,
The butt dyno is the accepted traditional measurement device for most bolt on applications and the driveway is the typical install bay of choice. However, this being MotoIQ and all, we are more scientiferific than that. Before turning a wrench, I trekked the Camaro on over to our buddy Howard at Technosquare to utilize his SuperFlow dynamometer in order to put some real numbers behind this effort for increased power output.
A baseline on the dyno must first be established before any stock components are removed. A baseline should be established over multiple runs in order to prove consistency in the data. The stock 3.6L V6 engine of the Camaro powered the wheels under 89 octane gasoline to 233 hp and 227 ft-lbs of torque in the 70% humidity and 87 degree F ambient environment.
The Borla exhaust install on the 2010 Camaro was one of the easiest exhaust installs I have ever experienced. Credit goes to the Borla design as well as the stock exhaust. There was no wrestling with stubborn hangers at weird angles. There were no brackets or flanges in hard to reach areas with fasteners corroded together.
The stock exhaust was mated to the catalytic converters via two C-clamps that seal a slip fit to the cat-back portion of the exhaust. With a quick loosening of the 2 bolts securing each of the clamps in place the stock exhaust removal was almost done! Some PB Blaster, or other penetrating catalyst, could help in the fight to free stubborn exhaust bolts. Fortunately, our Camaro was not yet of a vintage that necessitated such measures.
Once the C-clamps were pushed out of the way, the only things securing the exhaust to the vehicle were the hangers on and around the mufflers and the slip fit to the cats. To keep things from crashing to the floor, a basic transmission stand came in handy to brace up the middle of the exhaust tubing.
The final steps of the stock exhaust removal were to free the exhaust hangers in six places. Each muffler contained two hangers each. There was also one more hanger on each pipe just upstream from the mufflers. A quick spray with some Super Lube and it was no problem to pop the hangers free from their rubber bushings with the aid of a pry bar. All six hangers were bent in the same direction which made the angles of attack and bracing of the exhaust a simple matter.
The stock 3.6L V6 Camaro cat-back exhaust is a massive piece. Its one piece design made it easy to remove, but heavy and awkward to handle as well as transport and store. The stock exhaust tubing is 2.5” in outer diameter from the catalytic converters, but steps down to 2.25” outer diameter shortly before the resonators.
