Billy Boat Set Up: Hi-Flow or Catless?

[Carlwalski]

Hi guys,


Welllllllll before I received my 06 RC SRT/10 I did some research and found what I liked from what I read/heard. I love the DEEP rumble Billy Boat gives. However, when I ordered I ordered catless mids. I asked the rep what would be best, hi-flow or catless. I mainly asked about noise. He said the difference between hi-flow and catless was minimal if any at all. This had me a little shocked as I have always thought catless would be WAY louder.

So, I purchased the catless mids as they were also a lot cheaper, something like $170 vs. $700 as the catless, as you know, is just a bent piece of pipe. I will drive my truck around stock for at least a few weeks then install my system. It's B&B long tune headers, catless mids and catback exhaust. Now, my question, how LOUD is catless? :dontknow: After doing research here I'm getting concerned with the "it's too loud, back to hi-flows posts".

My thoughts are if I go hi-flow and like it's increased noise, all is well. If I go catless then back down to hi-flows it may seem too quiet, like, the wrong way of doing things, yes? Any input is much appreciated. I really only want to do it once. What will the hp gains/loss be hi-flow vs. catless? Volume? Fumes? Just like to say the stock truck sounds a lot better than I thought, almost tempted to leave it stock but, that will never happen lol.


Thanks lads,
Carlwalski

 

[Carlwalski]

Forgot to mention, I have no issues with emissions down here. "They're" strict, but I don't go to "them."

 

[blackviper]

Catless is loud but sounds good. If you use your truck as a daily driver and drive long distances,I would not recommend it. My understanding is that it is more tolerable in a RC than in a QC.

 

[amtrucker22]

I have (QC) hi-flows and mine did not sound anything like the trucks that had catless mids. Big difference in noise. With that said I do not think I heard a b&b setup.

I think you are doing it right this was. You will be able to hear the difference yourself and if you got hi-flows you would have always thought you were missing something. If they are too loud you are only out the 170 as oppose to the 700 of hi flows.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Carlwalski]

Thanks guys, I'm continuing the research, from what I've seen Billy Boat is all bolt in?? This means I can swap if needed? That's a pretty handy thing to be able to do, if true. Also, I keep seeing things like: "Catless + sims and you'll be sweet". There is also another word like "SIMs" people speak of, I'm guessing it's sensor of some type? How will these "sims" things effect my decision. LOL Man I'm a newb.....bloody abbreviations! When you say "difference" in noise, is this just loudness or tone as well? I'm after DEEP. BlackViper: You make a good point, regular cab would be way more tolerable, never really thought about that. I know from my 4.7L HO V8 Jeep, drone = BAD. But being a single cab.....1 tick extra for the catless.

 

[bigike]

If it's to loud just have a set of resonators welded into the pipes. A cheap set of glass packs will do just fine.

 

[nycstev]

I have complete BB system w/ HF cats and it wasnt too bad just an annoying highway drone. So I installed a set of Aeroturbine resonators in the back and now its siunds just sweet

 

[Yellow venom]

Going catless compared to highflow cats is hugh sound difference! 2 members of my local club that I heard side by side and the high flows have a nice deeper tone to them and then the catless fire up at idle! couldn't hear the high flows at all and that was just at idle,then we went for a cruise and the high flows behind be sounded great nice deep tone and for the catless I could clearly hear over a block behind me more of a nascar tone sounds really good just twice as load,hopefully that helps you out,I say try the catless mids and if you swap out to highflows those catless mids sell like hotcakes around here.And if you are running a SCT Tuner they delete the rear sensors so no need for simms also.

 

[Carlwalski]

Thanks Yellow Venom and everyone else, great help. I did briefly look at the SCT, me and car computers don't mix well. I'd be too scared I'd stuff up my brand new truck by setting something up wrong or adjusting the wrong setting(s). From your description Yellow Venom, it sounds like the hi-flows are what I want/need. Will have a good think about it. The catless mids aren't exactly expensive so not using them or selling them at a loss is of no concern. Decisions, decisions, decisions. How loud are the hi-flows with catback over a stock truck? At present, I feel like I only need a 20% raise over the stock volume to satisfy me. The headers will help a little and the whole system will flow nicely with the JMB CAI pushing from the other end.


Thanks for all the help.

 

[Yellow venom]

The high flows are twicw as load as stock but IMO not excessive,I was going to go catless but now that I have heard both,I am rethinking,If I go catless then I will run resonators.

 

[Carlwalski]

Hmmmm, hi-flows are sounding pretty good at this stage. If they are bolt on like B&B state, I will probably purchase them and put the hi-flows in first, if they are not what I thought (ie: "too" quiet, can't see how though), I'll unbolt them and put the catless mids in. Thanks again for the input and help.

 

[SrtBrad]

Here is a video of a Mofo Headers, catless mids and Magnaflow catback exhaust:



It was way too loud. Even my friends who lived 3 blocks down thought so as well. Everyone said it was Nascar loud and great to hear once in a while but not on an everyday basis.

The B&B's from what I understand have a deeper tone to add to the noise factor.

I put on high flows and resonators to quiet it down just a little. My neighbors say it's still way to loud but an improvement none the less.

The high flows from JMB are the best bet IMHO. You only loose 1 pony comparred to no cats and you still have a fairly loud setup.

Maybe some B&B boys will post up some sound clips?:dontknow:

 

[moparracing]

if you're concerned about the most hp "bang for your buck", go catless !!! :rock: I LOVE MINE !!!
B&B are definetly quieter than any of the other catless setup's i've heard, but if you're sensitive to sound & don't care about max HP, go hi-flows......

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/2005-ram-srt10-with-bb_149606.htm

now, the sims thing....... since you don't seem to have the DEQ issues most of us have, mechanical sims is the cheapest answer to avoid a CEL.......

http://www.vtcoa.com/forums/showpost.php?p=465357&postcount=5

http://www.vtcoa.com/forums/showpost.php?p=417746&postcount=7

as far as an easy bolt in, they use to be flanged from the factory - but now they're slip joint like everyone else...... i had 3 bolt collector flanges welded in for "easy removal"....

http://www.vtcoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13367&highlight=b&b+exhaust

 

[yellowfever#154]

Going catless compared to highflow cats is hugh sound difference! 2 members of my local club that I heard side by side and the high flows have a nice deeper tone to them and then the catless fire up at idle! couldn't hear the high flows at all and that was just at idle,then we went for a cruise and the high flows behind be sounded great nice deep tone and for the catless I could clearly hear over a block behind me more of a nascar tone sounds really good just twice as load,hopefully that helps you out,I say try the catless mids and if you swap out to highflows those catless mids sell like hotcakes around here.And if you are running a SCT Tuner they delete the rear sensors so no need for simms also.

Joe is talking about my truck here, mine is the one with catless mids. They are from JMB Justin and are the full 3" version to get rid of the 2 1/2 reduction at the muffler. Joe is right my truck is crazy noisy and if I was to do it again I would have the cats. It does get tons of attention and sets off car alarms everywhere that there is one set . Drone at highway speeds is excessive but after a while you get used to it. Its too bad there wasnt something just between the catless and cat mids as far as noise goes, then that would be ideal in my opinion.

 

[Carlwalski]

Thanks everyone and thanks for the video SrtBrad, sounds good. I like popping. As far as hp, it's not my main goal, the truck is fast enough for me and it was never going to be my "whoop-ass" car, that's the 'Cuda. So, any increase over stock is fine, I'm just after a 20-30% volume increase over stock and the deepest possible sound from my setup. Love this place, I can run inside and ask a question and have an answer by lunch, absolutely invaluable.

 

[lukedovichak]

yellowfever you should post vids. or soundclips, id like to hear it rev up and down

 

[Yellow venom]

yellowfever you should post vids. or soundclips, id like to hear it rev up and down

I will try to get some,There is quite a diff in the two.

 

[Carlwalski]

Thanks guys. Hey Joe, are you running headers on your Yellow beast bud? Reason I ask is I have just made RHD "Help" thread as I don't think I can use my headers, but, I have a catless mids and catback from B&B ready to install, just wondering what you had, if you have no headers I have nothing to worry about because it sounds great.