choice of a muffler

[larry may]

The mufflers shops are agressive to sell . But I know little of what they tell me. Am wanting something thats is not loud with 2 1/2 inlet and 2 1/2 inch outlet. Turbo glass packs have been suggested and a flowmaster. 25 dollars each for the first mention. 75 dollars each for the second mention. I do not mind paying either price .But I do not want any trouble with too loud of exhaust. Nor one that cackles. Would like a mello type sound not real agressive. More like the older muscle rides had .Any help here would be appreciated.

[matthufham]

for a small block 350 or so? go with a flowmaster 40 series, not delta flow. delta flow is quieter but a regular 40 series muffler isn't annoyingly loud.

[cdowns]

i've been using the generic turbo mufflers since they were new // i truly hate every flowmaster i've ever heard

[speedracer]

Originally Posted by cdowns

i've been using the generic turbo mufflers since they were new // i truly hate every flowmaster i've ever heard

I agree every flowmaster Ive ever had has been to loud and I've tried a few.
The turbo's seem to be the way to go for the quiet performance sound.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Flows, MAGNAFLOW's that is, I luv mine, pic's in siggy link

[82c10]

Originally Posted by matthufham

for a small block 350 or so? go with a flowmaster 40 series, not delta flow. delta flow is quieter but a regular 40 series muffler isn't annoyingly loud.

i agree

[MrC1]

I'd think the best flowing mufflers are glasspacks and other straight-thru designs like the ones I've got on my other car (Challenger) - Dynomax Ultraflos. They flow great, but are pretty loud.

Has anyone considered running some glasspacks AND some high-flowing turbo mufflers at the same time? Wonder what it would sound like. Should flow well.

[Stocker]

I just don't care for the hollow, echo-chamber sound of Flowmasters. I know some of you look down on glasspacks as too 'redneck' (is that a bad thing?), but to me, a pair of high quality glasspacks (30" long blanks ) has a deep, rich, mellow sound that's hard to beat, and not very loud either.

[67Fleet]

Dynomax all the way. I'm sh*! canning my flowmasters and going with Dynomax. I've had them on all my vehicles and loved every one. Only reason I have flows now is the PO put them on.

[68Stepbed]

18" Magnaflow mufflers is what I'll eventually run. I'm putting anyone down or trying to start a pi$$ match, but I just don't like glasspacks. They sound OK at idle and low rpm cruising, but have a crispy, crackle sound at high revs.

Just my .02

[KFreddy]

Dynomax all the way...

[davidh]

Some cheaper mufflers I have ran are the flo-tech after burnners. I read a few years back some testing done by Car Craft for econ mufflers and it won the "sound test". They have a nice sound to them. Also hooker aerochamber mufflers sound good too. flomasters are so main stream these days. My friend who owns a muffler shop doesn't think they are any better flowing than glass packs. He's a top notch mechanic too but who knows exactly.

[454_72_4X4]

If you want it fairly quiet I'd say go with the turbo mufflers.
I've got all 3 kinds.

My 93 has a Flowmaster.
1st one I've ever owned. Had to see what all the hoopla was about! So far I like it 95% of the time. There's a certain rpm/load that it vibrates, (resonates?), my eardrums, which is kind of annoying. It is a single 3in inlet/ dual 2-1/2in outlet running into tailpipes straight out the back, (with 3-1/2in tips! LOL). It does kinda have that "hollow" sound everybody mentioned though.

My S-10 has Thrush turbo mufflers on it. 2-1/2 in/out and full dual 2-1/2 in pipes with hidden turndowns right at the rear bumper. The Thrush mufflers are about as cheap as you can get but they sound good and they have a lifetime warrenty at Autozone! I've had to replace one after 8 years, but almost 3 of those 8 years it was a yard ornament...

My 72 has "redneck" glass packs on it! 3in pipes from about 6inches off the manifolds exiting out the side behind the rear tires. The mufflers are genuine 3in core, (not just at the in/out but all the way through), and 18in long. Got 'em from JCWhitney.
It'll wake the dead if I want it to! But I like it that way.
It's not as bad as you'd think at idle though.

Funny thing is I used to have these same style mufflers in a 2-1/2in version and 2-1/2in pipe. I had everything from worn out 305 to a 402 bigblock in the truck with that exhaust and you couldn't tell the difference between any of 'em by sound.

[BobbyK]

Dynomax Super Turbo's.
Give you a nice low rumble at idle and cruise but put your foot in the gas and they scream.


2.5 in,2.5 out


I also run a "H" pipe as well.

[Javy]

Noisemaster is great the first day,the second day I like Dynomax.

[Bowtie67]

Originally Posted by Javy

Noisemaster is great the first day,the second day I like Dynomax.

Nice to see you back Javy!

There are lots of things that affect the noise of most mufflers, Headers will make it louder than stock exhaut manifolds, use an X or H-pipe wil help in noise reduction, I have ran cheap turbo mufflers with 2.5" pipe and headers they barked, I have ran the afterburners and they barked as well. My last setup was the Big Block 70 series mufflers & 2.5 pipe on my 427 with an H-Pipe, Headers and the exhaust outlet turned down exiting out the rear quarters had a real mellow tone and during cruise you didnt have to crank the radio up to listen to it and you could actually hold a conversation and wide open you new she was coming at ya. All the vehicles I have had and put custom exhaust on I have noticed that if the exhaust exits as I just mentioned is probally the best to keep noise down. I have run the exhaust straight out the back and always had that raspy sound, If you shoot it out the side and your traveling down the highway with a median you get to hear all that noise even more.

I however am pulling this exhaust in favor of something a little less restrictive on this motor and yet want to keep the noise down to something mellow for cruising and idle. Besdies new headers, Hookers super comps, 3" fully mandrel bent with an X-Pipe I am going into the series 40 Flowmaster Delta series at which I point I will listen to it and decide if I need to go with a set of resonators to help keep the noise down. A couple of shops that I know of that specialize in exhaust say that most guys that have gone with the performance exhaust usually come back and they usually add a second muffler or resonator to reduce the noise.

These are just my prefferences.

[Palf70Step]

I had flowmaste 50s on my 96 and really liked the sound. Not to loud, but a healthy rumble until you stomped on it. then it was LOUD. I have magnaflows on my Dodge and they bsound good also. A little quieter than the flowmasters, but still OK. I think I still prefer the flowmaster sound. My 70 has dynomax on it and they are LOUD always. I do think I prefer the flowmasters, but that is from in the vehicle. I never hear the truck except from there because I'm the only one that ever drives it.

[larry may]

Thanks all for the feedback to my question about Mufflers. Looks like the information is as usual Top Notch . Thank each of you very much.Now I have direction..... Larry

[13lazer]

one last opinion, i ordered oem cadillac mufflers 83-84 vintage 2-1/4". they were a perfect replacement for the 2-1/2"turbo mufflers. my motor is still too loud but its manageable. my 2-1/2" pipes went over the 2-1/4"od mufflers like it was meant to be.
i was surprised that everybody who replied recomended the super loud "high perf." catalog muffs.
back pressure can be good too. 2-1/4" duals hooked to manifolds, and the quietest g.m. mufflers you can get, flow enough for ANY small block. i will race anybody who doubts that.

[72freak]

Flowmasters are junk..they come apart very quickly. They are also too loud for a dailer driver. If you want something a bit louder than a standard turbo...do the Dynomax!!!

[70c10swb]

im stuck between super 40's and magnaflow.

if anyone has any videos of there truck and can post them up that would be great and list what muffler they have. I think that would be the best way to help answer the question.

[76bonanza]

I tend to disagree with most I love my flowmasters best sound I have ever had. But then again I think the exhaust should be heard not seen. Just my 2 cents. But it is like anything else personal preference.

[72MARIO]

Flowmasters are junk..they come apart very quickly. They are also too loud for a dailer driver

Are you aware that they make more than one Type of muffler ? Sure they have loud mufflers but they also have lots of mufflers that will lower the noise level when exiting at the right location.

What really needs to be made clear is the exit point is really what makes the exhaust sound good or bad while also determing the quiet or loud factor inside the truck.

I am running 3" duals into Super 40's exiting in front of the rear wheels and it's not loud at all going down the road inside the cab I can talk at normal level and have a conversation with out yelling or raising my voice to be heard.

It was VERY loud inside the cab when it was dumped under the box I actually could not drive it for more than a hour with out my ears hurting.

This is a video clip of my truck with Super 40's when the exhaust was dumped under the box. It now exits in fron of the rear wheels and sounds Alot better
http://home.cogeco.ca/~joelboxt/nicerides.mpg

[72freak]

I have owned many Flowmaster types, styles and exit locations and have never been pleased with the quality of the muffler. The sound is GREAT for a hot rod, race car, or a vehicle that you want heard. I may have not given enough info above as to my opinion(probably worthless) I live in a NON-SALT inviroment and my experience has been the Flowmasters tend to come apart a LOT quicker than some of the other ones I have used. As for the sound...I enjoy that trademark sound on my "light to light" vehicles...but on my daily driver and trip mobiles they tend to be a bit noisy.

Sorry I offended a few.....but i am speaking from experience and not just hear say.

[dennislbrooks]

I went with Summit welded -- they are just right-- a hair louder than a Turbo. The CATS quiet them a little.