Exhaust sounds?

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volaredon

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For starters, we all know the distinctive slant 6 sound.there is no mistaking it.
That having been said, among other things I need to redo the exhaust on my truck, as it is currently a home cobble job welded together from scrap elbows that came from the scrap dumpster at a local exhaust shop from the manifold flange to just behind where the rear cat converter was originally.(the truck used to have a pair of them, one a few inches from the manifold flange and the other in front of the muffler. The front cat had disintegrated, and it's guts plugged the rear one to a point of I couldn't get the engine to start/run with them in place. Then it had a stock type ~6 or 7" round and 20-some" long, typical "truck/rv muffler" behind the 2nd cat, and no tail pipe. Walker? Maremont? Who knows what the existing muffler might be? (Who cares it's going away)
This muffler is what came with the truck when I got it, and the truck also came to me with the tail pipe missing. Now mind you some of the scrap pipe I acquired is oem pipe from newer vehicles unknown, but most of it is the grade of stainless that more modern oem exhaust is made of, and in pretty good shape. . Despite that it welded nice with my MIG..
It is 2-1/4 from the manifold flange to the front of the existing muffler. What is there will probably last a while, but I know it is cobbled, I did the cobbling. (It helps tremendously having a 2 post lift of my own, I remember stringing exhaust on a floor jack and stands in past years)
I have a fresh engine going together for the truck, and eventually I will have to do something different with the exhaust, from at least ~a foot ahead of the muffler the rest of the way back. I'd like to do it all new from the flange to the bumper in 2-1/4, especially being as how I hogged out the manifold that is part of the super 6 stack that is going onto the new engine to that size. (I gasket matches it to a new, stock slant 6 flange gasket) I may have the tail behind the muffler go to 2". Will not have a cat converter in the system. Out in front of the back tire, or out to the bumper I am still up in the air about how I'm gonna want it to end.
Anyway, here comes the issue. Picking a muffler.
I know that I despise the flowmaster 40 series.sound. these were made for fox mustangs but sound like azz on anything else.
I want to "hear it" but I don't want it overpowering, and I definitely do not want drone.
How are flowmaster 50 or. (I think) 70 on something like this?
I have tended towards magnaflow on my v8 Dakotas, , but in looking around I see tons of magnaflow versions with the required 2-1/4 ins and outs. Oval, round, fat, skinny, long, short.
I don't want whisper quiet but I want to be able to hear the radio without putting an amp in the system. Ive had "muffler shop grade" turbos with true duals on my V8 D150s as well as (longer version) glass packs on others. When new, and not had a chance to "blow out" I love the sound of either of those options on a small block V8.
But I only want to buy 1 muffler, don't wanna have to swap it out in a week because I don't like it.
I am thinking I want to stay with something like a magnaflow but which one? Suggestions? Other brands comments also welcome.
 
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Yeah, most OE stuff is 409 or similar stainless, a lot of aftermarket the same(incl Dynomax,Magnaflow etc.). Unfortunately, predicting drone is tough, other than using a stock type muffler, all high-flow units will give some at a certain condition. Every eng/combo is unique, cam,ign,gears,pipe lengths...can all determine what RPM/load will cause that resonance. I like the Dynomax Super Turbos, but no SS option. & l've had a couple where the tubes loosened, or end-caps cracked where the flow-directors were welded. They are warranted, priced well, & last decent rust-wise.
 
All in all the exhaust doesn't look all that bad that I cobbled together, I know that what was left of the exhaust that was on the truck will definitely need to be redone. I know that if I take it to the exhaust shop they won't use stainless pipe, what stainless I used, will probably outlast regular muffler shop grade exhaust pipe. I just don't care for the idea that to that point it is made up of 4-5 pieces of "scrap" pipe, instead of being a solid pipe from the flange to the muffler. The 1st foot or so isn't stainless, it's an original stub that came off of a super 6 manifold, but from there to about a foot in front of the muffler is 3-4 additional pieces of pipe welded together. That section isn't leaking or anything, I just want I done "nice". I could probably get by just fine letting the exhaust shop start from where I left off and finish it out from there.

But I definitely gotta replace the muffler and have them bend me a tail pipe at a minimum.
But in any case, I gotta decide which muffler to use in there. Does anyone have experience with any of the mufflers that I mentioned above and any comments on how well they like (or don't) any over another? I'm thinking about going with one of their (what I call anyways) truck and RV style mufflers, a 6 or 7" diameter round one, about 2 feet long, similar to the Walker or whatever brand is there now would the oval style be better? (Like typical turbo style-sized) or a 3 or 4" round? Those are available as glass packs or standard style muffler.
I want to go with a stainless style muffler because I plan to keep this truck around for a long time after the new engine is in. Probably not àn absolutely"have to"though I guess. My engine will have a very mild reground cam, like 1 to 1-1/2 (baby) steps over stock, solid lifters, shaved head and oversized valves, super 6 carb and stock 4 pin ecu mopar ignition.
 
I think the Dynox Ultraflo sounds good.

 
kesteb said:
Go to 2 1/2". Second best power producer on our old '73 Duster.
Click to expand...
Well then I'll have to grind out the outlet on the manifold farther. (Doable I think)
2-1/4 is already 1/4" bigger than what was on there stock, I had figured that would be as good as it was gonna get w/o going to headers or dutra duals but I don't have an extra $600ish laying around right now to do either.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I think the Dynox Ultraflo sounds good.

Click to expand...

That’s a great sounding slant. About to do exhaust work on my 64 to match the new 225 that went in today, still undecided what muffler I want to use lol.
 
volaredon said:
Well then I'll have to grind out the outlet on the manifold farther. (Doable I think)
2-1/4 is already 1/4" bigger than what was on there stock, I had figured that would be as good as it was gonna get w/o going to headers or dutra duals but I don't have an extra $600ish laying around right now to do either.
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No, you don't want to that. The stock manifold can use a common 2 1/4" flange. Just use a common 2 1/4" to 2 1/2" adapter. Personally I would use 2 1/4" from the manifold thru the first bend and the make tapered cone to the second bend and 2 1/2" the rest of the way out.
 
kesteb said:
No, you don't want to that. The stock manifold can use a common 2 1/4" flange. Just use a common 2 1/4" to 2 1/2" adapter. Personally I would use 2 1/4" from the manifold thru the first bend and the make tapered cone to the second bend and 2 1/2" the rest of the way out.
Click to expand...
I already have a new flange, I went ahead and got 2-1/4. There's several exhaust shops near me and every time I want custom exhaust made these idiots want to leave as much of the original as they can, like cut the original Y pipe and leave a foot or more and when I say no, you're gonna replace it all the way to the manifold, they tell me they don't have any flanges, I've had to bring my own before.
And riddle me this/ with the manifold outlet at 2-1/4 (which at this point would be a choke point even though I opened it up "that far" as it is... I don't see how running any bigger pipe than the manifold opening would flow any better. On a v type engine where there is a Y pipe, I can see each branch terminating into a larger single line would be a help, but with a single outlet how would it help to have it any bigger than it is right there at the outlet. (Maybe a dumb question/observation?) But I don't see it being any better going with 2-1/2 pipe butted up to a 2-1/4" hole?
 
I have a single 2 1/4" pipe with a Flowmaster 40 on my Duster and I love the sound for a slant six. People said it was going to be too loud or would drone at certain speeds but none of that has been true. Great sound, not too loud but not quiet and no annoying drones at all. Been pleased with it for years now.
 
volaredon said:
I already have a new flange, I went ahead and got 2-1/4. There's several exhaust shops near me and every time I want custom exhaust made these idiots want to leave as much of the original as they can, like cut the original Y pipe and leave a foot or more and when I say no, you're gonna replace it all the way to the manifold, they tell me they don't have any flanges, I've had to bring my own before.
And riddle me this/ with the manifold outlet at 2-1/4 (which at this point would be a choke point even though I opened it up "that far" as it is... I don't see how running any bigger pipe than the manifold opening would flow any better. On a v type engine where there is a Y pipe, I can see each branch terminating into a larger single line would be a help, but with a single outlet how would it help to have it any bigger than it is right there at the outlet. (Maybe a dumb question/observation?) But I don't see it being any better going with 2-1/2 pipe butted up to a 2-1/4" hole?
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For the same reason you would run a minimum of 3" on a 440. I am thinking of trying 3" on my current Duster/Dart. Just to see what happens.
 
Which also wouldn't make sense to me if running manifolds, only if running headers where the individual tubes end up into a 3" collector.
 
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