# Loud exhausts....?



## The Seer (Feb 6, 2012)

Greetings from across the pond!!

I live in Braintree in the county of Essex in England and on Saturday just bought a 2004 Monaro 5.7 VXR, and VERY happy I am too!

However what I'm not so happy with is the exhaust note...it's quiet even though the centre section mufflers have been removed and replaced with straight pipes.

I've had a love for muscle cars since I was around the age of five! And previously owned a 72' Firebird Formula 400, and of course the sound of the 6.6 ltr was fantastic.

So, I'm looking to really bring out the noise of the 5.7 in my car. I'd like something that is VERY VERY loud and have been advised on a U.K. forum that going for a straight through rear pipes would probably give me what I'm looking for.

Has anyone done this to their car and does it really sound good? As said the emphasis is on being as loud as possible but sounding good at the same point. 

Anyone have any links with video for a completely muffler free exhaust system?

Thanks.


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## Ehrgeiz X (Apr 10, 2011)

You can check YouTube. There's plenty of videos of people running all kinds of mufflers and custom exhausts and open-header or no pipes at all. Check out Spintech or Flowmaster for a beautiful sound and huge volume. You're gonna want to knock out your cats, as well, so you'll need a tune to prevent it from throwing the engine code all the time. Longtube headers, too. It goes without saying though that all of this will give you a nice little power gain as well as great sound. Hope this helps!


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## The Seer (Feb 6, 2012)

Ehrgeiz X said:


> You can check YouTube. There's plenty of videos of people running all kinds of mufflers and custom exhausts and open-header or no pipes at all. Check out Spintech or Flowmaster for a beautiful sound and huge volume. You're gonna want to knock out your cats, as well, so you'll need a tune to prevent it from throwing the engine code all the time. Longtube headers, too. It goes without saying though that all of this will give you a nice little power gain as well as great sound. Hope this helps!


Do you reckon I'll gain much power from de catting the exhaust? When you say tune I'm guessing you mean re-mapping the ECU? I've been looking on youtube, and I quite favour the sound of an exhaust system with all mufflers deleted, is this what is classed as open headers?


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

As with one hot food being good, sometimes things like battery acid can be hot but not good. So it is with our exhausts. Completely unmuffled the note is very loud, harsh, and has the appeal of someone smashing forcefully and randomly on piano keys. 

The best way to get an attention getting sound in a good way is to build the engine up. Long tube headers add a lot of volume but higher compression and a nice cam also add to it and its character. Now you actually have something that backs up the sound. After that if you put on some Spintechs or some true chambered mufflers it will be very loud and sound better than a cat fight in a garbage can.


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## Ehrgeiz X (Apr 10, 2011)

What Svede said. Open headers on these cars is very harsh, and your neighbors will surely hate you more than if you have a NICE loud. And yes, an ECU remap. It'll keep throwing the O2 sensor code if you don't. However, if you truely want the unbridled raw sound of open pipes, get some electronic cut outs. I know kegs has a nice set for about $200-$300. But, because with how often you use them. I hear the motors tend to go in a couple of months with alot of use and the heat from the exhaust. Still though, it's a good way to scare some poor kids on the street when you're driving by, haha


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## The Seer (Feb 6, 2012)

svede1212 said:


> As with one hot food being good, sometimes things like battery acid can be hot but not good. So it is with our exhausts. Completely unmuffled the note is very loud, harsh, and has the appeal of someone smashing forcefully and randomly on piano keys.
> 
> The best way to get an attention getting sound in a good way is to build the engine up. Long tube headers add a lot of volume but higher compression and a nice cam also add to it and its character. Now you actually have something that backs up the sound. After that if you put on some Spintechs or some true chambered mufflers it will be very loud and sound better than a cat fight in a garbage can.


Agreed, and that's what I'm scared of. I've looked at a couple of Youtube videos on from you guys in The States, seemingly it doesn't appeal to us of here, god knows why not. But it's hard to really know if that's exactly the sound I'm looking for until I hear it in the flesh. 

Apparently my Monaro being a VXR model already has uprated exhaust headers (manifolds for us  )I'm not really keen on buying another pair, plus I'm not chasing power figures with this car. Chambered mufflers, what are these?


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## The Seer (Feb 6, 2012)

Ehrgeiz X said:


> What Svede said. Open headers on these cars is very harsh, and your neighbors will surely hate you more than if you have a NICE loud. And yes, an ECU remap. It'll keep throwing the O2 sensor code if you don't. However, if you truely want the unbridled raw sound of open pipes, get some electronic cut outs. I know kegs has a nice set for about $200-$300. But, because with how often you use them. I hear the motors tend to go in a couple of months with alot of use and the heat from the exhaust. Still though, it's a good way to scare some poor kids on the street when you're driving by, haha


Thanks for the info on the cutouts. The car doesn't see alot of usage so shouldn't be too much of a problem. That price sounds pretty good!...and so does scaring the local kids and old people!


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## Ehrgeiz X (Apr 10, 2011)

The Seer said:


> Thanks for the info on the cutouts. The car doesn't see alot of usage so shouldn't be too much of a problem. That price sounds pretty good!...and so does scaring the local kids and old people!


No problem! :cheers

I've considered the cut outs myself, since the local Honda group here in Hawaii likes to challenge me on the roads alot. They tend to back off with a nice WOT rev, especially when they see the car rock when I'm stopped. Granted, it doesn't lope like my dads old '63 Stingray did, but they know better than to challenge muscle to a drag race. However, a guy I met recently over here on Wheeler Army Airfield has an older civic with something like a 70-80mm turbo charger. We had a pleasant joke about racing, but we know better than to risk the law around here. It's common to see the local cops rocking 03-04 mustang GTs with over 500rwhp, haha.

If you get those cutouts, post a video!:cheers


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## The Seer (Feb 6, 2012)

Ehrgeiz X said:


> No problem! :cheers
> 
> I've considered the cut outs myself, since the local Honda group here in Hawaii likes to challenge me on the roads alot. They tend to back off with a nice WOT rev, especially when they see the car rock when I'm stopped. Granted, it doesn't lope like my dads old '63 Stingray did, but they know better than to challenge muscle to a drag race. However, a guy I met recently over here on Wheeler Army Airfield has an older civic with something like a 70-80mm turbo charger. We had a pleasant joke about racing, but we know better than to risk the law around here. It's common to see the local cops rocking 03-04 mustang GTs with over 500rwhp, haha.
> 
> If you get those cutouts, post a video!:cheers


So is it difficult to fit the cut outs? 

There's group of locals with Honda's in my area too, mostly youngsters and mostly beaten up old civics to be fair. Don't have too much trouble with the local cops (The Old Bill we call em'  )


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## youngGoat (Aug 14, 2010)

I read all the posts in a British accent. Best thread ever.


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## 87GN06GTO07IRL (Aug 10, 2009)

Ehrgeiz X said:


> However, a guy I met recently over here on Wheeler Army Airfield has an older civic with something like a 70-80mm turbo charger. We had a pleasant joke about racing, but we know better than to risk the law around here.


Don't mess with him then. I have a 76mm on my 11 second GN. That thing might hit 9's as light as it is. A 55mm puts out 450 whp on a 2.0 so his car has to be sick.


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## Ehrgeiz X (Apr 10, 2011)

87GN06GTO07IRL said:


> Don't mess with him then. I have a 76mm on my 11 second GN. That thing might hit 9's as light as it is. A 55mm puts out 450 whp on a 2.0 so his car has to be sick.


We were talking numbers the one day, and I remember it being pretty damn low, but I can't recall exactly what it was. He does have alot of problems though. He torqued the hell out his frame because he was being a dumbass with it. He's swapping his whole engine and set up into a newer body (still around a '98 or so)

As for Seer's cut outs, there shouldn't be fitting issues since they'll be installed just behind the headers, but the only question in my mind is if your cats are in a different spot than normal due to your manifolds.

The quick and easy way to find out is find a local shop with a lift and put her in the air and take a look. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out your install spots and fitting issues from there. I've seen corvettes mount them aft of the cats in the bends that bring the pipes back towards the center of the car as they run down the center to meet the mufflers. It was a good set up, and allowed for maximum flow with the cut outs open.

Just be careful with the cutouts. I hear WOT with them open can cause some damage to your engine due to the loss of back pressure


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## rspiller1 (Jun 22, 2011)

I have SLP loudmouth 1 cat back setup on mine with stock manifolds and it is loud but sounds amazing. I am always getting compliments on the tone


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

FWIW "upgraded" manifolds don't do scavenging like tuned headers do. Chambered mufflers are what were developed for old muscle cars like Camaros and Cobras. They are more of a straight through design. classicchambered.com and sweet-thunder.com are two examples.


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## Ehrgeiz X (Apr 10, 2011)

svede1212 said:


> FWIW "upgraded" manifolds don't do scavenging like tuned headers do. Chambered mufflers are what were developed for old muscle cars like Camaros and Cobras. They are more of a straight through design. classicchambered.com and sweet-thunder.com are two examples.


Hmm... Speaking of straight through, do you know anyone who's ever tried cherry bombs on an LS series? I know the old 5.0 mustangs sounded pretty gnarly with them, so I can only imagine what a goat would sound like. (not to put ford or GM together like they're the same thing :lol


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## JoeandReeseGTO (Jan 22, 2012)

My brother has an 04 Gto. His is obnoxiously loud. Pace setter longtube headers, xpipe, no cats and super 40 mufflers custom fabbed in with original tips.. Holy cow it sounds like a NASCAR at full throttle. My Gto sounds like my mini cooper by comparison.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk


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## gto_grl1982 (Jun 19, 2011)

Hey..I'm looking into getting an exhaust for my 04 m6 gto pretty soon, but there are so many choices out there. I'm glad to hear that you went with an SLP Loudmouth. There have been other people to tell me that I wouldn't go wrong with an SLP Loudmouth.


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## The Seer (Feb 6, 2012)

youngGoat said:


> I read all the posts in a British accent. Best thread ever.


Vice versa, I try and read your's in an American accent, Just kidding.


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## The Seer (Feb 6, 2012)

Ehrgeiz X said:


> Hmm... Speaking of straight through, do you know anyone who's ever tried cherry bombs on an LS series? I know the old 5.0 mustangs sounded pretty gnarly with them, so I can only imagine what a goat would sound like. (not to put ford or GM together like they're the same thing :lol


Cherry Bomb!! Now there's a name I haven't heard in years!!! They used to be popular with the youngsters back in the 70's and 80's Mk 1/Mk 2 Escort era!!


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## billyjack2 (Oct 21, 2011)

Spintech superpro streets are loud and sound pretty good with no cats.


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