C4 Mufflers W/O DRONING
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 117
Likes: 23
C4 Mufflers W/O DRONING
I have an 87 C4. I want to switch out the stock mufflers with something new and louder when higher up in the rpms. I drive on the highway a lot so I don’t want any droning. Also prefer dual tip. Any suggestions?
Popular Reply
Feb 13, 2021, 02:19 PM
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,360
Likes: 2,281
From: Central Maryland
One word: Corsa.
Pricey, but high quality, good sound, and zero drone.
Live well,
SJW
Pricey, but high quality, good sound, and zero drone.
Live well,
SJW
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,474
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
I had Borla for years. I had an accident and it got ripped out. Insurance paid for a new one. I didn't want to throw any more money into a car where I am not planning to keep it. Bought Corsa. I won't go back.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Corsa or stock pretty much
Good sounds, life-time warrantee and zero drone so well worth the price.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,876
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
You guys are way to rich for my blood. Corsa and Borla were always way out of my price range. But the Flowmasters I have sound amazing. No drone at all and a good sound. I also love the dual tips on them.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,474
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
If you plan to keep it for a long time, it isn't bad. That or you hate the noise. Two things I would like from an electric car. Instant torque and no engine noise or at least significantly less. Corsa cuts down the noise enough that the wife's ears don't hurt and can ride with me or drive it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 843
Likes: 149
From: Iowa
I do not plan on getting rid of the car until I can not get in and out. It is a joy to ride in now without that dreadful droan.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,474
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
I was too cheap to drop a grand and a half to have the cat and exhaust system I needed for a car I was planning to toss once the motor fails. Insurance helped so I put in a couple hundred to get what I wanted. Who says insurance is worthless?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,876
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
It always amazed me how much drone and interior noise the factory exhaust has on the C4's. When I put my exhaust on I gutted the cat, put on headers and the Flowmasters at the same time. I expected it to be way louder than stock. It was so much quieter inside the car. You could actually hear the radio and have a conversation with the person next to you. A few years after that I cut the back off the Flowmasters and welded in a 3" pipe for a bigger exhaust. For some unknown reason they only make those in 2 1/4". Even with the bigger pipes it's still quite inside.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,474
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
It always amazed me how much drone and interior noise the factory exhaust has on the C4's. When I put my exhaust on I gutted the cat, put on headers and the Flowmasters at the same time. I expected it to be way louder than stock. It was so much quieter inside the car. You could actually hear the radio and have a conversation with the person next to you. A few years after that I cut the back off the Flowmasters and welded in a 3" pipe for a bigger exhaust. For some unknown reason they only make those in 2 1/4". Even with the bigger pipes it's still quite inside.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 99
Likes: 24
From: N/A
I've never heard them in person but every sample clip of a Corsa exhaust i've ever heard sounds good. When the time come I'll be putting one on. In the mean time I went with the corvette america stock replacement type mufflers to replace the no muffler abortion that the previous owner had put on. Quite quiet at idle you can barely hear it. Highway is also not bad at all.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 6,942
Likes: 1,490
From: New Jersey
The only corsa c4 I heard in person sounded thin and tin like. Most systems seem to vary wildly between cars... on a bone stock vehicle with resonators and dual cats I can see it sounding pretty much stock. Mine sounds like side pipes... works for me. I can talk to the guy next to me top on or off so I'm good.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 99
From: Seattle WA
I don't think they make them anymore, but for a budget setup, I really like the way the Dynomax super turbo (not to be confused with the straight thru ultra flow that drones like crazy) exhaust sounds. It gives a nice muscle car deep rumble and no drone as long as the main cat is in place (or a bullet muffler in its place).
I think the big problem with a lot of the aftermarket exhaust/mufflers regarding drone is that the center resonator is eliminated or replaced with an x-pipe. Having a functioning center muffler (or cat) really cuts down on the drone. When I used a straight pipe in place of the cat with the super turbo mufflers, it did drone a bit. With the bullet muffler in place of the straight pipe, no drone, and it sounds good.
I think the big problem with a lot of the aftermarket exhaust/mufflers regarding drone is that the center resonator is eliminated or replaced with an x-pipe. Having a functioning center muffler (or cat) really cuts down on the drone. When I used a straight pipe in place of the cat with the super turbo mufflers, it did drone a bit. With the bullet muffler in place of the straight pipe, no drone, and it sounds good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,360
Likes: 2,281
From: Central Maryland
The only corsa c4 I heard in person sounded thin and tin like. Most systems seem to vary wildly between cars... on a bone stock vehicle with resonators and dual cats I can see it sounding pretty much stock. Mine sounds like side pipes... works for me. I can talk to the guy next to me top on or off so I'm good.
Live well,
SJW
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 6,942
Likes: 1,490
From: New Jersey
The Corsa on my stock-engined LT1 ZF6 sounds nothing like the factory system, and there's nothing tinny or thin about the sound. It has a nice throaty rumble at idle, but is not overbearing. It's surprisingly quiet when cruising at very light throttle in the 1,500 to 2,200 RPM range, but barks very aggressively when I lay into the throttle. There is no factory resonator. Everything behind the cats went bye-bye, replaced originally with a 3-inch B&B that was installed by the previous owner, and which droned so badly that I couldn't stand to use 6th gear. After putting up with that for far more years than I should have, I ditched the B&B in favor of a Corsa, and have never once regretted that choice. Can't figure out why I waited so long to do it.
Live well,
SJW
Live well,
SJW
Mine can only be described as "has something that resembles a muffler" it's loud but for whatever reason doesn't drone. I have the mufflers dumped for the rear suspension work right now so it's just the dual 3s dumping infront of the differential. I can tell you they are still doing quite a lot. Compared to long tubes and nothing else... It hurts.
I want to try the Corsa on my car just because but A it's an expensive try, and B, I hate the way the tips look. Exhaust sound is something you have to try on your own because it's very system specific and I'm pretty far from stock. Plus the corsa mufflers cost as much as my long tubes, full exhaust and current mufflers combined. Hell they cost more than the heads I put on the car.
I can't justify that much for a muffler alone unless it's God tier... and my first hand experience with (granted only one) makes me want to pass. If I find a cheap one though I may give it a go.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,474
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
$$$.. It is hard to ditch a functional exhaust system. Much easier when it is wrecked. Believe me, I know. Even though I knew the Corsa would better suit me since I don't like any exhaust noise, it was hard to spend the money knowing that I would end up tossing the Borla since I didn't have a buyer for it and wasn't sure it would be worth my time to have it sit in the garage waiting for a pick up.