Ok, . . .

This is actually a serious question. A little background:

I'm a 38 year old Big Block American V8 guy. Although I've had a few small blocks including the one I just put together for my 308 replica, and 3 Buick Grand Nationals with the Turbo 6, I have no knowledge at all about some of these Import / tuner cars.

Although they are'nt my "cup of tea", I have to admit, I did see a few quick ones down the track last year. (And as much as I don't care for them, anyone that can blast through the 1/4 mile in the low 12's / high 11's (and quicker) with a 4cyl certainly deserves a bit of respect.

That being said. I had a co-workers son ask me a question yesterday. (I've often wondered about this myself). He's going to be getting his first car.

I've often thought that some of these 4cyl cars just sound like (pick your favorite): Hair Dryers, Chainsaws, Weedeaters, Large flying Insects, small remote controlled planes, etc. However, I also have heard quite a few that have a deep / mellow tone (lower and deeper than that "raspy import tone" that seems to make my ears bleed when they drive by). It seems like whether they are a domestic car or import, they all sound the same.

While looking online, I seem to see no less than 10,000 styles, shapes and configurations of these mufflers with endless shapes of exhaust tips. It seems like the only thing that is similar is that they are all chrome , stainless or carbon fiber.

I obviously realize that different engines will sound different but can someone with experience, give me/us and idea of a brand of muffler that will produce the lower / deeper / mellow sound as opposed to the louder annoying sound? Thanks for the input.

[This message has been edited by 3084me (edited 03-12-2006).]

The muffler is only part of the equaltion. You also have the use or lack of use of a catalytic converter and the length and size of the exhaust piping. These have more to do with the sound than the muffler. The muffler has more to do with the sound level the car will make. The reason the ricer cars sound so buzzy is that the exhaust parts they use are way oversized than they need to be. Loud cars will get on your nerves real quick, especially if you have a long drive.

The raspy sound is usually the non turbo 4-cyl cars with an over sized exhaust system.
The ones with the deep sound are usually the turbo cars. I have tried several different exhaust systems on my 240 and the sound difference was minimal. Most of the aftermarket exhausts are basically just straight pipe with a hollowed out muffler. What ever kind of car he gets have him do some research before just running out and getting an exhaust system. He also needs to check the laws where he lives. In Florida the actual law says you can not modify the factory exhaust. Legally has nothing to do with how loud it is. So many people have been complaining about the raspy imports they are handing out $80 tickets right and left. It is time for me to go back to a factory exhaust on my 240 with an electric cut-out at the down pipe.

[This message has been edited by tampalinc (edited 03-12-2006).]

Thanks for the replies.

I agree. The "cat" , length of exhaust, headers are all a factor. I was just trying to get some general ideas. I've heard some turbo and non turbo cars and some of them don't sound "too bad". I actually tried to talk to one of these guys but I was in the wifes 3KGT and he would'nt look over. I don't know if his stereo was too loud of if he thought I wanted to race but he would'nt make eye contact!

I agree that some of those 3" and 4" exhausts on those cars can really make them sound raspy. I've head some of the Magnaflows are pretty deep sounding. Any other input would be great. (It's sure sounds (by looking on the web) that many of these "systems" sound really crappy and it also seems that there is a lot of trial and error. It seems that many of these owners buy "muffler after muffler" trying to get a certain sound. (although it also seems that manny are going for that loud raspy sound - go figure. To each his own I guess. I'll stick to my V8's and Flowmasters..

[This message has been edited by 3084me (edited 03-12-2006).]

well, i dont have a ton to add but... i did my brother in laws SOHC dodge neon, removed the cat and added a "fart can" of some type, but that was the most crackly, raspy sounding crap ever, so we added a nice long cherry bomb and it is MUCH deeper and better sounding. my old talon TSI AWD had a 3" with no cat and a "rice cannon" and it sounded AWESOME!!! i got compliments all the time. i believe compression also comes into play as to how a car sound. also i had a SOHC and a DOHC neon with the exact same exhaust, and the DOHC was MUCH deeper.

heres my DOHC 2.0 with 2.5" exhaust with a cat and no muffler. i get compliments quite often on the sound, but people expect it to be fast, its bone stock engine (minus CAI) so they are usually dissapointed.

http://media.putfile.com/neon-dual-exhaust

My personal advice is that if you go with American V6 and up, use Borla. If you go with imported, get something from Tucan's Ractive line. Imports can sound very annoying to say the least when done improperly, but with a little intelligent work, you can get a sound that'll make you cream your pants as effectively as any Corvette spooling at 6000 rpms. My sister's H22A-powered '93 Honda Prelude sounds like a bass drum roll at idle. It uses a resonator, hi-flow cat, 2.5 inch exhaust, and Toucan's MT620 muffler. Nothing overboard, and works together to create a very pleasing sound. A friend of mine whom we affectionatly call "Rev" owns a Subaru WRX, with a straight-through 3-inch rally exhaust and a pro-sport muffler (I don't know the brand). That one sounds like a very large Harley Davidson motorcycle at idle, and gains a mild echo at speed.

Getting a nicely tuned exhaust is a lot like building a trombone out of copper tubing. Unless you get the shapes, lengths, and diameters right, it'll just sound like gassy elephant.

magnaflow usually is a smoother sounding muffler than most of the exhausts that i have heard.

I am running Greddy Evo Exhaust on my WRX and it has a nice deep tone and is not very loud at all. The other thing I lke about Greddy is they actually tune the exhaust for the car, not like those other companies that just sell you a ricey looking muffler that says it will add HP, but all it really does is make it louder.

And the best part is, it's quiet and I am running a 4" Bellmouth downpipe with no cats, the Greddy piping is 3.25" and I am also running HKS Headers. About the only problem I have with my WRX is the flames that shoot out of the exhaust in between shifts and when I am using my launch control (Antilag) on my EMU.

My Supercharged Fiero on the other hand is using the Borla system, which is a little raspier, but also sound like an older Ferrari. And it is also running catless.

I guess it all depends on your tastes. I myself would rather have a deeper tone, than the raspiness that comes out of some of the other brands of exhaust that are out there. Especiallly Hondas. About the only Honda that sounds good is a turbo one. Most other ones just make your ears bleed.

Hey - i used to build LOTS of import tuner cars (from honda-mitsu- mazda- nissan- (and a little toyota)

The onyl and i mean ONLY exaust i would ever use is the apexi exaust- i als o HATE with a passion more then anyoen could ever know the sound of the winy ereeeeeehhhhhhhrrrrr civic down the highway and when i helped my buddies build there setups they did not care for it much eitehr seeing that most of them came from v8 cars- the apexi systems are the onyl ones that are eitehr of no sound (yet hihg performance) or EXTREMELY low and deep- i had a dsm setup on my buddies 92 laser and the thing setoff alarms all the time yet had a very low sonic boom sort of sound when it was hit up.

If you use anything else it is still going to sound ricy- but in teh end the best system depends on teh car and enigne- i ususalyl have my buddy at andover wheel and frame do up my exaust in anything i have ever doen for my own- good sound nice sytem good power and mandrel bent- he is in northern MN i don't know where you are but find a good shop and tell teh EXACTLY what you want but you will always want mandrel bent systems. also most of the sound anoying sound comes from the tip and how it comes out.

This comes from a guy in alot of experience in import crap- i came from imports to american cars so... yeah... i know MUCH more about say a nissan 240 with a rb or sr or ka in the front then i do a sbc in the back of a fiero.

So really to answer your question what cars is the kid looking at? THen i could anser you alittle more exact and remcomend a fer poeple i know out there for ya.

quote Originally posted by VortechGT: About the only problem I have with my WRX is the flames that shoot out of the exhaust in between shifts and when I am using my launch control (Antilag) on my EMU.

You got ahold of the control unit for the Bang Bang System?! O.o

[This message has been edited by Delphince (edited 03-13-2006).]

generally, the longer the muffler, the deeper the tone, I don't like the fart cannons on cars so I use a 30" + glasspack and it gives it a lot deeper sound. I've had a couple people say that my neon was the best sounding import style car that they have heard, and it just has a 1-3/4" exhaust with a 32 (maybe 36) inch glasspack.

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quote Originally posted by SLOWnSTEADY: well, i dont have a ton to add but... i did my brother in laws SOHC dodge neon, removed the cat and added a "fart can" of some type, but that was the most crackly, raspy sounding crap ever, so we added a nice long cherry bomb and it is MUCH deeper and better sounding. my old talon TSI AWD had a 3" with no cat and a "rice cannon" and it sounded AWESOME!!! i got compliments all the time. i believe compression also comes into play as to how a car sound. also i had a SOHC and a DOHC neon with the exact same exhaust, and the DOHC was MUCH deeper. heres my DOHC 2.0 with 2.5" exhaust with a cat and no muffler. i get compliments quite often on the sound, but people expect it to be fast, its bone stock engine (minus CAI) so they are usually dissapointed. http://media.putfile.com/neon-dual-exhaust

I've found that "glass pack" mufflers usually give off a deeper tone than other mufflers, they are also very inexpensive.

The sound of your exhaust does have alot to do with your system, but if you havent purchased a car yet look for somthing with a higher displacement per cyl.
For example:

Subaru 2.5L F-4 (WRX, Impresa,legacy) Sounds deeper because of the displacement and also because of the flat (Boxer) orientation.

Late 80s Mid 90s Porsche 2.5-3.0L I-4 (924s,944,968) Again high displacement per cyl.

Misubishi/DamlierChrysler 2.6L turbo (Misubishi Starion/Chrysler Conquest)

DamlierChrysler 2.2-2.4L turbo (Daytona,Neon,SRT-4,Spirit)

Most V6 engines over 3.0L (especially used with a glass pack) dont usualy sound "ricey"

Nissan 3.0 V6 (300zx 1generation & 2generation

Volkswagen VR6 engine (Best in VW Corrado) makes those cars haul some serious you know what.

Of course there are plenty of GM V6's to swap into a fiero

Every car I mentioned here Is incredibly fast for what you pay for them and for a high schooler it's all you need to waste even the ritch boys.