Carrera Muffler Gutting

[PeteBrown]

After three years of having a one-off combination cat bypass and edelbrock muffler, which was nearly a straight pipe on my car, I decided to make a change. I purchased a stainless cat bypass pipe from Pelicanite Steve930t and it's beautiful. I began searching for muffler alternatives while refusing to pay top $$ for a new pipe by the usual sources. I narrowed my choice down to a flowmaster and was constantly searching the classifieds and ebay for that dream of finding someone's GHL or fabspeed "like new for $200." The dream never became reality.

Then based on a recommendation from Pelicanite Noel, I finally got the nerve to take the rotary saw/grinder and sawzall to my stock 87 carrera muffler and gut it. Noel sent me pictures of his gutting and I stopped by my local wrench to get a better idea as to where to cut. My wrech suggested taking out just the center baffles and packing and to leave the center supports.

In contrast, Noel took everything out except the passenger side support and baffle, and he left about 4 inches of pipe inside the muffler for the inlet and outlet pipes. I did the same. The Dewalt 4.5" x 3/16" blade cut throught the two layers of stainless like it was buttah. The sawzall took out the top baffle pipes without any trouble but the bottom pipes required a little help from a drill, chizle and hammer. It was all out in less than an hour.

I took my empty can to Pelicanite AQuiteBoom and he gratiously spent the better part of an afternoon welding and hammering my less than perfect cutting job back together. Attached are some pictures of the gutting.


[img]
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads3/Muffler+gutted1094660402.jpg[/img]

[RickM]

Cool. Any after pics? How's the sound?

[GettinHeadStuds]

and...what does it sound like Pete!

[PeteBrown]

Here are a few close ups of the muffler nearly empty







The best part of this experiece including all the great help from Noel and AQuietBoom is the resulting sound. The muffler has a teriffic growl at idle letting you know it's not stock and roars to life at full throttle especially above 4,500 rpm. Driving around town below 3,000 it's very subdued and with the windows up on the highway I can once again here myself think and listen to the radio. I think it sounds similar to a 3.2 Carrera with SSI's and a dual out sport muffler.

This is definitely my best mod for the $!

[MichiganMat]

Im going to put a cherry-bomb on my cat-pipe this weekend for the auto-x. I figure for 20 bucks I'll remove 30 pounds of stock muffler from the tail of my car while finally letting the true nature of my 3.0 out of its cage.

So gut that muffler! Trade in some of that weight for the sound of flat-six freedom.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

this interests me.. I have a GHL on my car right now, and while fun on the highway, it's just too damn loud for the street.. One neighbor actually came over and aske if I could not start my car so early on Sundays.

I still have my stock SC muffler and I'm wondering what I would have to remove in order to get a decent growl and some power, but still keep it quiet.. I'm specifically wondering how loud this exhaust turned out to be...

[911nut]

I did the same thing to my stock muffler on my SC except that I welded in two baffle plates and I cut the outlet pipe back to the shell.
Love the sound!

[PeteBrown]

Jared:
To give you some comparison in terms of volume, if stock is a 1 and starting my car with only the heat exhangers on is a 10, then this mod is about a 5. My cat-bypass pipe and edlebrock straight pipe setup was about a 9. I think this sounds similar to SSI's and a dual-out dansk or ghl. It is definitely quieter than an early S with a dual-out sport muffler.

You can cut the center portion of the baffles and packing out to make a quieter pipe and if it's still too quiet just cut more.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

How would you rate a GHL and a cat bypass on that same scale?

[PeteBrown]

I've never heard a GHL with a cat bypass but I bet it's probably very similar. I hope other gutters will comment on sound. Best of all there is no resonnance and you cannot hear it at highway speeds.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

So I'd just need to cut out the center baffling and weld the top back on, and I should get a good sound but still have it quiet?

[PeteBrown]

I'm not an expert on how much to cut but just cutting out the center baffles and packing will make it louder and should be reasonably quiet on the road. This is what my local mechanic does for clients that think the stock setup is too quiet.

[Noel]

IMO, the sound is absolutely perfect. At highway speeds with the windows up, you can barely hear the exhaust. Absolutely no resonance while driving. There is a bit at idle, which makes it louder at that rev range, but I love that sound.

Pete's description of a "Growl" is dead on. My buddies absolutely love the sound when I'm at the track and drive by while going down the straight.

If you are nervous about it, just do what I did and buy a stock muffler off of e-bay for $50.

Nice write up Pete.

BTW, for you non-welders out there, like me, I paid a local garage $50 to weld it back together for me.

[Zef]

Is somebody has a sound clip of that mod...I am in the point to open mine and decide what to remove...!

[viperstang]

do you think this mod made a differance in HP?

[Zeke]

Probably not. The problem with the exhaust is the cross over, the cat and then maybe the muffler. Get a Steve Wong chip. Then play with the muffler.

BTW, if you live in a state where smog checks are not an issue, put a cat bypass in and use a chip programmed as such.

[vash]

no diff. if i wasnt so lazy, i would put my complete stock muff back on. i miss the quiet storm of my stocker.

[viperstang]

so if i get this right...buy leaving the stock muffler alone, and putting on a bypass and chip ill be ok?

[70SC]

I did mine this weekend . Wow Deeper sound,Like the Rs Dual out Deep on start up , ROARS @ 4000 . Hope my neighbors are cool with it !?!?! I cut the can open from midway to the right side. Removed all the sound packing . Cut the perforated 90' out & welded the new 2 1/4" - 45' outlet into the existing outlet pipe . Drilled 30 1/4 " holes in the first chamber .Drilled 40 1/4 " holes in chamber #2 ( to flow into outlet cross pipe ) . Welded the can up . A couple coats of VHT 2000' paint . Done . It Rev's a little more freely@4000-6500. & that Mean Growl . Sounds like a track car !! Nice and even exhaust flow out both sides . Best mod for under $100 over the weekend !!!!

[bkreigsr]

why did you have to weld in a 2 1/4" - 45' pipe? any pics? do you still have a straight thru pipe from end to end? thanks Bill K