Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

SShink · 3K+ Club

Looking for muffler recommendations-Quieter

Derek69SS · Founding Member

My next set of mufflers will be whatever Tony has (I know I've asked a dozen times, but can never remember what they are)... I like how quiet his car is.

I don't really like loud exhaust either... gets obnoxious, especially on long trips.

Bungy L-76 · Active Member

I have the Dynomax on my Bel-Air and I really like them. Nice and quiet yet still let a little rumble through at idle.

Jon H · 1K+ Club

I had dynomax and they had a terrible hiway drone. Last fall I went with the Magnaflow and love them. Quieter than the dynomax and no drone. Our engines aren't that much different and you should get the same performance/sound I have.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Jon H wrote:
I had dynomax and they had a terrible hiway drone. Last fall I went with the Magnaflow and love them. Quieter than the dynomax and no drone. Our engines aren't that much different and you should get the same performance/sound I have.

Jon, I'll have to take a listen to your 'new' Magnaflows and compare them to my 'well used' ones and see if mine are just worn out.

Dave Seitz · Mega Poster

The Walker mufflers are rated the quietest with least restrictions. Is that set still on the for sale list?

bowtie · Secretary

Look at the new Dynomax VT mufflers. I saw them at SEMA last fall.

http://www.dynomax.com/mufflers.php?muffler=vt

here's a video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQDY3PD7g0w

Was going to do a newsletter blurb on them but haven't gotten to it yet.

Tony Hoffer · Moderator

The mufflers on my car aare 22" large case race mufflers from Straightline performance.. (now defunct)

...

What you are looking for is the largest case and length muffler you can get... 22" case with 3" in and 3" out.. full tailpipes and most importantly a crossover of some sort.. H is good X is quieter. The design of my muffler is similar to the ultra flow.. Im sure Borla and others make a similar deign with better internals than the Dynomax ultra flow.

-- Edited by Tony Hoffer on Saturday 28th of May 2011 04:50:29 PM

SShink · 3K+ Club

Confirmed with other opinions yesterday, mufflers are blown out and 'loud'.

I'm not sure if I can go with a longer body based on where my X pipe is. I may have to have the x pipe assembly modified again, or wait until Car Craft and see if I can score another Pypes deal...

Tony Hoffer · Moderator

got a reply from Scott Brown....

There are a couple of mufflers that are similar in construction to the way mine were built, The most important thing is the case dimensions. The Goerlich xcelerators are similar, as are the magnaflows and the dynomax ultraflow stainless.

In looking at the offerings...This is really the only one close to what I have... http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=9071 The others dont offer near the case size in a dual offset.. These say 5x11"....My cases actually measure 6"x12"

SShink · 3K+ Club

Tony Hoffer wrote:
got a reply from Scott Brown....

There are a couple of mufflers that are similar in construction to the way mine were built, The most important thing is the case dimensions. The Goerlich xcelerators are similar, as are the magnaflows and the dynomax ultraflow stainless.

In looking at the offerings...This is really the only one close to what I have... http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=9071 The others dont offer near the case size in a dual offset.. These say 5x11"....My cases actually measure 6"x12"

That's actually the one I'm leaning towards right now only I have a center inlet and offset outlet which they also offer.

My last Summit catalog shows free shipping for Magnaflow exhaust, so that's probably what I will do.

Tony Hoffer · Moderator

Im thinking the dual offsets will expose a little more area to the sound deadening material.. At 3" it isnt going to hurt your performance any..

SShink · 3K+ Club

Pulled the trigger on the Magnaflow's after listening to some You Tube and Team Chevelle videos as well as having a lifetime warranty. They're due to arrive Thursday from Summit (free shipping/handling) and then into the exhaust shop on Friday since the ones in the car have the exhaust hanger welded to the mufflers.

MagnaFlow Performance mufflers are 100% stainless steel and lap-joint welded for solid construction and rugged reliability even in the most extreme conditions. They feature a free-flowing, straight-through perforated stainless steel core, stainless mesh wrap and acoustical fiber fill to deliver that smooth, deep tone. Mufflers are packed tight with this acoustical material to ensure long life and no sound degradation over time. Backed by aLifetime Warranty.

bwild70ss396 · Active Member

I have a Magnaflow cat back kit on my 2008 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive truck with a 5.3 in it. Does not have a drone and has a nice sound to it. It appears to have helped mileage also. Just got 20.5 mpg and 21.1 mpg on a 550 mile test drive. 275 miles of it with a motor in back!!!!

SteveS · Super Poster

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead. Apparently I'm getting old too because I'm looking to quiet down the Chevelle. Bryan mentioned the Dynomax VT muffler with the flapper inside. Has anyone heard these in person? I've looked at reviews and most love them, but some have had issues with the flapper clattering like a rain cap on a tractor at idle. There are a lot of sound clips online, but you can't really tell with computer speakers. Or, is there another option that has come out in the last 2 years since this thread was started?

They normally list for about $100 each, but Advance has several discounts right now that gets the price down to about $65 each, which helps too.

-- Edited by SteveS on Friday 17th of May 2013 07:31:55 AM

bowtie · Secretary

I've heard them in person, but they were new and didn't have any rattle. It's a pretty simple design, and I wonder if it wasn't a competitor bashing the muffler since it's a floating butterfly with only the lightweight spring for tension and I believe it was the spring at rest that stopped the valve (though the exhaust air flow was always pushing the valve). The other thing was that the valve was actually inside the muffler body and with the car running I'm sure you wouldn't be able to hear it. Maybe I'm wrong too, but I remember seeing the cutaway and car at SEMA.

SteveS · Super Poster

I've read a little more about them, it sounds like they had a recall for the rattle on some of them in 2010 when they first came out so that should be fixed. They offer 3 types of mufflers: single muffler under 4.0l engines, one for over 4.0l and and dual exhaust muffler. It has to do with the weight of the spring they install.

My concern is every motor will have a different exhaust pressure, so if your exhaust has a lot of force it could be held open, or if it was weak it might not fully open. Or, in my case with a cam with lots of overlap will it blow it open and shut at idle if the spring is too light?

I might give Dynomax a call and see what they say. They do have a 90 day return policy if your not happy with the sound.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Wow Steve... you did dig back on this one!

Looking back on this one and choosing the Magnaflows again was a mistake for this old guy. The new replacement Magnaflow mufflers weren't any quieter than what I thought were the old ones. It still droned, and was too loud.

SteveS · Super Poster

So did you ever find a muffler your happy with, or just adjust the hearing aid? What is the vert getting for exhaust?

dashboard · 2K+ Club

The folks at Raven Works had a muffler they seemed proud of, I remember it reduced or removed drone. That’s all I can remember, I was either not paying attention, mesmerized by the bar or had my hearing aids (yep both of them) turned down.

http://www.ravenworksllc.com/page.cfm/PORTERMUFFLERS.html

Give them a call and let us know what you find. I think Tony had a muffler that was very quiet yet flowed nicely, maybe he will chime in.

SShink · 3K+ Club

SteveS wrote:
So did you ever find a muffler your happy with, or just adjust the hearing aid? What is the vert getting for exhaust?

Landed on the Thrush header back system with H pipe and turbo mufflers. Should be nice and mellow...

SteveS · Super Poster

Thanks guys, I'll take a look at Ravenworks and Thrush. Tony has his info further up in this old post. Sound like a longer muffler would quiet it down. I currently have Flowmaster's American Thunder 2.5" system with an H-pipe so I plan on just swapping mufflers. I think I have super 40 series now, so I think anything will help. My current set-up has offset-offset mufflers so I don't know if the Ravenworks bullets would work without modifying everything.

SteveS · Super Poster

Called Dynomax, got some interesting info. On a built motor you need to have a x or h pipe before the VT mufflers so they can scavange between the pipes. Otherwise it will cause the valve to get sucked open and shut at idle. Also they recommend ordering two of the single style over 4.0l mufflers rather than the dual exhaust mufflers because it will have the stiffest spring.

SteveS · Super Poster

Thought I'd give an update on the muffler search. I ordered a pair of the Dynomax VT from Advance Auto parts , $163 for the pair shipped to me plus a $25 gift card to use later. (The day after I ordered the offer expired and the new offer was a $50 gift card )

Here's the valve. It's got a steel wool type material on the leading edge which takes care of my fear of the clattering sound if they were flopping open & shut

They are 16", about 2" longer than the Flowmaster Super 40's so that should help quiet them down too.

I hadn't had a chance to play with the video editing software that came with our camcorder so I thought I would give it a try. I planned on being scientific by keeping the camcorder in the same spot and recording both mufflers at idle, 2000,3000 and 4000 rpms. I learned I'm not a scientist or a videographer. Outside the car the Dynomax are a little quieter than the flowmasters, and raspier. But on the video I think the Flowmasters sound quieter . Inside the car is where I notice the big difference, the Dynomax sound quite a bit quieter. I can now hear my windows leak, and my belt squeak. I didn't get any sound clips from inside the car with the flowmasters since it was raining but I did shoot a couple of quick videos from in the car at different RPM levels with the Dynomax. Hopefully no one gets sick from the camera bouncing around, no "go pro" mounts here. Seat of the pants the car feels the same. It will be interesting to go to the track to see if I gained or lost anything.

Here's the video:

[video=]

-- Edited by SteveS on Thursday 30th of May 2013 10:55:42 AM

-- Edited by SteveS on Thursday 30th of May 2013 11:01:18 AM

dashboard · 2K+ Club

I'm sure it's good and I'd sure like to watch it but I can't seem to open it.

Lost in the 60s · President

Slow loading but it worked for me.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Opened for me just fine. Nice vid actually.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Sounds great Steve! I love the sound at idle with the Dynomax's and off topic but those gauges are so cool.

I forget, do you have an H or X pipe in your system, or straight duals?

SteveS · Super Poster

It's an H-Pipe. It's actually Flowmaster's 2.5" American Thunder System.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Ground-Up has a free shipping offer on Pypes kits good through today... I'm thinking 3" X-pipe w/ 18" Race Pro mufflers.

Have to make up my mind pretty quickly.

I really want something quiet so I can hear what my tires are doing.

John D · 2K+ Club

I'm running a 2-1/2" Pypes X-system with Street-pros. From what I'm told it's quiet until you romp on it, then people have told me it's loud. Don't know about he Race-pros.

I really can't hear it in the cab, and with tailpipes straight back under the bumper the sound is behind me.

Scott Parkhurst · Super Poster

SteveS wrote:
It's an H-Pipe. It's actually Flowmaster's 2.5" American Thunder System.

That's what mine started as too. There's not much left of it now though. An X replaced the H, the tailpipes are gone, and I had custom pipes made from the collectors into the X when the Tri-Ys were installed. So...about 2 feet of it, and the mufflers are left..LOL!

mn66396 · Contributor

I've been using dyno max super turbos for years. They are just right for me.

dave

Lost in the 60s · President

2 1/2" Pypes with X and race pros on the Camaro. After reading the reviews, most people feel the race pros are quiter than the street pros, so I went with that. It seems quiet to me until I stand on it, then it gets rather loud...

The '66 Chevelle came with, I think, thrush turbo mufflers and it's louder at idle than the Camaro and about the same under WOT. I don't remember for sure but I think the Chevelle is true duals. I don't recall an H or X under there when I was restoring it... that's pathetic, I either have a really bad memory od too many cars to think about.

The '52 is a single exhaust with a round muffler. I remember that ...

Bowtieman427 · Active Member

I think I am going deaf between the videos I could not really tell a difference. The Dyno max may have sounded louder. You will be the best when in the car cruising. My exhaust is pretty loud and deep & for now I like it. I think the turn downs before the rear end really makes it loud. Not a big fan of turn downs as they kick up a ton of dust. Someday may change. I would like a 4" exhaust vs 3" think 4" collector stepped down to to 3" exhaust is to much.

mn66396 · Contributor

I have Dyno max mufflers on 3 different cars right now. All 3 sound different and have 2.5 exhaust. The 66 Chevelle I have is substantially louder than an Olds 442 I have. It seems compression ratio and the camshaft selection affects the level of sound. I would guess pipe size would change things too,

Lost in the 60s · President

Bowtieman427 wrote:
I think I am going deaf between the videos I could not really tell a difference. The Dyno max may have sounded louder. You will be the best when in the car cruising. My exhaust is pretty loud and deep & for now I like it. I think the turn downs before the rear end really makes it loud. Not a big fan of turn downs as they kick up a ton of dust. Someday may change. I would like a 4" exhaust vs 3" think 4" collector stepped down to to 3" exhaust is to much.

Your 3" exhaust is already bigger than you need. 4" is for 950 cubic inch diesels. Your engine needs some backpressure for low and mid-range torque.

Having tune downs at the axle is a significant contibutor to interior noise. My '38 had exhaust pipes cut off under the trunk. I had new ones made to extend them out to the bumper and it made a HUGE differnece on interior level. I can actually hear what a passenger is saying now...

Dave Seitz · Mega Poster

Need to order a new muffler for the Camaro and need it to be quiet for the wife, hopefully the Walker will be good enough for her.