351W sound
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Freshman User
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From: mobile, al
351W sound
I have an 89 f150 4x4 with a 351w. I bought the truck used about 6 months ago. I have shorty headers and a y pipe going into a 3 inch single exhaust and a 40 series 2 chamber flowmaster. The question i have is, are 351's a quiet motor? I know a lot of people with 302's and they roar (sound throaty, good v-8 sound) but my stock 351 isnt making the sound i'm looking for. I want the 60's muscle car sound, or the mustang gt sound. I also cut out one of the catalitic converters, and the other is hollowed out/ filter removed from inside it.
Anyone with knowledge of a stock fuel injected 351, i would really like to hear from you.
There was a guy who posted on a cobra site, that he built up a 351w and it hauled butt, but he added it sounded like a john deer. I'm assuming thats quiet.
thanks, J
Anyone with knowledge of a stock fuel injected 351, i would really like to hear from you.
There was a guy who posted on a cobra site, that he built up a 351w and it hauled butt, but he added it sounded like a john deer. I'm assuming thats quiet.
thanks, J
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From: mobile, al
Thanks for the response. This is killing me. This is the second time i have went to the muffler shop, first time to get the flowmaster put on, then second time to run 3" pipe and cut off the catalitic converters. I have turndowns on the truck because i was told the less pipe, the more loud. Anyway here are my random thoughts.
1. I had a 88 302 f150, with the same set up, stock exhaust manifolds (instead of headers), into a y pipe, and a singe flowmaster muffler. It sounded deep, and nice.
2. I'm not sure how many miles my 351 has on it, is there anyway that a stock motor could have so much wear that it would effect the exhaust note?
3. I understand the benefit of dual exhaust. but shouldnt a single exhaust atleast give you a hint of the deep sound? Or is the y pipe balancing the two sides of the exhaust into one single exhaust and canceling out the noise waves?
Sorry for this long winded post, but this is driving me crazy. I have this nice truck, black, 9 inch lift, 38.5 inch tires, that has an aggressive stance, and sounds like a wimp.
1. I had a 88 302 f150, with the same set up, stock exhaust manifolds (instead of headers), into a y pipe, and a singe flowmaster muffler. It sounded deep, and nice.
2. I'm not sure how many miles my 351 has on it, is there anyway that a stock motor could have so much wear that it would effect the exhaust note?
3. I understand the benefit of dual exhaust. but shouldnt a single exhaust atleast give you a hint of the deep sound? Or is the y pipe balancing the two sides of the exhaust into one single exhaust and canceling out the noise waves?
Sorry for this long winded post, but this is driving me crazy. I have this nice truck, black, 9 inch lift, 38.5 inch tires, that has an aggressive stance, and sounds like a wimp.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
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I agree, I have a 351 (carbed) with true duals (no cats) and glasspack (the longer ones) and its quiet, IMO. Some people mention a cam swap, depending on cam, makes the tone louder, maybe from more exhaust duration, I am not sure. That is what I have been told. Otherwise, don't know what to say, but I know what your talking about, later
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: GANS
I only have exhaust manifolds on mine right now, and its pretty loud, but not as loud as I thought i'd be. before I stripped down the truck, I have pipes that stopped right after the cab w/ no mufflers. it wasn't that loud at all.
I think a cam would make a big difference.
I think a cam would make a big difference.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: College Station, TX
long pipe headers, H-pipe, high flow cats, and 2 chamber flowmasters. a lot of the nice sound comes from the H-pipe since the exhaust resonates around in that pipe.
another thing is that the 302 has a different firing order from the 351 which gives it a unique sound.
another thing is that the 302 has a different firing order from the 351 which gives it a unique sound.
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From: Watertown, NY
Whoa, wait a minute here. People are saying the 351w is a quiet engine. Maybe you have the wrong setup. I have shorty headers, with true dual 2.5" exhaust and cherry bombs about halfway back before the rear axle. It is one of the loudest trucks I have ever heard and people tell me that. I have been pulled over twice for it and my neighbor has got pissed at me and told me it wakes him up in the morning and that he can hear me a mile down the road. Your problem is the Y-Pipe. Get rid of that. Also, if you have a cat, get rid of that too. Those were the two main things that quieted mine down. Once I get them out it woke the motor up and woke me up as well.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
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Mine as well, except for the intake and carb, otherwise I have you exact same exhaust setup. Compared to other vehicles I have heard with similar exhaust, its quiet in my opinion. I was let down when I drove away from the exhaust shop 
. Who knows? later
. Who knows? later
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Watertown, NY
Well, do you have the shorty headers and the 2.5 inch pipes? Pipe size can make a lot of difference in sound. Also, the position of the glass packs makes a difference as well depending on how far back they are from the headers. My uncle is a mechanic and he was surprised at how loud this thing was. When I told him it had headers he said that was prolly why it was so loud. If you have long tube headers it might be quieter than mine because the larger collectors makes for a slower exhaust velocity. With the shorty headers I have it maintains a fairly small opening until the glass pack where it can expand and make the sound you are looking for. If you have the long tube headers that are larger in diameter the exhaust might be expanding in there and kind of acting like a muffler before it gets to the back. Just ideas and theories I have heard...
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From: mobile, al
hmmmm. its not that my truck isnt that loud, although its not really loud. Its that what comes out noise wise, is just that. Noise. Its not deep, not like a v-8 should. It shoulds marginally deeper than when people put flowmasters on v-6 vehicles. I had a dodge pickup a few years back with the v-10, and the guy at the muffler shop told me not to waste my money with the flowmaster on it because the v-10's (dodge, not ford) exhaust note was more like a v-6 than a v-8. I honestly believe that the 351 is a quiet motor, not on par with the 302 sound. If that is not the case, than its my particular motor, maybe in need of a rebuild. However, the exhaust set up i have is the same one i had on a 88 f150 with a 302, and that one screamed, with a nice deep tone. I wonder if the exhaust not will change when i stroke the motor to 393 or 408.