I just got done putting an edlbrock cat back system on my '88 f150 w/351w. I also put headers on it and punched out both the cats. (I think they are both cats because they both had a bunch of white ceramic filtering material in them) Anyways, its all hooked up and has a decent rumble to it, but its just not quite loud enough. It was REALLY loud with just headers. How can I make it a little louder while keeping a good tone to it? The turbo muffler on it looks like it could be punched out, but is this a good idea? I don't want it so loud that I get pulled over... Any ideas?

 

You still have a muffler on it and you're pissed that it's muffled. Am I the only one that sees the obvious answer here?

 

there is only one answer to that rip it off

 

Im not sure if there is an obvious answer. I wasnt pissed that it was muffled... I pissed because it was too muffled. When you go to the edelbrock site they advertise their exhaust systems as having a great sound and they make it out to sound like it is fairly loud, just not too loud. When I actually got it on I could barely hear the engine idling in the cab and even outside. So I was expecting a louder cat back I guess is what Im saying. I did by a muffler and I did want it to be muffled so that it wouldnt **** my neighbors off, but not so quiet that I cant hear it... So I hope you understand my question now and if your gonna be an a$$ about it then dont post anything... Thanks.

 

I am not sure of the mileage or the laws in your area regarding that: If possible I would get rid of the cat unless that is not an option as it would be cheaper than replacing the muffler. I am not sure of your definition of punching out the cat. What is left as far as the cat may be muffling the exhaust just enough to keep you dissatisfied. If a new muffler is obtainable try a glasspack, that should give you what you want. From my experience if you can see through a muffler it is gonna be loud. You could always get a loud exhaust and just take it easy on the peddle(Yeah I know not easily done). Again installing an exhaust system is a shot in the dark unless you have heard a similar system on another truck, because everyones taste is different. Wish I could help more.

 

One option I have noticed that I like is in the J.C. Whitney catolouge, is a diverter, it will run straight pipe with lever pulled out, lever pushed in and it runs standard exhaust, it routes out above the cat, the pulls 2 pips back so you can hook it up in the back after the mufflers, this way, if pulled over it looks like you run regular exhaust, but otherwise run it as a straight pipe, you get the sound and power and the option of making it quiet at any time, good luck on your decision,

-Ford4Ever

 

Well, I just thought it was an obvious answer. Anyway, the way they market systems like that, it appears to be to folks who have always had stock muffler systems and don't know what nice straight pipes sound like. They also brag about "increased power." Of course, that's increased over a STOCK EXHAUST, not over straight pipes.
Anyway, none of that answers your question. A friend of mine stumbled upon an answer that sounds stupid, but actually works ok: tractor mufflers. I'm not talkin diesel muffler (for some reason everybody always assumes I am) but tractor mufflers for small gas AC's, IH's, or JD's. You can see straight through em (Always a good sign that they flow well) but they do muffle your exhaust slightly and if the cop can see a muffler of some type on there, that's brownie points for ya. Lookin quickly from the side, they look similar to a turbo muffler.
Another bonus of this is they are cheaper to experiment with than your previous system. I wouldn't go punchin out somethin that expensive, but for $10-15, a tractor muffler is just right for the shade tree exhaust system scientist.

 

Hi my name is chris


I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but, you should of bought a flowmaster. I looked long and hard into it when i purchased my mufflers for my truck. The answer was obvious once i heard a truck with 40 series on it. A day later i heard a truck with Edelbrock and i choose the flomaster cause it sounds better.

I have an 88 f-150 with a 302 that is bored 40 over and stroked to 357 cubes. I have flomaster 40 series on it and it sounds EVIL. If i come home late i wake my family up when i pull into the garage --seriously--. It's not to bad inside the truck when moving either but, one thing for sure everyone that hears me comming knows who it is before i get there. Hope i helped you out.

PS: just take the cats off....your truck does not moneter them. The air line that goes to your knock sensor....just take that line off to where it connects at the back of the motor and it will be fine. That is what i did and my truck runes better than ever.

HOPE I HELPED

chris --Gui88ford--

 

Thanks for the input guys. Im still kicking myself for buying the edelbrock system. As far as the cats go, they are gone. Im gonna leave this sub par system on for the winter, and put a pair of glass packs on in the spring.

 

I got too impatient with this catback system so I took the turbo muffler off and replaced it with staight pipe. Sounds awesome. Stupid Muffler, what was I thinking...

 

Hey chris, those FM 40 series, are they loud like popping loud or deep rumble loud? I want deep rumble loud. Ya think if i get the delta flow deal on FM 40 series it would be deep rumble loud?

 

Hey all, what's happening? Here's my setup, not that you can all reproduce it...I got an 86 F-250 HD with a 351W. Edelbrock 351 Performer aluminum intake, holley 750 4bbl carb (yeah, big!), Extreme 4x4 camshaft. As for mufflers....I'm running headers straight back to a Flowmaster 30 series dual chambered dual in, dual out muffler, no cats...just headers, Flowmaster 30 series, and two 3 1/2" slashed chrome tips exiting in front of the pasenger side rear wheel. I can say proudly I drive one of the loudest trucks in my town. It is a very mean rumble when idling or just rolling slowly (<20mph) down the street. As you accelerate it just gets meaner and meaner. Cruising on the highway doing 70 and I get a consistent, steady loud hum. I also get a bit of a whir, coming from my pumkin, being 4.10 gears, it's designed mor efor off the line speed rather than top speed. But it is ooohhhh so fun!

Ryan
1986 F-250 HD 4x4
351W, Edelbrock 351 Performer aluminum intake
Holley 750 4bbl carb
Extreme 4x4 camshaft
Flowmaster true dual exhaust w/ custom long headers
3" body lift by Warn

 

I just ran a 3" system with an H pipe on my truck. I have a stock 360. I used the Flowtech Warlock mufflers with the plugs on the back you can remove to get pure straight through flow. I think it sounds great and it isn't quiet with the plugs in. I try to stay away from ebrock as much as possible but its kind of hard with an FE motor. That's just me. I take their "promises" with a grain of salt I read somewhere that their expensive, super high tech offroad shocks were actually made by ryder and ryder made the exact same shock for much less.

 

I hate to tell you this, but glass packs are crap. They dont give a deep mellow rumble. They sound like a string of fire crackers going off. They dont last very long either. And the baffles inside them actually restrict exhaust flow. I would go with a Flowmaster. One thing you could do is put hollowed out glass packs on it. A friend of mine did that to a 93 Z71. It sounded pretty good. Just my advice