I'm looking into getting a flowmaster muffler to improve the exhaust note. I don't want one thats gonna be too loud at highway speed though. I like a nice growl (better than stock) and a nice sound at full throtle, but similar or like stock at cruising speed. Any suggestions?

Thanks...

Brad
1999 5.4 Eddie Bauer 4x4
K&N Air Filter
Xenon Bulbs

 

Get a Gibson Side Swept exhaust. In the next week I am going to buy that one as well as a K&N Gen II intake, Helix power tower and a Diablo super chip. (just waiting for the income tax check to come back). I did a lot of research and Gibson claims that the noise comes out of the tail pipe instead of resonating in the whole truck like Flowmaster is so "famous" for. I have several friends with Flowmasters on various vehicles and like the sound......but can't stand to be in them for more than an hour without giving me a headache. It is supposed to make between 2 and 4 decibels louder inside the cabin (which isn't much). They have 3 styles for Expy's. Check it out at www.gibsonperformance.com

Good luck.

 

i had a gibson on my '98 eddie bauer 5.4. notice the word HAD! the drone on the highway was very annoying. any questions? e-mail me @
tigacff22(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
del bardell

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Feb-02 AT 10:37 AM (EST)]I love my Gibson Single side swept. I have the 5.4 with 3.55 rear and It has a very little resonation around 62mph. That is it. Your really never there around that speed anyhow. This is the reason you buy the single side swept is good torgue gain with no resonation. Now if you get the duels you don't gain much if any torgue and you do get bad resonation inside the truck. On long trips this could suck. The singe is great but not very loud outside the truck.

 

I just had a 3 chamber FlowMaster installed on my 2002 EB Expy and have no regrets. Instead of getting it dualed out they just cut out the existing muffler and put the FlowMaster in its place.

I also had them get rid of that resonator can or whatever the hell the crappy looking barrel is that shows right before the exhaust tip, had them put some pipe and a chrome tip in it's place.

The sound to me is not very loud, I am however used to the sound of them from previous cars and trucks.

As soon as this cold and rainy weather passes and I get it cleaned up I plan on taking some pics and posting them.

Good luck!

 

Ditto - I put a 40 series Flow on my ride right into the stock location and love it. Not too loud. I also put the Gen 1 K&N on it. I think people expect to gain 4 seconds in the 1/4 by doing this and then bash them when it does not happen. Too loud ? Come on, stay stock! Too much underhood noise? Stay stock! I love my combo and plan a chip in the near future.

 

Greg,
Where did you get your Flowmaster? Locally? The closest place to me is 118 miles away in NH. Would be worth it for me to just have it shipped.

 

Funny thing is that I took it to one of those fly by night muffler shops that claim to be 'performance' oriented. I stood and watched all of the work, making sure it was satisfactory - this tells you how much they endorse safety, I'm in the shop watching a guy who can't even speak to me, weld my muffler in. I just wanted to make sure it was a good clean weld and it was in straight. They did a great job, and I beleive it was ~$110 installed.

 

 

So yours is not the complete cat-back system? Just the muffler?

 

Correct-o-mundo . . .was on a tighter budget, every dollar was counted ! I am very happy with it though . . .no doubt there is more to be gained with the cat back though. As I recall it would have been ~$300 installed at 4Wheelparts for cat back.