Borla Cat Back
 

I have a Borla cat back and looking into options for replacing the stock cats. Anyone else with this system been down this road? I don't see much talk about Borla on the forum. It has a great deep throaty sound and I don't find it to be raspy or drone. So, I'm leery of getting high flow cats or resonated test pipes and find I don't like the sound anymore. The few reviews I've found were mostly for the g37 and they said the system is best with stock cats, high flow cats add rasp and drone.

I was considering Motordyne ART pipe since it claims to not have rasp issues that are common to high flow cats. Along the same lines, I was looking at Fast Intentions resonated test pipe.

So, anyone with this exhaust gone down this road? Am I wasting my time? I'm looking to make the system a little deeper and louder. I'd prefer the added torque in the low end over the added top end horsepower.

In the end I am going to tune (UpRev) the car, so I'd like to get this last bolt on done, if I'm going to do it. Swapping out the Borla isn't an option I'm willing to do. If it matters, I have K&N typhon intakes. The rest is stock.

Go with some resonated HFCs and you shouldn't have to much rasp or drone.

Good call Mr Terrible One, my added Berk Technology High Flow Cat's
give out very little rasp with no drone at all.....:iagree:

Its music while in motion........:tup:

-Clifford

I've read where other Borla owners removed high flow cats because it didn't sound good. Joe at Zspeed said he had a customer with Borla that had him replace the high flow cats because it didn't sound good. He suggested the ART pipes.

I see ARK has a resonated high flow cat, but I have AT7. The other resonated cat I've seen is from Fast Intentions. How much difference in the FI RHFC and the FI RTP? Are there others? What about the ART pipe's claim to have no rasp or drone?

Well, I'll know soon enough. ART pipes are on the way.

Post a before and after sound clip. I love the sound of Borla but have never heard it on a Z. Would like to know what it sounds like with and without the ART pipes.

Going to try to get out tomorrow and get some before videos. ART pipes are going on Tuesday.

Once you mess with cats expect rasp, art pipes will def give you rasp lol.

Here are a few clips with Borla and K&N typhon intake.


Cold Start



Moderate drive off



WOT drive off



Fly By

Love that deep Borla tone. That'll wake up them crows in the cornfields. LOL!

Sounds like you have the auto, correct? If so, how is drone at highway speed with the Borla system?

Sounds great BTW!

Yes, it's an auto. The Borla is pretty tame unless you are pushing it. On the highway, I don't think it has a drone. It isn't silent, but nothing irritating or obnoxious. I think I notice it more around town than on the highway.

Borla plus Motordyne ART pipe
 

Pretty lame video, but I thought I would put up something since the pipes are on now. This is not a cold start.

Very nice rumble at idle. Just slightly deeper, but more aggressive and louder. I wondered about the smell, but really don't think it's strong or bad. It's mid 30s and raining, so I can't really see what she sounds like or get a good butt dyno. Initial impression is she sounds more open, throaty and feels more responsive. Noticeable sound increase in the cabin. No rattle, high pitch, vibration sounding tin can issues. Just deeper, louder and smooth.

Oh, yeah. That sounds great. Don't hear any rasp at all...Awesome setup!

HFC/TP really make exhausts sound amazing on these cars.

I've had some time with this setup now and don't think it is going to work for me. Main problem is I have an automatic and if I leave it in auto, there is pretty bad drone around 1800-2100 RPM and the car loves to land in this zone in auto mode. It can mostly be avoided by driving in manual mode. It's gets to be very deep with heavy drone that shakes the interior. At idle and WOT it sounds amazing, but the around town driving needs some work.

I think my options right now are
- put stock cats back on - not really interested in this option
- replace the Borla - since I didn't have issues before the ART pipes, I don't want to go this route
- replace ART pipes with FI RHFC - simple bolt on option
- add vibrant resonators to my H pipe - simple option, but modifies the Borla CBE and can't reverse simply

I like the feel of the ART pipes and would like to make them work. It is't that they are too loud, but the tone. It is pretty loud, but I'm ok with that. I'm not sure adding resonators will fix the drone. If they don't, then I have to deal with removing them. I would have them welded in.

I've read that the ART pipes are quieter than HFC, so I'm not sure that RHFC will be that much different. The resonators are only 8" long. The vibrant resonators are 12" with 9 1/2" resonators. I don't think the ultra quiet version will fit.

I think that the next step will be FI RHFC because it is a simple bolt on option that I can do myself without cutting into the Borla system. The resonators are a little shorter, but they also be add cats. In the end, RHFC and adding resonator would cost about the same because I can sell the ART pipes to offset the cost of the RHFC.

So, Any advice or suggestions from others that have been down this road.

replace the borla. don't go back to stock cats, u will regret it

If you decide to replace the Borla, let me know. I may be interested.

Auto, Catback usually drone :/, Car shifts into 5 gear at like 45 MPH :/ drive in manual I do

I thought I wouldn't have an issue living with the auto since it has the manual mode. I knew it would be a little give and take. If I had it to do again, I would go manual without a doubt.

I Hear yea, I don't have an option :( No manual in the X model. Not sure why they never did this, could have used the Skyline drivetrain :)

Couple video of Borla. These are taken with the Motordyne ART pipes installed.

Casual take off


WOT Take off


Fly By

Sounds good! Especially the fly by.

Holy smokes man - that fly by sounds awesome! Put in a little dyno mat in the rear trunk area and live with that. That really sounds great.

im glad i found this thread. i have had my car (14' PW auto) for about a year and half. i had decided to get a berk exhaust but i held off because i wasnt sure if i was going to keep the car because I had a baby boy arrive.

anyways it looks like im keeping the car, but now berk exhausts are not available. from an old thread i read from 09' when the 370 first came out the borla was one of the first that came out but was $1700. it now looks like i can get it online for $1000. if that is the case it seems like a pretty good deal.

i am concerned about drone in the rpm range stated from the previous poster. i would not get ART pipes most likely (too loud for me) but would you end up with the same drone with FI HFC or Berk HFC?? I want something louder then stock but i dont think Borla will get me there by itself. perhaps getting a stillen intake would make it louder?

sorry for all the questions. just trying to get a little help