Chevy Blazer
Sharing nearly every mechanical component with its S-10 and S-15 siblings, the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer is essentially an SUV derivative of this wildly popular mini-truck. Though 350 engine swaps are famously easy for this chassis, most owners opt instead to retain the stock 3/4 350 Vortech V6. Many companies, including DynoMax, make performance exhaust components for this truck, ranging from cat-back bolt-ons to full header-to-tailpipe retrofits, and all are an improvement over stock.
Exhaust System Components
A full exhaust system starts at the manifolds, which are bolted to the engine. These manifolds feed a Y pipe that joins the opposite banks' exhaust streams into a common outlet, and it is fed from there through a catalytic converter. The single exhaust pipe then carries spent gases through a muffler, over the rear axle and out the back.
Full System Replacements
A full exhaust system replaces the cast iron exhaust manifold with tubular headers, and may or may not connect to a Y-pipe, depending on whether or not the buyer specifies single or dual exhaust. A high-flow catalytic converter replaces the restrictive stock unit. Dynomax supplies smooth mandrel-bent tubing for all its kits, which routes the exhaust gases through a new muffler of the buyer's choosing, to exit either ahead of or behind the rear axle.
Cat-Back Systems
When most people refer to a bolt-on exhaust system, what they're really talking about is a Cat-Back, which replaces the entire exhaust system from the catalytic converter to the tailpipes, allowing the vehicle to retain emissions compliance. For these applications, DynoMax offers a single bolt-on exhaust, utilizing mandrel-bent 2.5-foot tubing, a Super Turbo Muffler and a stainless steel slash-cut tip.
Cat-Back System Effectiveness
The efficacy of any exhaust system replacement depends on where the greatest impediment to flow is located. In the 4.3L Blazer, this is generally in the catalytic converter or Y-Pipe, so replacing anything aft of that probably won't yield any massive jump in horsepower. DynoMax claims up to 20 horsepower, but most comparable cat-back systems are known to produce more in the range of 2 to 5 horsepower.
Options
In and of itself, no cat-back system is going to turn your truck into a dragster. When modifying a vehicle for increased efficiency, one must take a systematic approach to address the greatest impediments to both intake and exhaust flow in order to take advantage of any individual modification. Consider replacing the stock catalytic converter and Y-pipe to uncork the exhaust, and open up the intake side of the equation with an aftermarket cold-air intake system like those sold by KN.
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