pre-muffler only--is it toooo loud

strupgolf · 06-24-2005, 01:09 PM

Does anyone run just a pre-muffler and short pipe without a muffler?. I would like to know if those alone are too loud for everyday driving, or is it really great for anytime. Im going to change my exhaust soon, so give me some ideas. The stock, 86 3.2 is nice, but I want louder. Thanks

BeauBlues · BeauBlues's Garage

You might want to check with your local noise laws first. Also you don't need to run it without a muffler to make it louder. There are plenty of mufflers out there that will make it sound loud and nice without being "too loud"

Tim Hancock · 06-24-2005, 01:29 PM

I just tried it when I had my muffler off and it is way toooooooooo loud!
Don't take my word though pull your muffler off and try it. No doubt you will agree. I ended up adding a 2 1/4" dia second outlet on the right side of my stock muffler and it sounds pretty good and is definitely louder. The straight out of the pre-muff though,is just not workable.

sammyg2 · 06-24-2005, 02:17 PM

I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood.

jtratza · 06-24-2005, 03:13 PM

I'd love to hear Tim's car. I've been told to add a second outlet to the stock muffler. Sound is improved (made louder) at a small cost like about $50. I'd also like to know if performance was improved or degraded. As much as I like loud (that's what almost 40 years of Grateful Dead concerts does to you) I'd like something lighter then the stock muffler. That assumes the stock muffler is heavy. If it is heavy than maybe a premuffler with a glass pack or how about a pair of glass packs in place of both the premuffler and muffler?

PatrickB · PatrickB's Garage

I ran a bypass pipe (no more cat) into the stock muffler.... Deeper louder sound, with noticeable performance improvement!!

Tim Hancock · 06-24-2005, 05:10 PM

I ran some second gear 30-60 mph timed tests before and after (see my DIY dyno post), my times were basically identical. I made a pair of flanges. I welded one to a 1/2" long 2 1/4" stub welded to my 2 1/4 hole I cut in the muffler on the right side. I made a second tail pipe to match my left one and welded it to my other flange.

I wanted the option to insert a plate w/ a smaller opening in case the 2 1/4" dia hole was too much. Then I added some stainless tips to finish it off.

It sounds alot more aggressive but not too loud.

I will post pictures of the whole affair on Monday morning, because my dial up connection at home is too slow.

strupgolf · 06-24-2005, 05:55 PM

Thanks guys. I now run stock muffler, with no cat, just a "test pipe". Thats a good idea to run a second outlet off the right. The more I think about it, it would be too loud since the premuffler is just a straight pipe. Now my second question. Has anyone "gutted" their stock muffler? I did see a thread on this a while back, but dont know the sound. I might just buy a mb911 and call it good. But, its fun to fiddle.

Tim Hancock · 06-25-2005, 03:55 AM

Ben's muffler is made of top notch materials and someday I will probably have one, but being a hard core DIY tinkerer type I just have to experiment some times.

My cat was all ready gutted, but I added an internal perforated tube surrounded by some packing to emulate a premuffler. When I cut the hole in my stock muffler, the insides did not look like previous posts on presumably earlier style mufflers. Mine had a 180 degree bent perforated tube surrounded by packing in the right side chamber. I pulled the packing out of this area before I welded the new outlet flange on. I will post pictures on Monday.