paganharley

On my new 2017 you can go into the info screen and set it to track mode sound all the time, regardless what mode you are in.

Boiler_81

That sounds like a good plan. I pulled mine shortly after getting the car in the Spring of 2015. It's been out since. I haven't taken any long freeway trips. If I do, I will put the fuse back in if I get tired of the exhaust.

CADbrian

Earlier in this thread, I expressed concern about pulling fuse # 42 and the reasons I was concerned. I spoke with my local service manager (actually 2 of them) and was told essentially the same thing: "Nothing to worry about. Go ahead."

Armed with that bit of information and a fuse pulling tool, I am happy to say that fuse # 42 is finally out! I was surprised, though, at how tough it was to get out even with the fuse removal tool. It was in there like the proverbial "tick on a hound". But it is out now and I'm now able to hear ALL my engine's exhaust notes from zero RPM to full throttle. I know many keep it handy, to put back in, for those longer road trips. I will too.

One other unintended perk/benefit: perhaps my car's exhaust notes sound a little sweeter to me because to a certain degree I've effectively booted out the federal government's exhaust noise regulations/restrictions and am now able to hear my car's natural exhaust notes (and not the muffled exhaust notes that the feds want from my car) - good or bad, quiet or loud.

I thought about getting the Mild to Wild switch (and still may) but I've held off for a couple of reasons:
1. Rather than a luxury and more the effect of my circumstances, I don't have to worry about disturbing my neighbors with a car at any time of the day or night, any day of the week. So, I don't need it to be a good neighbor.
2. I think most of us understand the desire to hear our Corvette's natural sound(s), but this could be a different story while on road trips. I've heard from others that they reinstall fuse # 42 for road trips to prevent the drone sound, and thus one of the reasons for the M2W switch. I'll just have to see if I can "tolerate" the noise/drone while highway/interstate driving for any distance. If I can't tolerate the noise/drone while highway/interstate driving (or the task of reinstalling fuse # 42 prior to such a road trip) I may consider getting the M2W switch.

For now, I'm in "test" mode and will likely be smiling from ear to ear for a while listening to my car's natural sounds.

Preemptive post: please don't patronize me, telling me that I can do the same thing by changing the settings via the Sound Management System. I spent a lot of time today playing with driving with fuse # 42 in place while testing the different settings in the car's Sound Management System and doing the same driving with fuse # 42 pulled out. It's simply and absolutely not the same experience. Don't argue (without doing your own testing) that it is. Instead, experiment with it for yourself and/or read some of the many posts/experiences from other Corvette Forum members (with a TON more experience and knowledge than me) who report the same thing I'm reporting. Also, please keep in mind that the fuse controlling your Corvette's exhaust flaps may be different than mine (2018 C7 Grand Sport).


Fuse # 42 (before/in place).
Fuse # 42 pulled out.

Kehraus

Those little butterfly valves require a 20 amp fuse?

joemessman

Yes.

CADbrian

Sounds silly (20 amp fuse) doesn't it.

Strake

I have the "Mild to Wild" switch as well...... I've had them in previous C6 Vettes too. Works great. by the way, you can NOT use a C6 one in a C7.

For me the beauty of being able to at the touch of a button go from the wide open exhaust setting to stealth at will, is worth it.

As others said, even in "Track" setting the valves still close at certain rpm's and removing fuse #42 is always open which is nice most of the time, but sometimes on an Interstate for a long ride, it gets to be too much. Or if you want to leave your neighborhood very early in the morning, or get home very late......

With the Mild to Wild switch, they give you 2 remote key fobs too.

joemessman

Actually a 10 will work just fine.

CADbrian

I think if I had to "be quiet" in my neighborhood and used my GS for long interstate drives I would have chosen to go the Mild to Wild route. May still go that route but I have other cars that are "quiet". My GS is all fun and I don't care if I can't hear my passenger or a phone call. I'm not gonna take the call any way!

Fasteners201

Put a Mild2Wild NPP Exhaust Control unit. Open and close the valve with a fob or program to your rear-view visor garage door opener buttons. Simple to install.

JNess

They still close. The best time to notice it is cruising with the top off and windows down. Between 1500-2300rpms at a steady cruise the valves shut, even in track mode.

Once you notice it, you will grow to hate it. The only way to eliminate this is to pull the fuse or add a relay like mentioned in this thread.



I've had my car to the dealer with the fuse pulled. The only codes they pulled were directly related to that fuse.. Something about exhaust valve not responding. No other codes were present. Mine is a 2017.

CADbrian

JNess is correct. Below a certain RPM the valves close again even in track mode.

JerryU

Not exactly your question and anytime I was going to mess with removing a fuse I would have the engine off! BUT it really makes no difference. I'll explain:

In my C6 with NPP I installed a simple toggle switch using a properly wired Add-A-Circuit to the fuse panel. I was in essence "pulling (bypassing) the fuse" whenever I wanted with the car running. No issues and nothing other than the butterflies stayed open.

The C7 is different in that it uses electric motors to activate the butterflies but many folks have pulled the fuse or added a Mild to Wild remote relay that bypasses the fuse whenever it's activated. In the case of my C6 and from posts it is the same with the C7, when kept open at 65/75 mph highway speed it caused an objectionable drown so had to shut them. [Some folks don't mind a drown but they must play the sound system even louder than I (although mine is high to drown out tire/road noise) as even played very loud the drown was very annoying!]

If I were going to do anything, it would be to use a simple toggle switch mounted as I did in my C6 on the console and run two wires into the fuse panel employing a $10 Add-A-Circuit to bypass the fuse when desired. Allbeit in the C7 they would be longer wires.

I like the toggle switch not just because it is cheep, it is also activated instantly. Did not have to wait for the variable time a remote replay takes to work! But that is me!

Foosh

I installed a M2W on my 2014, and had it set all the time such that the valves were always open. That's exactly the same as pulling the fuse.

On my 2018, I just leave engine sound in Track mode almost all the time, and it really is a minor difference, even though I do occasionally notice the valves closing at low rpms. It's such a minor difference, I don't think I'm going to bother reinstalling the M2W on the new car.

Like Bill, when I want quiet when cruising, I just go to "Stealth" mode on the engine sound management menu.

spinkick

interesting. I know that you would put it in if it bothered you at all. I was considering a m2wild but if you think its barely noticeable, I might not do it. Did you end up not installing it since you wrote this post?

JGarland

I have the M2W switch on mine and have it open all the time and NEVER switch it off.

So basically that is the SAME THING as pulling the fuse.

Track mode exhaust is barely noticeable at all versus a pulled fuse or a M2W switch.

spinkick

Thanks. Do you mean that you barely notice a difference between track and fuse 42 pulled, or that the track mode is very quiet vs the fuse 42. Sorry, hopefully that makes sense.

JGarland

I don't mind the question.

What I mean to say is Track and pulled fuse (or M2W) are nearly identical in noise volume.

Pulled fuse and M2W have the valves open ALL the time, unless you turn off the M2W obviously.

In Track mode the valves will close under low load which would be coasting or just cruising at low RPM.

Under acceleration and/or high RPM the valves will open.

Some people like it as loud as possible at all times which is me and why I have the M2W switch on.

Seems like the Track mode would give you the best of both worlds though.

One thing I haven't checked is the "rumble thing" that happens on downshifting/deceleration.

I do get the rumble with a pulled fuse or M2W. I can check Track mode here in a bit when it stops raining.

spinkick

Awesome, please do, thats what I'm looking for, the sound when you are letting off, that overrun burble.

Thanks!

JGarland

Yeah that's the best part!