Exhaust Question

[snicklas]

I have considered opening up the exhaust on my Excursion. One consern that I have is the "exhaust drone" that may come along with doing this. Currently the truck has the 100% stock, factory exhaust. Turbo to tailpipe, Cat and Muffler.....

I have thought, loose the cat, keep the muffler, or keep the cat, loose the muffler, or loose both. Indiana does not have inspections / emission checks.. (yet)... so changing the exhaust is not an issue.

BUT... and this is the sticking point..... This is the "family station wagon". My fear is what happened to my Dad, he has a 94 E-150, 302. Before he bought his Pick-up he was towing his boat with the van... a 5000lb+ boat.... so he had the exhaust opened up, for a bit more power... the cat was replaced, and a MagnaFlow/Flowmaster style muffler was installed. Once this was done.. at crusing speed 55-60, the exhaust drone was unbearable inside the van... to the point you could not hear, talk... think..... it was like that for about 2 weeks, and he had the magnaflo/flowmaster style muffler was removed, and a new, take-off cheby muffler was installed (new exhaust was 3" and this was a 3" in/out muffler). This "fixed" the drone and has been good since.

I do not want to repeat this with my truck. I had a Flowmaster installed on a Durango, and it did not drone.... but apple and oranges.

Has anyone noticed that has a van, or a CC pickup, or Excursion that has opened up the exhaust, that it causes a drone in the cabin.....

Do I leave well enought alone... since there is nothing wrong with system now.

Do I remove one or both the current, cat or muffler and straight pipe it....

Do I remove both and remove both, and add a Walker BTM?

If I do this, I only want to do it once.....

 

[Stroked68]

Well I would just cut the muffler off first since there is no sensors on the muffler. See what it sounds like for ya then. If it doesnt cause any probs you can always just also gut the cat and leave it there if ya wanted. Turbo back exhaust is what I would do. I have turbo back 4" exhaust with no muffler with huge 6" dual stacks and its not that loud. Since yer exhaust will be out under the truck it shouldnt be that loud. Diesels arent that loud compared to a gasser cause the exhaust goes though the turbo which muffles it down quite a bit.

 

[BIG JOE]

My .03 would be:

Remove the Cat and save it, in-case Indiana changes the rules (the Yet factor)

Remove the OE muffler and install a Magna-Flow.. they are a unrestricted Flow-Thru by design, but have a nice, healthy, but Not LOUD sound. No Drone.



Joe

(you could also install a Turn Down tip. They deflect any sound.. down & away.)

 

[snicklas]

OK... I know the turbo is a good "muffler".... and I would love to let all of that 03 turbo whistle out of the pipe. So a complete straight pipe would drone? Or it would not just be louder that it if had a muffler.

I had considered the Walker BTM (Big Truck Muffler) as it is designed for diesels and is more of a resonator that a muffler. It has a pipe straight through it, but had holes in the pipe to allow some resonation. I know several guys that have used them on the IDI's and 7.3 PSD's.

I guess my big "fear" is getting drone, and have spent $$$ on something that I am going to take back off.....

I have thought about getting a stick of 3 or 3.5" which ever stock is, and get a couple of "big truck" style butt clamps, unbolt the cat and the muffler, and stick the stick in its place and see how that goes..... I am not looking for and obnoxious "look at me" sound.... just open it up and let it breathe better......

 

[BIG JOE]

Just an opinion Scott.. But I don't think yul gain much of anything if you stay with the 3, 3 1/2" system... BTM.. with or without the Cat.

As we all know, on these things, F series or EX, they're purdy well Choked off when it comes to the exhaust set-ups. Intakes too.

Kinda why we all say to put a EGT & Boost gauges on.. to get a Base Line.. then open up the intake & exhaust.. and go from there ? So you can see & monitor any improvements ?

A good 4" system, with no crush bends.. and a muffler of your choice might be the way to go ?? At this point ??

Got Gauges on the EX ??

 

[Stroked68]

Yea you aint gaining anything sticking 3 or 3.5" pipe on cause I think stock is 3.5 anyways. Just take everything off from the cat back and go from there. That way if you dont like it you can stick it back on. You arnt going to have a drone even if you go with 4" turbo back. Hell when I first got my truck I cut that muffler off and threw that away cause these diesels need to breather. Had a nice deep tone. Didnt drone at all cause it was under the truck. It will have a nice deep tone when you get on it which is nice.

 

[NASCAR Mike]

The Walker BTM is junk. Mine lasted about 1.5 years before the inside baffles came loose and it sounded like a can of rocks rattling around. Very disappointed about that.

I installed the MBRP 4" turbo back exhaust. Initially I installed with the factory cat converter but then installed the test pipe in it's place. I do not have any drone at any speed and the turbo whistle is easily heard. It sounds awesome.

I picked up a few HP and my mileage went up by 1MPG.

Next to my SCT DP Tuner Economy tune ,the MRBP exhaust was the best money I ever spent on my X.

 

[Yooper75]

My MBRP Off Road drones something fierce above 2200 RPM but it's pretty civilized below that and it whistles nicely at idle and 10-15 PSI of boost.

 

[Stroked68]

Of course I think there is a sound diff between the 7.3's and 6.0's. 6.0's I think sound meaner.

 

[snicklas]

I love the sound of my 6.0!!! I have been around alot of different diesels. I have gotten tot he point, I can normally tell what the engine is just by listening to it.