Exhaust is too loud -- What should I do?

[tetsulo]

Well, I went to another inspection place today and the guy didn't blink an eye over the sound or appearance of the exhaust. He also called the emissions #'s on my truck 'ridiculously good'

Matthew

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Tetsulo, how does the exhaust sound, after living with it for a few weeks? I understand you've got a Flowmaster muffler with a Flowmaster resonator in front of the muffler? What does the resonator look like; is is chambered like the FM muffler?

The reason I ask, is that I have a 'new' 96, and I'm thinking of installing my MAC Flowpath on it, with some sort of resonator added.......

 

[tetsulo]

it's a glasspack resonator -- some argue that that is not a true resonator. I really don't know. I actually got tired of dragging the tips around (they sat too low) and had switched to a larger magnaflow with a single output and no tips. I kept the resonator in too and stuck with 2.5" SS tube. I also had it tucked through the passenger side leaf spring -- the spring acts as a rock guard.

This setup is so much quieter it's unbelievable. I 'may' have gained some low end torque but it's hard to tell. the truck seems to move faster per decibel now. The first day I felt like I had cotton in my left ear as there was no exhaust sound from that side.

Overall with the three iterations of exhaust I have had now this is my take. The original config was WAY too loud for anything other than a dragstrip. Droning was AWFUL.

With the resonator in place and fully broken in it was loud and aggressive. I liked it and a lot of people liked it as well. However it was still loud -- difficult to have conversations in the cab loud. Droning was acceptable, but there.

With the resonator and the new muffler with the single tip it is exactly what I set out to achieve. It's actually easier to hear the lope of the cam at idle and while accelerating, doesn't wake the dead when leaving a traffic light, and is awesomely quiet while cruising -- yet still louder than stock. Drone is TOTALLY GONE at any RPM. I got the new config installed three days ago -- the new Magnaflow hasn't even broken in yet, I expect it will even further mellow out.

Which brings me to the final point of this huge post. I have all Magnaflow exhaust, NOT flowmaster. These are all straight thru glass pack type exhaust. No baffles or anything.

I hope this helps!

Matthew

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Thanks Matthew, it does indeed help. Sorry about calling the Magnaflows Flowmasters, I must have had them on the brain when I read the posts, for some reason.....

So, do you think the biggest reason the system quietened down is because of the change from a 2 outlet to a single outlet muffler?

Judging by your results, I plan to add a resonator in front of a MAC Flowpath, and see how it sounds. (I had the Flowpath on another XJ, and it was too loud by itself).

Thanks for the info,
ROE

 

[tetsulo]

So, do you think the biggest reason the system quietened down is because of the change from a 2 outlet to a single outlet muffler?

Thanks for the info,
ROE

I believe that was a large factor in the noise reduction. The new muffler was also considerably longer. I'll ask my exhaust guy what model # this one was.

let me know how you make out with your combo.

Matthew

 

[sidriptide]

well i have to tell you matt, that last week when we were waiting for you at the campground. you're rig has a very distinctive exhaust sound that carries a good distance but ironically it doesnt get much louder as it get closer. it's just that certian sound wavelength (proper word?) that carries. we heard you all the way from the front gate. that stroker sounds real sweet.

 

[tetsulo]

well i have to tell you matt, that last week when we were waiting for you at the campground. you're rig has a very distinctive exhaust sound that carries a good distance but ironically it doesnt get much louder as it get closer. it's just that certian sound wavelength (proper word?) that carries. we heard you all the way from the front gate. that stroker sounds real sweet.

heh...and I basically idled it in to keep it quiet considering the time

Matthew.

 

[PapaPump]

i ran with just a cat for a little, and that was way too loud. then i ran with a cat and a glasspack and that was a little better. just for kicks i took all muffling devices out and it was so loud it would set off car alarms on the far side of the 3 lane. all of these configurations rendered my stereo useless and mad conversation difficult. currently i run a glasspack and a rusty's catback. it sounds very good like this but is not legal. in norcal you only have to pass smog once, but i am going to put my cat back in. i don't feel like i picked up any power by not having the cat, and the exhaust smells more without it. i might have even lost low end if my butt isn't lying. when i do a tune up i will put my new cat in and update.

maybe i am used to having the exhaust too loud for so long i can't gauge correctly, but te 50 delta flow that is in the rusty's kit is pretty quiet. all of the other setups including just the glasspack were very loud, droney and ricey. i love the sound of my exhaust now, i really hope the cat doesn't change it much.

overall the rusty's kit was a bargain, but there is no provision for a rearmost hanger. i guess i will have to do a little fabbing.

mike

 

[tetsulo]

maybe i am used to having the exhaust too loud for so long i can't gauge correctly, but te 50 delta flow that is in the rusty's kit is pretty quiet. all of the other setups including just the glasspack were very loud, droney and ricey. i love the sound of my exhaust now, i really hope the cat doesn't change it much.
mike

ricey huh? were they actual oval mufflers or cherry bomb style mufflers? I do have a hi flow cat/ borla header in mine but in all my various configurations I never tought of them as ricey.

Do you recollect which glasspack it was? Also, from my understanding, the shorter or longer the tube after the muffler will affect exhaust note. So many imports cars have the mufflers right at the end of the system with a short tip. I always thought that this was a major contributor to riceness.

Matthew

 

[PapaPump]

it was a cherry bomb...like 24" or so...it was okay at idle, but had a nasty drone on the freeway and a deeper version of that bumble bee noise that all the ricers make...i guess I6s just have the wrong sound...if a 5.0 with dual 40 series is a 10 (does anyone disagree?), than the 4.0 with a cherry bomb is a 4 and my most recent setup is a 6 or 7 (sound quality, not level).

 

[FarmerMatt]

I guess I don't know if that's actually enough. I must be getting old. I want to listen to NPR while driving to work.

Leave the exhaust & ditch the NPR.

 

[XJ_ranger]

Leave the exhaust & ditch the NPR.

agreed

tune in to The Savage Nation!

 

[RocksorMud90XJ]

I have a Borla Header on my XJ with the Stock cat and a Custom Dynomax Ultraflow catback and my exhaust isnt loud........... well to me anyway

I like loud exhaust personally unless its on a 4banger ........

But Ive always had Loud exhaust on my cars/jeeps

83 Camaro Z28: Hooker Headers, No cat , Flowmaster catback
94 Camaro Z28: MAC Longtube headers Hiflow cat , Borla catback w/o plates (basically 85% of the exhaust bypassed the muffler)
98 TJ Sport: Banks Header, freeflow cat , Banks catback


Im used to Loud exhaust I like being able to hear the car I cant stand my Fiance's car I cant hear the darn thing when its idleing

 

[tetsulo]

Im used to Loud exhaust I like being able to hear the car I cant stand my Fiance's car I cant hear the darn thing when its idleing

that's funny. driving my 3000gt today I didn't know the thing was running either...getting ready to put it away for the winter and taking it out to stretch it's legs a little before it's cold.

still fast but nowhere near as audibly rewarding as the jeep is now.

Matthew

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Thought I'd bring back this excellent thread with a question: Does it make any difference whether the resonator is in front or back of the muffer?

I plan to copy Tetsulo's setup using a MAC FlowPath and a 12" resonator, when the weather gets warmer.

Tetsulo, how do you like the sound after living with it a few months?
Posted by SidRipTide:

you're rig has a very distinctive exhaust sound that carries a good distance but ironically it doesnt get much louder as it get closer

That's what I'm looking for, a unique sound that's not loud.....

 

[JonsXjProjekt]

Your best bet is to fit that stock sh!t cat back on or get rid of the header either or your going to lose HP/Tq or weld another high flow inline =D my .02.

 

[streetpirate]

$50 exaust cut out from Mr. Gasket. install it in front of your cat. run the cat and a stock/quiet muffler behind it. therefore you can run quiet in town, keeping the 'Po happy, and pass deq. then pull the cord and run full open!

 

[dizzymac]

I'm running stock exhaust( well, Walker pipes and muff.) and the damn thing drives me nuts on the highway, to loud, and I was thinking of putting in Borla or something when I do my "stroker", I'll be rethinking that...lol.
As far as the car alarms, I think they suck too. I live in a very small town in the White Mountains of NH. All the "yuppies" stop here at the general store (across the street from my house) to stock up on their way to their $500k+ seasonal condos. They all set the alarms, lot of car theft here....LOL, (my keys are always in my ignition) all we hear are those damn things going off.
I usually offer to have my two mechanics(Smith&Wesson,who are 44..lol) to go fix their alarms.

 

[87manche]

agreed

tune in to The Savage Nation!

x2
I listen on Sirius!

 

[jfox21]

my buddy set off 2 of thoes damn alarms tonight in his e30 m3. the sad part was that they were like 10 ft from each other