Something I Want to do This Weekend

"jdrgoat - Ponticrack?" (jdrgoat)
07/21/2017 at 20:00 • Filed to: None

Is film a (good) video of the exhaust sound on my GTO.

For anyone following along, the last news was that I finally started her up for the first time in over a year. All I did to accomplish that was buy a new battery. (Oil change will be coming very soon.) Since then, I’ve been trying to accumulate miles on her and alternating driving with my truck.

The reason for the long slumber was a toaster center carrier bearing bushing on the driveshaft. What this meant, was that the driveshaft could flop around a few inches in the center, and wasn’t at all ideal. I have now had installed a new center carrier bearing, rubber couplers on each end, and a diff mount insert. That has made the drivetrain way more solid, probably better than when I bought it over 9 years ago.

In addition to this, I brought with the new, aftermarket, midpipes that I bought years ago and hadn’t gotten around to installing. I figured that since the exhaust needs to be dropped to get to the driveshaft, and that exhaust has a lot of years and miles on it, it would probably stand that there are parts and hardware that will be good to replace.

Now, since it’s been years since I bought the midpipes, my memory has gone foggy on the specs of them. They are JBA, and catted (no reason to go catless for ~2hp, let’s be real), so they can go in place of the factory pipes and should bolt right up. I have JBA shorty headers on the car which I love. Years ago, when I was researching, the word was that the midpipes actually gave a bigger power boost than the headers. I just kind of remembered that as interesting.

Now, to more current times. I’ve gotten older. And I do like the sound of a good V8. But sometimes things can be too loud. Because I’m old. And the catback (Magnaflow) is quite old for an exhaust, too. The mating between the midpipes and the catback may not be ideal because of this, I’m told after the work was done. So I’m expecting to hear imperfections. And I certainly did hear more volume. At first I took that as a leak...

When I finally was able to do the research and look into my new midpipes again, I found the real story. The JBA mids get rid of the resonators that the factory parts have after the cats. Amd I’ve grown to accept this.

In fact, on decel, I can wait until DFCO has come on, blip the throttle the tiniest bit, and get some good loud cackling put the exhaust. It makes me giggle like a school girl. Anything that has that effect can’t be all bad.

So I’m back to trying to figure out if I want to stay a GTO person, or go for that next project...

For those that are following the GTO, “cool. “For those that read my rambling this far, “wow!”

DISCUSSION (17)

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/21/2017 at 20:13

Red lining the car with cruise control on.

CaptDale - is secretly British > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/21/2017 at 20:13

STAY ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

TBH I often think god I wish I could sell this car, but that is because I DD it, but then I take it out for a drive and I never want to let her go.

I really need to get my Long Tubes and mid pipes back on then straight pipe it ;)

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
07/21/2017 at 20:26

Cruise control “enabled.” Not set. Stop sign on my drive home after the highway.

But now I do see how it looks funny in a still frame.

MoFinWiley > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/21/2017 at 20:51

Going over the same dilemma. Mine has lots of mods...but has been sitting because of a broken rear end...I want something lighter and more trackable.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2017 at 20:53

Unless you’re a bit younger than me, straight pipes don’t sound like my flavor, haha. I was shocked at the difference that just removing resonators made! The pops and cackles are fun, though!

Believe me, I know, love, and enjoy the aura of the GTO. I even still want that hardcover Monaro book. It’s one of the car stories that I really like so much.

I DD’ed this car for 7 years. It’s seen a lot of chapters in my life. Check out my fuelly to see it in mpg terms (chart all fuel-ups). I feel like I still want/need a V8 for a toy. And I really want to do some autocross types of stuff. I’m finding out again that the GTO really solidifies when being pushed with some speed. Slow is no good, but speed is. I think that the Corvette suspension is miles ahead of something with radius rods, too.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > MoFinWiley
07/21/2017 at 21:07

Another of the GTO brethren on here? I was unaware. And you can end up in a big rabbit hole with a rear end. Time for a tru-trac, and gears, and and and. My thoughts are also definitely on “more trackable.” Even though I know the GTO can be fun at a track with higher speeds like BIR.

AutoSavant > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/21/2017 at 21:54

I still “daily” my ‘05. But I work from home, so it’s either in the garage or at an airport garage. I put maybe 5-7k a year on it. I’ve been eyeballing the new Camaro SS, but the GTO has been so good to me ( except that whiny rear end. UGH), and has been paid off for 7 years. I have two extra diffs under my workbench, so I guess I’m covered for life. lol

CaptDale - is secretly British > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/22/2017 at 11:08

I am 25.... I had my exhaust off for a week so ending after the mid pipes and I loved the sound but it was too close to the driver, so I need to have it dump out the back or put in cut offs because it is too quiet with the factory headers and SLP cat back. I want to hear the V8 destroying it and with the cam it was just amazing. Thought the long tubes back on may really fix the issue.

You are right though the GTO suspension isn’t great until you do a lot of work to it. Someday I will have the money to make it my ultimate toy and I am thinking a version of Magneride.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > AutoSavant
07/22/2017 at 11:37

Somehow, I don’t think my rear is whiny still. And I’m pretty sure that the first 33k miles before me were a little more rough.

But that’s the thing, the GTO doesn’t do anything bad. It does a lot of things great. And the general ergonomics in the driver’s seat is just a bit better in a traditional way versus some newer options. As a fun daily, I say it’s still hard to beat. And that’s probably even more true with only 5-7k per year.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/22/2017 at 11:47

I bought my GTO when I was 22. I really wanted to pause and start it up with open headers when we were installing them, but we just kept on with the install. If you live in a climate that isn’t too harsh, maybe you could put in some electric cut-outs with dumps in front of the mufflers? I always thought the SLP exhausts were supposed to be loud to begin with!

After test driving some Corvettes, and finding them to be soft compared to my GTO, I really want to see what a “stock” GTO feels like again, to see what my previous starting point was. The design of the GTO suspension has limitations that can’t be gotten around without way too much work, compared to something with double wishbones, I think. But, that said, I am pretty darn happy with what I have now. I think a handful of new bushings and a tweaked alignment might make another impressive improvement. (Go for the Lovells stock height springs, and Koni yellow dampers. Way more affordable than a magnaride, and way better than stock.)

CaptDale - is secretly British > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/22/2017 at 13:56

It is amazing with open headers. The SLP is louder compared to stock, but not enough.

I am going to get the CX Racing or Maverick man coil overs for the time being until doing the Magneride is one of the cheaper things I do to the car. Like the $12k brake kit I want or the compound charged LS9 that will but stuffed in it eventually.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/22/2017 at 23:02

Those are some big goals. I mean, the GTO is great, but there are some limitations to the platform that really aren’t that easy to overcome.

Is there actually a Magnaride kit available?

I have my yet-to-be-installed CTS-V Brembo brake kit in my basement. Way less than $12k, which had better be for carbon ceramic rotors!

That’s a helluva lotta horsepower. Plus 7700rpm from an LS.

CaptDale - is secretly British > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/24/2017 at 11:57

Yeah they are lofty goals, but I just love the Holden body. I know the whole thing would be a lot easier if I just started off with a Vette, but I don’t want to for some reason. There is not a kit but looking into it a little it would be expensive but doable.

Kinja'd!!!

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/24/2017 at 14:37

I would seriously go this way for brakes: Conversion brackets from Bohnman.

In fact, I have pretty much everything to do so. The brackets I have are no longer available, and just a little different for the front (13.8" BMW rotors with the 4 piston calipers), but it’s way less expensive than a Baer or Willwood custom setup.

CaptDale - is secretly British > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/24/2017 at 16:07

Oh I know those would be more economical. But that is the dream set up

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/24/2017 at 16:27

Excuse my asking, but... how are they subjectively better? The 05-06 brakes are really more than is needed on the street, and even for most people on a track day (1000+hp builds excluded, of course). The CTS-V2 Brembos seems to do great on a 4200lb 556hp Cadillac, too. I’m just curious how there is a greater benefit with a different setup. A lot of the braking performance really comes down to pad selection and tire compound, anyways. And then we’re back to the limited room for rubber in the GTO wheelwells.

CaptDale - is secretly British > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
07/24/2017 at 17:17

They might not be. They are a great company and I like what they do. It also won’t hurt that if I decide to go that way I won’t have to pay that full 12k due to a discount I can get. I mean it really depends on how much I want to throw at the car. And yes tire size can be an issue, but mini tubs are always a way to go and you can keep your rear seats if you want. We will see what eventually happens.