Exhaust Basics

[700 sportsman]

Hey guys, I'm looking to upgrade the exhaust on my '96 Sierra (2500) with the 5.7L V8

I want something that is louder than stock at idle, and really has a nice deep tone when you really step on it

I was wandering, what would be the differences in a round muffler, and a regular rectangular muffler, I'm leaning towards a Magnaflow, but am still checking out Gibson, Flowmaster, and possibly Borla's, I don't want a raspy tone after you let off the throttle, so I'm leaning away from the flowmaster, because most of them I hear are fairly raspy

 

What do you guys reccomend, also some part numbers and sizes are appreciated

Also some 5.7L exhaust videos would be greatly appreciated too

[BadBowTie98]

Howdy, I have a Flowmaster 50 series dual in dual out on my 98 Silverado with a 350, and I like it a lot! its has a really nice growl to it, and its really quiet in the cab. I am really happy with it. The 50 series is the quieter of the Flowmaster line up. But heres a few links of my truck with the muffler on it, to give you some idea of how it sounds. Hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kuhl_530]

I put a flowmaster 40 series on my truck and I love the sound. It's got a nice lopey, deep idle, and it barks when you get it up in the rpms. It sounds like a muscle car.

[jbt56]

From what you're describing, you want to look at the Flowmaster 70 Series or the Super 50 (SUV). Both are fairly quiet mufflers, with the 70 being the quietest- just a mild rumble on your truck.

[OldCrLvr]

Howdy, I have a Flowmaster 50 series dual in dual out on my 98 Silverado with a 350, and I like it a lot! its has a really nice growl to it, and its really quiet in the cab. I am really happy with it. The 50 series is the quieter of the Flowmaster line up. But heres a few links of my truck with the muffler on it, to give you some idea of how it sounds. Hope this helps!

Sounds good, I like it

[gregrocks89]

im not a very much of a flowmaster fan. i prefer flo-pro. A good one they have is the v-force. its a cost effective and does a produce a nice sound. I ran it on my old trucks. right now i got 24" flo-pro glasspacks and they got alot of bark. Drive it normally and its a nice clean rumble and when you wanna be loud your loud. but also i have headers on, and they do change the sound of your exhuast.

[jbt56]

All the V-Force muffler is is an imitation Flowmaster Original 40 Series. Kinda sad when these manufacturers can't come up with anything new. At least they're smart enough to copy the best, though! Keep buyin' 'em, too, if you like giving money to the Chinese, instead of Americans. Remember, on top of being the original high performance muffler, all Flowmaster products are 100% American made, from 100% American steel (aluminized and stainless).

[gregrocks89]

ha flowmaster has the crappiest flow ratings compared to anything. my glasspacks have better flow then those cheap knock offs. All you do is pay for the name on flomaster. sorry but they are junk.

[jbt56]

ha flowmaster has the crappiest flow ratings compared to anything. my glasspacks have better flow then those cheap knock offs. All you do is pay for the name on flomaster. sorry but they are junk.

 

Sorry, but rating a mufffler on a flowbench is about as useful as rating how good a ski boat is by testing it on a drag strip. When was the last time you saw a flowbench under someone's hood?

Please do 2-3 minutes' research into automotive exhaust science- and that means more than looking at a Magnaflow/Borla/Dynomax ad. You might be surprised when you actually learn something.

Since Flows have been around for over 25 years, I doubt it's just the name millions of people have bought. You stick with those $20 'packs, though, because you obviously know exhaust flow dynamics, laminar layers, and high/low pressure wave fronts better than any damn R&D engineer.

[gregrocks89]

Yeah so has the other companies they been around for years. magnaflow for instance. they been around for 25 years if not more. Im not saying glasspacks are the best thing out there, in fact i wanna change them out. But i would rather go with a more trusting name then flowmaster. Instance my packs are flo-pro. Ive always ran flo-pro and magnaflow on my trucks. I known a pile of people that ran flowmaster it was shit. It comes down to personnel opinion and were obviously bunting heads. thats great you got your opinion stating flowmaster and its worked for you, and for me its flo-pro and magnaflow which have worked best for me and with other people i know and close friends they will never run a flowmaster again.

[FargoZ71]

Magnaflo > Flo.

 

Screw em both IMO.. Run Cats + Straight pipes... Little Dynamat behind the rear bench on the wall and floor takes care fo the drone.. Drive it like you stole it.

[jbt56]

Yeah so has the other companies they been around for years. magnaflow for instance. they been around for 25 years if not more. Im not saying glasspacks are the best thing out there, in fact i wanna change them out. But i would rather go with a more trusting name then flowmaster. Instance my packs are flo-pro. Ive always ran flo-pro and magnaflow on my trucks. I known a pile of people that ran flowmaster it was shit. It comes down to personnel opinion and were obviously bunting heads. thats great you got your opinion stating flowmaster and its worked for you, and for me its flo-pro and magnaflow which have worked best for me and with other people i know and close friends they will never run a flowmaster again.

 

Agreed, it boils down to opinion. I just find it curious that instead of you simply saying you prefer something else, you have to (attempt to) slam what you don't like.

BTW, Magnaflow has been around for about 12 years now, and only exists because a catalytic converter company (Carsound) wanted in on the performance exhaust bandwagon. Lacking the ability to invent some new technology that actually works well, they elected to simply make (shiny) glasspacks, which were state-of-the-art right after World War II.

If you're happy with that, excellent! Just try not to fall into prepubescence by calling that which you don't like 'junk' or whatever. I'll bet you have one of those Calvins peeing on a Ford emblem on your window, too, because Fords are 'junk' too, right?

 

BTW, why do you think MagnaFLOW and FLOpro use "flow" in their names? Before Flowmaster, that word had never been used for a muffler. Hmm...