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Muffler delete?

26K views 123 replies 37 participants last post by  SirRickyBobby 
#1 ·
Here are a few pics of my future project, and from what I've read thus far is that there is no tuning required for exhaust mods until you get into o2 removal and crap like that.

I marked where I want to cut it -



I want to cut it here, add a larger inlet, smaller outlet, or straight pipe and a resonator tip.

Another view, Two cuts, both symmetrical at the Y pipe.


Also, wtf is this? I did not see one on the 97
Keep in mind -
<<< Front - Rear>>>​
 
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#2 ·
If your planning to cut the mufflers, some like it and some don't. I think if your going to change the exhaust, save your money and do it all at once. I believe if you cut the mufflers off, it will drone horribly. My personal choice is true dual 2.25" with new cats (since your there anyway), Magnaflow (or muffler of your choice) mid-mount, and then pipe to the rear of the car with mufflers if you decide.

And that's either a 3rd cat, or a small resonator. I think it's a 3rd cat since it looks like the resonator is just behind it.

-Melon
 
#123 ·
If your planning to cut the mufflers, some like it and some don't. I think if your going to change the exhaust, save your money and do it all at once. I believe if you cut the mufflers off, it will drone horribly. My personal choice is true dual 2.25" with new cats (since your there anyway), Magnaflow (or muffler of your choice) mid-mount, and then pipe to the rear of the car with mufflers if you decide.

And that's either a 3rd cat, or a small resonator. I think it's a 3rd cat since it looks like the resonator is just behind it.

-Melon
I’ve got the 1990 35th anniversary super coupe. I just cut off the rear mufflers and now I have no power in second gear. Maybe it’s an ecu problem? Does anyone know?
 
#5 ·
Well I've heard some with and without the resonator and I think they sound better with it. Without it, it sounds like a big a$$ ford truck. As for Melon, I would go ahead and shell out 500 bucks (or more) a pop on Hi-flow cats but this is a temporary thing until I CAN afford the full exhaust setup. I want to do it all at the same time: headers, hi-flow cats, true duals, O/r X pipe, etc.
 
#6 ·
The thing on the front is a third cat. The thing towards the back is a resonator. The exhaust goes down pipes, through 2 cats, combine into a 3rd cat, then straight into a resonator, and then to the back. I know if you take ALL the exhaust off from before, or after the resonator, it will drone like no other and you will not be happy driving it. I don't know how it will sound from outside the car, but inside will be unbearable. (I know from experience because I was bored one day so thought I'd see what it'd sound like.:rolleyes:) I've got a 97, but it's a 3.8
 
#7 ·
I cut my mufflers off right where they attached to the piping, and put on some 3.5" x 22" tips and it sounds awesome. There is NO raspyness at all, not much drone really and i get compliments all the time on it. Nice and loud, throaty, and deep. Keep in mind too, having a set of tips will sound completely different than just cutting the mufflers off.

I left the three cats on up front, but i dont have a resonator as 96's didnt come with them. The resonator will quiet the sound just a bit.
 
#8 ·
In my hometown, they don't do all the emissions testing and checks and the cops don't mess with people too much for having a loud exhaust. Will a 96/97 exhaust mount up straight on the 94/95's? I was going to buy the 97's exhaust, disconnect them at the manifold and right before the Y and do the work like that, and then install the whole thing on the 95.
 
#9 ·
$500 for high flow cats? You are kidding right?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-5-...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

As for deleting the mufflers, one thing you definitely want to do is run straight pipe out to the back. To do that, the easiest way is to cut the mufflers right at the inlet, and just grab some straight pipe sections from the auto parts store and weld them on, with some tips at the ends. The 3rd cat and the resonator aren't hurting you any right now, so I would say leave them alone until you can afford to do the whole exhaust. The biggest restriction in the whole system is the stock front cats, so even if you could just get some downpipes made with high flow cats, and leave the rest of the exhaust stock, you would notice a bit of an improvement. Cutting the mufflers off won't gain you any power, all it will do is make it sound better.
 
#10 ·
That's what I was getting at, as just for sound quality right now. Anyone make a Hi-flow 3rd cat? Or should I replace the 3rd cat with a Y and just add another one in place of the resonator?
 
#13 ·
Until you are ready to do the whole exhaust, just leave the 3rd cat alone. When you are ready to do it, just go with 2 high-flow cats, one on each side, then the easiest way is to mid-mount a dual-in single-out muffler, then single pipe out past the diff, then split into 2 tailpipes.
 
#11 ·
I gutted my rear mufflers last year, and welded em back up. Very slight change in sound, and no gain I could measure in performance.

Things got real interesting when I fabbed up a 3" catback though. :cool:
And I agree....don't just chop your muffs off without adding the pipes/tips back to the rear.
 
#15 ·
Why not side exits? I know it's entirely my decision, but why not? Aesthetic reasons? I'm not knocking ya'lls Ideas, but give me some more input on the matter of dual side exits. It would be different.
 
#19 ·
You only have room to do a single driver side exit and you will need to buy or fabricate a boom tube. This is due to the fuel tank under the car. On my white cougar right now I had cut the mufflers off and the drone kills you so I put custom resontor/mufflers that I build in place of the front cats and kept the 3rd and stock resonator and the sound is very bearable no drone yet mildly aggressive.
 
#17 ·
^^ You're right. The 96+ didnt come with that resonator (not sure why it did in the first place anyways... the stock exhaust is dead silent even without it lol)

As for your question about side exits, its not really my thing. I just think its more for trucks because they sit much higher and i think the look suits them. I personally think two big pipes coming out the back on our cars look much nicer, but hey, to each their own right? :)
 
#18 · (Edited)
Youre correct Nitemare. The 96/97's didn't have one. I was going to get the exhaust from that connector, back and do all the modifications to it and that way I don't have to leave my car at the exhaust shop to have them weld a bead around the straight pipes and tips.



Well I think it would be different and with some nice resonator tips and a good weld job, It would look a lot sharper. I just don't want it to look like a ghetto-sled. I could always hang them up on the sides, take a pic, get some opinions and then figure out how I'm going to do it. I really won't know until I see it. I'm what you'd call, a Visionary (of sorts)
 
#20 ·
Whoohoo! I found out that my state does NOT have emissions laws! :D Gotta love MS. I think I'll wait til I get back home to start hacking and tacking.
 
#27 ·
The first this we do when we are young is the cheap way to make it louder.
It sounds like a stock engine without mufflers. Lousey. Drone.
Save up money and do it the right way.
 
#28 ·
Are you offering to help me out? I don't have the money to do it 'right' onhand since I am disabled military. Then I would have to pay someone. If you had read the thread, I am doing it as professional as I can with baffled resonator tips.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Have you heard a sound clip of a thunderbird with the mufflers cut off? There is probably one floating around here somewhere. I'm not saying this to be a jerk, just to help you not do something dumb and be stuck with an annoying car.

Generally those that find the sound appealing are 16 years old.

Awhile ago I was in the same boat as you were. My car was smashed on the side and I was stuck driving it that way for 4 months until I had enough money to fix it. Well, actually it had a seafoam green cougar door, a black fender, and a smashed rear quarter. Anyhow, the last thing I wanted to do was draw more attention to my hillbilly looking car by making it sound like ass. Do the smart thing and save your money to fix your body damage/mechanical problems, then let the modifications begin! I made my car mechanically and cosmetically sound then the waterfall of modifications started.
 
#30 ·
I have, and it suits me fine until I get the extra money for a whole set up. I am waiting til I move back to MS to remove the cats and run straight pipe to dual glass packs. I have it set up bud but thanks for the concern :thumbsup: I only got snippy with the other guy because he just blatantly said: don't cut your mufflers! I went on youtube and heard several without mufflers, not as bad as everyone says IMHO.
 
#31 ·
If you like it that is all that matters.
 
#32 ·
Thanks for finally being different from the rest of the pessimists, Zep. It will do until I can afford to do all I want to do with it.
 
#33 ·
I have a 91 T-Bird 3.8 with 2 cats and straight pipes out to the rear. I dont think its that bad hell the old lady said leave it that way(that ones hers). The 95 T-Bird 4.6 is still stock but the resonator will be coming of and flowmasters or warlocks will be put on(I have the mufflers already from my stang). The 91 had the resonator removed when I bought it and didn't notice any ill affects.
 
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