Hey everyone…just wondering what would be the best muffler for my F150 1985 4x4? Had flowmaster on the ’81….but this is a straight six…the other was a 302..sounded great with Flowmaster??

 

I'm a pro flow guy. Reducing friction and increasing throughput in CFMs. I do it on the intake and the exhaust. The more CFMs the more horsepower as Gale Banks explains. The balancing act is in relieving the exhaust and still maintain decent noise reduction. A nice throaty authoritative sound s what I like.

 

yea me too, but some say that a six will never have that sound?no matter what I use…thank you for the response…sounds like you do your homework taking wood bed out this week to sand and treat with teak oil...

 

I've also heard that a V6 or I6 engine will never have that V8 rumble. That being said, I think a V6 or I6 could still sound good with the right muffler.

I suggest you visit a local exhaust shop and ask the owner's opinion. Often times, exhaust shops will keep house brand mufflers in stock that sound just as good as Flowmasters/Dynomax. The good thing is that you can save some money and support a local business.

 

You did not say if still using the factory log exhaust manifold or the EFI manifolds?
Also do you need to run a cat?

My 81 flare side I am running EFI manifolds into a Walker Y pipe and full 94 pipes to the rear tail pipe.
I don't run a cat but am running a Thrush welded muffler that is a performance upgrade from stock muffler.

I think it sounds pretty good at idle because of the EFI manifolds nothing like a straight six.
Can't say how it sounds going down the road from out side but dose have a little more sound inside but not anything a kid would write home about. Thing is I can get the whole system from any parts store for a 94 F150.
Dave ----

 

Be careful. It's very easy for a six to sound like a ricer. Glasspack will do it.

 

A lot has to do with the exh manifold / header on what the sound will be like.
I have run a lot of straight sixes from high school, late 70's to today.
High school it was stock log manifold and a glass pack on a Dodge van, no difference that I could tell in sound or power.
Had a 200 six in a 67 Mustang with stock system, could not hear it running it was quite.

73 Toyota L/C 230 six with a Clifford Performance 3 into 2 header that a custom Y pipe was made to fit the header into a turbo muffler and tail pipe.
It also run a Holley 2300 v2 carb. It was pretty good on power for a big 4x4 had a nice sound at idle but get the RPM up and it would bark!

When I bought my 81 F100 it had the log manifold, short head pipe into a cat that was falling apart that ended under the cab.
To me it sounded like a stock truck, too quite.
Now part of the rebuild I got EFI manifolds and hooked it to a stock system, muffler to tail pipe, less cat. It was too quite.

When the muffler inlet pulled out is when I switched to all 94 F150 pipes, full system, and the Thrush welded muffler.
I think with the EFI manifolds, like shorty headers, and the welded muffler is what makes it sound good to me.

Have you looked at Youtube for sound clips of 300 six?
Dave ----

 

headed to my local wrench today for muffler assistance…thx for info ...

 

Upsizing the diameter will lower the tone. Think coronet versus tuba.
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Single wall vs dual wall. Dual wall stock on most vehicles. Quieter by far.

good luck!