I have them cash I'm gonna have the stock head ported, can, and intak. We will see what it puts out. I am doing all the tuning though so all I need is a few dyno runs after its all dialed in.
 
#43 ·
These guys I all know and hang with...we all have different rides. The civic trashed his tranny for the 4th time at the last auto-x in Huntsville, the Challenger w/whipple - exploded his rear end and damaged his tranny (while ago). The mustangs...omg so unpredictable, all over the place, we all back up when doing our "work" rounds when the mustangs get out there, scary! The S2k's...awesome, so well balanced! I ran pretty decent this last auto-x, running Hankook V12's, I was good at the slalom and handled the chicago box decent but everyone commented how slow I was at my hard turns and 180 degree turn. I made best time somewhere around 63.5ish which was consistent with the other 05' V out there. I'm gaining more confidence with the KW's...I'm so knew to this kind of sport! I did suck in a cone and just thrashed it and made a 57 DNF, lol.
 
#45 ·
Yeah I don't plan to make the V an auto-x car, it's my daily driver. I just like testing all these mods out and learning the capabilities of the car - and what I'm capable of doing to it. I think I got my $ worth with the KW's and SW exhaust. I think I'll eventually just keep it to Barber's Motor Speedway and 1/4" mile fun.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top