Stock pellet style converters

[bob64]

Well your not working with the most cost efficient engine, but an l say BUT if you can free up drag or free up flow the engine will work easier freeing up HP/TQ.

So if you already have it l say do it! With such a low HP engine you'll notice it first at the gas pump. Tone of exhaust should change an it may rev out quicker. The other side effect is less strain on the engine the longer it lives.

But like others have said 1 or 2 hp you won't notice, but do afew things that are acouple HP they add up an maybe you will notice the engine responding better.

 

[olds307 and 403]

I still say the Thorton headers and 2" 2.25" dual exhaust would help a lot. I had shorty headers and 2.5" dual exhaust with a X pipe. It really woke up the top end and bottom end stayed the same as 2" od dial exhaust.

 

[GP403]

I just replaced the old-n-busted (and half plugged) cat on the Cutlass with a new Magnaflow "direct fit" cat. Night and day. Actually feels like it might have some power now. Surprised how much the actual difference was. Well, you can see the whole post in the build thread but yeah.

 

[Michael Watts]

There are all sorts of things like a smog legal Eldelbrock Performer ..A cold air induction package.

 

[DoubleV]

Definitely not gonna go crazy in this engine/ car. Free up a few ponies tuning and using some stock parts I got laying around is about all I'm planning on. Maybe, just maybe some better rear gears ( way in the future ) but I'd like to keep the car an original 'time capsule' since it's so rare. When I want to go fast, I'll bust out the 442!

 

[78chevolds]

Are you required in your state to have a cat? I just pulled mine off and have a straight pipe to a transverse muffler. Car has decent power.

 

[DoubleV]

No emission testing here. Cat delete is an option but I already have a newer style cat laying around that should be a direct bolt in. I also don't want a stinky exhaust. I tolerate that on a fast car but won't on this one.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Don't forget that at the time converter technology was stone age. Those type were expected to clog up and a service port is included on the body. The stealership was able to open it, remove the old catalyst, and add new catalyst. The honeycomb type was a huge break-though and hot rodders immediately back fitted those to a true dual exhaust system and passed emissions. You are correct- it smells better with one in place because it completes the combustion process.

 

[Michael Watts]

My 1981 El Camino SS had exhaust manifolds to a single pipe to split out to two Flowmaster 3 chamber mufflers. I put a set of FlowTech "shorty" headers when my passenger side exhaust manifold cracked in half. And I couldn`t find a replacement, I had a muffler shop make it true dual exhaust. They even modified my transmission cross member. The car has a 290 HP 350 crate engine. And it really woke it up.and increased fuel mileage. And it still passed emissions test.after it was tuned You could do something similar using you stock exhaust manifolds .With or without a set of high flow "cats" leaving the engine stock.