My Corsa Track / Stock back to back experience. CORSA owners feedback pls!

[madman]

I would like to share my experience from having Corsa Track and request (honest) feedback from other Corsa owners.

My car is MY 05. First few hundreds mile I experienced heat buildup but since ~600miles the heat is gone. I assume that exhaust burnt out.

Now last week I decided to put a Corsa track on it to improve the 'music' and they said it brings some more ponnies.

Edit: I also installed K&N Air filters

I couldn't bear the noise and I already wrote about it. Interesting enough the same folks advising that the noise is not that bad before my purchase came up with 'we told you so' BS after I cried out loud here on the forum. No offense folks really none meant:-).

So now please be honest and tell me your experience with following:

AFTER INSTALLING CORSA TRACK I EXPERIENCED IMMEDIATELY LOSS OF POWER AND GROUND TORQUE.

The car had no torque 0-1500RPM and was 'lazy' all the way up to 3k After that I was unable to judge:-). The car almost stalled several time going from stop before I learned to floor it like with my old 4banger little S2000. I did not dynoed it unfortunately.

After I switched back to stock on Sunday I experienced that the car was much more lively, it got ground torque back and it was much more joy to drive it then with Corsa on it.

When I spoke to guy at Corsa he mummed that they did not test Corsa track with 05 models and that maybe DC reprogrammed the engine or so.

Since I have no heat and you folks were complaining about it so much isn't it possible that DC would change cats with 05 model so that they create less back pressure and flow higher? That would fall in line with my assumption (which may be wrong, I am no engine expert) that the ground torque requires a backpressure and since I put high flow exhaust on it with already decreased backpressure through (allegedly) new cats it would loose the backpressure to the point where engine would not have what it needs at low RPM. While with 03/04 it would use the backpressure of the (original) cats.



Please only COrsa owners and folks with the engine knowledge answer. Thanks.

[Kai SRT10]

I have the Corsa Track system. However, I also have headers and high-flow cats.

For my (2004) car, the heat build up in the footwells and driver compartment was very very hot. It did not go away after 600 miles, or even 6000 miles.

After my changes, the heat is gone. Even the side sills (which used to get hot enough to burn you) stay pretty cool. Even after a 40 minute track session, I can still touch them with my bare hand and not get burned.

I picked up additional horsepower and torque with my mods, but it may have been from the headers, not the exhaust. My system is about as free flowing as you can get and still remain street legal. I gained more torque than horsepower, with my torque over 500 lb-feet to the rear wheels.

I found the Corsas in combination with the headers to be way too loud. The addition of the Vortex cones quieted things down significantly.

For any exhaust mod, you need to give the engine computer time to "learn" before you can expect to see performance gains.

[madman]

And how about the ground torque? What's your experience? Mine was so strong (to the negative side) that I had to start this thread.

[Viper X]

My car is an 04. Yours may be slightly different, but I suspect, not much.

After the installation of the Corsa Tracks, I had increased hp and torque, as advertised. The car ran very well. I found the sound a bit loud, but tolerable and would recommend them. If you had a loss of torque, something else is wrong. Back pressure does not have the type of effect on torque that you describe.

I later added headers and h/f cats. I then found the Corsa Tracks way too loud, but they were not designed for this application, I later found out from Corsa. But again, without the headers, the Corsa Tracks worked very well, reduced back pressure and heat in the sills. I should have done more homework before buying them, as I planned on future mods.

Good luck,

Dan

[ViperGMC]

I had the track systme on my 03'. I can not say that I felt and increase in HP, I do not think that it is possible to feel a 15 HP differnce, however but the heat was gone. I personally love the sound. I just completed installing the Track in my '04 and got the exact same results. An adtional note, I completely insulated both the passenger and driver compartments with Dynamat. There was a nice reduction in noise after the insulation.

[madman]

I consulted this issue with local viper tuner - apparently backpressure has something to do with the low end torque. And because I lost that by adding hi flow cats I guess that the assumption was right.

As far as the foot well heat - apparently 05 SRTs have better insulation of the first cat and perhaps headers and that's why I don't have heat issue with my car.

I would say however that torque loss issue should be experienced with 03/04 cars as well.

[sal3coach]

I have the Corsa crossover system and love it -- sounds a lot better than the stock system but I can still talk on the phone and don't have to wear earplugs. After break-in I have had no real heat problems. (Have had it out in rush hour at 100F+). Performance is either slightly better than stock or about the same. Hard to tell with just back pockets for instrumentation.

[Canyon707]

My Corsa thoughts........ I was sold the hot kit so to speak RT high Flow Cats and Corsa track for my 04. After I installed it all and fired it off I couldn't hear myself talk or listen to the radio. I tried to get use to it but the tremendous power loss (torque) was more than I could bear. It is all about back pressure for low end torque and that system had none. The advertised hp gains is a marketing hype. I had to dump the RT cats which were lacking quakity welds anyway. If you look at the welds verses the stock welds you will see why they break. More of a tack weld than a bead weld. I put back on the Corsa tracks without the RT cats much better sound, cooler, I an not sure but I still think I feel a torque loss as with my 3:73 gears the tires don't break as they used to. I kinda like that as I throttle up at liftoff I seem to get a better run off the line. So to end my yacking I like my Corsa Track

[voi9]

I have an 06' SRT-10 and would like to add Corsa Track cat back 2.5" system with the heat insulate blankets. I am not going to change the OEM cats and I am going to put Green Air Filters on also. That's it.
Do you think I will experience a loss of HP and/or Torque? If so, then I'll just install the air filters and leave well enough alone.

[mjorgensen]

The condition you are describing is "soley" caused by the high flow cats and not the Corsa exhaust. We have sold arguably more Corsa exhaust over the years than anyone and have tested back to back. There is a silght movement upwards of the power band as there is with any header/exhaust upgrade worth doing but the lack of low end torque is more often caused by the cats. I have since stopped removing perfectly good cats for the 3-4 hp improvement on "top" for the improved torque and reliability the stock cats and 02 placement give you. But this is just my 2 cents ;-)

[viperjim]

How is the sound and performance improvement by just adding Corsa side exhaust and eliminating the crossover pipe? I was also going to add the better insulation. Wanted to sound a little better without being obnoxious. Any feedback?

[PaViper]

Originally Posted by mjorgensen

The condition you are describing is "soley" caused by the high flow cats and not the Corsa exhaust. We have sold arguably more Corsa exhaust over the years than anyone and have tested back to back. There is a silght movement upwards of the power band as there is with any header/exhaust upgrade worth doing but the lack of low end torque is more often caused by the cats. I have since stopped removing perfectly good cats for the 3-4 hp improvement on "top" for the improved torque and reliability the stock cats and 02 placement give you. But this is just my 2 cents ;-)

Listen to Mark, he probably has installed and tested more of these than anybody else, he installed the Corsa track on my 04, and I have to say there were no ill affects

[ledfoot]

The original K&N system was responsable for HP-Torque loss.

[mike & juli]

Originally Posted by viperjim

How is the sound and performance improvement by just adding Corsa side exhaust and eliminating the crossover pipe? I was also going to add the better insulation. Wanted to sound a little better without being obnoxious. Any feedback?

We LOVE the sound of the Corsa Track Exhaust w/flow-thru cats as well. NOT obnoxious, nor overbearing, but sounds like the BEAST it should be!!! ~juli~
(we also have B&B stepped headers w/ceramic coating; VECII; alternate between 'green' filters and K&N--see no noticeable differences between either)

[mjorgensen]

We in my opinion I LOVE the sound of a catless Corsa system about the same as high flows. BUT it does sound like a beast ALL the time which for most people IS obnoxious for day to day cruising. But whatever trips your trigger I guess ;-)