Step By Step
Our test mule was this all-original ’02 Z06. Not so much as an airbox has found its way under the hood of this car—yet. We took the car to Vinci Hi-Performance to use its dyno and get a baseline horsepower before we made any modifications.
First we removed the original system. The new CORSA system is designed to mount immediately after the catalytic converters. You’ll need to cut the original intermediate pipe for the new CORSA system to slide over.
The new system has a crossover tube immediately after the connection. It also uses the original oxygen sensors to be totally emissions compliant. Notice the number of clamps. The system has several connections that allow for adjustment to get that “just-right” fit.
The heart of the system is the sound-cancellation chambers. Unlike mufflers that use baffles to divert (and restrict) the flow of air, these chambers are a straight-through design that uses RSC technology to reduce unwanted resonance and noise, not airflow. RSC (Reflective Sound Cancellation) is a situation where noise is suppressed by opposing sound pressure waves that are 180 degrees out of phase. And there’s no sound-deadening packing material, which is bound to render itself useless over time.
For ease of installation and increased adjustment, the pipes over the differential come in two sections.
The system uses strap clamps to ensure a good seal. It’s always best to install the entire system first, and then tighten the clamps securely once the system is adjusted properly.
CORSA offers a competition version of the system that does not use any mufflers and weighs almost 7 pounds less than the street version. It has two pipes that are held in place by a special hanger that mounts to the original muffler mounts. The Competition system can be converted into a Street system simply by removing two straight pipes and adding two rear titanium mufflers (available separately from CORSA). Just loosen the strap clamps and install the rear mufflers.
The street version of the system uses specifically tuned mufflers to help control unwanted noise without restricting airflow.
Technology and a great sound is fine, but how does the system hold up on the dyno? We strapped the Z06 back on Vinci’s dyno to find out what the difference would be.
With the CORSA titanium exhaust we gained 9.6 hp and 12.7 lb-ft of torque.
Better breathing. If that’s all your current exhaust has to offer, you’re a generation behind the times. Not that a better-flowing exhaust should no longer be a concern, but with the added technology of the past few years, today’s exhaust systems have so much more to offer. Weight savings, resonance cancellation, and a precisely tuned sound are all available in an up-to-date exhaust. CORSA’s newest offering is this complete titanium exhaust system that uses its Power Pulse RSC technology to cancel out unwanted resonance-producing sound frequencies, while still providing a free-flowing exhaust. CORSA uses titanium for its newest system, and that means a weight savings over the original Corvette system (even on a Z06). The system weighs only 26.6 pounds, because the entire system is comprised of titanium. The C5 and Z06 exhausts were stainless or a stainless/titanium combination. Take a look and you’ll agree, there’s more going on here than airflow.
