Just mufflers, or full catback????

blackink00 said:

deffenitly do the full cat-back. i hate when people just weld in mufflers and thinks it give them 30rwhp. do it right the first time

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Me too, but I hate it more when people get a full catback and think it gives them 30rwhp.

w.neurauter said:

So I am getting mixed opinions on the loudness of the full magnaflow catback with the factory H pipe. Some people say it is the same as stock until you get on it, but some say that it is the same as stock all alround. I was uinder the impression from reading the forums that the Magnaflow catback was quiet under normal driving but livened up at wot. I guess it depends on your definition of loud. I do want more sound, but not wake my neighbors up at 3 in the morning sound.

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If you want more sound and not wake up the nieghbors, then Maganflow catback is what your looking for. I have one on my car. At idle it's sounds like the stock system. Once the car starts to move, you'll know that you no longer have the stock system installed. It noticeably louder than stock and you don't have to be standing on the gas to realize that. It just depends on how loud you want it. I know a guy who has Flowmaster 40's on his 02 Stang. It's way louder than mine. It does sound good but it's a little to loud for me. I love the sound of the Magnaflows. Pearl02.

I have dynomax super turbo mufflers and MAC o/r H-pipe.

I didn't get a full cat-back but I'm not sure if the differences would be that astounding.

SLP's stuff is known for being pretty loud also

w.neurauter said:

Thanks for the help. I don't plan on putting an x pipe or headers on for a while. I am in college and money is tight. I have searched the forums and read good things about the magnaflow catback, but does anyone have any negatives I should watch out for? Also people say to call the sellers and you can get them for under 330, is this true? I really am not looking for raspy, more mellow.

One more question, do you guys see an improvement in mpg with catbacks? I know it is the last thing one peoples minds with exhausts but it does matter.

thanks a tone for all of your help.

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Oh Yeah, the old college tight budget. Been there before. For tight money issues, this is the best option, even though I hate to say it cause myself and everyone else recommends getting the full catback as opposed to just the mufflers. But if you're looking for the cheapest best sounding and performance route, then get the Flowmasters mufflers and an O/R xpipe. Flowmasters may run you around $120 for both and you can get a UPR O/R xpipe for around $139. There is your sound and a little performance for cheaper than what you get a catback system for. A full catback may is going to run you about $300+. But if you have to follow emissions( ), then you may have to get the catted xpipe. Dam tuition

w.neurauter said:

I second that on the damn tuition. I hate to put flowmasters in because they will rot out in a few years as opposed to going the stainless route. if I was just going to do mufflers then I would go stainless which run about $80 a piece and then 100 to have them welded in. Now I am up to $260 and could just get a full catback for a bit more because I will install it myself. Anyone find the magnaflow catback for under $300? So far the best deal I have seen someone post about is $320 at complete exhaust.

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I third that! I was in college many moons ago. When you decide to install your catback get with me. I may be able to save you some time. It took me about 3hrs to get it installed. I spent some time on the tips. You'll alos have to locktite all the tips screws. They will back out on you. Let me know. Pearl02.

Go ahead and just put in the UPR O/R Xpipe. It should be a bolt up pipe. I bought mine brand new from UPR for $139. The Xpipe alone will free up a few horses and give you a better exhaust note than just the catback. It seems like you are interested in the sound and a littel giddy-up. The catback is not going to give you any additional HP unless you do other modifications to your car. But for the cheapest HP and sound and price wise, definitely the Xpipe, you can bolt it in yourself. Other than that, the best bang for the buck would be a gear, but the labor can be high to install.
But if you are certain that you want the Magnaflow, then I don't know exactly how it is going to sound with the UPR. Like I stated earlier, different X of H pipes sound differently on different Catbacks. One of the best sounding Mustangs I have heard, was the guy in that Gonein10seconds video. That mustang sounded like, "WTF is that", sound. Awesome.

If you stick with the stock H pipe then I think you will be dissapointed w/ the magnaflow. It was not loud at all and couldnt really tell a difference w/ it. I sugest the magnapacks. They sound real good w/ stock midpipe. But you cant beat the UPR x pipe and magnaflows

Here's my experience...

Let me tell you my experience, and what I am looking for now as well.

First, I welded in a couple of Magnaflow mufflers and left everything else stock. I should have stopped there. No interior drone, but you could hear them when taking off. NEVER any interior drone. I believe the stock 2.25 piping has a lot to do with this, as the bigger the piping you get, the louder the bark.

Second, I got a MAC cat back, and left everything else stock. It is pretty loud, and I discovered that all the interior drone created buzzes and rattles on ANY loose part in the car. So, back to the drawing board. I loved the outside sound, but the inside sound sucked.

Next, I got a catted X pipe to go along with the MAC, seeing if that would deaden or worsen the rattles inside. Didn't notice a difference on the inside, but the outside sound got a lot better. Still, I was not happy, so I decided to change again.

I put on a full Magnaflow catback system with my catted X pipe. I was looking for that sound I had when I welded the first ones on. Mistake! It was much louder, and had just as much drone at 2000 RPMs as a 2 chambered muffler (the MAC or Flowmaster systems). Also, since my pipe diameter increased a quarter inch, up to a total of 2.5", that made the sound louder as well. Overall, the Magnaflow are quieter, but at the drone point they are just as loud (with this setup) as anything else. Idle and non-2000 rpm range, they are quieter.

So, the road I am going to take now, since I am tired of the interior drone, is a Magnaflow catted X pipe with the FRPP (Ford Racing) catback. I've heard this is a droneless setup, and it will be very free flowing for good power gains as well.

To be honest, if I could do it all completely over again, I would have put a Magnaflow catted X in there and left the stock catback on. The midpipe is the choke point, not the cat back. Plus, the stock materials are all stainless steel, and good quality.

My only delemma right now is, should I go with a completely new catback, or should I keep the tubing up there and just add Dynomax mufflers (since they are supposed to be quiet) or if I should get the whole FRPP catback which would cost a lot more, even though it's a cheap (cost wise) exhaust. Either way I am definitely going to get the Magnaflow catted X.

So, there's some info for you to chew on from experience I have had. I've wasted too much money on exhaust, so I'm going to do it all one last time and get it right.

So, I now have a MAC catback and a Magnaflow catback for sale, more than likely. Oh yeah, and I guess a Mustang Tuning catted X for sale. I guess the MAC can go anytime, and the X pipe can go when I get the new one on, which I hope will be sometime within the next 2 weeks. I'll post them on Stangnet Classifieds when they are ready to go.

I was just going to do mufflers, but after pricing everything out (SS mufflers, tips, and install) it would be like $50 less than getting a catback. So I went for the catback. Im happy, and it was $330 well spent

I used to like the stock tips, until I got my magnaflow CB in. The tips as well as the rest of the system was WORLDS better than stock.







You can sorta see how they look in these pics. IMHO way better than stock.

blackink00 said:

deffenitly do the full cat-back. i hate when people just weld in mufflers and thinks it give them 30rwhp. do it right the first time

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For those with an 01+ GT the stock catback is stainless steel. Weld in vs. full catback has been shown to show no significant difference between dyno's (unless you have dyno sheets to prove it [not from a company website]). Even a full catback on the 2v is only good for 5rwhp.

Wade

wms004 said:

For those with an 01+ GT the stock catback is stainless steel. Weld in vs. full catback has been shown to show no significant difference between dyno's (unless you have dyno sheets to prove it [not from a company website]). Even a full catback on the 2v is only good for 5rwhp.

Wade

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Are u kidding me?, I dynoed 28rwhp with a ported/polished factory plenum-tbody and slp cattedx/catback. 3 of my friends dynoed 18-20rwhp on their 03/04 manual gt's with just slp cattedx/catback so they make power.

w.neurauter said:

Hey guys. So I have been itching to put a new exhaust in my 03 GT all summer and think I might have the cash to go through with it. The question I have is whether I should do a full catback, or just have a couple of mufflers welded in. I like the magnaflow catback because it is not too loud and doesn't have the drone from what I have read (I do a lot of highway driving to college). Is there a muffler setup that sounds similar to the full magnaflow catback that mught be a better alternative? I just hate to take out the factory stainless exhaust when it is perfectly good shape. Thanks, I know you guys will help my decision a ton.

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Get the full catback and then add an X-pipe to it. I got the catted X and the car is still plenty loud and sounds great. If you don't get the x-pipe still go with a full catback system.

big T said:

Are u kidding me?, I dynoed 28rwhp with a ported/polished factory plenum-tbody and slp cattedx/catback. 3 of my friends dynoed 18-20rwhp on their 03/04 manual gt's with just slp cattedx/catback so they make power.

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w.neurauter said:

Pearl02,

Do you have the stock H pipe with just a magnflow catback. If so, how bad the the drone around 2,000 - 2,300 rpm. Anyone else have the stock H pipe with maganflow catback and have any commnets that will help my decision. thanks for all of the help.

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Yes I still have the stock H pipe. I like the H-pipe because it gives it that muscle car sound. The X-pipe has a different sound to it. There is some drone around 1800-1900 rpms. It seems there isn't much drone between the 2000-2300 range. I drove the car in 4th gear today at around 2200 rpms. i couldn't hear any drone. I'm not sure how much I'm going to mess with the exhaust. It sounds go enough to me right now. Pearl02.