Been itching to do something more to my '07 Carbon Black AWD and previously shunned the idea of an exhaust modification. I went back and re-read Sandman's exhaust experience from a year or so ago. Wondering if anyone else has made changes to the exhaust since then? I'm interested to hear details and impressions now that you have been living with it. Perhaps hearing more opinions from those who made the change, I can consider doing so myself.

Still don't understand why Gravana Jim's intake tubing hasn't materialized in the form of a mass produced kit to help compliment an exhaust... ???

I would imagine there isn't a demand for an intake system and I don't think there is a lot of demand for exhaust kits for this vehicle

 

I'm with AA (sobering abbreviation for the member formerly known as jsimms )). I would think most have purchased this type of vehicle as a people mover and as such there would be very limited demand for performance type of items. I know Mrs. Blue would not let me do any mods like that to her vehicle. The navigation bypass switch was pushing the envelope.

Probably the best bet will be to piggyback on the new Camaro as much as possible since it is the same motor.

 

I know there isn't much demand for this type of vehicle and performance, but there seemed to be at least some interest when member 'Sandman' swapped out his mufflers and rear restrictors with universal type mufflers. I'm not expecting to find an exhaust kit, but wondered who else may have attempted to play around with different Magnaflow/Flowmaster/Borla/etc... universal mufflers?

As for the intake, I'm seriously surprised nobody else is bugging Gravana Jim for the one he used in his custom SEMA Acadia. Back when that was originally announced, this board couldn't seem to get enough information about it and wouldn't stop asking when the production units would be ready. He even led us to believe there were ones being tested and it should have been on the market. Either they were flat out horrible and the result was a poorer performing vehicle, or it simply cost too much to make.

Blue: Is the Camaro 3.6L a DI motor? My '07 Acadia is not, would it matter?

 

Is the Camaro 3.6L a DI motor?

Yes.

My '07 Acadia is not, would it matter?

It's not so much the lack of DI as it is the layout. Some of the most common bolt-on performance parts are cold air intakes and cat-back exhaust systems. While I suspect the cold air setup would attach to the throttle body w/ no problem, the airbox is undoubtedly different. Ditto the exhaust system.

As the V6 Camaro gains popularity I'm sure there will be performance parts out for it, since historically owners modify them much more than the average CUV/SUV/Van owner. What I expect will interchange would be the internal parts such as cams and possibly external ones like the intake manifold, as well as computer programming (this brings with it another set of issues), and cylinder heads (as an example, for the Gen 3 V8 motors, there are several variations- some flow better than others and/or let you tinker with the compression ratio- I used 6.0L truck heads on my 5.3L turbo motor in the BMW to drop the CR). I'd expect the exhaust manifolds are going to be different due to the FWD vs RWD setup. With a creative exhaust guy, any setup is possible (read: expensive) though.

Thinking this through, I'd say it would be more bang for the buck to install a single turbo on the Acadia- if there is room up front, or if not then in the rear.

The ultimate setup will be a tricked out Camaro motor swapped in for the stock Acadia one if someone really wants to spend the money. Then you can start sweating the lifespan of the transaxle. Reminds me of the Dodge minivan with the factory turbo motor that someone tweaked until it ran 12 second quarter miles.

 

Thinking this through, I'd say it would be more bang for the buck to install a single turbo on the Acadia- if there is room up front, or if not then in the rear.

The ultimate setup will be a tricked out Camaro motor swapped in for the stock Acadia one if someone really wants to spend the money. Then you can start sweating the lifespan of the transaxle. Reminds me of the Dodge minivan with the factory turbo motor that someone tweaked until it ran 12 second quarter miles.

Now you're getting crazy...while cool as hell in my book, its way beyond my budget. Not to mention would cost me more than just the cost to purchase the parts and the labor to install...I'd lose my house, my marriage, and my kids. hno:

Another series of questions have begun going through my head. If the single large muffler is the main, and the two back at the tips are merely restrictors, would replacing the main with a straight pipe cause a check engine light or emissions failure(visual, OBD-II, or sniffer)? I was thinking rather than change the entire sound of the vehicle with an aftermarket muffler, to just open it up and amplify the factory sound. I'm just not sure how much those rear restrictors do to clean the air and do its originally intended purpose.

Does it even make sense to alter the exhaust if there isn't a counterpart on the intake side helping to get more air in? I'm not going to increase the pipe diameter (although a full custom cat-back exhaust with larger pipe has crossed my mind).

 

I have a dual exhaust with the "H" pipe on my Mustang and even with the 02 sensors in place, I continually get the CEL because of it.
I imagine the same would happen with the Acadia without a computer tune.

 

THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT SOUND CLIPS

 

THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT SOUND CLIPS

I agree, that was part of the point of this thread...you can go on websites and listen to sound clips of what a universal muffler sounds like, but that will vary depending on application. So I was hoping others have modified theirs so I can hear what they sound like on an actual Acadia. Guess I need to be a guinea pig and see what happens. Outside of "Sandmans", I haven't heard anyone else's setup.

At this point I am conflicted on what to do. Option 1 says just lop off the existing main muffler and swap for a Flowmaster unit(thinking 50 Series SUV). Simple, fast, and relatively inexpensive.

Option 2 is to keep the main muffler in place and cut out the rear 2 restrictors replacing them with straight pipe and retaining the factory tips. Also seems simple and inexpensive. This would keep the factory tone, but make it louder. I'm just not sure I actually like the factory tone that much...

Option 3 is to unbolt the entire cat back section and get a complete custom built cat-back with a single big muffler and deleted rear 2 restrictors. Powdercoat the entire thing matte black and retain the factory tip. I would consider increasing the pipe diameter and replace the current y-pipe with a much more open design. Cost will be considerably more, the sound effect will be considerably more, and I'd need to store the factory exhaust so I can put it back later to sell. On the upside though, I would have the only Acadia with a full cat-back exhaust and it would be completely stealth outside of the audible difference. I had a custom cat-back built for last car and it was very nice sounding using a magnaflow muffler and custom bent piping.

 

I think Magna flow makes a replacement muffler, that would be enough....
And you shouldnt see and computer issues since your not really messing around with cats, sensors, or resonators....
Also, magnaflow replacements are within warranty I think..??...

I have used them in the past , last year I put one on my navigator, no additional noise while at idle, slight interior noise but not bad, (dont use flow master unless you have a late 60's rod will be way too loud for an acadia) sounds great when you fire up the vehicle.
Then when you hit the pedal thats when you'll know there was a mod done, sounds sooo sweet! and pedal response is awesome! Thats my experience.... I have not tried on my acadia as I just got it yesterday..... but trust me Im looking at cold air and exhaust for mods, easy, cheap, fuel effective, and power is a home run!

 

Option 4: install an electric cutout before all of the mufflers so you can open that baby up at will. ;D

 

I think Magna flow makes a replacement muffler, that would be enough....
And you shouldnt see and computer issues since your not really messing around with cats, sensors, or resonators....
Also, magnaflow replacements are within warranty I think..??...

I have used them in the past , last year I put one on my navigator, no additional noise while at idle, slight interior noise but not bad, (dont use flow master unless you have a late 60's rod will be way too loud for an acadia) sounds great when you fire up the vehicle.
Then when you hit the pedal thats when you'll know there was a mod done, sounds sooo sweet! and pedal response is awesome! Thats my experience.... I have not tried on my acadia as I just got it yesterday..... but trust me Im looking at cold air [/color] and exhaust for mods, easy, cheap, fuel effective, and power is a home run!

Be careful with mods and the warranty

 

Be careful with mods and the warranty

And emissions inspections....

 

Be careful with mods and the warranty

No worries as your warranty can not be terminated for modifications.

 

And emissions inspections....

 

No worries as your warranty can not be terminated for modifications.

My service manager told me it did!

 

No worries as your warranty can not be terminated for modifications.

You'll have a tough time convincing a service department to repair something under warranty if the mod caused the failure! :banghead:

 

What for on a vehicle like this? To through your money out the window?

 

No worries as your warranty can not be terminated for modifications.

are you certain of that?

 

As long as they are listed as "replacement parts" your all set.
Like K&N filter = its a direct replacement, and muffler = its a direct replacement, will look just like the factory part but designed for performance.
If you took the exhaust apart and ran true full duals and cut out cats, they would flip out!
You would be in the waiting room during service or a warranty issue and every tech and the service manager would all be under your car laughing and trina figure out how to politely tell you YOUR SCREWED!
Trust me, I have been in the biz, worked for new and used dealers.
Make sure the mod part is listed as a replacement part, make sure you have documentation from the company that makes the part, ((most send something with the part that states replacement)) and def ask your service manager, don't ask sales, don't ask a tech. Ask the service manager since they have they capability of looking that stuff up and can also document for you.
Its not like the good ole days when you could trick'em. now even if they cant see or dont notice a mod, they plug in a scan tool and will see emissions, flow, temp up or down, and so on. Could get messy!

 

As long as they are listed as "replacement parts" your all set.

Do you really think GM is gonna pay to replace some expensive part because Joe's Exhaust Mod Company says it is a "replacement part" in their lit? You may have a case against the aftermarket part manufacturer, but GM is well within their rights to deny warranty work IF the non-GM part caused the failure. Ask the guy who put in a 100W aftermarket headlight that burned up the wiring harness....that was listed as an aftermarket part and warranty work was DENIED.

are you certain of that?

They can not void the whole warranty. They can deny warranty claims caused by aftermarket parts though.

 

Medic has a good point; the entire warranty won't be voided they just won't cover specific areas that have been modded if that area requires repair

 

Do you really think GM is gonna pay to replace some expensive part because Joe's Exhaust Mod Company says it is a "replacement part" in their lit? You may have a case against the aftermarket part manufacturer, but GM is well within their rights to deny warranty work IF the non-GM part caused the failure. Ask the guy who put in a 100W aftermarket headlight that burned up the wiring harness....that was listed as an aftermarket part and warranty work was DENIED.

They can not void the whole warranty. They can deny warranty claims caused by aftermarket parts though.

Those are great points :thumb:. I think the thing to do is to not do anything until you reach 100K if you really want to mod.

 

The only part of the warrantee that will be voided is the part of the system the Mod was done to.

 

The only part of the warrantee that will be voided is the part of the system the Mod was done to.

Its not even that simple. The Magnesson-Moss (or however its spelled) Act from the 80's, which the aftermarket industry so often quotes, simply said that the manufacturer could only void the warrantee on a particular failure claim if an aftermarket part CAUSED the problem that led to the failure. For example, I can attest to burned valves on a BMW engine that BMW refused to cover because they alleged that the change in flow characteristics from a 3rd party free flow exhaust changed the back pressure and thus the thermal environment in the valve area of the heads and was thus the cause of the issue. That case was actually taken to small claims court under the MM Act and it held for BMW. Did the exhauust really cause it, not likely by most professional opinions, but who would have the money and time to prove it further in the legal system.
What the act really did, was cease the then not uncomon dealer claim that you might void the entire warranty by the addition of a single system, but if the dealer/mfgr does choose to finger your part as a cause of a problem, it can become quite a mess to educate a judge in a small court enough to resist the mfgr's "expert witness".

 

The only part of the warrantee that will be voided is the part of the system the Mod was done to.

100% correct! Example is replacing your springs with aftermarket LOWERING springs. The rest of your suspension can be voided. If you use a home made cold air intake then any number of things could be voided. If you used an intake which is certified such as a K&N FIPK or a AEM unit, etc. then your warranty will not be voided. It's really all in what the aftermarket manufacturer pays for "certifications". What you can run into is "non mod friendly" dealers. You will find plenty of "mod friendly dealers" that will work on your car under warranty with whatever parts you want to throw on it. NO dealer will void ANY part of a warranty if you the part you bought is CARB compliant. When I had my SRT-4 with all sorts of aftermarket parts I ran into a problem at one dealer when the factory transmission shift forks broke. They wanted to void the warranty as one of the techs saw my car at the track when it happened and said my car ran a high 11 second run and the warranty should be voided. I called a service tech buddy of mine at a dealer a little farther away and he said bring it in and they would fix it.