Need advise on exhaust systems

[Vinnybin]

I had an muffler put on to replaced the old tin can full or other tin cans muffler that was on and I almost want my broken muffler back. Forums said Magnaflow was decent for low rumble and not high end bark. The origional ower cutt out the cats and combined with this Magnaflow it sounds like a teenager peelin out of the high school parking lot with his ten dollar fart can on a honda. My VX now makes me want to gouge my eyes out now. I'm looking for quite and maybe a little low rumble but mostly quite. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

[Marlin]

I had an muffler put on to replaced the old tin can full or other tin cans muffler that was on and I almost want my broken muffler back. Forums said Magnaflow was decent for low rumble and not high end bark. The origional ower cutt out the cats and combined with this Magnaflow it sounds like a teenager peelin out of the high school parking lot with his ten dollar fart can on a honda. My VX now makes me want to gouge my eyes out now. I'm looking for quite and maybe a little low rumble but mostly quite. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

Flowmaster 40. Watch some of my youtube videos for a sound cut.

[JoFotoz]

x2 on the Flowmaster 40.

Although I have the Flowmaster Super 44 which is louder/growlier ..

...the Flowmaster 40 is a nice tone if you want/like it quieter.

Jo

[blacksambo]

The OEM system sounds nice if new and ressonant. Meaning not rusty and dull sounding.

[89Vette]

I had an muffler put on to replaced the old tin can full or other tin cans muffler that was on and I almost want my broken muffler back. Forums said Magnaflow was decent for low rumble and not high end bark. The origional ower cutt out the cats and combined with this Magnaflow it sounds like a teenager peelin out of the high school parking lot with his ten dollar fart can on a honda. My VX now makes me want to gouge my eyes out now. I'm looking for quite and maybe a little low rumble but mostly quite. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

First...put the cats back in. They help a lot. Then, if still too loud, find out if an exhaust shop can find room to install glass packs in your existing system.

If that doesn't make you happy, just get an OEM muffler and consider it a lesson. It's possible that a Walker Quiet flow 3 or dynomax would make you happy too.

I'm guessing that a flowmaster won't cut it -- based on your description. Six cylinder engines just don't sound that great with louder than factor muffler systems. That's assuming you have an ear for V8's and really hate fart-can Hondas. (like me).

[Riff Raff]

I highly recommend the DynoMax - Turbo (Part #17733, w/2.5" inlet & outlet). I just had this muffler installed on my VX with a dual tip and it has a nice quiet low rumble without being obnoxious. Not ricey or coffee can sounding. Here's a link:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-17733/overview/

[JAMAS]

I purchased the Magnaflow 11225 - (Satin Stainless Steel 2.25" Oval Muffler)

It sounds great. Throaty when you start it up, then it kinda goes away until you step on it.

This is my third muffler. When I bought my VX it had a powervault 2 installed and sounded VERY loud. Especially when cruising down the highway. My second was quiet, but not stainless steel so it rotted away. Then I got this one and am VERY happy with the results. Highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000COWU7A

[wintermute]

I had a Borla Turbo (40658) installed with new Walker cats and all new pipes from the manifolds back. System looks great. Sounds great when started up or at low idle parking lot cruising. I went this route based on some of the feedback here.

However, I HATE the sound and volume under heavy acceleration and during freeway driving. It's incredibly loud and droning in the cabin, especially under heavy throttle at lower RPMs (below 3.5-4K).

It's a very small muffler compared to stock. I am going to replace it as soon as I can with something quieter, and have been looking into the Dynomax VTs which claim a 'drone free' performance.

Anyone here have experience with the VT series, or the larger Dynomax universals on the VX?

[Vinnybin]

Thanks for the responses. After reviewing recommendations I am going with the walker quiet flow 3, glass packs and cats. My next question has to do with damage control. Obviously I made a mistake with lack of experience in VX and cars in general. I would like go know the logistics in how to undue what I did. 120 for a weld job from a backyard welder(welds look really nice regardless of sound). So now I have a muffler I hate that I am almost certain I cannot return to Oriley. How do I get rid of a new 80 dollar muffler? Should I cutt it off and craigslist it? Which glass packs are tried and true? Where shall I find appropriate cats? Which method of installation should be done? 120 2 welds and after the 2 sound interventions are purchased is 4 welds for cats, 4 welds for glass packs and two more for muffler. At his origional price that makes 1200$ for weld and no parts. Good lord, I might just park it by the border and buy a different VX with the insurance money(currently living in El Paso). I'm sure those Mexican fellows would love that SUV.

[evillecutter]

you buy the muffler and any decent shop should be able to install it for less then $75 - had a bad cat replaced for $125 parts and labor

[JAMAS]

you buy the muffler and any decent shop should be able to install it for less then $75 - had a bad cat replaced for $125 parts and labor

what cat did you replace it with? OEM or Aftermarket?

[VXD959]

It seems that I have to change my muffler also due to corrosion. I don't know much about mechanics, so I have to ask a basic question:

When you replace the muffler, Do you also replace the cat converter /pipes? How do you determine if you need a new cat?

Any benefits (or not) from having a dual exhaust?

Thanks,

[89Vette]

Thanks for the responses. After reviewing recommendations I am going with the walker quiet flow 3, glass packs and cats. My next question has to do with damage control. Obviously I made a mistake with lack of experience in VX and cars in general. I would like go know the logistics in how to undue what I did. 120 for a weld job from a backyard welder(welds look really nice regardless of sound). So now I have a muffler I hate that I am almost certain I cannot return to Oriley. How do I get rid of a new 80 dollar muffler? Should I cutt it off and craigslist it? Which glass packs are tried and true? Where shall I find appropriate cats? Which method of installation should be done? 120 2 welds and after the 2 sound interventions are purchased is 4 welds for cats, 4 welds for glass packs and two more for muffler. At his origional price that makes 1200$ for weld and no parts. Good lord, I might just park it by the border and buy a different VX with the insurance money(currently living in El Paso). I'm sure those Mexican fellows would love that SUV.

Find a picture (in here) of a stock converter. Show the picture to a local shop. My shop said they knew what kind they were -- just by my description. (I gather there aren't many with a triangular shaped "cylindrical" converters -- with ODB2 compliance.)

Interestingly, I'd wonder if/how codes were handled with the original removal? Certainly, you could do universal bullet cats -- if codes weren't an issue...and I'm betting that would cost less.

Finding a place to install a glass pack might not be necessary. You could, instead, install a resonated tip. Getting the tailpipe beyond the rear of the vehicle helps with sound reduction. Of course, there's a fine line between sticking out too far (bust a shin) and not going far enough. The beauty of those clamp-on resonated tips is their adjustability.

I don't think you have a question about the Walker, which means the final question is about installation costs. In general, I would expect to pay about $60/hr for installation. Replacement of converters and the muffler shouldn't take a welder much longer than a couple of hours. But, I don't know if/what remains of the O2 sensor bungs -- or if that's an issue.

If $120 was the price for a single weld-on muffler (sans the muffler itself) you overpaid for that first installation. I had a center converter cut out and replaced with straight pipe (on my Corvette this weekend). It cost me $40. It probably would have been $30 but I took awhile to decide what to do -- in lieu of a converter failure after only 3 months!

[evillecutter]

what cat did you replace it with? OEM or Aftermarket?

aftermarket - i asked the guy if it was an odd cat and he said no very common he had it on his shelf

[evillecutter]

It seems that I have to change my muffler also due to corrosion. I don't know much about mechanics, so I have to ask a basic question:

When you replace the muffler, Do you also replace the cat converter /pipes? How do you determine if you need a new cat?

Any benefits (or not) from having a dual exhaust?

Thanks,

you do not have to have new catalitic converters if you want to replace your muffler - might have guys take a look at them while they are down there but you will get a check engine if one of those go out - many will argue back and forth about dual exhaust and in some cases im sure it would help hp and air flow, but the vx was designed with one so unless you want to spend a lot more money i would leave it the way it is