Muffler sound vs performance

JHPSTANG

JHPSTANG

Active member
After I install my new dual out CI header on my 67 convertible Mustang I6 200, I will be ready to do the exhaust. I plan to cruise with this convertible. Nothing racy, but I want to be able to get the most out of the system I'm creating. I have pertronix, flamethrower coil, rebuilt carb, and the header, but it is basically stock. I don't want the exhaust to be so loud that the wife and kids wont ride with me, but I do want to be able to hear it.
Questions:
Will I give up performance with OEM style mufflers?
Will flowmasters or CI "imposter" kit be too loud?
Is dual exhaust worth it, or should I just hook up the header to a single exhaust?
Lots of questions, but I'm not sure how far to go. Thanks
JHP
 
I have a 200 in my 66 with dual out headers and dual 2.5 stainless to about my seat, thrush glasspacks, then 3 in the rest of the way back. It sounds very mean and at my schools auto club car show I have beat many 289s in the exhaust competition! if you are behind the car it is pretty loud but inside the car it is not. I am sure you could find a muffler that would be quieter but the problem I was having was finding a muffler that wasnt tinny sounding with these motors. hope this helped
 
What's the big deal with muffler sound?

I mean, i'm not against it or anything, I'm just new to this whole world of cars. Please excuse my ignorance.
 
I have heard that going with too large a pipe will make it too tinny. I definitely don't want the glasspack sound. I'm looking for more of a low rumble, (as much as is possible with a I6 LOL). I will go with an X pipe. Would OEM style mufflers be quiet with a header?
 
I had a 3" flanged pipe (preparing for 3"turbo DP Y'd to dual 2.5" out the back with 2 spin-tech mufflers. NO tinny noise.

Flow master are built to make that noise. My personal preference I don't like em.

Thermal R&D are a better pick over magnaflows

I worked at an exhaust shop and put different systems on go-karts to ferraris for what its worth
 
ive had 2-2.5" exhaust, stock exhaust to flowmaster to glasspacks. My 250 is stock(no headers), I would recommend larger pipes (2.5"-3") because i found the engine did this with smaller pipes, no matter the muffler.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNySihOZ8IM

if thats someones video on this forum (i like your falcon (y) )

flowmasters ad magnaflow are generic and annoying in my opnion, i hear the sound too often. :banghead:

im running summit glasspacks now with an x pipe making into duals. the sound is low and rumbly (not annoying glasspack buzz/pop). i would recommend summit glasspacks and larger exhaust pipe, i will do this on my next six project. :nod:
 
I've got headers with duals on my 200 and it sounds way better than it used to with single exhaust, so I like the duals. I've got 2 1/4" pipes (no crossover), with Dynomax turbo mufflers. Noticeable sound but not objectionable. I don't think I would go louder than this on a convertible.
 
Personally I like Scotts setup.

Keep the pipe size down approx. 2" if your just cruising about town. Stay away from the crossover. These engines have a true 180 degree firing order. Assuming the header is made to collect each pulse at even timing pulses it would be very difficult to reconnect later in the exhaust path without screwing up that nice even flow. Turbulence in the system causes noise, heat, and backpressure.

I went with a single collector header with a single 2.5" pipe to a single in dual out MagnaFlow.

Do some study by Googleing Exhaust Theory. I went with the MagnaFlow also because the design has the lowest backpressure of most if not all of the other designs.

Apply the K.I.S.S. principle.

Ric.
 
66200i6":1su25xa5 said:
Personally I like Scotts setup.

Keep the pipe size down approx. 2" if your just cruising about town. Stay away from the crossover. These engines have a true 180 degree firing order. Assuming the header is made to collect each pulse at even timing pulses it would be very difficult to reconnect later in the exhaust path without screwing up that nice even flow. Turbulence in the system causes noise, heat, and backpressure.

Ric.
Click to expand...

I dunno, a crossover makes sense from a noise perspective. It definitely kills the drone.

I don't think that tubulence will affect performance too much past 6" from the collectors, that's the critical zone for scavenging. Having mufflers that flow enough while still effectively killing noise is much more critical.
 
With an X pipe, you have both pipes trying to force air through the X at the same time I believe...doesnt make alotta sense to me either....but it doesnt make it louder, it makes it noticably quieter.

This is why I would opt for an H pipe on the six banger, wont inhibit flow but should take the edge off...perhaps use it after youve ran true duals, if you feel its too loud.

Without a doubt, the crossover will drop the decibals, and smooth over the ricey vibes, and the nice crackle you get when you let off the gas and come to a stop (manual tranny) it will take that away too.

There should be a sticky with links to fellas exhaust setups on the 200/250 engines, as there are some that are really nice.
 
I put a cheapo Summit Racing "turbo style" muffler on my I6, it's pretty darn quiet driving, more of a mellow bellow at idle. Can't really hear the car running while going down the road.
 
Anyone have any experience or opinions of Dynomax Ultraflo mufflers? I've read that they are a bit quieter and have better flow than flowmasters. They're not cheap though.
 
JHPSTANG":9g92sjrj said:
Anyone have any experience or opinions of Dynomax Ultraflo mufflers? I've read that they are a bit quieter and have better flow than flowmasters. They're not cheap though.
Click to expand...

They are nice, the Summit brand mufflers are very simular and cheaper to buy.
 
I have only had them on my dad's 89 c%^&y truck w/big block and a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 5.2L small block. I like them personally especially on the truck. At idle you have a nice deep muscle car rumble and normal street driving the noise is noticable but not annouying (to me anyway). If you would like a sound clip let me know and I will go and make a quick vid and post it.
Good Luck, hope this helps. :beer:
 
I think I'm sold on Summit's turbo mufflers, for the price.I'm gonna go with 2" duals with an H pipe. I don't want loud, but I do want that deep sound. I'll ask my exhaust guy what inlet/outlet he needs, and go from there.
I have learned so much about exhaust theory and mufflers. Wow! Thanks for all the input and advice. I'll post a sound clip/vid when it's done.
JHP
8)
 
Seems alotta guys run 2.25 duals if not larger on the small six, even stock form.

Often the sound is real nice.

As youve realized by now, 2" dual is probably about right for a small six engine, as far as, exhaust velocity and all the other five dollar words.

What Ive wondered though, is whether the bigger exhaust is the source of a more deeper tone from the small engines. As a larger pipe would potentially slow the exhaust velocity and sound waves, kinda like a subwoofer, a bigger box, ported or filled with fiberfill will slow the sound waves making a more boomy bass sound, where a smaller tighter sealed box will make the same subwoofer have a tighter bass sound.

So Im personally curious as to what happens with your decision, I look forward to the video.
 
Good choice.

Something an oldtimer taught me was to wait on the H-Pipe. Ask the muffler shop if they will give you time to clean and paint the main runners from the collector to the axle, white. Take it for a run on the freeway and heat those pipes up. Bring it back to the shop and look for the burnt hot spots on each pipe. The H-pipe is installed from hot spot to hot spot. All things being equal they my be side by side. Afton times they are not though, I have seen them run from runner to runner at an angle.

However this process was used for the V8's because you never know where the pulses would backup, on the runners, with the out of cynic firing order. I have never seen this attempted on the inline with the 180 degree firing order. If you try this it would be interesting to see if these hot spots develop at all.

Good luck, Ric.
 
from what I have read the h pipe will not help in the performance of the six due to its even firing order. somewhere on this forum there was a thread where one of the members addeed an h pipe and IICRC reported a slight changed in the tone of the muffler, I cant remember the specifics.
 
I agree, the Cross or H-Pipe configuration was started because of the un-even pulses in the runner created by the out of cynic firing order in a V-8. An example of how complex a V8 header would look like, that corrects this, would be the GT40. That is why I don't support its use in the dual collector header setups on these inlines. There are other ways of adjusting the tone of the exhaust pitch.

A simpler way of tuning would be to try different length glass packs in the runner. This method would not disrupt the even pulse of your runner. The problem is it would be trial and error to get the tone you like. Your taking the same stab in the dark when installing the crossover or H-Pipe. I was told that is why the old-timers used the white paint trick. It is an attempt to eliminate the shot in the dark. The hot spot shows the point of the back-up.

There is info out there (Google) that details how increasing the volume of the runner will change the tone. It has been several years since I've read how this works.

Have fun, Ric.
 
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