Muffler Options? Options

[fatherof4]

Well, It's time for me to start looking for exhaust options. (7afe) I have a ebay header and plans to go 2.5 pipe and High flow cat. I am looking for a deep sound as possible. No high pitched ricer racer sound. Any suggestions?

[Galcobar]

The restriction created by a clean catalytic converter is, in terms of effect on performance, far less than that of carrying a spare tire or incorrectly adjusting tire inflation. Particularly on a 7AFE.

If you want to avoid the buzzy cheap sound of a poorly-done exhaust, make sure to include a resonator. Note, a round body muffler is NOT a resonator. Very few of the items sold by aftermarket manufacturers as resonators are actually resonators.

A resonator is a hollow echo chamber in which sound waves are bounced into each other, transforming the sound energy into heat. There's almost no effect on exhaust efficiency, but it smoothes out the tone of the exhaust. A less irritating tone is perceived to be of lower volume -- a smooth exhaust will seem quieter than a buzzy one, even at the same decibel measurement.

Magnapacks are straight-through mufflers, where insulation absorbs sound waves. They're good for reducing the volume, but not so much for smoothing the tone.

Two easy ways to tell the difference between a resonator and a muffler. One is to tap on the item in question; a resonator will ring like a bell, while a muffler will produced a muffled, dull response. The other is to check the price; resonators aren't sexy, so they're readily available at your local exhaust shop and cost $50-70.

A final aside: MagnaFlow makes a universal cat with a resonated core, combining the two functions into one piece. You get a smooth exhaust note, and leave the air a little cleaner for everyone.