New exhaust installed and me no likey! Got a question about it.

[mefreema]

Let me start about by saying I am a cheap SOB so there is my reason why exhaust sounds like crap. Before you tell me I should have bought a Flowmaster 40 let me just say, Ok your pretty much right. I should have bought a Dynomax Super Turbo, no offence I just want to keep it pretty quiet but give it a tuff sound.

I have a 96 5.7 liter Silverado and I lopped of the exhaust just before the muffler and installed 2 Thrush turbo mufflers. Then ran about 2.5 feet of pipe after that to a turn down just before the axle.

I was hoping for a deep mellow tone but it just sounds like pitter patter with a higher pitch that the low rumble I wanted. When in the car is sounds ok for the first 1/4 throttle but if I get into it more or put it all the way down it gets raspy sounding. Im sure it sounds even worse from outside.

My question is once the muffler breaks in will it get a deeper sound? If they dont break in and sound better I will probably wait a year for them to rust off ;o) then get some better mufflers. Will they get better sounding once they break in?

Thanks for all our input. Please be gentle :o)
:weld:
:banghead:

[Cowboy Silverado]

Yep should have done a Flowmaster :kidding: I would think it would sound better once it's broken in

[CKTA]

They will get louder and raspier sounding....the problem is....they are basically a glass pac muffler. And when the packing wears out...it will be like straight pipes w/ are raspy as hell. A reall muffler will give you a deeper tone that you are looking for.

[mefreema]

lol. Well I drove it into work today and it sounds ok at part trottle and ok while ideling cold but when warmed up it sounds bad at idle. Instead of a rumble it sounds like puffs of air more like an exhaust leak but not as high pitched. Also at 3/4 to full throttle it sounds 1/2 good and 1/2 crappy like an exhaust leak. I welded up all the seams myself so I dont think it is an exhaust leak. Hopefully they break in and get a more mellow tone. As far as sound level I am pleased, at idle you can just notice them, light acceleration you can just hear them over the radio, and full throttle they wake up nicly but not obnoxiously loud. Just wish they had a deeper sound. Any more opinions on how the sound will change?

[mefreema]

That sucks! Does not pay to be cheap! At 32 you would think I would have learned that by now. With a house, car payments, wife, and 2 kids most of my money is gone before I even see it.

So your saying the turbo muffler packing will burn out and I will be basically be running a set of glass packs. Oh well, I guess I will just put the gun rack in the back window and fly a confederate flag while im at it! :wink:

Does everyone concure? Will it just get raspier or will they tone down a bit and get a more mellow tone?

[4mcrue]

They might get a little deeper, but they always sound raspy, I'm familiar with those mufflers. Maybe put some tailpipes on? You have duals right? 3" + tips will make it deeper.

[mefreema]

Yes I have duels. The stock pipes are 2 inches so my mufflers are 2 inch in 2 inch out. Then after the muffler I have about 2 1/2 feet of 2 1/4 pipe with turndows just before the alxe. How long do the 3 inch tips need to be to be effictive? Would a H or X pipe help? Also, would taking the pipes all the way back to the bumper take out the raspy sound? I know it would make it quiter but that isnt so much of a problem as the raspy sound.

[jaycaltrider]

Sound like with your application two 18" bullets would have been or still could be the best bet for you. there cheap like $40 bucks each I think and the 18" wouldn't be obnoxiously loud but deep from what I've read about them...

[Vortec1500]

i installed 2 dynomax ultra flows on my 97 350 pickup..i dumped them at the rear axle and it did not sound good..off they went and i installed some flows...sounds alot meaner now!

[mefreema]

What did you not like about them?

[mefreema]

Well 4MCREW I took your advice and grabbed some 2.5 inch stuff I had laying around and added it to the setup. I lopped the turn downs off just before the axle and added about 2 feet of the 2.5 inch stuff and ran it over the axle. It sounds a little deeper now and took a lot if not all of the raspy sound out of it. I may try to get some 3 inch stuff and make some turn downs and see how that makes it sound. Everything behind the muffler had been 2.25 so that smaller pipe sounds crappy and it was not long enough. I can live with it now, actually sounds pretty good for only having spent $40. :hack:

[4mcrue]

Glad it turned out for you. Run them for a while and see how they break in, you can always change them later, I've had like 3 or 4 exhaust set-ups on my truck since I've bought it, now I am finally happy with them. 3" tips that are 12" or so will make it deeper, give it some chrome, and not be over-bearing. I've ran bigger tips, but they look like poop. They are spendy though, so if you are so-so happy with it now, I'd leave it.

[Colby 04]

2 things I think you shouldn't pinch pennys for:

truck parts and condoms

No offense intended.

[oldred95]

2 things I think you shouldn't pinch pennys for:

truck parts and condoms

No offense intended.
Those are words to live by because both can end your life.

[4mcrue]

I happen to think that Thrush Turbo Mufflers are a pretty good product, just because they aren't very expensive doesn't mean they don't work well. Some products just sound different on different vehicles. If you guys want to get into a "who has spent more" race, bring it, doesn't mean anything.

[Bryan TTM]

exhaust tones are similar to tones made by horns like trumpets or tubas...the bigger the tube the deeper the tone...turbo muffs suck IMO...get a pair of 2 1/2" bullets and keep the 2 1/4" in and put some 3" turndowns...it'll be deep & cheap and still preserve your low end...it will pop on decel, which i think is cool but if you dont like it, weld a crosspipe in ahead of the bullets