no, you can hear it obviously but its not something ive driven an hour with and got annoyed. This is what it sounded like before i gutted the precats. The rasp and tin-e thing on the reves in the exhaust note are gone. No rasp, no vibration sound , nothing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyr753xzoFk

Im gonna record one tonight and post up later of the new sound

 

I measured the stock piping at 2". There were significant crimps right behind the cat that would restrict flow even more.

 

That's correct all Nissan Maximas are 2" exhaust systems since 1985-03 at least.....not sure about the 6th and 7th yet.....puny to say the least! Here's a comparison:

 

Go full exhaust or fail. Your OE **** is shot and rusted 10:1. It's not even worth bolting on something new.

 

OK, I am now able to report back with my final muffler configuration. To recap, I installed a 2.5" mandrel-bent cat-back tubing kit from VRS Exhaust (factory is 2" crush bent with some serious constrictions) with a Magnaflow resonator and a turbo-style muffler called the XLerator Big Max (AP #69014). The Big Max was a center in, dual out configuration with a 4x10x14" case. The sound was fine at WOT acceleration, but there was a significant drone under 2500 RPM, which is where we spend most of our time cruising in these cars. The results were not consistent with my objectives of getting some increased flow with near-OEM sound. The wife was not happy.

So, I did some research. I liked the sound of the Walker Quiet Flow 3: "Their turbo-style configuration provides great interior and exterior sound control without decreasing exhaust flow." So, I got in touch with the tech support folks at Walker and asked them to find a 2.5" muffler that would fit my application. They came back with Walker 21856, which is a 2.5" offset inlet, center outlet Quiet Flow that was orignially designed for a 1970 Cadillac 7 liter V-8. The case on this muffler is 19x4.25x9.75 inches - much larger than the Big Max, and it costs about $85. The installer had to reconfigure the piping a little to accommodate the offset inlet, but the muffler fits well under the car. He added a chrome extension with a rolled tip -- it looks OK from the rear.

Unfortunately, I have no data to compare the flow or performance of the Quiet Flow to the Big Max or to the original factory system. What I can say is that the Quiet Flow is very quiet. Whisper quiet. Even with the 2.5" piping and the straight through resonator, there is NO increase over the OEM sound level and no change in sound character. The wife is very happy. This leaves me some decibels to invest in a Y-pipe upgrade, which I like. For anyone who wants to go with larger piping and no increase in sound output, this is one way to do it. You might even be able to get away with no resonator, which would be worth trying if you want a little more sound when accelerating.

 

The Quiet Flow is supposed to flow 70% better than OEM mufflers, definitely the one I'd go with if I were to upgrade my exhuast. Love having the engine be dead quiet on road trips.

 

Do Quietflow mufflers come in close proximity twin tip designs? No, as I see in post reply #45 and are they Stainless steel contruction? Turbo mufflers (reverse flow) are always quiter than straight thru designs in most instances....But big mufflers like Magnaflow's 12576 (5" x 11' x 22") are huge enough to absorb some sound and still provide a decent quiet cabin atmosphere during highway/bi-way cruising!

 

The Magnaflow I had (different car) droned even with an 18" resonator, swapped it for a Vortec turbo muffler and the drone was completely gone. Didn't notice any drop off in performance.

I don't remember the size of the Magnaflow but it was comparable to the Vortec.

 

Some of the Quiet Flows are available in stainless, but I went with aluminized. I never came across a twin outlet design in the Quiet Flow I agree that a turbo muffler is never going to flow like a straight-through design, it just depends on whether you want to optimize for flow or low sound. I tried that big Magnaflow on my 1989 Maxima (RIP) and found it too loud for my personal preference in that application. It lives under my work bench now. But I run straight-through exhausts on my SR20 vehicles (which the wife rarely drives), and prefer them for these cars. The Maxima I prefer to keep quiet.

Anyway, it's great to be able to share experiences to cut down on trial and error.

 

Agree, I decided to leave mine stock based on reports in this thread

 

You wanna post a pic of it and maybe sale it to me? Were you using a 18" resonator with this setup as well....I'll also be using a resonated tip also....Make sure that Magnaflow muffler is p/n 12576....I'm interested in it dude!!!!!!

 

I double-checked the Magnaflow muffler that I have under the work bench, and, unfortunately, it's not the one you are looking for. It is smaller and not stainless. Sorry for the false start on this.

Bill

 

i would go with either Flowmaster or Magniflow. they are both very nice mufflers and neither one of them will make you car to loud.

 

"loud" is very subjective. A Magnaflow on my Accord and a Flowmaster on my Celica were both what I would consider loud. Sonic turbo mufflers on my Chevelle were loud but sounded incredible so I didn't care.

Best thing you can do is listed to cars at a muffler shop with various mufflers or sounds clips on youtube to help you decide what is too loud and what isn't.

 

Yeah that Magnaflow p/n 12576 muffler body measures (5" x 11" x 22"), it's huge and single in/out along with a resonator, Cat, and a resonated exhaust tip....It should be rather quiet! But Turbo mufflers are standard Oem equipment and a high flow unit may be your ticket for the best of both worlds.....

 

I have a used Frankencar Muffler, b-pipe, and CustomMaxima.com's y-pipe with two extra O2 bungs along with a test pipe (20,000 miles) that came off my 2001 AE for sale for the best offer. I'd rather sell all together, but might consider selling separately with all shipping paid by the purchaser. PM me, if seriously interested.

 

would you happen to know which p/n is the dual tip Magnaflow muffler that fits our cars? I've seen a few video clips on youtube with them and I like the sound. I'd link the clips but my job blocks youtube...

 

Mostly shown on youtube are the Street series 5" x 8" x 14" polished street mufflers w/tips like these:

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/streetmufflers.asp

Too small and droney for my taste.....

 

Just went back to a full stock exhaust setup and my drives are much more relaxing. Low end acceleration is awesome but the car is a little less enthusiastic on the highway .

Trying to come up with the best of both worlds. What if I had a 2.5" catback welded to the stock muffler? Coupled with OBX headers and fastcat, would the relatively restrictive muffler undo all the effects of pipe diameter increases up to that point?

 

Isn't a Turbo style muffler Meant for a turbo? If so these would be louder, not quieter, because Turbo's naturally quiet the exhaust. Or is it just a dumb name to get ricers to buy a 'TURBO muffler"

Anyways to the OP: If you live in a climate where there is any salt or snow/high rain I urge you to consider Stainless, well I urge you to use it either way, if you want it to last more than a year or so before it leaks. Also, if you can avoid welding it, avoid, weld's are the first thing to rust. It's worth spending the money on adapters/clamps if you can do it reasonably.

As far as any discussion on 'free flow', etc., you're wasting your money. Mufflers just don't make much if any difference other than their job - to muffle the exhaust note. And as advised, stay away from glasspack, it's cheap, breaks down quickly, and hence, if it doesn't Start Raspy, assured it soon will be.

 

Specific mufflers are not made for specific manufacturers. Flowmasters are raspy on anything if you don't have enough resonator.

You will never get a mustang GT V8 sound. Ever. In fact, if you go with headers/Y-pipe you are going in the opposite direction. Just look at my youtube channel for sound clips with a plethora of different exhaust setups including flowmaster 40 series.


I would love to see someone try a hooker aero chamber muffler behind a normal cattman 2.5" and headers/Y-pipe. Those mufflers are proven not to lose power (like flowmasters do) and quiet sound down more than straight through ones like magnaflow on other vehicles...

 

So I hear Cattman is a good brand...

 

That name was given to them before my birth into the world and surely yours....These mufflers were used on the 60's Convair Spyder Turbos which were high flowing, reverse flow mufflers made to reduce backpressure compared to conventional mufflers! Ricers didn't exist so it's not the real reason! But yes the word "Turbo" is a marketing scheme to sell all kinds of crap including non automotive related items.....

 

I have the stainless Cattman Catback on my 6 MT and it's really great.

Some performance boost and sweet sound.

Except it gets a little drony at highway speeds. If you do lots of highway driving I'd look for something a littlew quieter.

 

Interesting lesson learned. Gotta love how companies will grab anything to use as a gimmik. It works so dam well for them too.

 

Turbo cottage cheese! Turbo cereal! Turbo boost internet accelerator!

 

i have this one on my car, not too loud not too quiet, just for my liking....

try getting quotes from different places like...

http://www.magnaflowdirect.com/

http://www.performancepeddler.com/



good luck man

 

I wish Cattman would make a 2.5" Muffler like this without any hangers nor that over the axle tubing (Just Generic) and the mufflers lovers from all over would become Cattman fans! Cause those little 14"ers are a bit too loud for my taste! They're pretty as hell though!!!

 

Turbo mufflers have been around since the 60s, long before F&F made ricers popular. Originally developed for the Corvair turbo as a way to get more flow without making the car too loud. That's where the term "turbo muffler" comes from. They are definitely quieter than a straight through design.

Should have read the rest of this page and known the info was already posted...

 

Scott wasn't that little Convair a beauty! An American Porcshe!!!!

 

Yeah, pretty cool car, so different from muscle cars. Would love a Stinger Corvair.