Have any of you driven with the headers open - no muffler?

[450knotOffice]

Guys, I've installed a set of used headers I got from PatrickB, and installed the Flowmaster muffler setup that he had. the two systems don't quite mate up though, so I need to head to my local muffler shop to have the guy get everything lined up. That leaves me with the task of possibly driving with OPEN headers to his shop about three miles away.

I started it up and it's OBNOXIOUS! Like Drag Racer obnoxious.

Have you guys done this?

[redstrosekNic]

I would. If the civic guys get away with being stupid loud, I'm sure you can drive 3 miles and be okay... Just take it easy as you drive

[javadog]

Sligjhtly higher revs and a very light throttle foot will help.

JR

[spuggy]

LOL - BTDT. I bought my car with factory H/Es and an open 18" "muffler" can you could roll a base ball through (no baffling, just an expansion chamber to cut the flameballs down to "acceptable risk' levels).

Idling through an enclosed parking lot would set off every car alarm for 200 yards. It sounded like a muscle car at idle, and provided significant stimulus to the asprin industry after driving more than 50 miles.

"It's OK, the turbo acts a rotary muffler" people said.

"Get off my lawn!" I said

Seriously. I couldn't believe how loud it was. I owned a 60's Sportster (which also gave me a headache after about 90 minutes). Louder than that. No way could that make noise limit at any track with a noise limit. It was embarrassingly, obnoxiously loud.

It did actually sound truly, truly glorious in tunnels when hitting boost hard and revving higher than you need to rev a 930. But it was more of a cataclysmic event than a "nice sound" - and I seriously doubt many of my fellow road users appreciated it, judging from the cowed reactions/veering about in their lanes.

I fitted GHL headers and a factory muffler with a sigh of relief. My neighbours started nodding to me again...

[450knotOffice]

Haha!! That was a great story.

[spuggy]

Oh! Right! You're asking if you can drive it 3 miles to the muffler shop? Sure.

I drove the 930 like that every day (I mean, commuted to work) for several months. Must have put 3,000 miles on it. Even drove it downtown, beat cop talking to someone on the sidewalk when I was stopped at a light - him obviously having difficulty communicating with the exhaust reverberating off the tall buildings - but still completely ignored me.

[450knotOffice]

Ya know, it's funny: I had never heard a 911 completely uncorked like that. Even at the track, the cars have Megaphones at the very least. The nature of the sound surprised me almost as much as the raw noise. I could hear each pulse rather than a smooth, muffled sound I'm used to.

I'll head over there tomorrow. I'll feel like I have a giant spotlight on me though. Generally, I'm NOT an attention whore type of guy, but that ride will garner stares and angry glances FO SHO!

[Canada Kev]

It's pretty safe, though. Well, that's my story with motorcycles...

[Tippy]

I wouldn't hesitate driving open headers as long as the destination is a muffler shop, but I usually don't exactly play by the rules all the time.

How about this? Write a note stating you are heading to a muffler shop and have the address on the note adding its only 3 miles away. If cop knows the area, I'd imagine he'd think it's legit and be ok with it if you showed the note to him/her. Of course, our cops are pretty laid back, not sure if it would work in lots of other cities.

[450knotOffice]

Funny you mention that. Patrick and another friend of mine said the same thing.

[tazzieman]

OK it's an older engine type - but you get the picture!

[450knotOffice]

Great picture!

[porsche930dude]

you might best make up some kind of temporary deflectors to spit the heat down to the ground. I ran just up the road with my cat open and it scorched the bottom of my rubber bumper. The cat is probrobly alot hotter but the car really wasnt even warmed up .

[450knotOffice]

Well, I did it today. Interestingly, the car quieted down (somewhat) at 2000 RPM and beyond. Idle was bad, and accelerating was worse, but no one seemed to even give me a second glance.

Once at the shop, the headers were aligned with the Flowmaster 80 dual-out muffler and she was fired up. Wow! It sounds incredibly raw and old school now!

I'll try to figure out how to post a sound clip later on.

[equality72521]

I ran mine with a straight pipe off the turbo for a couple of years. I loved the sound but the popo didn't so I ended up putting a free flowing exhaust on it. Can't really tell a difference in power but it is much quieter.

[panos]

Is this what you had in mind?

porsche 911 st without headers.wmv - YouTube

[GaryR]

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

Ya know, it's funny: I had never heard a 911 completely uncorked like that. Even at the track, the cars have Megaphones at the very least.

Due to the design of my headers (they tapered down after the collecter) I ran 2.5" straight pipes out the back. Made more power than a muffler on the dyno and was great in traffic on the track, I could always stay tuned to my car..

[Dave Colangelo]

A funny story on this very matter was recently told to me.

A buddy of mine was riding with some early s/r groupe guys all who had VERY loud exhausts. He said they got pulled over while pulling out of a parking lot. The cop informed them that they were making a racket and must have been speeding. One of the guys was apparently a lawyer, got out of the car and went to talk to the cop. He asked the cop if he had a sound pressure meter, which he did not. He then went on to explain that all of the cars were with in legal noise limits and that saying cars "sounded fast" would never hold up in court. The cop apparently got in his car and drove away. So yeah I would say you are safe.

Regards
Dave

[equality72521]

Originally Posted by Dave Colangelo

A funny story on this very matter was recently told to me.

A buddy of mine was riding with some early s/r groupe guys all who had VERY loud exhausts. He said they got pulled over while pulling out of a parking lot. The cop informed them that they were making a racket and must have been speeding. One of the guys was apparently a lawyer, got out of the car and went to talk to the cop. He asked the cop if he had a sound pressure meter, which he did not. He then went on to explain that all of the cars were with in legal noise limits and that saying cars "sounded fast" would never hold up in court. The cop apparently got in his car and drove away. So yeah I would say you are safe.

Regards
Dave

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