Which do you think?...Exhaust
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Joined: Nov 2003
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Which do you think?...Exhaust
I have a 2006 Ford F150 5.4L
Option 1 - Flowmaster muffler 40 series, larger pipes from the cat, larger tip...$290
Option 2 - Magnaflow muffler, larger tip...$220
I want it to sound deep, but not too loud. One exhaust place told me that if you change the muffler but not the pipes, it may sound poor ("crackly"). The other place said that the 2006 pipes are larger anyways and all I need is a new muffler and it will sound good. What do you guys think? What have you done?
Option 1 - Flowmaster muffler 40 series, larger pipes from the cat, larger tip...$290
Option 2 - Magnaflow muffler, larger tip...$220
I want it to sound deep, but not too loud. One exhaust place told me that if you change the muffler but not the pipes, it may sound poor ("crackly"). The other place said that the 2006 pipes are larger anyways and all I need is a new muffler and it will sound good. What do you guys think? What have you done?
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
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Flowmaster will not give the deep sound you are looking for. I ran a Flowmaster 40 Single in/Dual out and it was very raspy. Now I run a Magnaflow 14in long 5x11 muffler with single in, dual out custom catback. The Magnaflow comes in 14in(loudest), 18in(loud), 24in(milder) lengths. If you are leaving it single exhaust, leave the stock pipes and just replace the muffler, and DO NOT take advice from some exhaust shop unless they are reputable.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,821
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From: South Dakota
Don't waste your time with the single in jobbers (unless moneys tight).
My dual in dual out Flowmaster 50 sounds great right up to redline, no rasp what so ever.
Great deep tone thats not overbearing at highway speeds.
My dual in dual out Flowmaster 50 sounds great right up to redline, no rasp what so ever.
Great deep tone thats not overbearing at highway speeds.
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Peoria (the armpit of IL)
options, options, options...
I just had the factory muffler cut out and had a Hooker Aero Chamber muffler put in it's place...sounds great. I went the whole catback SIDO Flowmaster route on my last truck (an 02 Silverado - GASP - Chevy). It was a bit overbearing on the Chevy (pretty loud and an annoying drone at certain RPMs or different highway cruising speeds). I'm glad I just swapped the muffler out this time. I debated a bunch of different mufflers, and decided to give the Hooker a try (a buddy has a catback Hooker system on his Z28, and swears by it). Very good sound IMO!
ooops, forgot - I did have a sweet looking rolled lip stainless tip welded on too...I know, I know, gallery is coming soon!!!
ooops, forgot - I did have a sweet looking rolled lip stainless tip welded on too...I know, I know, gallery is coming soon!!!
Last edited by Robbs04FX4; Dec 8, 2005 at 05:36 PM.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,821
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From: South Dakota
I would agree that the Flowmaster 40s tend to be overbearing on the Chevys and Dodges, but I'd attribute that to the 2 cats (1 big preheater, 1 big cat) that they both use versus the 4 that Ford likes to use (2 small preheaters, 2 small cats).
The extra cats really drown out the engine comparitively speaking.
I really like the looks of the Hooker Aero chamber, a pretty well built muffler.
I was really surprised to see the similaritys in exhaust systems between the '02 F150 5.4L CC I used to own and the '04 F150 5.4L CC especially with the total revamp of the truck.
As far as going with the stock pipe, I'm not all that wild about that idea, but could see it if you were just after sound on the cheap.
IIRC, the stock system runs 2.5'' off the heads, through the cats, combines both heads, and then necks down to a 2" pipe that is not mandrel bent.
Putting just the muffler in is okay for just the sound, but really won't help out the flow.
The extra cats really drown out the engine comparitively speaking.
I really like the looks of the Hooker Aero chamber, a pretty well built muffler.
I was really surprised to see the similaritys in exhaust systems between the '02 F150 5.4L CC I used to own and the '04 F150 5.4L CC especially with the total revamp of the truck.
As far as going with the stock pipe, I'm not all that wild about that idea, but could see it if you were just after sound on the cheap.
IIRC, the stock system runs 2.5'' off the heads, through the cats, combines both heads, and then necks down to a 2" pipe that is not mandrel bent.
Putting just the muffler in is okay for just the sound, but really won't help out the flow.
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 40
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From: Peoria (the armpit of IL)
If you want to improve flow, in all honesty you better start farther back than the cats...headers - couple of high flow cats (for those that choose to keep cats) - then it would be worth the mandrel bent tubing and a quality muffler (again, for those that choose to keep a muffler). The way I see it is the restrictive part of a factory system is the muffler; and replacing it helps the most. I know folks are big on the cat back systems with the mandrel bent tubes (2.5" or 3"), but I've had that set-up and it seemed more like an overpriced noise maker...I went for a cheaper noise maker this time. Do I think my muffler would work a little better with mandrel bent tubes from the cat to the muffler, and then out...maybe a little, but I doubt it would be very noticeable at all. $300 and up worth??? not to me, but again; my opinion.
reread your post again...where does it neck down to 2"? I didn't do the muffler swap myself, but I know it was 2.5" into and out of the muffler...
reread your post again...where does it neck down to 2"? I didn't do the muffler swap myself, but I know it was 2.5" into and out of the muffler...
Last edited by Robbs04FX4; Dec 8, 2005 at 06:37 PM.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,821
Likes: 19
From: South Dakota
Hmm, I no longer have the stock system as it's now in the trash heap.
I agree to some degree on the revamp of the exhaust system...I don't necessarly think that the stock cats are that bad in terms of flow, but they are definately better than that garbage of the late '80s.
Now the stock headers, well that's a different story. Even with the 3V I seriously doubt that they've changed a whole lot versus the 2V version.
On the '02 I used to own, I put Gibson ceramics on and the difference was phenominal! I used to have a side by side comparison of the stock and gibson headers, and the difference was unreal. Maybe some day I'll be brave enough to put some headers on this truck. It was crazy how that '02 would rev up, sure had plenty more top end compared to the stock system.
Maybe it necks down to a 2'' at the Y pipe, and therefore the muffler would be the same on both ends?
I could be wrong, but the 2.5'' pipes that I have now are definately bigger than the stock tail pipe ever was.
Either way, since I don't have the stock system any more, I can't prove or disprove it.
I agree to some degree on the revamp of the exhaust system...I don't necessarly think that the stock cats are that bad in terms of flow, but they are definately better than that garbage of the late '80s.
Now the stock headers, well that's a different story. Even with the 3V I seriously doubt that they've changed a whole lot versus the 2V version.
On the '02 I used to own, I put Gibson ceramics on and the difference was phenominal! I used to have a side by side comparison of the stock and gibson headers, and the difference was unreal. Maybe some day I'll be brave enough to put some headers on this truck. It was crazy how that '02 would rev up, sure had plenty more top end compared to the stock system.
Maybe it necks down to a 2'' at the Y pipe, and therefore the muffler would be the same on both ends?
I could be wrong, but the 2.5'' pipes that I have now are definately bigger than the stock tail pipe ever was.
Either way, since I don't have the stock system any more, I can't prove or disprove it.
Last edited by superrangerman2002; Dec 8, 2005 at 09:58 PM.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Peoria (the armpit of IL)
I was in no way trying to argue. I was just saying that if I wanted to really make a big difference in my trucks exhaust I woulda went all out (headers on back). Truth be told, I wanted it to sound better, and if it helped HP or MPGs any that'd be icing on top of my now healthier sounding V8.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 100
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Stock systems are 2.5in which are plenty size for our engines, also, we need the backpressure for the torque where we need it. Mandrel bends and 3in pipes help on the high rpm HP, but we need the low rpm torque. You may gain a few HP up top with a mandrel bent system, but at the cost of potentially moving the torque band up in the rpm band.
New User
Joined: Jul 2005
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I went with a fFlowmaster 50 series SUV 3" siso and 3" pipe from the y back. The truck sounds mellow but not annoying. The truck makes so much more power now I had to add tractor weights to the front bumper to keep it on the ground during launch. Well there might be a LITTLE exaggeration in that statement but the truck sure sounds better.
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