Need more exhaust rumble!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 39
Need more exhaust rumble!
Hey guys, so I previously had the stock (but modified) exhaust system on my 85, which consisted of a mild cam, hedman long tube headers, front y pipe, to gutted catalytic converter, to y pipe into muffler eliminators. It was like the sound of God coming out of the tail pipes, but it was too loud for a daily driver, so I bought a Dynomax exhaust from my Auto Tech instructor, this was true duals from the headers to the stainless steel Dynomax Ultra Flo mufflers. (No cat)
It sounds good, but there is a lot of droning and there's not as much rumble as before. When I installed the exhaust I also noticed a loss in throttle response so maybe we can take that into consideration here?
I have been researching and from what I've read, people have been saying that an X pipe will be raspy and a H pipe will give more rumble. I can fabricate any type of H pipe or X pipe so it's not a problem of which one is recommended, but also, is there anything else that would give a rumble?
And maybe we can regain some throttle response
Tune isn't perfect though still on the first one.
Thanks for any replies, it's kind of a boring straight tone that needs to have some personality to it.
It sounds good, but there is a lot of droning and there's not as much rumble as before. When I installed the exhaust I also noticed a loss in throttle response so maybe we can take that into consideration here?
I have been researching and from what I've read, people have been saying that an X pipe will be raspy and a H pipe will give more rumble. I can fabricate any type of H pipe or X pipe so it's not a problem of which one is recommended, but also, is there anything else that would give a rumble?
And maybe we can regain some throttle response
Tune isn't perfect though still on the first one.
Thanks for any replies, it's kind of a boring straight tone that needs to have some personality to it.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 39
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 39
My father's 2004 vette doesn't have 230* or more @ .50 and it has an amazing rumble. He has some amazing aftermarket exhaust that we can't find the name of because it came on the car when he bought it. But I know that cams do contribute to exhaust sound but it's not the only thing in control of the rumbling aspect.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,221
Likes: 446
From: Overland Park Kansas
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
I’m one of the few people who’ve had the “luxury” of observing six different iterations of exhaust on my C4. Whether that actually provides more insight is for you to decide. But, here’s what I think….
I’ve posted this before – even this year. My opinion is oval (large case) mufflers are reason primary for most C4 drone complaints. I’m sure there’s also something to making sure the pipes are “long enough” to terminate at the rear of the car. (The more they’re recessed, the more lateral sound can fire up into the back-end, underneath.) But, I think of large-case mufflers like blowing in a Coke bottle. It creates extra sound. Though it muffles many frequencies by rerouting sound, they reinforce/amplify the casing’s resonate frequency. I don’t care for oval mufflers any more!!!!
In your case, you got used to a sound level that, by itself, makes the car seems more responsive and faster. How much of that is real and how much is perceived? Many think the removal of mufflers makes their car significantly faster when it’s often more a perception issue. Loud seems faster – just as feeling more road noise/connection makes a car seem faster. Whether the responsiveness has changed may be debatable….though the removal of your y-pipe MIGHT have caused what you feel.
The two major differences between now/before are your mufflers AND the lack of cross-over connection between your exhaust pipes. Your previous Y-pipe allowed the merging and smoothing of pulses. Smoother pulses also mean more consistent scavenging. (That’s where the exiting exhaust “pulls” exhaust gases with it.) As such, consider the addition of an x-pipe first. Really, I’d consider dumping the oval mufflers at the same time! But, you’d be as loud as before. So, I’d add glass-packs (resonators). Consider a Magnaflow resonated x-muffler for the mid-section with glass-packs out that back. (These are about $100. They have an enclosed x-pipe with some packing and the case is small enough – like a Borla – to avoid drone.) I think having two resonated sections in your exhaust will provide what’s necessary over your prior, open-pipe setup.
Bottom-line: Losing your oval muffler “chambers” should eliminate your drone. The x-pipe is your best shot to improve low-rpm scavenging and restore off-throttle responsiveness (if it’s really deficient). Resonators/glass packs will take the edge off your prior straight-pipe sound. You’ll be surprised how much. But, you’ll also like that they will BARK a lot better when revved.
I’ve posted this before – even this year. My opinion is oval (large case) mufflers are reason primary for most C4 drone complaints. I’m sure there’s also something to making sure the pipes are “long enough” to terminate at the rear of the car. (The more they’re recessed, the more lateral sound can fire up into the back-end, underneath.) But, I think of large-case mufflers like blowing in a Coke bottle. It creates extra sound. Though it muffles many frequencies by rerouting sound, they reinforce/amplify the casing’s resonate frequency. I don’t care for oval mufflers any more!!!!
In your case, you got used to a sound level that, by itself, makes the car seems more responsive and faster. How much of that is real and how much is perceived? Many think the removal of mufflers makes their car significantly faster when it’s often more a perception issue. Loud seems faster – just as feeling more road noise/connection makes a car seem faster. Whether the responsiveness has changed may be debatable….though the removal of your y-pipe MIGHT have caused what you feel.
The two major differences between now/before are your mufflers AND the lack of cross-over connection between your exhaust pipes. Your previous Y-pipe allowed the merging and smoothing of pulses. Smoother pulses also mean more consistent scavenging. (That’s where the exiting exhaust “pulls” exhaust gases with it.) As such, consider the addition of an x-pipe first. Really, I’d consider dumping the oval mufflers at the same time! But, you’d be as loud as before. So, I’d add glass-packs (resonators). Consider a Magnaflow resonated x-muffler for the mid-section with glass-packs out that back. (These are about $100. They have an enclosed x-pipe with some packing and the case is small enough – like a Borla – to avoid drone.) I think having two resonated sections in your exhaust will provide what’s necessary over your prior, open-pipe setup.
Bottom-line: Losing your oval muffler “chambers” should eliminate your drone. The x-pipe is your best shot to improve low-rpm scavenging and restore off-throttle responsiveness (if it’s really deficient). Resonators/glass packs will take the edge off your prior straight-pipe sound. You’ll be surprised how much. But, you’ll also like that they will BARK a lot better when revved.