Exhaust Which Mufflers?

[joetrainer31]

I've got a '92 LX with shorties back exhaust (2.5"), super 44s (or 40s) Flows, and full tail pipes. Also, I've got a great six speaker set-up (kicker) in all the stock locations, a nice double din Sony head unit, Roadkill insulation in the doors & hatch, but I still cannot hear anything from my speakers except high frequency when the car is on. It seems the exhause cancels out all the other frequencies.
Do I invest in a small sub for the car to get more sound, or get different mufflers? I already know what sub I'd get, but what mufflers should I get? They would need to be 2.5" in/out/through. I'd like them to be quieter with good flow. Suggestions?

 

[85GTStangGuy]

Something doesn't sound right (no pun intended). I wouldn't think everything except highs would be cancelled out. Doesn't make sense, especially since you've got some sound insulation to boot. Do you have an amp on the head unit? How's it sound with the engine off? Is it fine then?

 

[joetrainer31]

Something doesn't sound right (no pun intended). I wouldn't think everything except highs would be cancelled out. Doesn't make sense, especially since you've got some sound insulation to boot. Do you have an amp on the head unit? How's it sound with the engine off? Is it fine then?

Good pun, lol. The head unit has it's own amp. It's a couple hundred watts (i.e., enough to push speakers which fit in stock location). You are correct about the sound when the car is off. It sounds really good. Given, there's no sub in the car. So, it's not thumping, and that's fine with me, but it has a quality sound.

If I leave the volume as-is and turn the car on all the mid & semi low frequencies disappear. If I turn the volume up, eventually the speakers will distort. That tells me the same frequencies are coming through with the car on or off. The issue, I think, is that the exhaust harmonics cancel the mid - low audio frequencies, to a good degree.

Fwiw, I just watched a Youtube video of a guy comparing Flow 40s to Flow 50s. The interior decible rating with the 40s was high 80s at idle and got up to high 90s while driving. The Flow 50s were about 8-10db lower. I'm not set on Flowmaster. I'm just saying that these cars get louder than I thought.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Are you sure you have the speakers wired correctly and not out of phase? Fade the head unit all the way to the rear and then move the balance all the way to the left then all the way to the right. If the low frequencies are better balanced left or right instead of in the center one of the speakers is wired out of phase. This will also work for the front speakers.

If you have speakers out of phase the lower frequencies will not be as goo and get worse as you increase the volume.

 

[90trunk]

As for mufflers, if you want quiet with good flow that puts you into Dynomax Super Turbos. They will be dramatically quieter than chambered mufflers.

 

[General karthief]

For your muffler question, because I know zip about stereos, check out Engine Masters videos I have the Motortrend Channel but Googlfu it there are a couple, they mostly compare HP figures but they did db levels on several brands and styles, they also compared pipe diameter and lengths, good info in all.
I would get some Walker turbo or super turbo, whatever they call them now, also consider that I'm older (man sometimes I hate say'n that) and cheap.
Oh, are you running cats? H pipe?

 

[joetrainer31]

Are you sure you have the speakers wired correctly and not out of phase? Fade the head unit all the way to the rear and then move the balance all the way to the left then all the way to the right. If the low frequencies are better balanced left or right instead of in the center one of the speakers is wired out of phase. This will also work for the front speakers.

If you have speakers out of phase the lower frequencies will not be as goo and get worse as you increase the volume.

Good idea. I'll try that today.

 

[joetrainer31]

As for mufflers, if you want quiet with good flow that puts you into Dynomax Super Turbos. They will be dramatically quieter than chambered mufflers.

I'm interested. Will check them out.

 

[AeroCoupe]

I run a full 2.5” system with x-pipe, Flowmaster 40’s, and tailpipes. It’s loud and raspy but when I ran the x-pipe with cats in it was definitely quieter so as the General mentioned that is definitely an option.

 

[joetrainer31]

For your muffler question, because I know zip about stereos, check out Engine Masters videos I have the Motortrend Channel but Googlfu it there are a couple, they mostly compare HP figures but they did db levels on several brands and styles, they also compared pipe diameter and lengths, good info in all.
I would get some Walker turbo or super turbo, whatever they call them now, also consider that I'm older (man sometimes I hate say'n that) and cheap.
Oh, are you running cats? H pipe?

Off road-H, but the Flows will droan either way.

 

[limp]

I have shorties, NO cat, and full exhaust.. I am going for a quiet exhaust...
Largest mufflers I have found are Walker 22393 and Jones Q524B
My research tells me the turbo mufflers are the quietest of which the Walker is and the Jones is a chambered...

 

[joetrainer31]

I have shorties, NO cat, and full exhaust.. I am going for a quiet exhaust...
Largest mufflers I have found are Walker 22393 and Jones Q524B
My research tells me the turbo mufflers are the quietest of which the Walker is and the Jones is a chambered...

Good flowing [and] quiet?

 

[joetrainer31]

Are you sure you have the speakers wired correctly and not out of phase? Fade the head unit all the way to the rear and then move the balance all the way to the left then all the way to the right. If the low frequencies are better balanced left or right instead of in the center one of the speakers is wired out of phase. This will also work for the front speakers.

If you have speakers out of phase the lower frequencies will not be as goo and get worse as you increase the volume.

Just went and tested per your suggestion. I did all the fade and balance stuf. They seem fine. It's that the mid and low frequency disappears once the car is on. I think it's time for quiet mufflers. I really like the muscle sound of the Flows, but I'm getting older and would appreciate the ability to have a conversation with my passenger or even be able to listen to the radio.

 

[AeroCoupe]

I would also say that the factory speaker wires in the Foxes are a joke. Even if you are just using the power from the head unit I always suggest that aftermarket 16ga speaker wire be used. I think the factory is like 20 or 22 ga and is terrible for mid and mid bass.

 

[joetrainer31]

I would also say that the factory speaker wires in the Foxes are a joke. Even if you are just using the power from the head unit I always suggest that aftermarket 16ga speaker wire be used. I think the factory is like 20 or 22 ga and is terrible for mid and mid bass.

Agreed. Better wire was used to supply speakers with power. Interior was removed to facilitate that, too.

 

[joetrainer31]

UPDATE: I went ahead and bought two Walker turbo style mufflers (WLK-22393). They should flow a little better than the FMs, but be much quieter. This should be a good starting point rather than keep trying to pump more power into the audio system to beat the exhaust; quiet the exhaust and then see / hear how things are.

 

[Dan02gt]

I would recommend adding a sub. You’re never going to get good mid/bass out of a fox without one as everything they mount to is flimsy. Once you get the sub you can then cross over your coaxial speakers which will improve their mid bass performance as your head unit’s built in amp is not waisting power pushing low frequencies to speakers that can’t reproduce them.

I have a 5 1/4” component set in the front with the tweeters in the dash where the 3 1/2” speakers normally are. 6x8s in the rear. Both running off a 4x45w RMS amp and crossed over at 80 Hz. I have a simple 10” sub setup in the rear running off 200w RMS amp. Setup is great for rocking out while cruising around without being over the top or to hard on the electrical system.

 

[joetrainer31]

I would recommend adding a sub. You’re never going to get good mid/bass out of a fox without one as everything they mount to is flimsy. Once you get the sub you can then cross over your coaxial speakers which will improve their mid bass performance as your head unit’s built in amp is not waisting power pushing low frequencies to speakers that can’t reproduce them.

I have a 5 1/4” component set in the front with the tweeters in the dash where the 3 1/2” speakers normally are. 6x8s in the rear. Both running off a 4x45w RMS amp and crossed over at 80 Hz. I have a simple 10” sub setup in the rear running off 200w RMS amp. Setup is great for rocking out while cruising around without being over the top or to hard on the electrical system.

Thank you. I like that idea. I have a similar pla: my head unit has crossover ability built in. I can cross over at the same htz you suggested. I'm looking at a powered 10" Kicker hideaway sub. All 6 of my other speakers are Kicker as well. Should be similar to what you're describing.

 

[Dan02gt]

Thank you. I like that idea. I have a similar pla: my head unit has crossover ability built in. I can cross over at the same htz you suggested. I'm looking at a powered 10" Kicker hideaway sub. All 6 of my other speakers are Kicker as well. Should be similar to what you're describing.

I replaced the factory sub in my F150 with the Kicker hideaway and it's not bad for the money and ease of install.

 

[nickyb]

Your still gonna want that sub after muffler change.