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Mufflers for the millionth time!

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Old Nov 20, 2007 | 11:11 PM
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Default Mufflers for the millionth time!

I have seen about every comment under the sun re: mufflers, but it's always on sound, drone, whos rocks, etc. I am really interested in performance. I have a set of Flowmasters 17427 (4 tip). I am adding a cam, springs, FAST intake, Vararam, 1-3/4 Kooks, 3x3 x-pipe, finally into the Flowmasters. I have heard the Flowmasters will actually hurt the HP/TQ numbers. Does anyone out there have any definitive info on this subject?
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Old Nov 20, 2007 | 11:19 PM
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I can sum it all up with the be all end all test:

Joe G put QTP electric cutouts on his car which is basically having no mufflers in the chain. He gained 5.5 rwhp on the dyno. So if open pipes give you 5 then......

No cat back system adds anything worthwhile.
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Old Nov 20, 2007 | 11:27 PM
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Since C6 oem mufflers were so plentiful, I got an extra set for free and cut them open, removed all the guts and welded them up and installed them. They are still quiet but just enough loudness without the drone. Next step is to remove the cats and I'll be done for about 50.00..
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Old Nov 20, 2007 | 11:35 PM
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Default Oems

I still have my OEMs, thats an option, what's inside, baffles & packing?
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Old Nov 20, 2007 | 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike Villareale
I still have my OEMs, thats an option, what's inside, baffles & packing?
Yep, three baffles. Retained the front one and cut the pipes out between the 2nd and 3rd baffle. Welded a small plate over the holes going in & out of the third baffle, so the exhaust goes past the first baffle and exits in the same chamber. Removed a ton of angel hair f/glass. They seem to be a bit louder today than when I first installed them. Not too loud though. I was surprised.

Last edited by DennisC5; Nov 20, 2007 at 11:46 PM. Reason: spelling
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Old Nov 21, 2007 | 12:04 AM
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Originally Posted by SpinMonster
I can sum it all up with the be all end all test:

Joe G put QTP electric cutouts on his car which is basically having no mufflers in the chain. He gained 5.5 rwhp on the dyno. So if open pipes give you 5 then......

No cat back system adds anything worthwhile.
Agreed. Here's the dyno sheet (mine) and a sound demonstration. Car in vid is my buddy's. Sound is worth the price to me but that's a personal preference. Not relevant here but on a C5z06 same dyno day cutouts made a 10+ rwhp difference. C5 Ti exhaust is more restrictive than ours.



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Old Nov 22, 2007 | 11:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike Villareale
I have seen about every comment under the sun re: mufflers, but it's always on sound



I am really interested in performance.




Does anyone out there have any definitive info on this subject?

Yet almost everyone still wants to talk about sound....

Last edited by SpinMonster; Nov 22, 2007 at 11:37 PM.
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Old Nov 22, 2007 | 11:46 PM
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Yes, as I think I've proven, no mufflers is worth 6 rwhp/rwtq. Before my cam it was 0 difference.

So there is nothing performance wise to talk about re: mufflers, they are a sound mod only.

And in my humble opinion, a necessary mod! Man does the car sound wimpy through stock mufflers. It's better with headers and cam, but stock? yeech. Sounds just like my wife's Honda Minivan.
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Old Nov 23, 2007 | 02:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Joe_G
Yes, as I think I've proven, no mufflers is worth 6 rwhp/rwtq. Before my cam it was 0 difference.

So there is nothing performance wise to talk about re: mufflers, they are a sound mod only.

And in my humble opinion, a necessary mod! Man does the car sound wimpy through stock mufflers. It's better with headers and cam, but stock? yeech. Sounds just like my wife's Honda Minivan.
Not true as anyone who heard my car will tell you. Change the heads next and see.
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Old Nov 23, 2007 | 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by SpinMonster
Yet almost everyone still wants to talk about sound....
Because the performance gains are minimal to nothing there isnt much left to talk about but the sound. Im pretty confident that people would take more of an interest in the power results if there was much there and particularly if certain systems performed better than others.

That being said sound is an important consideration for most people. I would give up a few ponies for a sound I liked versus one I didnt. Then there is the sound volume factor. Anybody who has been at this game for a while has probably mounted up an exhaust that they thought sounded great on a short flog but some weeks down the road it started to grate on them pretty hard in the daily slog. Or how about mounting the exhaust first and then later moving on to a H/C setup and being surprised by how much louder it got?

Im not telling you something you didnt already know, this would be for others who might wonder why sound is topping the list of considerations on so many of these threads.
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Old Nov 23, 2007 | 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by crabman
Because the performance gains are minimal to nothing there isnt much left to talk about but the sound.
I think I pretty much said that and the guy who started the thread stated he was looking for comments on performance and none on sound. So give him what he doesnt want.
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