New Exhaust (Page 1/1)
jaredaltizer OCT 23, 03:09 PM
Thinking of buying a new exhaust from the fiero store sometime within the next month or two. I’m looking at either the Ocelot S.S. Exhaust that’s $599.95 (https://www.fierostore.com/Product/Detail.aspx?s=54406&d=389&p=1 ) or the Ocelot Performance Cat-back exhaust for $359.95 (https://www.fierostore.com/Product/Detail.aspx?s=54403%20%20%20%20%20TIPS&d=389&p=1 ). What are the advantages that the $600 system has over the other and vice versa? Is the extra $240 worth it for the S.S. exhaust?
computer_engineer OCT 23, 05:40 PM
The factory system, at least on my 87 GT is all stainless steel, and 30 years later it is still okay (headers are a different story ). I would say that if you want it to last, go for the SS system. Worth it IMHO. But then nothing lasts forever, so you will have to ask yourself if the extra years of use are worth the extra money.
edfiero OCT 25, 01:14 PM
If you plan on keeping the car go with the SS!!

OldGuyinaGT OCT 25, 05:11 PM
I have the Ocelot exhaust in the aluminized pipe version on my 88 GT. After a year the clamps are starting to rust but not the pipes. I think I made the right choice. But I'm in semi-arid CO and I don't drive it in the snow.

On a related note, certainly if you still have the factory catalytic converter, or even if you have any reason to believe what you do have might be compromised at all, now is the perfect time to change it. When I put my Ocelot system in, I put in a new down pipe and cat (Walker 15026 - roughly the size of a football) too. But then I had a long time where I was working on tuning issues with injectors, IAC, ignition timing, etc. I began to suspect that I clogged the thing with all the rich exhaust and such that occurred over several months. I wasn't sure about the performance because I never drove a V6 Fiero (or any Fiero) before I bought this one. But for $56 on Amazon, I decided to change out the cat again last week (same Walker 15026). The difference was unbelievable. I found out that even a stock V6 and TH125 are WAY quicker than my car ever was before. I wouldn't have believed that what I put the year-old cat through would have clogged it that badly. Non-CARB cats are cheap enough now that if it's less than absolutely perfect and you're replacing the exhaust anyway, I say change it. BTW, we have pretty tight emissions tests here and I fast-passed with this cat.
jaredaltizer OCT 25, 05:22 PM

quote
Originally posted by OldGuyinaGT:

I have the Ocelot exhaust in the aluminized pipe version on my 88 GT. After a year the clamps are starting to rust but not the pipes. I think I made the right choice. But I'm in semi-arid CO and I don't drive it in the snow.

On a related note, certainly if you still have the factory catalytic converter, or even if you have any reason to believe what you do have might be compromised at all, now is the perfect time to change it. When I put my Ocelot system in, I put in a new down pipe and cat (Walker 15026 - roughly the size of a football) too. But then I had a long time where I was working on tuning issues with injectors, IAC, ignition timing, etc. I began to suspect that I clogged the thing with all the rich exhaust and such that occurred over several months. I wasn't sure about the performance because I never drove a V6 Fiero (or any Fiero) before I bought this one. But for $56 on Amazon, I decided to change out the cat again last week (same Walker 15026). The difference was unbelievable. I found out that even a stock V6 and TH125 are WAY quicker than my car ever was before. I wouldn't have believed that what I put the year-old cat through would have clogged it that badly. Non-CARB cats are cheap enough now that if it's less than absolutely perfect and you're replacing the exhaust anyway, I say change it. BTW, we have pretty tight emissions tests here and I fast-passed with this cat.



Thank you, this was the answer I was looking for! I live in AZ and it rains maybe 5 times a year and obviously it never snows in Tucson, so I won’t have to worry about rust. How does your system sound? Also, is it louder than the stock exhaust? I never really took a close look at my exhaust until a few days ago, and I realized how tiny the pipe is from the throttle body all the way to the clamp. I assume the bigger pipe from the Ocelot aluminum exhaust will make a noticeable performance difference?
OldGuyinaGT OCT 26, 06:01 PM
I think the 2" Ocelot pipes are the same size as stock. At least The Fiero Store says the stock tips fit both. I'm pretty sure the muffler beats the stock unit, though.

I have no basis for comparison for the sound because I haven't heard a stock V6 Fiero. But I think the Ocelot system sounds pretty good. With only 2.8L and six cylinders, the pitch isn't like your average Camaro, but it sounds like a healthy small displacement engine, a little deeper and throatier than most cars of it's size class. I have diffferent tips - 2" to 2-1/2" adapters and Flowmaster obround tips, so it might sound a little different than with the Ocelot tips or stock tips, but I am perfectly happy with the exhaust note.
Raydar OCT 26, 06:17 PM
I have owned several Ocelot systems, on several cars. I find that they sound very much like the stock system, only a bit louder.
The best sounding Fiero I ever owned - and maybe ever heard - was a cammed 3.4, through an Ocelot system, without a cat. One guy even shouted across, in traffic, and asked me if it was a V8.

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Raydar
88 Formula IMSA Fastback. 4.9, NVG T550

Praise the Lowered!