Help Kooks Headers vs Corsa CB Exhaust

[CBH]

I have a thread here about my exhaust mods. I replaced factory mufflers with aftermarket pass-through mufflers. Re-used factory tips. Local shop custom made all the mods for under $750. It sounds much better, but still not enough for me.

Its noticeably louder than stock with the flaps open. But still quiet enough that you don't notice it while maintaining conversation with your passenger. The flaps still quiet it down if necessary, but I never find it to be so.

Unfortunately, the shop nor I knew about the procedure to re-link the ECU with the muffler flaps, so I did get a CEL even though I changed nothing related to cats or upstream from the mufflers.

I don't understand why y'all are even considering keeping stock mufflers with headers though. It defeats the whole point of headers to keep stock mufflers.

My warranty is up next Spring, so I plan to add the Kooks and get it tuned anyway. I figure the flaps will keep it contained enough if I ever need to. The tune is ridiculously expensive, but there are few conveniences I just want to have....and killing the CEL will be nice. Ironically, the CEL is hidden behind my steering wheel, so I forget about it.

Can't wait to fire it up after that

 

[flipray]

Can anyone out there speak to the sound difference between factory headers and an aftermarket CB exhaust vs aftermarket headers, green cats and a factory exhaust? I assume headers and green cats would be louder? I have listened to so many videos and honestly I really can’t hear that much of a difference with the CB exhaust but that might just be the video.

I went with Kooks 2" uncatted first. Kept the stock mufflers and I still think they were too quiet. Ended up getting Corsa axle backs.

I just installed the Corsa cat back exhaust on my 2026 5BW yesterday. I cant recommend it enough. Huge sound improvements. Much louder but nice and deep with no rasp and no drone. I have a friend who is planning to install Kooks headers while keeping stock exhaust. I’ll do a sound comparison as soon as he does it.

Corsa Catback by itself is going to be louder than Headers to stock mufflers. Corsas open is just more rowdy. Valves close, they're quieter than the stock mufflers i think.

 

[marcmac]

I just installed the Stainless Works catback Exhaust, the sound is loud and deep way louder than stock . They ship with new springs for the valve motors. Did not have to do a valve relearn. Im satisfied with the Exhaust.

 

[flipray]

I just installed the Stainless Works catback Exhaust, the sound is loud and deep way louder than stock . They ship with new springs for the valve motors. Did not have to do a valve relearn. Im datisfied with the Exhaust.

Got a photo of the springs? Cuz I absolutely loathe these things falling off.

 

[marcmac]

Got a photo of the springs? Cuz I absolutely loathe these things falling off. View attachment 33430

No I didn't get a photo of them. They look similar to stock but the trasition to get them on the motors were a breeze. Maybe if you message stainless works or tapout they can get you a picture of the springs.

The set came with new springs and hardware to mount to the mufflers, and a wiring harness extention since the motors are mounted different from stock and the corsa mufflers from what I've seen.

I screenshot a pic from the install instructions.

 

[Jfkayne]

I went with Kooks 2" uncatted first. Kept the stock mufflers and I still think they were too quiet. Ended up getting Corsa axle backs.



Corsa Catback by itself is going to be louder than Headers to stock mufflers. Corsas open is just more rowdy. Valves close, they're quieter than the stock mufflers i think.

Appreciate the feedback. Was expecting the green cats to factory mufflers to be louder than factory cats to aftermarket cat back exhaust. If that’s not the case then it’s probably easier to just go the cat back route and avoid any CEL/Warranty issues.

My only experience with exhaust systems is with my F12 where aftermarket exhaust does little vs sport cats really opening up the exhaust note.

 

[Ryana1992]

I went with Kooks 2" uncatted first. Kept the stock mufflers and I still think they were too quiet. Ended up getting Corsa axle backs.



Corsa Catback by itself is going to be louder than Headers to stock mufflers. Corsas open is just more rowdy. Valves close, they're quieter than the stock mufflers i think.

So you have the kooks uncatted with a Corsa catback? I am looking at doing the kooks 1 7/8" headers catless but I don't want raspy and from the videos I've seen it sounds raspy/high pitched and a bit obnoxious. Any input?

 

[marcmac]

So you have the kooks uncatted with a Corsa catback? I am looking at doing the kooks 1 7/8" headers catless but I don't want raspy and from the videos I've seen it sounds raspy/high pitched and a bit obnoxious. Any input?

A good set of mufflers will clean up the raspiness if you're running catless headers.

 

[Kawman]

So you have the kooks uncatted with a Corsa catback? I am looking at doing the kooks 1 7/8" headers catless but I don't want raspy and from the videos I've seen it sounds raspy/high pitched and a bit obnoxious. Any input?

4BW owner here. From my trip down the rabbit hole of exhausts, the raspy sound comes from the lack of cats, or using less than 400 cell cats. With the 4BW cars, the raspy tone was resolved by a crossover tube. I'd recommend the ARH headers and their cat back system using 400 cell cats.

 

[Ryana1992]

A good set of mufflers will clean up the raspiness if you're running catless headers.

Will the stock muffler be enough to accomplish this? Looking to mate the kooks headers and mid pipe to the stock mufflers/tips

 

[marcmac]

Will the stock muffler be enough to accomplish this? Looking to mate the kooks headers and mid pipe to the stock mufflers/tips

I doubt it. I ran catless longtubes on my 6th gen camaro. With the stock mufflers it was loud but raspy. I put borla s-type mufflers and had an exhaust shop replace the x-pipe section with an h-pipe and it gave the deep muscle tone.

On my 5bw I'm running the stainless works catback. The tone is much deeper than the stock sound.

I say try it with stock mufflers to see if you are satisfied with the sound first.

 

[Ryana1992]

I doubt it. I ran catless longtubes on my 6th gen camaro. With the stock mufflers it was loud but raspy. I put borla s-type mufflers and had an exhaust shop replace the x-pipe section with an h-pipe and it gave the deep muscle tone.

On my 5bw I'm running the stainless works catback. The tone is much deeper than the stock sound.

I say try it with stock mufflers to see if you are satisfied with the sound first.

Do you have just the catback or is it paired with headers? Any sound clips? I want the deep muscle tone forsure, the raspy and popping is too obnoxious for me.

 

[marcmac]

Do you have just the catback or is it paired with headers? Any sound clips? I want the deep muscle tone forsure, the raspy and popping is too obnoxious for me.

Just the catback. It's significantly louder than the stock exhaust and the tone is deeper than stock. I dont have any good videos.

One of the local v-club members had one installed, I heard it in person and was sold on the sound.

I may do headers or high flow cats later. My neighbors and co workers have commented on the exhaust since I got it installed. No drone in 6th gear cruising at hwy speeds also and the valves work great.

 

[Ryana1992]

I see

Just the catback. It's significantly louder than the stock exhaust and the tone is deeper than stock. I dont have any good videos.

One of the local v-club members had one installed, I heard it in person and was sold on the sound.

I may do headers or high flow cats later. My neighbors and co workers have commented on the exhaust since I got it installed. No drone in 6th gear cruising at hwy speeds also and the valves work great.

ARH has a full system, seems like it sounds great!

 

[beamon]

I just ordered kooks headers with green cats and am planning to use the factory exhaust and retain oem tips for a 5BW. Will see how it sounds.

 

[blkout]

So you have the kooks uncatted with a Corsa catback? I am looking at doing the kooks 1 7/8" headers catless but I don't want raspy and from the videos I've seen it sounds raspy/high pitched and a bit obnoxious. Any input?

It will be raspy and obnoxious and WOT

 

[blkout]

I just ordered kooks headers with green cats and am planning to use the factory exhaust and retain oem tips for a 5BW. Will see how it sounds.

Thats the quietest design if you want to add headers. It will still be noticeably louder but not obnoxious.

 

[Ryana1992]

Thats the quietest design if you want to add headers. It will still be noticeably louder but not ovnoxious.

Any input on the ARH catted full system? The video sounds nice, I've heard the quality for ARH might be a little better than kooks. I want a deep tone that sounds like a muscle car, not the raspy popping nonsense.

 

[blkout]

Any input on the ARH catted full system? The video sounds nice, I've heard the quality for ARH might be a little better than kooks. I want a deep tone that sounds like a muscle car, not the raspy popping nonsense.

Haven't heard the full ARH system.

 

[CBH]

If anyone has ARH headers, would love the feedback. It was Kooks only for so long, but we finally have choices.