I don't know how anybody has had any luck with this kit. It's total garbage. Nothing fits at all. You have to fight with the head pipes in connecting them to the headers because some genius designed them to be wider than what the headers will accept. In the end you have something that you've wasted $300 on that doesn't work unless you're a qualified exaust installer, even then I'll bet they rip their hair out of their heads in frustration.

I installed the 17119 kit in my wife's coupe this past summer with excellent results. The head pipes did need to be cut for length and expanded to fit over the collectors. I pre-hung the system so it was positioned where i wanted it then measured and cut the front pipes. I thought it was a good price and we love the sound.

Rich.

I used it on mine a few weeks ago,all fit very nice,only exception was the saddles for the muffler hangers must have been for a 2 1/4 syatem,I just opened the holes up a little. I did as Rich did on the header pipes

You need to trrim both ends of the head pipes. The ends that attatch to the H section will need to be trimmed to get the width you need at the headers. Then you need to trim the header end to length to fit your collectors. You'll also have to expand the end of the pipe at the header to fit your collectors.

I had excellent results as well, I think it was the passenger side that needed the most trimming and cutting. I took my time,fitted the whole system,then welded up to the muffler,then the rest with band clamps for future removal.

mine worked great!!! I had mine modified to work with my ex. manifolds. Still sounds awsome IMO

I have installed a few of these kits and some pairs of 3" Pypes headpipes.
The Flowmaster kit is nicely made and fits great.
At least IMHO

Very satisfied here also. Not an eyes-closed job for sure but very do-able. Good quality and great sound from the big cubes.

J-Dawg. Just need to take a step back, deep breaths, cold beverage(s) and think about it. Now that you know what the obstacles are revisit this bugger knowing it can be done properly. As advised by the community here, take your time, pre-fit the stuff you know needs to be where it needs to be and adapt the collector/pipes to allow the rest of it hang properly.

It can be done. Have at it.

Well I'm glad to see none of you have had problems.

All I can say is this was a real bitch to get installed. I don't understand why they made the head pipes wider than my set of big block headers. Of course now that I look at it, it looks more like it's the center piece that's too wide. I tried trimming them and everything. You literally have to wrestle the whole thing in place.

I won't even mention how the hangers behind the mufflers don't line up quite right.

I took it to the local muffler shop to have it welded up. The guy said he's seen these so-called "bolt up in a weekend and be done with it all in your own driveway" exaust kits be more of a hassle than anything.

IMO you may as well just send it off to the exaust shop. You'll pay about the same and not have to fight it.

I know a guy who installed this set up on a 66 chevelle with a 502. He hung the tailpipes and mufflers first then fit the front pipes. Did it all himself and he is in his mid 70`s,lol. Course his car lift helped alot.

I don't understand why they made the head pipes wider than my set of big block headers. Of course now that I look at it, it looks more like it's the center piece that's too wide. I tried trimming them and everything.

It's definately easier to have someone give you a hand lining thing up. I had a buddy help me hold things in place while I measured and clamped.

The first step is to install the H section, mufflers, and the tubes over the axle. (Maybe even the tail pipes, to line them up, just don't trim to length until everything else is done)

The reason the head pipes are too wide is because this is a universal kit. It's meant to fit EVERY compination of engine and header that will fit in the car. Your big-block headers are likely at a different spacing than my SB headers. The head pipes are bent and have an angle in them. The H section has an angle where the head pipe fits. In order to get the spacing of the head pipes correct to fit your particular combination, you need to trim both head pipes at the end where they attatch to the H. Trimming the head pipes shorter on this end will make the spacing between the head pipes narrower. Trim as much as necessary, until the head pipes are at the correct spacing for your headers. THEN trim them to length. If you do it in any other order, you'll have trouble getting things to fit nicely.

Really, it's a pretty nice exhaust kit. I've never had any home assembled exh system fit so nicely. It took a bit of work, mounting and trimming everything to fit MY car perfectly. But when installed carefully, it will fit great, and tuck up under the car very nicely. FWIW, after installing and clamping it myself, I paid a muffler shop $100 to weld it up solid for me. The end result is a much nicer system than the standard muffler shop dual systems I've had bent and installed for me before. (pipes that rust in a couple years, and crimp bends)

Not trying to bash you or anything, so don't take this the wrong way. You just seemd to get very frustrated that it didn't just fall out of the box and into your car without effort. It's a universal part, and simply will not bolt right up without some modification and ingenuity. When you run into difficulty, don't just start forcing things. Stand back, take a deep breath, and think about it carefully. You;ll save some headaches, have lower blood pressure, and likely end up with a better result when your done. Patience my man! :)

Yeah I understand what you mean. I had to step back many times as it was like pulling teeth.

I understand some things don't work out well out of the box. But everyone talks highly of this kit. Yet I order mine and it's a nightmare and a half to get in.

The guy I had weld everything up took it down and attempted to redo it. Even he said it was a bitch and a half to get up in there. And this is a guy that's been doing custom exaust work for over 25 years.

When I took him the car the cross over was damn near touching the driveshaft. He made it to where it wasn't. Albeit the connections a little cockeyed at the header collector redicers, at least now it's together, now welded up. And yeah it was right at $100.

Oh, and part of that $100 included the removal of the original Flowmaster 30 series and the install of two Dynomax Ultraflows. The mufflers IMO really woke up my engine. It pulls much harder at the top end now than it ever did plus reduced interior noise. Now I know it's true when people call them "chokemasters". :yes:

Oh, and part of that $100 included the removal of the original Flowmaster 30 series and the install of two Dynomax Ultraflows. The mufflers IMO really woke up my engine. It pulls much harder at the top end now than it ever did plus reduced interior noise. Now I know it's true when people call them "chokemasters". :yes:

Now I'm jealous.... :) I had my flowmasters welded in before I had read any information about them. Now I'm a little tired of their tone, and I kind of wish I had better flowing mufflers. I'm really not looking forward to trying to get those welds loose, and hopefully not hacking the whole system to bits in the process. Oh well, I guess that's the "stupid tax" I have to pay for not doing my research before welding the 30 series in :D :D

Flowmaster can't be that bad.
I have a pair on my 70 SS454 that are 10+ years old and my car runs 108 MPH in the 1/4 thru the exhaust with a little tiny 223/231 @ .050 cam.

Flowmaster can't be that bad.
I have a pair on my 70 SS454 that are 10+ years old and my car runs 108 MPH in the 1/4 thru the exhaust with a little tiny 223/231 @ .050 cam.
I don't think they are either. The muffs that come in the kit are a little loud at cruise though, otherwise I think they sound & perform awsome.

I had no problem my exhaust was on my car for 6yrs. I did mine by myself in my driveway with 2 floor jacks and that was it. Took me about 3hrs. Had to do alittle cutting but nothing major.

Flowmaster can't be that bad.

All I can say is I gained some top end power as well as some mid range power by switching the muffs. If you do some research you'll find out just how restrictive the Flowmasters are. They are by no means "the master of flow".

IMO Flowmasters are good for a low performance truck engine/smog engine/general low to mid performance engine (i.e. a 305 in a Camaro/Monte Carlo) that you want to "make" sound a little better.

But IMO for a wot drag race car you need something to "allow" all that exaust to escape. And Flows IMO ain't the answer....especially when I had to really push my car to run over 4500, now it goes past 5k with little effort.

People tend to think that Flowmasters are all that simply because they make the car sound louder. Louder doesn't necessarly mean better flowing. Otherwise we'd all still be running glasspacks.

All I can say is I gained some top end power as well as some mid range power by switching the muffs. If you do some research you'll find out just how restrictive the Flowmasters are. They are by no means "the master of flow".

IMO Flowmasters are good for a low performance truck engine/smog engine/general low to mid performance engine (i.e. a 305 in a Camaro/Monte Carlo) that you want to "make" sound a little better.

But IMO for a wot drag race car you need something to "allow" all that exaust to escape. And Flows IMO ain't the answer....especially when I had to really push my car to run over 4500, now it goes past 5k with little effort.

People tend to think that Flowmasters are all that simply because they make the car sound louder. Louder doesn't necessarly mean better flowing. Otherwise we'd all still be running glasspacks.
Do you have any hard data to back up a statement like this? Like before & after timeslips? I think you will not notice much improvement in 1/4 mile times. BTW Mr 4speeds car is no weak 305 & neither is my 454.

No I dont have any before and after time slips. I do know my engine was getting real sluggish around 4500, now it can go past 5000 no problem.

I also switched from a Flowmaster to Ultraflows on another old hot rod and felt the same thing in the upper rpms....it felt like the engine had more power.

But as I said, somewhere on the net it's been proven how much each brand of muffler flows, Flowmaster being like one of the worst.

Mind you I'm not knocking Flowmaster. I think they're great mufflers..........for a low rpm street car that's not huffing has heavy as a drag car at wot at the track.

For a high rpm race car you need something better flowing IMO.

I look at it this way,I can always disconnect my exhaust at the track to find out how restrictive they are or try different mufflers as well.
I am all for 1-2 MPH documented gain for the cost of a pair of mufflers or just running open headers ;)
I am not endorsing Flowmaster mufflers by any means..heck,they where on the car when I bought it and was running exhaust manifolds.

I got the elcamino version for my car and did it in the driveway on ramps last summer... Took a day of playing to get it all to fit, but wasn't a big headache or anything.

Looks nice, sounds great(used my own muffs though) went on fairly easy.

I'll bet I could do another one in half the time now that I know what i'm looking at...

-Ben