FAQ: The Exhaust Thread

Abaddon wrote:

charlieRobinson wrote:

why is there so much dis on the 3800's exhaust sound? I think it sounds fine stock and can be greatly improved with exhaust mods. See Abaddon's Riv for a great example.

The 3800 II can for sure be made to sound great. No doubt about it.

  I still need to post the "new" sound.

Abaddon post it cause 3 8's sound soda cans

My 3" exhaust sounds pretty nice with a Thrush Turbo Muff and a Cherry Bomb in place of the Rez.


Just went out to the garage to capture proof of my bad ass exhaust,I'm disappointed,it sounds like a John Deer tractor..

So would a muffler with packing like a borla or magnaflow sound better than chambered like flowmaster?

Johnny5 wrote:

Abaddon  post it cause 3 8's sound soda cans

Mine certainly does NOT sound like a soda can!!!!  
I'll see if my new phone gets some decent audio today....

Abaddon wrote:

Johnny5 wrote:

Abaddon  post it cause 3 8's sound soda cans

Mine certainly does NOT sound like a soda can!!!!  
I'll see if my new phone gets some decent audio today....

Cool your seat dude lol .... im just saying if you put magna flow on and hopes of getting a decent sound instead of hitting a corner and sounding like your just married or something lol

h20man wrote:

So would a muffler with packing like a borla or magnaflow sound better than chambered like flowmaster?

Just go in and read these guys post you are for sure to make inference from some of these guys but the hookers on the 3.8 didn't sound bad at all kinda like having the factory mufflers with a gurgle sound

robotennis61 wrote:

My 3" exhaust sounds pretty nice with a Thrush Turbo Muff and a Cherry Bomb in place of the Rez.


Just went out to the garage to capture proof of my bad ass exhaust,I'm disappointed,it sounds like a John Deer tractor..

You and i have basically the same exact exhaust setup!  Im running a magnaflow glasspack, but same difference.

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

robotennis61 wrote:

My 3" exhaust sounds pretty nice with a Thrush Turbo Muff and a Cherry Bomb in place of the Rez.


Just went out to the garage to capture proof of my bad ass exhaust,I'm disappointed,it sounds like a John Deer tractor..

You and i have basically the same exact exhaust setup!  Im running a magnaflow glasspack, but same difference.

Oh yeah? I have a single 3" exhaust.It sounds Ok standing and driving with some drone but I'm used to it but the recording makes it sound a whole lot different.why is that? who knows.

I get a tid bit of drone at around 1400, but thats why i have a loud radio! lol Im pretty happy with the overall sound though

without the Rez-delete I can turn up to 15 on the volume and I'm cool.With the Cherry Bomb not even 26 on the volume gets it

I want a setup that sounds something like a sports car coupe should have like g37 or 350 somewhere along those lines

Johnny5 wrote:

I want a setup that sounds something like a sports car coupe should have like g37 or 350 somewhere along those lines

You won't find one. There's no way this 90* V6 is going to sound that way....I would love to have a sound like that. Make it sound "exotic". It just isn't going to happen.

It'd be easier to get these cars to sound a little bit like a gn, id be happy with that

Abaddon wrote:

Johnny5 wrote:

I want a setup that sounds something like a sports car coupe should have like g37 or 350 somewhere along those lines

You won't find one. There's no way this 90* V6 is going to sound that way....I would love to have a sound like that. Make it sound "exotic". It just isn't going to happen.

Way to go killing my hopes of get getting an akrapovic exhaust some real engineering shyt lol

Getting honest/accurate feedback can save you a lot of wasted time and money.

1998 Riv wrote:

Getting honest/accurate feedback can save you a lot of wasted time and money.  

Lol quickly im not doing much I just feel like something with 400 horsepower can be kept quiet or muzzled a lil bit

For the zillionth time, there's a number of reatta guys getting the 3800 to sound like a chevelle at idle and a 308 Ferrari on acceleration. It sounds powerful and really good. I'd consider it for my riv if I didn't love the silence of my car. Our 91 reatta was modified this way with camaro exhaust. It's fantastic sounding.
I know, nothin doin til I post some videos. Well, I'll have to do that then!

llamalor2112 wrote:

For the zillionth time, there's a number of reatta guys getting the 3800 to sound like a chevelle at idle and a 308 Ferrari on acceleration. It sounds powerful and really good. I'd consider it for my riv if I didn't love the silence of my car. Our 91 reatta was modified this way with camaro exhaust. It's fantastic sounding.  
I know, nothin doin til I post some videos. Well, I'll have to do that then!

What mufflers are they using? What resonator? What size pipes? It all makes a difference. I have 3" exhaust with headers. I imagine much smaller pipes will have a higher tone to them. I've used 3 different mufflers now, and I like the Hookers I have on here now. However, it STILL sounds like a 3800 lol. It's just a little less raspy than the previous mufflers. Either way, I can't shake the "hollow" sound. I blame it on the 3" piping.

There's zero room on the Riv to fit a Camaro exhaust. If it's the exhaust I think you're talking about, it's a single in, dual out? The muffler sits sideways, and it's about 20-24" long?

I think I'm going to get rid of the Pypes resonators (yes, 2) in the center and try something else.....

Oh I know, like anything auditory, its all about the measurements and flow. Here's a link to the install page
http://reattaowner.com/roj/component/content/article/68-engine-a-drivetrain/exhaust-system/239-camaro-muffler-installation

Abaddon wrote:

llamalor2112 wrote:

For the zillionth time, there's a number of reatta guys getting the 3800 to sound like a chevelle at idle and a 308 Ferrari on acceleration. It sounds powerful and really good. I'd consider it for my riv if I didn't love the silence of my car. Our 91 reatta was modified this way with camaro exhaust. It's fantastic sounding.  
I know, nothin doin til I post some videos. Well, I'll have to do that then!

What mufflers are they using? What resonator? What size pipes? It all makes a difference. I have 3" exhaust with headers. I imagine much smaller pipes will have a higher tone to them. I've used 3 different mufflers now, and I like the Hookers I have on here now. However, it STILL sounds like a 3800 lol. It's just a little less raspy than the previous mufflers. Either way, I can't shake the "hollow" sound. I blame it on the 3" piping.

There's zero room on the Riv to fit a Camaro exhaust. If it's the exhaust I think you're talking about, it's a single in, dual out? The muffler sits sideways, and it's about 20-24" long?

I think I'm going to get rid of the Pypes resonators (yes, 2) in the center and try something else.....

Dont ya like the Pypes resonators? they don't do the job? I'm guessing they might be a little quieter than my Cherry Bomb in place of Rez deal,right?

Abaddon wrote:

llamalor2112 wrote:

For the zillionth time, there's a number of reatta guys getting the 3800 to sound like a chevelle at idle and a 308 Ferrari on acceleration. It sounds powerful and really good. I'd consider it for my riv if I didn't love the silence of my car. Our 91 reatta was modified this way with camaro exhaust. It's fantastic sounding.  
I know, nothin doin til I post some videos. Well, I'll have to do that then!

What mufflers are they using? What resonator? What size pipes? It all makes a difference. I have 3" exhaust with headers. I imagine much smaller pipes will have a higher tone to them. I've used 3 different mufflers now, and I like the Hookers I have on here now. However, it STILL sounds like a 3800 lol. It's just a little less raspy than the previous mufflers. Either way, I can't shake the "hollow" sound. I blame it on the 3" piping.

There's zero room on the Riv to fit a Camaro exhaust. If it's the exhaust I think you're talking about, it's a single in, dual out? The muffler sits sideways, and it's about 20-24" long?

I think I'm going to get rid of the Pypes resonators (yes, 2) in the center and try something else.....

wait you have 2 resonators and its still raspy?! Is it a single exit exhaust?

h20man wrote:

wait you have 2 resonators and its still raspy?! Is it a single exit exhaust?

Yes, 2.



It's 3" all the way to the rear where it splits into dual 2-1/2". It's just like the factory setup, just bigger.
<---------------------- Refer to my Avatar on the left. It's dual.

It has a really cool sound at idle. But, true to nature, slam on the gas and mid-RPM's get gurgly. I'm thinking I want to find a single resonator with a shit-ton of packing in it. Probably one that utilizes Fiberglass instead of Basalt. Although, I've heard that Fiberglass packing doesn't last as long....I don't know. I just want a higher pitch to the sound. The Hookers did stop the backfiring lol

Anyone here have a single exit exhaust? I'd like a setup like that to save money and weight but I don't want to sacrifice sound. I found one on YouTube but it was cammed so that wouldn't be an accurate example since my car is basically stock.... For now

I'm getting my twin Magnaflow #11225's installed on Saturday. All other piping will remain stock size for now, cat and resonator included. I'll get a video up that day for comparison.

h20man wrote:

Anyone here have a single exit exhaust? I'd like a setup like that to save money and weight but I don't want to sacrifice sound. I found one on YouTube but it was cammed so that wouldn't be an accurate example since my car is basically stock.... For now

I don't think having a single muffler setup would change the exhaust note that much. I think the biggest determining factor would be the actual brand of muffler.