And it's back...the dreaded drone
Its Comin Right for us!
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,116
Likes: 2,611
From: GA
I believe it was Tugly that said he wrapped his exhaust with that heat shield wrap. Folded it in half and wrapped it around the down pipe and the exhaust. I think he said it made a big difference in quieting the exhaust. Ive been tempted to try just never got around to doing it.
Gilbert
Gilbert
heres a thought that sounds similar to that.
2011- preset 6.7 power strokes come with a fluid damper on the exhaust, weighs about 3 lbs, also has a rubberized donut with steel sheild around it on the tailpipe, similar to what you see on our trucks with a single piece driveshaft. You can delete the dpf rocket-ship, and keep the factory tail and 10"resonator and they do not drone one bit. Put a full exhaust on it from say flo pro and a 30" muffler and they drone like crazy. Both types are loud, and in fact the factory tail and delete pipe is louder, but you can only hear it in cab with windows down or really getting down on it you can hear a rumble.
Hardly anyone that deletes them i know listens to me, but my boss and my truck included did not drone one bit and i attribute it to that dampening affect. Sounds like the wrapping exhaust would accomplish a similar affect!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
This/These year(s) of trucks did not have a catalytic converter that I know of.
It does look like you have some leakage at that one connection. My original muffler (still on) is blown out on the bottom, from the front to back of the muffler. Did make some 'leakage' noises when it first broke through, but 'softened' down with the larger hole.
It does look like you have some leakage at that one connection. My original muffler (still on) is blown out on the bottom, from the front to back of the muffler. Did make some 'leakage' noises when it first broke through, but 'softened' down with the larger hole.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
that leak is minor and shouldn't be causing any issues related to drone. I see the exhaust appears to be stitch welded together in addition to the clamps which is good.
Your had absolutely no drone before the tire install? Seems odd this started after you installed tires. I was thinking they put it up on a lift and broke or knocked something loose. Did you go to a louder/larger tire? What cab configuration do you have? Sende a pic of the whole system looking front and back if you can? Is the tailpipe out past the fender?
where in your exhaust is the resonator placed? if its a crew cab your going to want it back close to original muffler around the back of the cab, you want to minimze the "whip" in the exhaust pipe"
Likely you can add a small straight through resonator, glasspack style muffler to stop the drone, but being you already have one that shouldn't be necessary.. You could go to something straight through with a resonator chamber in it like a 40" or 51" Donaldson muffler. But that is a last resort.
I got alot of practice with this building systems for the much more drone prone(lol) 5.9 and 6.7 dodge cummins trucks. I got to where i could build a straight pipe system with no drone. Or a system with a small muffler with no drone. Its all about making the system tight, muffle placement and getting the tail built right.
Your had absolutely no drone before the tire install? Seems odd this started after you installed tires. I was thinking they put it up on a lift and broke or knocked something loose. Did you go to a louder/larger tire? What cab configuration do you have? Sende a pic of the whole system looking front and back if you can? Is the tailpipe out past the fender?
where in your exhaust is the resonator placed? if its a crew cab your going to want it back close to original muffler around the back of the cab, you want to minimze the "whip" in the exhaust pipe"
Likely you can add a small straight through resonator, glasspack style muffler to stop the drone, but being you already have one that shouldn't be necessary.. You could go to something straight through with a resonator chamber in it like a 40" or 51" Donaldson muffler. But that is a last resort.
I got alot of practice with this building systems for the much more drone prone(lol) 5.9 and 6.7 dodge cummins trucks. I got to where i could build a straight pipe system with no drone. Or a system with a small muffler with no drone. Its all about making the system tight, muffle placement and getting the tail built right.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
A little before my time, but I do enjoy some of the old classic rock including AC/DC. But yeah on the way home from work today I had the windows down and radio cranked for the whole time. Heard a whole lot of wind noise, but not much drone lol.
Its Comin Right for us!
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,116
Likes: 2,611
From: GA
going from some loud tires to quiet may be the change in the exhaust sound being masked you are noticing. Try wrapping the pipe about halfway between the first tail bend and the muffler with layers of exhaust wrap, our you might even try something temporary just to see if it helps, such as a semi-hard blunt object like a hockey puck etc.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
Sorry it's been a while, but I talked to my local exhaust shop. They only had one 4 inch muffler on hand, and it was a "free flowing performance muffler". My suspicions were that it wouldn't do much for drone, and the owner of the shop agreed. He then said that the only way to get rid of the drone is to install a muffler that isn't free flowing. However, he said that installing a muffler that isn't straight through would kill my power. Personally I don't think that's true since the FTE resonator that's currently on the truck is essentially a 4 inch muffler with a grain auger on the inside and I noticed no power loss from installing it.
So at this point, I'm gonna try some exhaust wrap and install some sound deadening material that I bought last summer but never got around to installing. Hopefully the combo of the sound deadening material and the exhaust wrap will cut down on overall noise and drone.
So at this point, I'm gonna try some exhaust wrap and install some sound deadening material that I bought last summer but never got around to installing. Hopefully the combo of the sound deadening material and the exhaust wrap will cut down on overall noise and drone.
It's a Van Gogh
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,795
Likes: 1,326
From: Elk Grove, CA
Thanks for checking in!
Exhaust wrap and sound deadening looks like a good option.
Also make sure no part of the exhaust contacts the body and all rubber hangars are good.
Exhaust wrap and sound deadening looks like a good option.
Also make sure no part of the exhaust contacts the body and all rubber hangars are good.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,647
Likes: 891
From: north of Minneapolis, MN
@Jo7.3 ....how did this turn out?
The reason I ask is after doing a frame off, I have what I believe to be an exhaust drone now. It happens at about 1600 rpm, and I can make it come and go with throttle position at that rpm. The old exhaust was a MPRB 4" in T-409.
This new exhaust is a Walker Dynomax 4" in T-409.
The reason I ask is after doing a frame off, I have what I believe to be an exhaust drone now. It happens at about 1600 rpm, and I can make it come and go with throttle position at that rpm. The old exhaust was a MPRB 4" in T-409.
This new exhaust is a Walker Dynomax 4" in T-409.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
So I started sound deadening over the weekend. Only got 3 out of 4 doors done (my truck is a supercab/extended cab). The 2 half doors had 0 sound deadening material from the factory. Literally sounded like hitting a tin can when I tapped it. The front doors have a little bit of sound deadening from the factory, but not much. My back doors now sound a lot more solid, and I can tell their is definitely less road noise and tire noise. My front door (the one that has sound deadener) sounds more solid than my mom's 2015 ford explorer when I tap it. Exhaust drone is actually a little bit reduced as well. It's still their, but not as bad. I think once I do the floor, it will probably take care of the exhaust drone. I plan to tackle the drivers side front door tomorrow and will report back to see if that makes any difference.
All I've put on the doors right now is this stuff: .
I might go back over it with another layer of stuff that's supposed to muffle the noise even more. Depending on how much time I have.
All I've put on the doors right now is this stuff: .
I might go back over it with another layer of stuff that's supposed to muffle the noise even more. Depending on how much time I have.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
And you've still got a pretty bad drone? Are you straight pipe or do you have a muffler of any kind? Also, did all of that sound deadening make a difference as far as engine noise or not really? I also see in your sig that you have the 6637. I swapped my 6637 to the AIS and noticed a little bit less drone. But you have an SXE turbo so the AIS might not be an option. My drone isn't really a steady/constant drone, it happens if I'm going up a hill or accelerate to pass someone while in overdrive. When I was straight pipe, I had a constant drone at a certain rpm. I can't really remember the specific rpm, but I wanna say it was in the 1700-1800ish range.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,647
Likes: 891
From: north of Minneapolis, MN
Bad is subjective....but I won't tolerate this noise.
It has the Walker Dynomax muffler installed. I have all the OEM hangers on and doing their job. The drone is around 1700 rpm.
It has the Walker Dynomax muffler installed. I have all the OEM hangers on and doing their job. The drone is around 1700 rpm.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
Well as far the FTE resonator, when I first installed it, it seemed like it got rid of 99% of the drone. However, now it seems like it's lost some of it's drone killing capability. I think a lot of it is because I got new, quiet tires. But at the same time, I remember it being like a night and day difference compared to straight pipe. When I installed it with the old tires, I could only hear tire noise. Whereas with straight pipe and old tires, the exhaust drone was very pronounced and I could control it with my foot like you can. Now when I drive it with new quiet tires, it doesn't seem quite as much night and day difference as far as drone compared to when I first put the resonator on.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 850
Likes: 114
From: Virginia
Welp I got a donaldson muffler put on to see if that would kill the drone. It did help, but the drone is still there. So now I'm starting to think that the source of my drone isn't the exhaust. The exhaust is as quiet if not quieter than stock now, and I still have a decent drone. The following is copy and pasted from another thread that I posted in:
As quiet as the exhaust is now, I really don't think the exhaust is what's causing my drone. At idle, I can hear a very slight vibration that I can't quite pinpoint where it's coming from. Definitely sounds like it's coming from the drivers side somewhere in the engine bay, but I can't tell exactly where. Also, with the engine idling, I can feel a pretty good vibration on my AIS intake. It's vibrating enough that the words "push to reset" on the filter minder are blurry until I put my hand on it which stabilizes it. Along with that, the whole exhaust system vibrates pretty bad, but I'm not sure if it's because of the vibration from the engine, or what. Is it possible I have a worn motor mount on the driver's side? I do have a clunk when putting the truck in reverse, and then also when going from reverse to drive. I also have a slight clunk when coming to a stop. I know it's not the slip yoke cause I just greased the crap out of it a few weeks ago. If it is possibly the motor mount, anybody know a way to check for sure that it's the motor mount? Thanks for all the help guys!
As quiet as the exhaust is now, I really don't think the exhaust is what's causing my drone. At idle, I can hear a very slight vibration that I can't quite pinpoint where it's coming from. Definitely sounds like it's coming from the drivers side somewhere in the engine bay, but I can't tell exactly where. Also, with the engine idling, I can feel a pretty good vibration on my AIS intake. It's vibrating enough that the words "push to reset" on the filter minder are blurry until I put my hand on it which stabilizes it. Along with that, the whole exhaust system vibrates pretty bad, but I'm not sure if it's because of the vibration from the engine, or what. Is it possible I have a worn motor mount on the driver's side? I do have a clunk when putting the truck in reverse, and then also when going from reverse to drive. I also have a slight clunk when coming to a stop. I know it's not the slip yoke cause I just greased the crap out of it a few weeks ago. If it is possibly the motor mount, anybody know a way to check for sure that it's the motor mount? Thanks for all the help guys!
