Muffler Upgrade

[redmarkvr]

Hi, Owner of a '02 red t-bird. Loved everything about the car but its exhaust sound, so I decided to make a change. I replaced the stock mufflers with 40 series flowmasters. I am very pleased with the results. The engine has a nice rumble at startup and the sound going down the road when accelerating, it lets you know you have a V8 under the hood. When crusing you can barely hear them, but when you get on it, they respond. They remind me of the 5 liter mustangs, which I was told had the flowmasters on them. In my upgrade I also installed 3-1/2" stainless tips that extend out past the bumper. I used the same style that are rolled on the end with the 20 degree angle. They really help the appearance of the back end. 😉

 

[ourbail]

if you dont mind whats a setup like that cost at the muffler shop,and ive heard alota about the borla pipes any comparision.

 

[redmarkvr]

Ourbail, The Flowmasters are stainless with stainless tips and were right at $400. with tax. The borlas I did inquired about, the muffler shop told me there alot more expensive. The shop did tell me that the Flowmasters are used on the Mustang but, no quarantees on the sound of my bird. I had them call me when they had the stock muffler off and I wanted to hear the exhaust with no mufflers. I went there and listened to it and with the resperators it sounded too tinny. They slid the mufflers on with no welds and it made a great difference. My wife and I were out today and put on over 200 miles and enjoyed the awsome sound of the flowmasters. 😀

 

[Larry]

Mufflers

I'm curious as to who makes the Flowmasters? Is that the name I should mention to the muffler shop and will they know what they are? Is there a particular part number or size that I could tell them? I look forward to your reply.Thanks much

Larry Timberlake

 

[Quickdraw]

I'm curious as to who makes the Flowmasters? Is that the name I should mention to the muffler shop and will they know what they are? Is there a particular part number or size that I could tell them? I look forward to your reply.Thanks much

Larry Timberlake

Lary, you can find almost anything on the Internet by going to google.com and typing in what you are looking for... I searched on flowmaster exhaust and found this:

http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/

 

[ourbail]

thanks i will look into them ,when i can afford,maybe after the holidays...

 

[mr ed]

Ex. system

Ihad the Borlas installed, cost me $850.00. They just purrrrrrrr.

 

[Larry]

Quickdraw,
Thanks for the info. I have looked over the site and think I'll pay a visit to my local exhaust shop that carries this brand. They even have sound bites for listening however not sure how accurate that is. I seem to vacillate on this more than I should. One day I'm ready to change the mufflers out and the next day I'm not sure. Seems that most are not doing anything but I would like a deeper sound and also want to extend the tips out just a bit. Thanks for your help.
Larry

 

[Quickdraw]

Quickdraw,
Thanks for the info. I have looked over the site and think I'll pay a visit to my local exhaust shop that carries this brand. They even have sound bites for listening however not sure how accurate that is. I seem to vacillate on this more than I should. One day I'm ready to change the mufflers out and the next day I'm not sure. Seems that most are not doing anything but I would like a deeper sound and also want to extend the tips out just a bit. Thanks for your help.
Larry

Larry,

Sounds like you are like me... don't want something too loud. I want to take a ride in a Borla equiped Bird as people tell me thats the one for a nice mellow sound and not too loud. Ive heard a bird with glass packs but thats too loud for my taste... I hear the Borlas are available for about under $700 if you can install them yourself. Still I wanna hear them first....

 

[Larry]

redmarkvr, I'm calling my local muffler shop tomorrow and try for an appointment to check out cost etc. on the Flowmasters. I was also very curious as to how the Bird would sound with only resonators, and you answered that as well. Only question of uncertainty is how far out I want to extend the stainless tips. Guess I'll just have to experiment while at the shop if I go through with this. Do your Flowmasters sound good at idle when you're stopped in traffic? Earlier I know there were a few guys installing glasspacks, but not sure I want to go that loud. I listened to some sound bites that Flowmaster had on their website, and one was a Mustang Cobra. Sounded real good, but that's a high performance engine. I'll let you know if I get these installed.
Larry

 

[Larry]

redmarkvr, I'm calling my local muffler shop tomorrow and try for an appointment to check out cost etc. on the Flowmasters. I was also very curious as to how the Bird would sound with only resonators, and you answered that as well. Only question of uncertainty is how far out I want to extend the stainless tips. Guess I'll just have to experiment while at the shop if I go through with this. Do your Flowmasters sound good at idle when you're stopped in traffic? Earlier I know there were a few guys installing glasspacks, but not sure I want to go that loud. I listened to some sound bites that Flowmaster had on their website, and one was a Mustang Cobra. Sounded real good, but that's a high performance engine. I'll let you know if I get these installed.
Larry

 

[Bob]

I went to a local mufffler shop to have the flowmasters installed on my 2002 yellow bird. The one's they had were a little too long to install. I listened to it with the stock mufflers removed, didn't sound too bad so they installed straight pipes with some new larger (same type) tips. It looks better with the new tips, but we couldn't live with the noise. Not a good mellow tone, just a loud roar when accelerating. I had them put back the stocks, and kept the new tips. They are larger in diameter and stick out a little more. May try something else a little later.

 

[redmarkvr]

Larry, The sound when idling at a stop lite is just a little rumble. My wife and I were concerned about being too loud when upgrading and are very happy with the results. I have a digital camera and could show you my exhaust tips after increasing in size and extending them. I'm not sure though, on how to attach pictures to this site. Maybe I could send them by e-mail. 🙄

 

[Quickdraw]

~~~ I'm not sure though, on how to attach pictures to this site. Maybe I could send them by e-mail. 🙄

When you post scroll down a bit and select MANAGE ATTACHMENTS... then browse to select the file you want and be sure to click UPLOAD.

 

[Larry]

redmarkvr & Quickdraw,
Got my appointment at 8:30AM this Friday at my local custom exhaust shop. Today he suggested I also consider "Magnaflows", another brand of stainless they like. He has a couple of employees that have those on their cars that I can hear, one being a Ford with a 4.6 liter V8. He also carries the "Flowmasters" so I know he is not trying to sell me something I don't want. Any of you heard of "Magnaflows"? He is willing to experiment with me a bit so I'm looking forward to the morning. He has even suggested removing the resinators and replacing with just stainless pipe, as well as replacing the stock mufflers. We plan to start with just the mufflers and listen to the sound. He also has the same stainless tips that redmarkvr described in earlier posts. So, unless it is a rainy day in KC, I'll be at his shop this Friday. The Bird doesn't like to get wet.....

Larry

 

[Quickdraw]

redmarkvr & Quickdraw,
Got my appointment at 8:30AM this Friday at my local custom exhaust shop. Today he suggested I also consider "Magnaflows", another brand of stainless they like. He has a couple of employees that have those on their cars that I can hear, one being a Ford with a 4.6 liter V8. He also carries the "Flowmasters" so I know he is not trying to sell me something I don't want. Any of you heard of "Magnaflows"? He is willing to experiment with me a bit so I'm looking forward to the morning. He has even suggested removing the resinators and replacing with just stainless pipe, as well as replacing the stock mufflers. We plan to start with just the mufflers and listen to the sound. He also has the same stainless tips that redmarkvr described in earlier posts. So, unless it is a rainy day in KC, I'll be at his shop this Friday. The Bird doesn't like to get wet.....

Larry

Yes, the Magnaflows and Flowmasters are both good name brands. I want to do something with mine too, I want just a little burbble. Good luck finding the sound you like....

 

[Larry]

Magnflow Mufflers

This past Saturday I had 14" Steel Pack Magnaflow Mufflers installed on my 03 T-bird and new stainless tips extended out a bit. I too, listened to the sound without any mufflers and wasn't too bad, but concerned with cabin noise at cruising so went with the Magnaflows. It cost me $450 and one might think that was a waste of money as it is not much louder than with stock exhaust but not sure I would want to go with too much noise. It's mellow and you can hear them but not annoying at all. My guy carried both Flowmasters and Magnaflow and was partial to Magnaflow. The part number on my mufflers is "MG11124". They were $99.95 each plus installation. I also used new Magnaflow 3" stainless tips 7" long which come out more and really look nice. Haven't driven very many miles since installation so the jury is still out. My guy tells me, that if I want any more noise that I could replace the stock resonators with Magnaflow resonators for not too much money and get an even more aggressive sound. I used to own a Corvette and I never wanted it to sound too noisy so I am comparing this in way to that type of vehicle. Glad I made a decision and did something, now I can move on to other things. This forum has been very helpful to me. Thanks to all!
Larry

 

[Larry]

Magnaflow Mufflers

Had new Magnaflows (part # MG 11124) installed on my 03 T-Bird with new 3" rolled stainless tips (part # MG 35131) this past Friday. I listened without any mufflers and it really sounded pretty good. Was afraid of too much cabin resonance so chickened out and put on the Steel Pack Magnaflows. A lower tone compared to Flowmasters according to my guy. They carried both and he suggested Magnaflows. It's a bit louder however not much and I think I will be happy. If I want more noise, he suggest switching out the stock resonators with Magnaflow resonators, but not sure I need to do that. My cost was $450. Lot of money for not much different sound but the tips extended out more really improve the look of my Triple Black Premium Bird. Hope this helps others as you consider changing your exhausts.
Larry

 

[Larry]

Sorry for double postings

A day or so ago I posted my comments on my muffler installation. Today when I logged on the forum, it didn't show up so thought I had done something wrong, so re-posted. There must have been a delay so now I have two similar posts. This happened to me one other time. My appologies!
Larry

 

[LarryFeeley]

Has anyone upgraded the mufflers on an '04'? 🙂 😀