Performance Upgrade Package

Chips · July 26, 2020

Curious On this .

These “Catback” exhaust systems are just that, from the cat back replaced.

why pay all that money to replace GMs OEM piping which is already stainless!

The only gains you Get are from the muffler swap , taking the old muffler out with the flappers and replacing with a high flow muffler no flappers.

essentially that 13 HP gain for $2000 dollars can be had for around 200-300 dollars.

save your money people, replace the muffler you will get the same gains and sound or better lol.

as far as a cold air intake , get S&B , Volant or Cold Air Inductions. They make much better design intakes and filters. Disconnect the negative battery terminal during installation. This resets the ECM so it can re learn the fuel trims .

No need to get GMs “Tune” . Its not a tune.

Edited July 26, 2020 by Chips

INTJ · July 26, 2020

39 minutes ago, Chips said:

Curious On this .

These “Catback” exhaust systems are just that, from the cat back replaced.

why pay all that money to replace GMs OEM piping which is already stainless!

The only gains you Get are from the muffler swap , taking the old muffler out with the flappers and replacing with a high flow muffler no flappers.

essentially that 13 HP gain for $2000 dollars can be had for around 200-300 dollars.

save your money people, replace the muffler you will get the same gains and sound or better lol.

as far as a cold air intake , get S&B , Volant or Cold Air Inductions. They make much better design intakes and filters. Disconnect the negative battery terminal during installation. This resets the ECM so it can re learn the fuel trims .

No need to get GMs “Tune” . Its not a tune.

As of a couple months ago, the only emissions legal CAI was the GMPP. Also, the GMPP exhaust does not cause any drone. If you just get a muffler you'll may well get a drone. You'll just have to research and try things. All the reflash does is turn off the air filter minder.

If you wind up with any rewards or discounts, you can beat $2k installed. Even if you can't, the difference between $300 and $2000 over a 100,000 miles isn't significant. At all in how much time and desire you have to fuss with stuff.

Chips · July 26, 2020

50 minutes ago, INTJ said:

As of a couple months ago, the only emissions legal CAI was the GMPP. Also, the GMPP exhaust does not cause any drone. If you just get a muffler you'll may well get a drone. You'll just have to research and try things. All the reflash does is turn off the air filter minder.

If you wind up with any rewards or discounts, you can beat $2k installed. Even if you can't, the difference between $300 and $2000 over a 100,000 miles isn't significant. At all in how much time and desire you have to fuss with stuff.

Emissions legal? Must be talking Cali.

Anyway just thought it should be brought up you can buy just the muffler from borla and still get no drone and effectively accomplish the same thing.

A cat back exhaust system on these trucks wont produce much if any more than a muffler swap/ flapper delete.

INTJ · July 26, 2020

8 hours ago, Chips said:

Emissions legal? Must be talking Cali.

Anyway just thought it should be brought up you can buy just the muffler from borla and still get no drone and effectively accomplish the same thing.

A cat back exhaust system on these trucks wont produce much if any more than a muffler swap/ flapper delete.

Not in CA and I will never live there. Many states now follow CARB emissions standards, but there are federal emissions standards that all vehicles have to meet and as if a couple of months ago, none of the CAIs for the 2020 6.2 were legal.

No doubt the muffler is the big issue, but when buying the GMPP/Borla, you are also paying for the testing and engineering that went into eliminating the drone and minimizing the helicopter sound. That makes it worth the cost to many of us. For those wanting to spend as little as possible, they will have to do their own research and testing.

Neither choice is wrong, but people do need to be aware.......

Edited July 27, 2020 by INTJ

Tcolburntexas · July 27, 2020

7 hours ago, INTJ said:

Not is CA and I will never live there. Many states now follow CARB emissions standards, but there are federal emissions standards that all vehicles have to meet and as if a couple of months ago, none of the CAIs for the 2020 6.2 were legal.

No doubt the muffler is the big issue, but when buying the GMPP/Borla, you are also paying for the testing and engineering that went into eliminating the drone and minimizing the helicopter sound. That makes it worth the cost to many of us. For those wanting to spend as little as possible, they will have to do their own research and testing.

Neither choice is wrong, but people do need to be aware.......

Edited July 27, 2020 by Tcolburntexas

GMC207 · December 22, 2020

I never should have clicked on this topic. Yup there goes 2 grand. Haha.

204Denali · December 24, 2020

On 7/26/2020 at 4:12 PM, Chips said:

Emissions legal? Must be talking Cali.

Anyway just thought it should be brought up you can buy just the muffler from borla and still get no drone and effectively accomplish the same thing.

A cat back exhaust system on these trucks wont produce much if any more than a muffler swap/ flapper delete.

Just swapping in a Borla muffler will lead to drone. If you do some more custom work or keep 1 or both flappers in you very well could reduce/stop the drone all together.

Don't get me wrong, I went with a custom setup myself and the GM performance exhaust is a joke IMO and not worth the money, but it does have minimal drone but it also adds next to no sound, so really what was the point?

lapoolboy · December 24, 2020

9 hours ago, 204Denali said:

Just swapping in a Borla muffler will lead to drone. If you do some more custom work or keep 1 or both flappers in you very well could reduce/stop the drone all together.

Don't get me wrong, I went with a custom setup myself and the GM performance exhaust is a joke IMO and not worth the money, but it does have minimal drone but it also adds next to no sound, so really what was the point?

I don't know what GM Performance exhaust you heard, but it is not a "joke", very well-built, and DEFINITELY adds sound over stock.

204Denali · December 24, 2020

8 minutes ago, lapoolboy said:

I don't know what GM Performance exhaust you heard, but it is not a "joke", very well-built, and DEFINITELY adds sound over stock.

I said imo, and that is fine its built good and has some sound, barely, over the stock setup. But I don't buy exhaust systems purely for sound, that is a component but not the entire reason. If you want sound and that is your goal, do a muffler swap. I've put on or had made many exhaust setups over the years, some are worth their price tag, Corsa and corvette come to mind, where others are not. Is the GM exhaust worth the price tag? nope, but like I said that is my opinion.

Edited December 24, 2020 by 204Denali

bshort · December 24, 2020

1 hour ago, 204Denali said:

has some sound, barely, over the stock setup.

Should probably turn your hearing aids up.

204Denali · December 24, 2020

3 minutes ago, bshort said:

Should probably turn your hearing aids up.

Good one. Defensive much. Its not loud, sorry that hurts your feelings

Supercup · January 11, 2021

On 12/24/2020 at 5:37 AM, 204Denali said:

I said imo, and that is fine its built good and has some sound, barely, over the stock setup. But I don't buy exhaust systems purely for sound, that is a component but not the entire reason. If you want sound and that is your goal, do a muffler swap. I've put on or had made many exhaust setups over the years, some are worth their price tag, Corsa and corvette come to mind, where others are not. Is the GM exhaust worth the price tag? nope, but like I said that is my opinion.

Why do you feel it is not worth the price tag? It is not cheap but the exhaust with the CAI offer fully factory engineered and backed parts, K&N filter, better sound, better flow and a new factory tune tying it all together. It makes a legitimate 15 hp and 9 ft.lbs. of torque over stock set up (link: https://www.gmc.com/gmc-life/trucks/sierra-at4-off-road-performance-package)

- so unless you want more sound - what is not to like, other than maybe the OEM pricing! Fully engineered OEM system that makes real power - that is a good combination in my book. I have it on my 6.2L AT4 and find the total package a pretty good deal.

lapoolboy · January 11, 2021

1 hour ago, Supercup said:

Why do you feel it is not worth the price tag? It is not cheap but the exhaust with the CAI offer fully factory engineered and backed parts, K&N filter, better sound, better flow and a new factory tune tying it all together. It makes a legitimate 15 hp and 9 ft.lbs. of torque over stock set up (link: https://www.gmc.com/gmc-life/trucks/sierra-at4-off-road-performance-package)

- so unless you want more sound - what is not to like, other than maybe the OEM pricing! Fully engineered OEM system that makes real power - that is a good combination in my book. I have it on my 6.2L AT4 and find the total package a pretty good deal.

Mine didn't come with a K&N filter.

Supercup · January 11, 2021

45 minutes ago, lapoolboy said:

Mine didn't come with a K&N filter.

I could be wrong, but my buddy works at K&N and he told me they make the filter for GM, just like the K&N filter in my 2015 Z/28.

204Denali · January 11, 2021

On 1/10/2021 at 7:00 PM, Supercup said:

Why do you feel it is not worth the price tag? It is not cheap but the exhaust with the CAI offer fully factory engineered and backed parts, K&N filter, better sound, better flow and a new factory tune tying it all together. It makes a legitimate 15 hp and 9 ft.lbs. of torque over stock set up (link: https://www.gmc.com/gmc-life/trucks/sierra-at4-off-road-performance-package)

- so unless you want more sound - what is not to like, other than maybe the OEM pricing! Fully engineered OEM system that makes real power - that is a good combination in my book. I have it on my 6.2L AT4 and find the total package a pretty good deal.

I don't see the value in it. If we were talking the Corsa setup then I might agree. Like I said I am all about aftermarket setups if I see the benefit, all my summer cars have full setups from the headers back, Corsa on the Vette, Magnaflow on the Roush, but the GM perf exhaust I do not see the setup matching the price tag. The muffler is basically the XR, which imo is not loud enough. It just doesn't make enough sound for me. Your basically paying the GM tax for the setup. I put a custom mandrel bent setup on mine instead.

Your also taking the catback and combining it with the CAI for the numbers, which I'm not denying they are there, but not many are buying both. I also think the GM CAI is overpriced as well, plenty of other choices out there that cost less and look better, and put up good numbers. I'm not after numbers, if that was what I was looking for I'd be looking into heavy engine mods. If I want to go fast, I pull out my car (when its not winter lol)

Edited January 12, 2021 by 204Denali