To muffle or not ???
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New User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 23
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From: new lenox
To muffle or not ???
i searched though the site and found a little help, but lmk ask again fresh. 02 4x4 X psd ... thinking about just taking stock muffler off and putting in a straight pipe... I think the stock system is 4" so why buy all new pipes?? pros cons ??? is there any backpressure problems or is is better to let a PSD breath.... I just want a little more kick and the engine to breath betterLater I am gonna add a cold air intake. lmk what you guys think thanks
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 86
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From: Jefferson, Iowa
Is the i.d. of the muffler 2"? is this the same on a 97? I removed my cat and the sound has improved greatly but i was wondering about removing the muffler with it. The reason i didn't was because of turbo flutter but maybe i can live with that vs. restriction. 
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 824
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From: Helotes, Texas
Aftermarket exhausts give you a less restrictive system by increasing pipe size, but more importantly a good system will include mandrel bent tubing, less restrictive downpipe, free flowing straight -through muffler, etc.... definitely worth the money. If you stick with the stock exhaust, at least change the downpipe.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 258
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From: Lake Stevens, WA
I recently straight piped my otherwise stock exhaust and.....IT"S FREAKIN AWESOME!! 
. I absolutely love the way it sounds. I will drive with the left rear window down just so I can listen to it. I put a 3.5 inch turn down tip on also that is pointed back at about a 45*angle, and i can hardly notice it at all in the cab withthe windows up. I did the 6637 intake at the same time and the 2 made a HUGE improvement in spool up time of the turbo.
. I absolutely love the way it sounds. I will drive with the left rear window down just so I can listen to it. I put a 3.5 inch turn down tip on also that is pointed back at about a 45*angle, and i can hardly notice it at all in the cab withthe windows up. I did the 6637 intake at the same time and the 2 made a HUGE improvement in spool up time of the turbo.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 282
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From: Washington, Kansas
the 6637 intake is just an open element air filter that you can do yourself and it very effective and doesn't cost very much. Yes the down pipe is the pipe from the turbo down and then makes a small turn. I too am going to straight pipe mine with the original exhaust otherwise I'm just curious as to how loud this will be?
refuse2
refuse2
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Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,773
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From: Bonney Lake, WA
The stock diameter for any 7.3 Powerstroke is 3.5". The decision to straight pipe the truck, or run a muffler is a matter of personal choice. I ran a straight pipe for a while, but the volume level got to me, as did the flutter. I've tried several different mufflers, and have settled on the stock 3.5" straight through muffler that came on my '95. It's mounted on the end of the downpipe, and then the system expands to 5", where it runs back and over the axle, expands again to 6", and exits in the stock location. I've got the best of both worlds. It's quiet when I'm leaving the neighborhood at 2:30am, but has a nice bark to it when I hit the throttle. The muffler takes out most of the flutter, but lets enough sound through so people can tell I'm not stock. 
That isn't the answer for everyone, but after tearing my exhaust system off and putting it back on several times, it's the only combination that I've found that gives me what I want, when I want it.
That isn't the answer for everyone, but after tearing my exhaust system off and putting it back on several times, it's the only combination that I've found that gives me what I want, when I want it.
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Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,773
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From: Bonney Lake, WA
The best description I've heard:
Imagine talking into a fan. The sound gets reflected back to you in pulses. That's what flutter sounds like, but with exhaust, unless you've got a very deep, loud voice.
Imagine talking into a fan. The sound gets reflected back to you in pulses. That's what flutter sounds like, but with exhaust, unless you've got a very deep, loud voice.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
From: Washington, Kansas
now wouldn't a new compressor wheel help with the flutter? I'm trying to figure out what I want to do about my exhaust now, I think it might be to loud when I leave at 2:00 am so I think I might try to find something to tone it down a bit or replace the whole system all together but I don't know and then trying to tell the wife that I need to spend $400.
refuse2
refuse2
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Originally Posted by Xskeezy
what is the 6637 intake??? just curious . it seems like remove the muffler is the way to go. downpipe is the pipe from the turbo to the cat correct??
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=277571
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 258
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From: Lake Stevens, WA
My straight piped exhaust really is not that loud, as long as I keep my foot out of the radiator. When letting my truck warm up in the morning, the sound of the motor, and the exhaust are about the same level. IMO, A fart piped import is far louder than these things.