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  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

LOUD!!!! i might need help. no idea

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chaos A.D.
  • Start date Start date Jun 28, 2004
C

Chaos A.D.

New Member
Dec 30, 2003
46
0
0
Webster, MA
Jun 28, 2004
#1
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #1
i just installed a BBK offroad X pipe on my '04. the cat-back is a Flowmaster 2 chamber setup. the X pipe made the car extremely loud. i mean, borderline embarassment loud. is that right? it sounds great when i get on it, but initial acceleration sounds crappy. sounds like a lawnmower to me more than a Mustang. also, i think i am losing gas mileage. is that normal? i'm such a newbie and i hate it. any help would be great. i was thinking of adding high-flow cats to the system. would that help???

lost....

thanks,

joe
 

TR03Mach1

Member
May 31, 2002
450
0
16
New Castle, Delaware USA
Jun 28, 2004
#2
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #2
Put the cats on it, can't hurt!! But seriously, I went through a very similiar experience. I had a Magnaflow O/R x-pipe running through my stock catback, and it was loud, but not obnoxious. Well, I put a Borla stinger catback on, and holy crap, the thing got ridiculously loud, and obnoxious, and lost low end power!!! So, I put my stock catted H-pipe back on, and now it sounds great and restored the low end power.
 

mcmmotorsports

Member
Apr 12, 2004
689
0
17
Danbury, CT
Jun 28, 2004
#3
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #3
I thought I have heard here that Chambered exhausts need H pipe not X.
 
S

sacstoy02gt

New Member
Jan 5, 2004
124
0
0
Waukesha, WI
Jun 28, 2004
#4
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #4
mcmmotorsports said:
I thought I have heard here that Chambered exhausts need H pipe not X.
Click to expand...

You've never heard a Dr. Gas O/R X-Pipe w/ Flowmasters, have you?
 
J

jbrown

New Member
Aug 5, 2003
393
0
0
Tallahassee, FL
Jun 28, 2004
#5
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #5
off road x pipes are very loud (hence the term "off road"). Also flowmaster 2 chambers are very loud as well. My friend has an off road x w/flow 2 chambers welded in on his 98 cobra and it is LOUD. Sounds kinda tough but I would think it would give me a headache. Put the cats in it should make it a little more bearable. Some ppl say that the x pipe sounds raspy compared to the h pipe.
 

mity2

I like Pro3 and all I got was this crappy CT.
Jul 24, 2003
2,872
3
48
StateCollege PA
Jun 28, 2004
#6
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #6
jbrown said:
off road x pipes are very loud (hence the term "off road").
Click to expand...

No. Offroad x is off road, because there is no catalytic converter on it Not due to being loud....

I had a BBK O/R X with Magnaflow catback, and it was way too loud for my liking. I now have mac ProChamber, and very pleased how my car sound now my car sound now. Not too loud, no raspiness. Smooth rumble at low speed. But wicked at WOT
 

flashstang04

New Member
Jun 7, 2004
154
0
0
Wichita Falls,Tx
Jun 28, 2004
#7
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #7
That is correct, they let more harmful gasses into the air, I can easily break the sound decibal laws with my set up.

bottom line:
better sound- h pipe
better HP (although very little)- x-pipe

Chambered mufflers....always go H-pipe!!!
 
C

Chaos A.D.

New Member
Dec 30, 2003
46
0
0
Webster, MA
Jun 28, 2004
#8
  • Jun 28, 2004
  • #8
to tell the truth, i don't know if they are 2 chamber flows. it is the exhaust from my brother's 98 cobra. it is Flowmaster, but i have no idea what kind. if i get headers will it resore my low end torque?
 
C

Chaos A.D.

New Member
Dec 30, 2003
46
0
0
Webster, MA
Jun 29, 2004
#9
  • Jun 29, 2004
  • #9
anyone think i should switch to Magnaflow mufflers? there are a couple of people selling them in the classifieds section.

thanks,

joe
 

twogts4us

15 Year Member
Apr 1, 2004
4,188
12
79
Dunedin, FL
Jun 29, 2004
#10
  • Jun 29, 2004
  • #10
Adding cats will tone it down somewhat. This is exactly why I've decided to spend the extra money and get the MAC H pipe with cats for my 02.
 
R

r281

MARRIED!!
May 21, 2004
25
0
0
S. California
Jun 29, 2004
#11
  • Jun 29, 2004
  • #11
Chaos A.D. said:
i just installed a BBK offroad X pipe on my '04. the cat-back is a Flowmaster 2 chamber setup. the X pipe made the car extremely loud. i mean, borderline embarassment loud. is that right? it sounds great when i get on it, but initial acceleration sounds crappy. sounds like a lawnmower to me more than a Mustang. also, i think i am losing gas mileage. is that normal? i'm such a newbie and i hate it. any help would be great. i was thinking of adding high-flow cats to the system. would that help???

lost....

thanks,

joe
Click to expand...

Be sure and check for exhaust leaks. My husband bought a mac x-pipe. The gasket that came with it didn't last a day without breaking. The Mustang used to sound like an old chevy truck (no offense to anyone that owns one). After he replaced the gasket, the sound wasn't as loud or crappy.
 

kboy262

Active Member
Apr 20, 2003
437
0
26
Atlanta-Kennesaw
Jun 29, 2004
#12
  • Jun 29, 2004
  • #12
I say get rid of the BBK x-pipe and either put a Dr. Gas X-pipe or a H-pipe on, but stay O/R. BBK and Bassani make a chambered X-pipe design which does not sound all that great with chambered mufflers (real loud and rattle like sound). This is my Opinion, other people opinions are different.
 
C

Chaos A.D.

New Member
Dec 30, 2003
46
0
0
Webster, MA
Jun 29, 2004
#13
  • Jun 29, 2004
  • #13
thanks for the replies. i am getting it checked for leaks tomorrow morning, and maybe having cats put on so i can get a sticker next year. if that doesn't help, i might go with the Magnaflows and pray it sounds a little better. i tell you, it is great at WOT, but the low end rmps sound like crap. sounds like a lawnmower being fired up. you'll hear from me again if none of this fixes my prob. lol. might have to go with an H in the end. we shall see.

thanks again,

joe
 
J

jbrown

New Member
Aug 5, 2003
393
0
0
Tallahassee, FL
Jun 30, 2004
#14
  • Jun 30, 2004
  • #14
I know they are called off road b/c they have no cats on them, but not having the cats makes them loud, they are illegal because they polute more because they dont have the cats and they are louder than the law allows, most of our exhaust sysems are louder than the law allows we just dont give s***. Even magnapacks are illegal in most states if not all.

check out www.mustangexhaust.com if you havent yet, it has a lot of sound clips and you should be able to find a set up you like
 
M

Makalani_96GT

New Member
Jun 10, 2003
159
0
0
SoCal
Jun 30, 2004
#15
  • Jun 30, 2004
  • #15
jbrown said:
I know they are called off road b/c they have no cats on them, but not having the cats makes them loud, they are illegal because they polute more because they dont have the cats and they are louder than the law allows, most of our exhaust sysems are louder than the law allows we just dont give s***. Even magnapacks are illegal in most states if not all.

check out www.mustangexhaust.com if you havent yet, it has a lot of sound clips and you should be able to find a set up you like
Click to expand...
Packs don't carry a CARB number but provided they are behind cats they are leagal (in any state but cali). And most states don't have a set nubmer for your exhaust. Cail does but if the cop thinks it's too loud you get a ticket based on his opinion then you have to prove that it falls under noise levels
 
H

huesmann

Founding Member
Jun 21, 2002
332
0
16
Jun 30, 2004
#16
  • Jun 30, 2004
  • #16
3-chamber Flows are more civilized while still providing that agressive sound.
 

hognutz

New Member
Nov 12, 2002
1,940
0
0
albany, oregon
Jun 30, 2004
#17
  • Jun 30, 2004
  • #17
my .02 would be change the catback because it is cheaper. sell you old one and get one that you like the sound of.

hognutz:3eleventeen states

if you don't like the sound of your exhaust with out cats you don't have the right mufflers on. I mean think about it. you are hearing what the muffler truely sounds like. if you need cats to make you car sound right you picked the wrong muffler. cats are expensive and don't last forever. I would run 50 series flows, magnaflow, borla something like that. It will still be loud but not over the top. obviously I do not have to worry about DEQ. Hight flow cats will fail visual if you have that anyway because there is only two.
 
C

Chaos A.D.

New Member
Dec 30, 2003
46
0
0
Webster, MA
Jul 5, 2004
#18
  • Jul 5, 2004
  • #18
well, thanks for all of the replies, guys. in case anyone is interested, i did have a leak. as easy as i thought it would be to install the X pipe, i guess the nuts i tightened on the passenger's side (behind that pain in the butt starter!) were too tight, because the washer cut through the thin flange. the guy at Midas who i trust with my exhaust fixed it for me, put new donut gaskets in, siliconed the rear connection and even gave me an oil change for free. lol. nice to have friends i guess. thanks for all the help, but the car sounds awesome now. i understand what some of you are saying about raspiness with the x pipe and the flows, but to tell the truth, i sort of like it. my car sounds good, it is not too annoyingly loud, and the gas mileage went back to 22 or so when the leak got fixed.



joe
 
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