CAI, Headers, Exhaust recommandations....

Hello, Im new to this forum, and i been reading alot of threads and i have some very simple questions.

I own a 2005 Pontiac Sunfire 2.2L, i want to buy a CAI, and exhaust, and is header really THAT important?

I want to buy a AEM CAI:
http://www.andysautosport.com/pontiac/2003_9999_sunfire/performance/intakes/cold_air_intakes/aem/aemp00027769.html

And instead of a complete cat-back exhaust kit, i was wondering if i can just get away with two decent mufflers, lol... (cuz i have a sport package when i bought my sunfire, it came with two exhaust pipes)

I was looking at this muffler, Tenzo R Venturi universal mufflers:
http://www.andysautosport.com/pontiac/2003_9999_sunfire/performance/exhaust/mufflers/tenzo_r/tenz00091270.html

Is that muffler any good? If not, can someone recommand me another brand or something?

And one more question, is header really that important? If so, can someone link me to a trustable site that i can get a decent/good header from, i was reading through some threads and i heard that the pacesetter's header were decent, but if header is really that important, then i might buy one too...

So can anyone answer my simple question? Very appreciated :grinyes:

Cheaper CAI (http://www.rdfabs.com/22eco_caint.asp)

Header depending on what you go with ( 4-1) ( 4-2-1) will def. make your exahust upgrades more noticeable. I have a 4-1 and it made my top end faster. But i can't really compare since i did a whole new exhaust setup from header back on the same day with dual mufflers and 2.5" SS piping.

That muffler is way over priced. Stay away from andy's autosport. Look at Jegs, summitracing, Gravanatuning, Aplusperformance, turbotechracing. The prices from these guys are a little more fair.

Oh wow, so AAS is crappy? I always heard that they are REALLY good, lol...
So what do you think about those mufflers? Is Tenzo R a good brand? I don't know if i should buy an entire cat-back system, because if i can only do the mufflers, then i would rather do that. Are the pacesetter headers any good?

Oh and i think AEM CAI's are better than those GM ones... And the AEM are only 250....

4:1 is better or 4:2:1?

I have a pacesetter armor coated one myself. I love it.

AEM is a good brand, however your paying out the ass for a brand name. The one i listed are actually ones a local shop around me produces. I work at that shop from time to time to help out with odd jobs. My entire exhaust and intake setups were all done by them. Its all stainless steel and not aluminum like AEM.

It all depends on how much money you want to spend man. Look into Megan Racing cat back on Ebay. They are good quality and are around the price of 2 of those tenzo mufflers you were lookin at. You'd just be down to 1 muffler .

Cat-back on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Megan-Cat-back-Exhaust-System-4-Cavalier-Sunfire-96-01_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33630QQihZ012QQitemZ 220068142289QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW)

I would personally get a cat-back over just a muffler to get more flow overall which would gain a little more hp in the end. look into magnaflow, borla, and vibrant for cat-backs.

about the headers, 4:2:1s are alot harder to find then 4:1. I dont believe i came across a singe 4:2:1 for our cars when i was shopping around. the difference between the 2 is this: a 4:1 give u better gain in the high end and 4:2:1 gives u better gain in the low end. its souly on what you want, no one is better then the other. and yes, pacesetter is one of the top brand makers of headers. very good quality.

about Tenzo R, they arent a bad brand but they arent great either IMO. start a thread or search the forums and see if you can find anything more about them.

I think im just gonna get the AEM CAI, and two Mufflers and have a shop wield them on.

How about the magnaflow mufflers on summit racing? They are about $120 each...there are so many different ones and i have NO CLUE which one is good or bad lol...

Theres these Street series, and race series, which one should i get?
What are the race cores for that are inside the race series?
There are 5" x 8" oval, 5" round, 6" round, and 7" round, are they mostly the same beside the size?
Is the oval better or the round ones better?

I was looking at these from Magnaflow.com, and they are $213.08 each, Summit Racing is selling them for only $111.95 each.
http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/s...ne=main&id=767 (http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=767)

Are these any good? Will they make a deep-toned, non-fart can sound?
These are double-walled, is that better than the single-walled?

http://www.rdfabs.com/galleries/images/custom_exhaust_work/1999_chevy_cavalier/dscf0707.JPG

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/mpe-14832_w.jpg

Magnaflow - 14832

2.25" inlet
4" outlet
14" long
5x8 Oval body

$91.95 @ summit (http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=MPE%2D14832&N=700+115&autoview=sku)

$91.95 @ Cardomain Store (http://www.cardomain.com/item/MGF14832)

This is what i am running, summit never seems to have these instock, so i ordered through the Cardomain store site.

How do they sound? Are they deep? smooth? Non-ricey?

And what is the difference between 14829, 14827, 14832 models? Are they just different in length of tip?

Would you get the 4" tip over the 7" tip?

Pretty much thats the only difference. I wanted a short tip since i knew i would be in a crunch for space under the car. I wanted to be able to see the mufflers and not have to push them too far under.

Before i added a resonator (http://media.putfile.com/RDFAB-Exhaust-wo-resonator)

If you just adding the mufflers your stock resonator will be fine. I did a whole new setup from the header back as you can see.

Pretty much sounds like a turbo'd car exhaust right now.

Wow, thats really good, since i have a sunfire, that means mine should sound pretty much the same then? Im gonna buy the 14829 model because i dont want to show the muffler, and that should sound the same as the 14832 u got there right?

Should sound pretty good. Won't be exactly the same since i am running an aftermarket header and 2.5" exhaust piping.

Will sound more like this does, just ignore the music thats playing in the car (http://media.putfile.com/Starting-up-the-cav-for-the-season-)

Lol, is the second video suppose to sound better than the first one? and is the second video your cavy after the header and resonator?

One thing tho, my sunfire's mufflers are 20 inches long and has an 8 inch tip, the 14829's that im gonna get is only 14 inches long and has an 7 inch tip, will that work? I need to add little bit piping right? And does the 2.5 inch piping sound better than the 2.25 inch ones that are stock in my car?

The first video was my car after the install without a resonator.

The second one was my stock exhaust and a plan 3A racing muffler.

Just get some muffler shop to install them for you. If they charge you more than $25 per muffler go some place else. The new shop should make a custom mount to adapt to your old one and add any extra piping you may need. Your stock exahust is 1.75" give or take alittle bit.

Should sound pretty good. Won't be exactly the same since i am running an aftermarket header and 2.5" exhaust piping.

Will sound more like this does, just ignore the music thats playing in the car (http://media.putfile.com/Starting-up-the-cav-for-the-season-)

lol nice music u got playin there cody :grinno: . but the exhaust u have does sound nice.

Lol... so the first one sound better...

Lol... so the first one sound better...

Sounds good up till 4300 rpms right now, which is when the raspyness starts. However i have an 18" resonator sitten here waiting to be installed next summer. The exhaust will still sound the same but won't be raspy. I like the low deep rumble and agressive tone it has like a turbo'd car dose. I'd say it sounds like an SRT-4 exahust. The car is in storage and i won't have a clip till then of how it sounds.

Okay last question lol, so if i buy those 14829's they would sound pretty good right? Without the 2.5 piping and header....

As long as your just replacing your mufflers and nothing else, yes they will sound good.

If you have any further question, feel free to IM me on AIM --> Nity9CavSedanCRJ

Allllright, thank you so much, im gonna buy these mufflers and a AEM CAI from summit....

lol your gonna pay 250+ for an AEM Intake!:eek2: wow....lol....just wow :eek2:

you would be better off either buyin cody's CAI or ANYTHING!.....i know you probably like the name but thats WAYYYYYYYY TO MUCH MAN :eek2:

lol your gonna pay 250+ for an AEM Intake!:eek2: wow....lol....just wow :eek2:

you would be better off either buyin cody's CAI or ANYTHING!.....i know you probably like the name but thats WAYYYYYYYY TO MUCH MAN :eek2:

:eek2: <---- it explains it all. lol

Lol, yeah i did, i just paid $249.98 for the AEM CAI last night, free shipping!!!
Haha, and i bought 2 Magnaflow 14829 Mufflers and they have free shipping too!

:eek2: OMG!!!! FREE SHIPPING!!!! OMFG!!!!! :eek2:

Lol, yeah i did, i just paid $249.98 for the AEM CAI last night, free shipping!!!
Haha, and i bought 2 Magnaflow 14829 Mufflers and they have free shipping too!

:eek2: OMG!!!! FREE SHIPPING!!!! OMFG!!!!! :eek2:

haha...im not gonna lie, free shipping is awesome. wut the total bill come out to? and r u gonna get a header, engine mounts, and that shiftplus too soon?

Lol, total came out to be $498 something, everything was free shipping, cuz i live in Hawaii, and shipping is a PAIN IN THE A$$!!! Summit Racing wants $80 for shipping, and cardomain ships free so thats $80 saved...I might get the shiftplus, answer my question over on that thread! LoL

Nah, i pass on the header and engine mounts, and i dont need to buy the resonators either.....

Lol, total came out to be $498 something, everything was free shipping, cuz i live in Hawaii, and shipping is a PAIN IN THE A$$!!! Summit Racing wants $80 for shipping, and cardomain ships free so thats $80 saved...I might get the shiftplus, answer my question over on that thread! LoL

Nah, i pass on the header and engine mounts, and i dont need to buy the resonators either.....

dang, i suppose thats not too bad for everything. especially for living in hawaii. i hope everything sounds really good once its installed. and ya, i responded in the other thread.

Yeah thanks, i hope they sound good too, i think they should, magnaflow are always good...The mufflers that i bought, magnaflow is retailing them for $213 each, i got em for $111 each

well if you have money to throw away (80-120 bucks you threw away just for 3 letters "AEM") then can i have some cash?

i cant believe you baught a CAI for 250 bucks...:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

usually i would laugh but it makes me mad for some reason...whats your reasoning in spending that much for a CAI?

I got a couple of parts im writing AEM on now...a pen....a cell phone lol you can buy them....the AEM Pen is gonna cost like 80 bucks....shipping is extra 20 :)

Well, if i wasted 80-120 bucks for a quality BRAND, then i dont really care...
I know that i could of paid like 180 for a K&N CAI, but i prefer AEM, and AEM is like the best brand for intakes, they have so many good reviews, thats why i bought their CAI.

Why how much did you spend on your CAI? what brand is yours?

AEM has a bad name with some cars....in my SRT i have an Injen SRI....payed 140 for it and its perfect fit, and sounds great

well if you have money to throw away (80-120 bucks you threw away just for 3 letters "AEM") then can i have some cash?

i cant believe you baught a CAI for 250 bucks...:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

usually i would laugh but it makes me mad for some reason...whats your reasoning in spending that much for a CAI?

I got a couple of parts im writing AEM on now...a pen....a cell phone lol you can buy them....the AEM Pen is gonna cost like 80 bucks....shipping is extra 20 :)

ill take u up on that pen offer!!! :rofl: thats funny.

but dont throw urself at the guy tho. its his preference wut he wants to put in his car and he chose AEM. he ordered it, its done and over. im not gonna lie, u made good points tho. I STILL WANT THAT AEM PEN!!!

AEM pen??? LoL... IF shipping is free then i might want it 0_o

But u dont get the point, AEM is like the best brand for intakes thats why i bought theirs...

Well just to let you know, the only companies that make CAI for my car is: AEM, K&N, and Weapon R. Weapon R is like $120, thats just crap... K&N is alright but im not saving that much from buying the K&N one, so i just go for the best one... I just ordered it last night, they dont have it in stock yet, so i can still change my mind and cancel the order, but im not gonna...LOL

Oh and theres something else about me, if theres two items that i might buy, if the prices arent far different, then i will get the higher price one, just because thats me...and $60 for the intake is not a big difference...

well if you have money to throw away (80-120 bucks you threw away just for 3 letters "AEM") then can i have some cash?

i cant believe you baught a CAI for 250 bucks...:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

usually i would laugh but it makes me mad for some reason...whats your reasoning in spending that much for a CAI?

I got a couple of parts im writing AEM on now...a pen....a cell phone lol you can buy them....the AEM Pen is gonna cost like 80 bucks....shipping is extra 20 :)


lol, well said

its a fucking tube with a filter at the end, how many quality issues can there be?



and lefix, those are not the only companies that make intakes for your car, those are just the only compainies your gonna find right away doing a google search or something...

LoL, why don't you find a couple of DECENT companies that makes intake for my car? I bet you wont find any... :wink:

right off the top of my head, rdfabs.com (yes, DECENT)

Lol, i been there before, its $255 for an intake...

ok, its still a company that makes an intake for your car.... (you said the ONLY ones were aem, k&n and weapon r)

look here, i know you'll find a few intakes in this thread http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=405722

its your choice, and im just bustin your chops...but listen 2 this for a second

if your going to buy the most expensive parts for your car, you better be willing to spend a pretty penny on almost every part you buy. There are plenty of companys that make intakes for our cars (my cavalier intake was 30 bucks) and it worked like a charm. I saw mabye 5 HP just like your going to see

its your choice, and congrats on the purchase, but remember that price doesnt always = quality...

( the > the price doesnt always = > Quality...if that makes sence)

Oh yeah RKSport make CAI for my car too, but hey thats only two other companies, i wasnt THAT much off!

Well i understand what your saying and i dont buy the MOST expensive thing for EVERYTHING, its just that when u compare AEM with K&N which cost only 50 - 60 dollars lesser, and RKSport is $170, but dont forget about shipping now, i live in Hawaii, and the only intake that was for my car on CarDomain was AEM, and shipping to Hawaii is unbelieveably EXPENSIVE, if i buy the RKSport one, i would have to pay like $60 for shipping, if u dont believe me, go try add one to cart and check out to 96721, see how much shipping is gonna cost you...

Cardomain offered FREE shipping even to Hawaii, and since they have AEM only, so i bought AEM, if they had RKSport, i might of bought that instead of AEM and save myself $100, but they didnt have RKSport, and there is NO WHERE, ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE else you can find that offers free shipping to Hawaii, trust me on that one, i was SOOOO surprised when i saw cardomain offered free shipping to Hawaii...

Oh yeah RKSport make CAI for my car too, but hey thats only two other companies, i wasnt THAT much off!

Well i understand what your saying and i dont buy the MOST expensive thing for EVERYTHING, its just that when u compare AEM with K&N which cost only 50 - 60 dollars lesser, and RKSport is $170, but dont forget about shipping now, i live in Hawaii, and the only intake that was for my car on CarDomain was AEM, and shipping to Hawaii is unbelieveably EXPENSIVE, if i buy the RKSport one, i would have to pay like $60 for shipping, if u dont believe me, go try add one to cart and check out to 96721, see how much shipping is gonna cost you...

Cardomain offered FREE shipping even to Hawaii, and since they have AEM only, so i bought AEM, if they had RKSport, i might of bought that instead of AEM and save myself $100, but they didnt have RKSport, and there is NO WHERE, ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE else you can find that offers free shipping to Hawaii, trust me on that one, i was SOOOO surprised when i saw cardomain offered free shipping to Hawaii...

you have a good point. he lives in hawaii and i kno shippings alot more expensive there then ne of the 48 lower states. so he bought it and he felt he got a good deal (which he did on the shipping), i think thats a good enough reason for me.

Cheehoo... Finally there someone that agrees with me! You rock DeadBlade! :grinyes:

Its only $255 with a K&N filter. You'd be better off getting the free red or blue one for the lower price of 215 i think it was last time i checked ( i could be wrong now) and then order a K&N on your own. I will tell you personally that i order these for the shop through my own job @ advance auto parts. Since i set them up with a business account through us i am allowed to fudge some #'s and get them dirt cheap. However i know for a fact you can get universal K&N's close to the style we use for $29 bucks + tax being the public.

Hmm, u forgot the MOST important thing buddy...shipping...
That place would probably charge me 50-80 for shipping...

*EDIT* Just checked, they want $60 for shipping, and the ones that come with generic red or blue filter is $230

Oh another reason i bought AEM cuz they have the intake in BLUE!!! Nobody else sells blue intakes...
haha, my car is blue as u can see, so now i dont need to paint it...lol

You already ordered it too, this is water under the bridge and the main thing is...

Its YOUR car. Your choices on how you mod it, not ours.

Cheehoo... Finally there someone that agrees with me! You rock DeadBlade! :grinyes:

haha, ya. i kno wut uve been tryin to get at. and ya kno...us sunfire owners gotta stick together. lol :lol:

haha, ya. i kno wut uve been tryin to get at. and ya kno...us sunfire owners gotta stick together. lol :lol:

Hell Yea!! We kick A$$!!!

haha, ya. i kno wut uve been tryin to get at. and ya kno...us sunfire owners gotta stick together. lol
Hell Yea!! We kick A$$!!!
:shakehead :screwy: :uhoh:
SRT-4 FTW ladies...


and those are some valid points/reasons for ordering from AEM....Color, Shipping, and personal choice....but not brand name...lol

:shakehead :screwy: :uhoh:
SRT-4 FTW ladies...


and those are some valid points/reasons for ordering from AEM....Color, Shipping, and personal choice....but not brand name...lol

lol. ladies? :grinno: only ladies drive neons :lol: lol jk. but ya, im w/ u on the valid points, but wut im getting out of it was he wanted AEM in the first place and it just ended up being cheaper that way in the end too. so it was a win/win for him.

YUP YUP!! Win Win FO ME---hhh............ Too bad cardomain doesnt have it in stock, so lame, i have to wait a week for them to get it so they can be shipped to me...

But yea, i buy the AEM CAI BECAUSE:
Name, performance, quality, reviews, ratings, and they have it in BLUE, hahaha...

well since this thread is already started...what are your plans for the sunfire? anyway we can convince you 2 keep it as a daily driver and buy a better car?

lol. ladies? :grinno: only ladies drive neons :lol: lol jk. but ya, im w/ u on the valid points, but wut im getting out of it was he wanted AEM in the first place and it just ended up being cheaper that way in the end too. so it was a win/win for him.

i think you ment ladies RIDE IN neons...girls refuse to ride in cavaliers lol :grinno:

We all drive econo boxes.... therefore we all suck.

mm kay? Put an end to that arguement.

Hmm.... So do you drive a neon then? I think this will look better than ur neon no matter whatever the hell you put on it or watever...Thats if u drive a neon, but if you drive a 2000 cavy, i dont think you can make your car to look better than mine once i put my bomex body kit on...:grinno:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b230/FlexHehe/bmx-ps0405.jpg

Hmm.... So do you drive a neon then? I think this will look better than ur neon no matter whatever the hell you put on it or watever...Thats if u drive a neon, but if you drive a 2000 cavy, i dont think you can make your car to look better than mine once i put my bomex body kit on...:grinno:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b230/FlexHehe/bmx-ps0405.jpg

they have like 1 kit for the neon that looks kool and about 2 thats that look kool for the cavy. and u posted the wrong pic for that bomex kit. lol here ya go...

http://www.bomexaero.com/pics/pontiac_sunfire/SUFIRE~1-01.jpg

http://i11.tinypic.com/4bynkoy.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/29gbxc2.jpg

http://i3.tinypic.com/2ceiszc.jpg

and then for the cavy:

http://i10.tinypic.com/2rww9xs.jpg

and the neon:

http://www.whiteboy.ca/images/products/neon00-03R34front.jpg

LOL....hmm i think the picture i posted is a bomex kit TOO.... :grinyes:

and the neon bodykit looks gh3y...

LOL....hmm i think the picture i posted is a bomex kit TOO.... :grinyes:

and the neon bodykit looks gh3y...

o, it is a bomex kit, im just saying for the pic u posted, the car didnt look that good compared to the ones i posted. and about the neon, it was the best one i could find. lol

LOL...Yeah, i really like the red sunfire with the "HID Look" headlights, i wanna wrap my healights to make them look like those now...

Rvinyl sells those HID wrap kits HERE (http://www.rvinyl.com/cart/store.php?crn=61&rn=2331&action=show_detail&PHPSESSID=b76acdd2e12253650ee6e6ecf72353fe)

Kinda expensive...But they do look good....for $30

true HIDS look better... ;)

i just noticed this, but i really like the 03+ sunfire headlight assembly. wish i could do a swap onto my cavy, but im savin up for something with a lil more go......

i just noticed this, but i really like the 03+ sunfire headlight assembly. wish i could do a swap onto my cavy, but im savin up for something with a lil more go......

OMG are you serious? You actually like the head light part of the sunfires?
Well, with the body kits they look good, but without, they looks gh3y... :banghead: