Exhaust systems Options

[monkeywrench]

This may be a stupid question, but don't different exhaust systems have a different sound? I was thinking of getting a cold air intake for a Celica (I know what a celica sounds like with a cold air intake) and an aftermarket exhaust system. I was wondering if theres a way I can find out what all the different brands sound like? I'm meaning like Skunk2, Borla, Flow Master and MagnaFlow. I don't know if any of them sound like those giant Doge and Ford trucks (I mean the kind that are more made for Oil Field work or heavy hauling) or if its the engine that makes the certain noise, or if the muffler itself has a design on the inside that makes the noise.

[oscar_1987]

the back preassure that engine puts out affects how DEEP the noise is. example, have you ever heard a little civic 1.6L take off. they sound like a fart machine. A celica 2.2 has more back preassure, and exhaust can sound better. But most important is price, if you go to advance auto zone and buy a 40 dollar exhaust you probably wont get what you are looking for. personally A'PEXi is what i've had on my celice, 3000 gt. and mx-3. i loved it.

[Fastbird]

the back preassure that engine puts out affects how DEEP the noise is. example, have you ever heard a little civic 1.6L take off. they sound like a fart machine. A celica 2.2 has more back preassure, and exhaust can sound better. But most important is price, if you go to advance auto zone and buy a 40 dollar exhaust you probably wont get what you are looking for. personally A'PEXi is what i've had on my celice, 3000 gt. and mx-3. i loved it.

Backpressure has nothing to do with the sound of the exhaust (to a point at least, if the exhaust is plugged up, that's backpressure, and of course it's going to choke the sound).

The sound of the exhaust is affected by many MANY things, that being overall engine displacement, camshaft profiles, firing order, block metallurgy, exhaust cross sectional area, exhaust bends, mufflers, resonators, ect. The list it really big. The most important aspect is going to be the muffler on most cars. What you've got to do is get out there, listed to cars at meets and such, and find out what suits you as a person. Describing how an exhaust sounds really doesn't compare to actually hearing things for yourself and making an informed decision.

Me personally, we have a 3" custom built exhaust on our car with a Magnaflow Resonator and Muffler, and for a little 4-banger I actually find the sound quite pleasant (I'm a Chevy V8 guy at heart).