Mac Flowpath Cat-back impressions

MysticVobra

New Member

May 28, 2004

36

0

0

Feb 13, 2007

#1

• Feb 13, 2007

• #1

So i finally got this thing installed on my 94 Cobra. The fit on this system was absolutely terrible and i know im not the only one who's had problems with this cat-back install. I ended up having a shop add a 3" section of pipe to the left side of the exhaust to get it to fit right. What a pain in the ass. Honestly if i knew i was going to have this problem i think i would've went with a different cat-back regardless of how it sounds. As for the sound of the exhaust itself i am fairly pleased. It is pretty similar to the flowmaster sound but with a much deeper with a more aggressive tone. It drones a little around 2K but it's not that bad. I was suprised however that it wasn't louder. Don't get me wrong, it's not quiet by any means but i was under the impression from looking at other posts that this was one of the louder cat-backs. This is combined with BBK longtubes and a BBK off-road H-pipe so i was expecting more as far as "loudness" is concerned. The actual tone of the exhaust sounds great though. Anyway i can't say i am upset that i got this exhaust but i think next time around i'll probably try something else. Can't complain too much though since this is one of the cheaper cat-backs out there.

 

DemonGT

Founding Member

May 24, 2002

871

51

49

Sparta,WI

Feb 13, 2007

#2

• Feb 13, 2007

• #2

i have mac catbacks on both of my foxes and the fit wasn't to bad, sounds great

i did notice when i installed the first mac cat back on my car a few years ago it was fairly quiet for the first week or more then it got a lot louder...they may need some time to break in

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Mod Dude

Feb 18, 2001

43,260

17,945

224

Massachusetts

Feb 13, 2007

#3

• Feb 13, 2007

• #3

I agree on the fit. When i installed my MAC cat-back, the fit was terrible. I needed to extend the flow tubes about 2" to get it to fit otherwise it was pulled too close to the axle and rubbed and i couldn't set the tips right.

I loved how it sounded but i've always been a flowmaster guy so i swapped to a American Thunder cat-back that fit PERFECTLY.

Mac sounds great, but the fit issues would prevent me from buying any more of their stuff

 

90_Red_LX

Member

Sep 29, 2003

668

5

19

Asheboro, NC

Feb 13, 2007

#4

• Feb 13, 2007

• #4

My cat-back fit pretty good, just took some adjustment to get the rattles out and keep it in line, but other than that myn fit good? Dunno. Very happy with my catback.

 

nonglossjason

I did not have intercourse with a sheep.

Jan 27, 2006

138

20

39

Feb 13, 2007

#5

• Feb 13, 2007

• #5

i have mac and still to lazy to take it to a muffler shop, the reason i love mac besides the sound is the instal, because i dont know how to install a catback that is all welded in one piece. The mac is two pieces, tailpipes and mufflers that wrap up the axle. I just dont know how to install the catback if its all welded together with out undoin the shocks and quads. I feel like i accomplished nothing in this post, carry on! Oh and i like the tips because you cant see the welds at all!

 

Ozz

I think I have a problem here.

Founding Member

Jul 27, 2001

3,514

66

109

Canton, MI

Feb 13, 2007

#6

• Feb 13, 2007

• #6

My fit was bad too, had to beat on the driver's side tailpipe to make it fit right. Thankfully when the LX tips went on, they lined up much better and uniform

I love the sound; don't like Flowmasters at all. Usually I'm alone in that!

 

blackened88lx

Active Member

Aug 9, 2006

0

4

28

Connecticut

Feb 13, 2007

#7

• Feb 13, 2007

• #7

mansonozz said:

I love the sound; don't like Flowmasters at all. Usually I'm alone in that!

Click to expand...

I'm with ya on that. Mac sounds awesome, I can't stand flows. We put a mac catback on my buddy's car and the fitment was perfect.

 

90_Red_LX

Member

Sep 29, 2003

668

5

19

Asheboro, NC

Feb 13, 2007

#8

• Feb 13, 2007

• #8

blackened88lx said:

I'm with ya on that. Mac sounds awesome, I can't stand flows. We put a mac catback on my buddy's car and the fitment was perfect.

Click to expand...

+3 Everyone has flows, mustang or not, so it makes me feel that much better to say no when asked if I got flowmasters. Not to mention a better flowing and sounding exhaust imo.

 

B

bentley429

Banned

Nov 25, 2004

528

3

0

Connecticut

Feb 13, 2007

#9

• Feb 13, 2007

• #9

blackened88lx said:

I'm with ya on that. Mac sounds awesome, I can't stand flows. We put a mac catback on my buddy's car and the fitment was perfect.

Click to expand...

Right, Ive read multiple posts about mac catbacks fitment being terrible and I had no problems at all. Very easy install, and it sounds great whats not to love?

 

MysticVobra

New Member

May 28, 2004

36

0

0

Feb 13, 2007

#10

• Feb 13, 2007

• #10

DemonGT said:

i have mac catbacks on both of my foxes and the fit wasn't to bad, sounds great

i did notice when i installed the first mac cat back on my car a few years ago it was fairly quiet for the first week or more then it got a lot louder...they may need some time to break in

Click to expand...

Good to hear. If it gets a bit louder in a few weeks i think i'll be happy . Like i said the sound of the exhaust itself is great...just want it a wee bit louder.

 

F

frcefedlx

New Member

Dec 6, 2004

184

0

0

Feb 14, 2007

#11

• Feb 14, 2007

• #11

I put mac on my 94' cobra, fit was very nice but the BBK H-pipe was a p.o.s. and I never was big into BBK anyway. I just took off the BBK ceramic headers for a set of Mac too. They never did seal right. I never did like Flow's

 

stangzroastrice

Founding Member

Aug 5, 2002

278

0

16

Belmar, NJ (Jersey Shore)

Feb 14, 2007

#12

• Feb 14, 2007

• #12

yeah mine fit perfectly as well on my 89 notch, but yeah wait a couple weeks or so of driving, it will definitely get louder, mine did...

 

D

dkeiser1989

New Member

Sep 3, 2006

15

0

0

Feb 14, 2007

#13

• Feb 14, 2007

• #13

I put a mac system on my '89 a month or so ago. Fit was pretty good; I really like the flange connectors. I'm real happy with the sound, hopefully it will get even louder like some of your cars...

 

MAC'n89Blckstng

Active Member

Jun 11, 2003

1,012

4

36

NJ

Feb 14, 2007

#14

• Feb 14, 2007

• #14

I got my MAC cat back and x-pipe almost 4 years ago and both are still in good shape. The cat back should fit better if its connected to a MAC h-pipe. It has also been on and off about 8 or 9 times for tranny installs and emissions. MAC FTW. here's a quick vid to hear my car.
http://videos.streetfire.net/search/smoke+show/0/f4af5927-cc0c-47fd-b0ed-988b01213fc7.htm

 

H

HaynStang

New Member

Dec 16, 2006

124

0

0

Portland

Feb 14, 2007

#15

• Feb 14, 2007

• #15

MAC'n89Blckstng said:

I got my MAC cat back and x-pipe almost 4 years ago and both are still in good shape. The cat back should fit better if its connected to a MAC h-pipe. It has also been on and off about 8 or 9 times for tranny installs and emissions. MAC FTW. here's a quick vid to hear my car.
http://videos.streetfire.net/search/smoke+show/0/f4af5927-cc0c-47fd-b0ed-988b01213fc7.htm

Click to expand...

Yeah, I have the Mac system on my Fox with a Mac H pipe and the fit is very good, although the H pipe is actually a pain to install because it fits so tightly. It is pretty loud. I might switch to an X pipe to try and see if it cuts some of the drone. Got any more videos of the car driving around so we can see what the Mac exhaust with an X pipe sounds like under "normal" driving?

 

J

JohnnyGMachine

Member

Jun 19, 2004

123

5

19

Easton, Pa

Feb 14, 2007

#16

• Feb 14, 2007

• #16

The first thing I read about the Mac stuff is that they recommend bolting their catback up to their H-pipe for best fitment results. I just installed a a MAC cat back system at my buddy's house (cause he has a lift the lucky you know what...) and we got it to fit pretty well on my 1988 GT. I just bought the car and it still has the stock headers, and 4-cat h-pipe and I don't know about you but it's loud enough for me. Higher RPMs the tone changes a little and gets slightly quieter but just cruising at 2000-2200 RPMs it's pretty loud - not deafening but loud. I drive 22 miles to work so I don't need to sit in a car driving for 1.5 hours a day with race car sound blasting throught the floors.
Anyways, other than a little twisting of the flowtubes and a little yankin' on the mufflers once we finally tightened everything down after we got it in place it fits OK for me. It stays in place pretty solid too and I even got the tailpipes lined up fairly easily.
The MAC Flowpath sound is just awesome to me. I had a '92 notch with shorty headers, x-pipe and flows - droned really bad and I think the X-Pipe made it even more high pitched. Didn't like it. I still own my '85 Notch with BBK longtubes, BBK offroad H-pipe and 2 chamber flows - sounds mean but still too tinny sounding. They always sounded better than most but still too tinny.
Then I heard a set of MACs on a car with longtubes and off road pipe and I fell in love with the MAC sound - sounds like a BIG BLOCK to me. I love driving my '88 GT everyday because I start off the morning cranking it up and hearing that big bore sound - just BAAAAAD! I'll be definately putting a MAC system on my 85 coupe.

But remember, if you mix and match exhaust parts with other exhaust companies there's a chance of it not lining up the best so that's something to think about.

 

MysticVobra

New Member

May 28, 2004

36

0

0

Feb 14, 2007

#17

• Feb 14, 2007

• #17

I did consider the fact that it may have fit better with a mac h-pipe but i figured it shouldnt make that much of a difference. I certainly didnt expect to add 3" of piping to one of the flowtubes though...im still not happy about that. Plus i like my BBK longtubes and was not about to swap them out cause of the chance that the cat-back i wanted might fit better. The more i drive the car around the more i am liking the exhaust note though. It has a really deep and refined rumble to it...much better then flows imo. If they break in a little bit and get a tad bit louder i will probalby be pretty happy. I don't need the thing "racecar" loud but i do need a certain ammount of volume in the exhaust to put a smile on my face when im cruising around town .

 

DemonGT

Founding Member

May 24, 2002

871

51

49

Sparta,WI

Feb 15, 2007

#18

• Feb 15, 2007

• #18

years ago while idleing at a gas station i had a guy ask me if my car had a big block? i said "no", then he said "must be a 351w then". i just said yes even though it was just factory 302

 

25thmustang

Mustang Master

Sep 5, 2003

2,021

85

99

Montgomery, NY

Feb 15, 2007

#19

• Feb 15, 2007

• #19

Wow ours fit perfect on all 3 cars we have had it on... Was on the dads 91, then my 89, and now the sisters 94 with many different mid pipes and header combos!

 

MAC'n89Blckstng

Active Member

Jun 11, 2003

1,012

4

36

NJ

Feb 15, 2007

#20

• Feb 15, 2007

• #20

There is a video of me ripping through third in front of my house but I'm still waiting for it to be put up on the internet. Trust me, I get compliments all the time about how different it sounds and how loud it is. WOOHOO!