General opinion on exhaust on our cars

[FirebirdHatesRice]

I was just wondering what the general opinion in the message board towards the exhaust sound on our cars was. Personally, I'm a bit dissapointed. I mean, I've heard some petty nice setups...but alot of work went into having them sound like that. Taking the cat off prodouces a nice sound when accompanied by the right muffler, but it's illegal. I was a bit surprised actually because the 3.8L engine in the F-Body is not very small in terms of displacement...certainly no 1.8L four banger. All the exhaust setups for our cars seem incredibly quiet, with that noticible "raspiness" in high rpm's.

But as for the "ricey" sound, I totally hear that in my exhaust above 3K rpm. But, I can tell you it isn't common for all V-6's. For example, here's a clip off the 1995 Chevy Blazer I used to have before my Firebird. It's completely stock 4.3L v-6 with a flowmaster 40 series. People used to ask me if I swapped in a 350.
http://www.freewebs.com/bladebc/blazer_exhaust.wav

Well, just putting in my .02 cents. What do you guys think?

[ July 03, 2003: Message edited by: FirebirdHatesRice ]</p>

[toast]

4.3 is a bigger engine so it is going to sound a tad bit different. Most V6s get raspy in the upper RPMs and i have heard 4.3s get raspy up top also. It is a common trat among many GM V6s. As far as that sound clip goes, it does sound good but you can tell (at least i can) that it is a 4.3 with just flowmasters. 4.3s remind me of "almost a 5.0" down low but they start to get raspy up high.

[ July 03, 2003: Message edited by: toast ]</p>

[SixBanger]

My opinion is this:

Go with Flowmaster! Not the least bit quiet!


I have only a muffler and am extremely pleased with the sound of my exhaust.

[Dan M]

It's never gonna sound like an 8. I agree that those 4.3L engines sound good. Again... our cars will never sound like V8s (some can come close), but there are lots of options and it all depends on what you like on your car.

[FirebirdHatesRice]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by SixBanger:
My opinion is this:

Go with Flowmaster! Not the least bit quiet!


I have only a muffler and am extremely pleased with the sound of my exhaust.<hr></blockquote>

I've got the Flowmaster 80 Series in my car right now. It's alright, but truthfully I was expecting something louder. At idle, I can barely hear my car from 10 yards away. When I rev it up, it makes this nasty rattling sound in the muffler when RPM's go over 3,500 rpm.

I honestly believe that half the problem with the exhaust on the F-Bodies is the crossflow muffler. There are so many twists and turns in the exhaust system that I think the exhaust flow really gets less pressure to go through the muffler, and that's why they sound so quiet. On the V8 engines, more exhaust is being pushed out so it just overcomes all of that.

[Tyler]

im happy with my cars exhaust sound..

cold starts are awesome! idle is awesome.. in the morning its a little raspy.. but once the engine warms up you can hardly tell from inside the car.

the only thing im not happy with right now.. is that my damn catco heatshields is rattleing.

[Snuffalofogus]

go for the loudmouth, loud all the time

[AlienInv8r]

People always say they want more of a V8 sound. It's a V6, not an 8. I think they sound pretty darn good for a V6; throaty and loud with a bit of a growl to em. I love the way my car sounds, I could do without the pops when I let up on revs though. Bottom line is that it's a V6, not an 8, and it's going to sound like a 6; And a nice V6 at that.

[darkthoughts5000]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>AlienInv8r People always say they want more of a V8 sound. It's a V6, not an 8. I think they sound pretty darn good for a V6; throaty and loud with a bit of a growl to em. I love the way my car sounds, I could do without the pops when I let up on revs though. Bottom line is that it's a V6, not an 8, and it's going to sound like a 6; And a nice V6 at that. <hr></blockquote>
just what i was about to say [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]
if you want it to sound like an 8... then go get an 8. if you cant afford one, quit tryin to make your car out to be something it isnt. sooner or later, someones going to put you to the test, and you might fail. i like my exhaust and how it sounds. mostly for me, im just pleased that the performance is better, not that it sounds like a 8. oh well, guess im just that one guy that figures that if i want it to sound like an 8, ill do a swap. but until that happens, im satisfied with my 6.

[Tyler]

the ONLY way you'll make it sound comparable to an 8 is if you port and poish the heads..full exhuast. CRAZY CAM, and either blower, or up the compression to like.. 11.5:1.


then it just might sound better than an 8 at idle.. but it will always sound like a 6 throughout the rpm range. sorry to say it guys...we are 2 cylinders short of an 8 :eek:

[Dan M]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Tyler:
the ONLY way you'll make it sound comparable to an 8 is if you port and poish the heads..full exhuast. CRAZY CAM, and either blower, or up the compression to like.. 11.5:1.


then it just might sound better than an 8 at idle.. but it will always sound like a 6 throughout the rpm range. sorry to say it guys...we are 2 cylinders short of an 8 :eek: <hr></blockquote>

Nah, mine already sounds like an 8 at idle. Hell, it even sounded cammed this morning. It'll always be a 6... but at least it doesn't sound like a 4-cyl, right? :D

[FirebirdHatesRice]

I agree with everything that has been said. It does sound good for a 6, and at any rate...much better than any civic out there. The good thing is that although it doesn't sound like a v8, it also doesn't sound like any crappy import exhaust out there. It's unique.