Got cat back system, not loud enough!!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Mobile, ALABAMA
5.8: thats gotta be loud man....of course you have cats on it so it probably cutz down on the noise....JMO but when i got my duals installed it sounded louder the first day, now...not as loud...maybe it was just i went from quiet to LOUD it was just a shock to me i guess....now i guess ive gotten used to it.....anybody know if i cutt off the *y pipe* coming down from the stock manifolds, and making it "true" duals will help in the performance or sound level? im sure it will help performance since it will be going through 2 pipes instead of that crappy y pipe...any ideas?
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I still haven't got a chance to hear my truck as it drives by - the wife thinks this is an incredibly stupid thing for me to stand there with the baby while she goes by standing on the throttle- but I did notice a couple things while experimenting by myself.
While driving with windows down next to a cement barrier wall there is not a big echo of sound. I can hear more of a "whooshing" sound when I'm at full throttle and over about 3000 rpm. It's kind of like the hissing noise you used to hear from a v-8 car with a stock exhaust - like a whole bunch of exhaust pressure just trying to get out through a restictive system. My sound is a little deeper than that but it is not a loud healthy sounding exhuast. I'm wondering is this is due to the short piece of pipe that exits from the muffler...
Would an over the axle section of pipe improve the quality of the sound? My original intent was to get more sound by exiting before the tire while reducing interior sound by using the delta flow. Right now I think the system sounds best from inside the cab..??
Hmmm.....
While driving with windows down next to a cement barrier wall there is not a big echo of sound. I can hear more of a "whooshing" sound when I'm at full throttle and over about 3000 rpm. It's kind of like the hissing noise you used to hear from a v-8 car with a stock exhaust - like a whole bunch of exhaust pressure just trying to get out through a restictive system. My sound is a little deeper than that but it is not a loud healthy sounding exhuast. I'm wondering is this is due to the short piece of pipe that exits from the muffler...
Would an over the axle section of pipe improve the quality of the sound? My original intent was to get more sound by exiting before the tire while reducing interior sound by using the delta flow. Right now I think the system sounds best from inside the cab..??
Hmmm.....
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Bel Air, MD
How many miles are on your truck? Sounds like with the "whooshing" sound, your cats are restricting the exhaust. Maybe replace with a hi-flow cat or hollow the rear cat out and leave the front one alone. Over the axle with a tip should give it a deeper tone.
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82,000 miles.
I looked at the rear cat when they were replacing the pipe and it looked normal inside.
The engine runs very clean, no black ever shows up inside the pipe so I'm thinking the cats are in decent shape.
I am tempted to gut the rear cat but I don't want to have to struggle with emmissions - have enough headache with that on my Mustang.
I was wondering if the extra length of the pipe over the axle would change the tone/loudness. I'm thinking that 3 inch pipe after the muffler would still preserve that torque (or what little the 5.0 has) but would the biger pipe change the sound?
I looked at the rear cat when they were replacing the pipe and it looked normal inside.
The engine runs very clean, no black ever shows up inside the pipe so I'm thinking the cats are in decent shape.
I am tempted to gut the rear cat but I don't want to have to struggle with emmissions - have enough headache with that on my Mustang.
I was wondering if the extra length of the pipe over the axle would change the tone/loudness. I'm thinking that 3 inch pipe after the muffler would still preserve that torque (or what little the 5.0 has) but would the biger pipe change the sound?
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I just bought a 2 2 1/2'" 19 dollar cherry bomb glass pack and some exhaust fittings and bolted them together with exhaust clamps, my truck sounds pretty good considering I spent under 50 bucks on it. Flow master for a truck is a waste of money imo. All I need now is an exhaust guy to throw on an tail peice about 2 feet long and drop it out in front of my rear tire. So all in all it'll have cost me 100 bucks installed for a great sounding catback. 
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Joined: May 2004
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From: South Texas
Originally Posted by DanZ
96 f150 with 302
So I have my cat back system installed but it's not loud enough. It is 2.5" from the cat back with a FM 40 series delta flow. I had them exit the pipe in front of the rear tire because I wanted a little more sound. The guy at the shop said he couldn't tell the difference between the sound of a 40 series original series and the 40 series delta flow so I figured it would sound ok. Flowmaster says that the interior noise is less with the delta flow so I thought that made sense.
I decided on 2.5" because the shop recommended it and I got the same story from FM when I called them about pipe sizing. I didn't want to chance losing torque since that is the majority of the power used in everyday driving.
I really like the FM sound but just want it to be more noticable. I can hear it from the inside but it doesn't sound too much different than stock - maybe the delta flow "lower interior noise is true".
I am still running the stock cats - I know this cuts alot of sound down.
So I figure my choices are:
Go to 40 series original.
Go to 3 inch pipe exiting before the tire.
Go to 3 inch pipe exiting after the tire.
Don't know how much difference the 3 inch pipe will make and whether or not sound is better or worse depending on where it exits. Is it true that pipe sizing and routing doesn't matter much after the muffler? I was told that the sizing thing comes into play between the cat and the muffler.
Any opinions?
So I have my cat back system installed but it's not loud enough. It is 2.5" from the cat back with a FM 40 series delta flow. I had them exit the pipe in front of the rear tire because I wanted a little more sound. The guy at the shop said he couldn't tell the difference between the sound of a 40 series original series and the 40 series delta flow so I figured it would sound ok. Flowmaster says that the interior noise is less with the delta flow so I thought that made sense.
I decided on 2.5" because the shop recommended it and I got the same story from FM when I called them about pipe sizing. I didn't want to chance losing torque since that is the majority of the power used in everyday driving.
I really like the FM sound but just want it to be more noticable. I can hear it from the inside but it doesn't sound too much different than stock - maybe the delta flow "lower interior noise is true".
I am still running the stock cats - I know this cuts alot of sound down.
So I figure my choices are:
Go to 40 series original.
Go to 3 inch pipe exiting before the tire.
Go to 3 inch pipe exiting after the tire.
Don't know how much difference the 3 inch pipe will make and whether or not sound is better or worse depending on where it exits. Is it true that pipe sizing and routing doesn't matter much after the muffler? I was told that the sizing thing comes into play between the cat and the muffler.
Any opinions?
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Joined: May 2002
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From: AK
Even if your wife thinks its stupid, its the only way for you to really gauge the loudness/sound... if not you'll always be wondering or wanting more.
And I wouldn't mess with the emissions on your '96, that rear O2 sensor will throw a code if you gut or chop any of your cats. You'd have to replace them with a highflow in order for it to work. JMHO
And I wouldn't mess with the emissions on your '96, that rear O2 sensor will throw a code if you gut or chop any of your cats. You'd have to replace them with a highflow in order for it to work. JMHO
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Update:
Got my wife to do the driveby test. Actually she said my 2 year old thought it was pretty fun even though he was in the car seat....
At full throttle it is very quiet and the sound is only good at low and mid rpm. Then you can really hear that "whoosing" sound at higher rpm.
Called Flowmaster and he said that the 302 is notoriously quiet. He told me the story of how he ran his F150 with no muffler and that with the two cats it still wasn't very loud. After he put the 40 series on he said it was about the same sound level. Basically he said you can't get alot of sound out of a 302 single exhuast with cats. He thought I might get a little more sound from 3 inch pipe out the back. He also said the 40 series original is their cheapest muffler and that I am getting more flow and power from the delta flow. He didn't have a good answer for the whooshing sound.
Any opinions on how a single 3 inch FM 40 series system with cats exiting out behind the tire sounds? I'm willing to do that if it fixes this sound oddity.
Got my wife to do the driveby test. Actually she said my 2 year old thought it was pretty fun even though he was in the car seat...
.At full throttle it is very quiet and the sound is only good at low and mid rpm. Then you can really hear that "whoosing" sound at higher rpm.
Called Flowmaster and he said that the 302 is notoriously quiet. He told me the story of how he ran his F150 with no muffler and that with the two cats it still wasn't very loud. After he put the 40 series on he said it was about the same sound level. Basically he said you can't get alot of sound out of a 302 single exhuast with cats. He thought I might get a little more sound from 3 inch pipe out the back. He also said the 40 series original is their cheapest muffler and that I am getting more flow and power from the delta flow. He didn't have a good answer for the whooshing sound.
Any opinions on how a single 3 inch FM 40 series system with cats exiting out behind the tire sounds? I'm willing to do that if it fixes this sound oddity.
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Joined: Mar 2004
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I dont remember if you said you had a tip on the pipe or not.You might go back to the muffler guy and ask him to hold up a couple for you to try. I see you have a mustang . How loud is it? (If modifide)
I running a si/do 40 series on my 97 4.6 and am real happy. Although Im not sure if its a delta. Can you believe I was so excited about the sound I haven't even looked. (I asked for the Delta) I had a 76 Cobra 302 with hooker headers and glasspacks in high school and it was by no means quiet.
I hope you find the sound your looking for.
I running a si/do 40 series on my 97 4.6 and am real happy. Although Im not sure if its a delta. Can you believe I was so excited about the sound I haven't even looked. (I asked for the Delta) I had a 76 Cobra 302 with hooker headers and glasspacks in high school and it was by no means quiet.
I hope you find the sound your looking for.
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Joined: May 2004
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If you have to pass emissions testing, I think you're screwed. I got a setup similar to yours and am waiting till I pass my next smog check before I screw around with stuff. But anyway, to pass visual inspection they're gonna have to see 2 cats down there, so you gotta take the 1st one off and hollow it out, and replace the 2nd one with a new high flow cat. The job the cats do is split between the two, but the newer cats do both jobs in one, so if you get rid of just one of your current cats, you're leaving some work to be done that isn't going to get done.
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From: Mobile, ALABAMA
dan: ive got a 90' with a 302...and i remember having single exahust with i think it was a flowmaster 40...with bot catz...i cut one off and it sounded better..much deeper...but if your looking for sound, i say put on some duals, or either some headers, if you havent already....My advice is, throw on some headers...make more power and it would make it sound better too....im wanting to put on some headers on mine....well, hope it all work out for ya dude....
nd4spd
nd4spd
Last edited by nd4spd; May 4, 2004 at 09:24 AM.
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I'm not worried about emmisions, it should pass just fine. My state allows modifications to the system behind the cats. I'm not getting any codes since I replaced my O2 sensor. I understand that they read your codes as part of the emmisions test but I haven't had to get the annual test yet. They also do not allow dual exhaust if your original system was single, even if you do have cats on both sides of a dual setup. You have to find a backyard dude to dual out single exhaust vehicles because the shops will not touch them.
I don't really want to mess with the cats anyway, my goal was to get more power and good sound with them but the sound may be hard to get, and I really don't like the "whooshing" noise. Still wondering how much difference it would make going to 3 inch pipe over the axle.
My Mustang has good sound out the back. I still have the stock h-pipe & cats with 2.5" cat back with Race Magnum mufflers. I have many engine mods, Trick flow heads & intake, 1 5/8 BBK headers, E cam, 1.7 rockers, & a few more goodies. I'm sure that gives me better volume/sound but I sure wish the truck could sound anywhere near as good.
I don't really want to mess with the cats anyway, my goal was to get more power and good sound with them but the sound may be hard to get, and I really don't like the "whooshing" noise. Still wondering how much difference it would make going to 3 inch pipe over the axle.
My Mustang has good sound out the back. I still have the stock h-pipe & cats with 2.5" cat back with Race Magnum mufflers. I have many engine mods, Trick flow heads & intake, 1 5/8 BBK headers, E cam, 1.7 rockers, & a few more goodies. I'm sure that gives me better volume/sound but I sure wish the truck could sound anywhere near as good.