OK, need help. I have a '95 LT1. Would putting 3" pipes from the cat back coupled with dynomax super turbo mufflers give me good sound, power and not too much noise/resinence(sp)? OR, next option, 3" pipes w/ flowmasters? Which is the best option for good sound (but not too loud) and better exhaust flow? Should I even spend the extra $ for 3" pipes or leave the stock pipes? Any input would be appreciated.

 

I have Dynomax super turbo mufflers on my 86 with no precats and a gutted cat with stock pipes. I don't really like the sound, it just rumbles, kinda sounds restricted to me. Just my .02 but I would try a different muffler if it were me.

 

I had the dynomax mufflers on my lt4 (not "super turbos" specifically, but the lt-tipped direct replacement ones) and after str8 piping the resonator I had a good amount of resonance. Before removing the resonator the dynomax mufflers were way too tame.

 

I've alway's heard good things about dynomax...flowmaster's belong on mustangs...just my .02...check out a couple of the company sites online you are considering...most have sound clips. so you can get a basic idea ...I have a random tech high flow cat and borla rear y-pipes and zr-1 mufflers...I love the sound...but a lot of aftermarket companies make beautiful setups....ask around the forum...your definitely in the right place...member's here know their sh..!!!!

 

My two cents:

I have 3" pipes. Headers, straight back, no cats.
I use Dyna Max Ultra Flows.
Look like stainles steel coffee cans with 3" tips.

I set off car alarms in parking lots it's so freakin' loud.

But then again, I like that I guess.

Matt383

 

Mustangs? MUSTANGS????? Flowmasters belong on serious performance cars! But seriously, if you don't want Resonance, stay away from 3" Flowmaters. I've yet to hear a set that didn't resonate to some degree (Although I will say their a lot better if installed downstream of functioning cats), and I've got them on three cars. I even tried the 3" Delta Flows on my Super Bee, and I really think their the loudest set I own, but this is on a built 440 with no crossover (the exhaust guy conviently forgot to put it in, but he didn't forget to charge me for it! Lesson learned,) in an ex-drag car that has NO interior in it what so ever. So yeah, it's loud, and it's probably not all the mufflers fault! A lot of people have complimented me on how quite my blown Lincoln Mk VII is inside, but it turns out it's Lincoln's excelent job of sound deadening, not the mufflers that are causing it. It has Dynomax Super Hemi Turbo's on it, and they were very quite when installed, but the blower burned all the packing out of them fairly quickly (maybe a year in an ocassionally driven car). Can't comment on how they hold up in a naturally aspirated enviroment though. Ran Sonic Turbo's years ago and hated them, the quality was horrible! Constantly had problems with baffles breaking loose inside and rattling, etc. A lot of this is depends on other factors besides the mufflers, proper exhaust design, sound deadening in the car, etc.... I would recommend finding some cars you like the sound of, and asking who did their exhaust, as this is an area specific question. Generally, one or two really good shops will get come up over and over, then go to them and tell them what your goals are and see what they recommend.

 

Good feedback folks, thanks...One other question. How about putting 3" pipes from the cat back and just using the stock mufflers? Sound different? Performance improvement? Thoughts? Thanks.

 

Anytimee you increase the diameter of the pipe its going to be more prone to resonate. The exhaust gases slow down and bounce around more, creating noise.
Quiet? Stock LT1s or Corsas. Corsas do bark when you hit the loud pedal though.
I have dual 3's from the manifolds back on the Z with 3"Dynomax super turbos and2 dynomax bullet muffs inline. Car is a little too quiet for me on the outside, resonates as usual in the lower rpms. Dynomax flow pretty damn good, I just dont care for the tone personally.
Going with a 2.5" mandrel bent Corsa system soon.

 

if you want better sound try removing your resonator(i replaced mine with an x-pipe).see how it sounds then.i think the factory 2 3/4 pipe is fine.i have long tubes,no cats,x-pipe,and dynomax mufflers.it is'nt loud and doesent resonate.i would like it to bark a little more when i'm on it but people tell me it sounds good.if you are going to leave the cats on it i would consider magnaflow for a powerfull sound.with the cats it should'nt be obnoxious.could'nt say about the resonance.

 

My best friend is a mustang guy unforunately and if that crowd heard that Flowmasters belong on mustangs then they would puke all over themselves! Mac and Basinsi is what they're all about. I've got the Flowmaster Force II cat-back on my '90 with a stock cat and it only resonates in 6th gear at relatively low speeds. Another friend has a Borla cat-back on his '92 and I think it sounds way to tame. Unless you plan on making some pretty serious horsepower down the road, I wouldn't put 3" pipes on it. Surf the net and listen like the folks said above.

Regards,

Adam.

 

Since the stock pipe diameter is 2.75", spending $$ to go to a 3" pipe doesn't give you a lot of ROI.

You want cheap, quiet performance with no resonance? Stock system!

You want cheap, louder performance with resonance? Any muffler besides stock or Corsa, keeping the stock tubing.

You want not-cheap, louder performance without resonance? Corsa.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it...

Larry
code5coupe

 

Borla..nice sound, good quality, no rez .. get em on sale as they are expensive but u get what u pay for. As far as diameter goes, 2.5 dual pipes is fine for you unless you plan on hitting 500+HP.

 

OK, that settles it for the 3". I don't plan on pushing 500hp, so I'll stick with the stock diameter. So I guess it is now down to the stock look alike dynomax or flowmasters. I'm hearing the flows stick out about 2" past the bumper, don't care for this, but my exhaust guy is good at customization, so maybe he can shorten the factory pipes a bit. I'm going to meet w/ him tommorrow, so I'll let you know the final decision for whatever it is worth. Any other input would be gladly appreciated. Thanks

 

1) With a stock motor I cannot see you gaining by going to 3" dia pipes compared to the $ you'll spend.

2) Go back and reread rocco16 post !!!!

3) I would try removing your central resonator and replace it with an 'X' pipe but keeping the rest of the stock exhaust.

 

Just leave the stock exhaust alone If you just want the muscle car sound..... then get ready for resonance...can't have it both ways cheap...a good catback costs $$$....with very little gain on stock
LT1.....Just put mufflers eliminators on...for half the cost of performance
mufflers..... just my 2 cents!

 

I'm going with flowmaster 50 series. My exhaust guy is good with the torch and welder so he will fit it in to where it won't stick out 2" like I've read from other vette owners who used flowmasters. He is also going to weld the original rectangular stock tips to the flowmasters as well for an original look. He left me the option of removing the resonator or just leaving it be. I may leave it in for now, see how it sounds, then make a decision later. He said some vette owners he did work for in the past left the resonator in and were satisfied w/ the sound and others wanted the resonator removed...it was just personal preference. To shorten the existing 2.75" pipes so the flows will fit flush w/ the rear bumper, mufflers, and welding the original tips, he is charging me $240. He said this will improve the sound without causing too much resinence. I'm scheduled to get this done next Wed. Any final thoughts? Too pricey? Good price? Remove resonator? Leave resonator?

 

I thing rocco16 summed it up!

 

Rocco is right on I'm sure. Time and $ is restricting me to go with the flowmasters. I have not heard one bad thing about Corsas, though.

 

The flowmasters behind the stock cats shouldn't give you too much resonance.

Adam,

My best friend and roommate in Hawaii is a 5.0 Mustang Guy, he was always harrasing me to get one, even after I beat him with my 66 Chevy II SS, (that's another story though, his car actually was faster, it just decided to fall on it's face that night and run 5/10's slower than usual. I sure as h#ll wasn't gonna let him live it down though, and we never managed to get them both on the track at the same time again!), That was a big part of me building the Lincoln, I just loved to watch him turn Purple when I told him "Mustangs are like A##holes, everyones got one!"

 

LOL, Mustangs, Disgustangs! I've always threatened my buddy that I was going to build a '78 Merc Zephyr just to tick him off!