Hot Tip - Low Cost Performance Exhaust

[azcowboy]

Hi All,

I just came back from the muffler shop today, and feel the
need to share something I think is pretty cool with the
rest of you. I hope this wll be of help to someone.

As many of you have I am certain - I have been looking at
doing a performance upgrade on the exhaust of my car. I
have a 1991 964 C2 - pretty much stock - but just back
from a major service and tune up, and running like new. I
had been looking at all of the specialty mufflers and even
muffler bypass pipes available out there - and honestly -
was extremely put off by the prices. I mean really - $800
or more for a muffler? And - oh yes - there are TWO of
them of different styles - under there! Or - a bypass pipe
to replace the muffler - for an economical $350! WHAT?
$350 - for a piece of PIPE? OH YES - and I need TWO of
them ALSO! Maybe I am the only one that considers
these prices - ambitious - to say the least. But I knew
there HAD to be a better plan......

Well - gentle readers - there IS!

I have been relieved of a grand total - of $179.00 today.

Yep - that is it. $179.00. Including labor and installation.

And here is what I got for that money.....

First - I have reduced the weight on the back end of my
car - by at LEAST 40 pounds...... Why? Because those
two gawd awful factory mufflers now reside in a box in
my garage - replaced - by a single 12 pound muffler.....

Second - I have picked up - by my seat of the pants best
guess - an honest 15 or 20 horsepower. And you can
feel it - from idle - to 6000 rpm (yes I HAD to try it!)

Third - I have a more healthy exhaust note. Not so loud
as to annoy the neighbors - or attract attention from
pedestrians when I drive by normally. But enough to
grab attention as the needle swings above 4000 rpm.
It sounds GOOD! No - make that - GOOOOOOOOOOD!
(laugh) No vibration. No rattle. Nothing adverse. Just
the standard Porche sound - but about 20% increased
in volume.....

Anyone interested in what I did?

I took it to a guy here in town who does custom and
performance exhausts. And he made a simple switch
for me. He came off the catalytic converter on the
drivers side - with a 90 degree elbow. 2.75 inch if I
remember. Then he installed a MAGNAFLOW muffler
behind the rear bumper - where the longer factory
muffler formerly resided. This MAGNAFLOW is wonderful!
It is 24 inches long - 6 inches thick - and almost precisely
as wide top to bottom as the factory muffler. Just a
little shorter at 24 inches - compared to the factory 30.
And - get this - it is a STRAIGHT THROUGH design. Yep.
Look in the intake port - and you see straight through to
the exhaust port. You can't get much more LOW
RESTRICTION than that one! And the funny thing - is
that it works WELL as a muffler! From the Exhaust side -
he simply made another 90 degree elbow - and VOILA -
instant high performance exhaust.

I have a double wall - low heat transfer - tip coming in
on Friday to finish it all off..... I am tired of the paint
peeling around the tip on the rear bumper......

ANYWAY....

This exhaust - works - GREAT! I am serious! It is
surprising how well it actually works! And sounds!

It would be wonderful if somebody - like maybe Pelican
Parts - could check this out - and offer a kit including the
90 degree bends - a decent tip - and - oh yes - an extra
custom hangar necessary - to people here. I think it
would gain quite a bit of interest once the word got out.

Anyway - I am done with the friendly tip of the day. I
hope this is of help to someone.

Remember - these are cars - meant to have fun in!

[Oh Haha]

I , too went the economical way with my exhaust. Flo-Pro(similar to Flowmaster) Total cost around 150.00. Sounds great.

[chgrec]

Very nice....what about pics? I am looking for a more free-flowing exhaust to go with my S. Wong chip....

Is it the same magnaflow in this thread?
Have decided flowmaster...which one for stock 3.2??

What is the model number or part number of the muffler?

Thanks
Chris

[azcowboy]

Hi chgrec,

You know - I do not know the part number exactly. I will
ask him for it when I go back to get my tip put on....... I
am hoping that may be Friday.

And - NO - it is not what you see in that other link.....

Mine - is MUCH - MUCH - more simple than that!

First - there is only ONE muffler. It has a single input - and
a single exit. Straight through - ie - intake is on one end -
and exhaust on the other. And - if you look through one
hole - you can see the floor through the other - just like a
telescope or something. STRAIGHT THROUGH. Not much
restriction in that! Can't possibly lose more than 1 or 2 hp
as compared to a straight pipe.

This one muffler mounts behind the bumper. Where the
original muffler that has an intake on one side - and an
exhaust on the other - formerly mounted.

The factory catalytic remains - and simply a 90 degree
elbow was made - to connect it - to the intake of the
muffler. The guy had to make a custom hanger for the
muffler on the passenger side - took him about 2
minutes with a torch and mig welder. Then - from
the exhaust side - another 90 degree bend - and out
it goes. (Remember - on the 964 - the exhaust tip is
on the PASSENGER side).

Real simple.....

Only a single - 12 pound - low restriction - aluminum
muffler - behind the rear bumper.

And - the sound is AMAZING. The performance - BETTER!

Hope this helps.

[azcowboy]

This is pretty much what my muffler looks like - I THINK this
may be the one they put on. I will try to remember to ask
when I go back for the tip.

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopexd.asp?zone=main&id=454

Several styles are available - maybe one might work even
BETTER than the one I got - or - might be needed for a
different model 911 based on how the exhaust is routed.

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopdisplaycategories.asp?zone=main&id=301

They also have an even MORE extensive selection of
STAINLESS STEEL mufflers - for those of you who might
be interested in them. MULTIPLE styles - something is
bound to work for almost everyone....
http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shopdisplaycategories.asp?zone=main&id=350


Here is a basic Dyno result - using a small block Chevy
(sorry about that) - showing better than 20hp increase...
http://www.magnaflow.com/05news/magazine/off.asp

Hope this helps.

[chgrec]

It does help....I have an older (84) so my tip is on the same side as my cat output pipe....I probably have to use the other magnaflow muffler with a setup like the other thread..

Post some pics though.....

Thanks, it's nice to know I can get a better sound/perf with out going broke....
Chris

[Jack Olsen]

Here's a Flowmaster:

[chgrec]

wow....that's one mighty fine rear end........

Chris

[MIK911]

Glad you found a good alternative to the higher priced aftermarket exhausts. Magnaflows and Flowmasters have worked well for many of us.
Here's my Flowmaster:
Flowmaster: my turn (pics)

[Jeff Alton]

Time to get the but dyno calibrated! All kidding aside, good upgrade for the money and a much better value than off the shelf stuff.

Cheers, Jeff

[mb911]

Thats always been my point Mufflers are to expensive so Thats why I came up with a better solution

[randywebb]

Since TRE did Jack's car, I'd assume they have dyno data on the Flowmaster - not just a subjective feeling.

Jack: Know for sure?

[Craig 930 RS]

An EXCELLENT choice. Borne out by dynamometer tests on both Mag & FLow mufflers - both are about equal. I've been down these roads many times with my former 3.6.

The Mag is quieter. Sir, you have done good!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Gee Jack, I don't know how to say this and I thought I'd NEVER say this to a man but.....................well.....................y ou gotta a great ass there!

All kidding aside, your car is awesome,,,,even from underneath, Geez!

[sketchers356]

If Jack has got it it must be cool!

[Craig 930 RS]

But.......you ain't Jack ;-)

[zzwhm]

Here's another take on a Magnaflo. This one was fabbed for my 3.2. It's a pretty neat design - an x pipe inside a compact (14"x 4") muffler. It fits nice with SSIs and weighs very little. Nice sound if you like a bit of loud. I did a dyno test and it delivered.

[Lukesportsman]

I'm running MB's and it does sound good along with never rusting. Bolts right up for a 10 minute install.

There is one thing to consider about muffler selection beyond just backpressure from restriction. That is the fact of how they effect tuning. An easy contrast is to look at the effects of two common mufflers installed after a header collector. If you look at say a Borla and a Flowmaster that are appropriately sized with little to no measurable back pressure the engine will still see them differently. The Borla, glass pack design will work to legthen the collector length. The Flowmaster, with its large increase in cross section, will be seen as the end of the collector as the gasses are allowed to expand rapidly.

I'm not saying one is certainly superior to the other, but that depending on the situation one could be a better choice. Take what you want from this, but just something else to consider and why a glass pack with minimal backpressure doesn't always make the more horsepower.

I still haven't figured out the MFI issue fully, though.

[dailydriven911]

Would the cost be the same for a 911s 2.7l? I took it to a local shop and they said it may take up to ten hrs and he would have to fabricate it. The cost $800! I just want a new muffler like a magnaflow or flowmaster put in.