FAQ: The Exhaust Thread

One thing to remember also...these mufflers were built and tuned for a V6... not just any off the shelf deal..

To be honest, these sound just like the $100 pair of mufflers that my dad got put on his GTP (That will be going on my car soon) at the muffler shop. His car sounded very similar (More bass though) but differences were mostly due to length and pipe design. Plus he doesn't have that big resonator, although I don't know if you do or not either. Resonator probably cuts out some of that bass though.

So it took a whole week for my car to realize there wasnt a cat..an threw a light... so i thought back to how we used to do the mitsubishis... and you can buy this at your local parts store in the HELP section...its a spark plug NON-FOULER.... they usually drill it out to about half an inch... i had to go slightly bigger so the 02 would fit... basically like a spacer for the 02.. and so far so good with no light..

Nice job! I guess I missed this thread last week.

Losing 1 lb of boost is a GOOD THING. It means you dropped some backpressure away and the air can escape easier.

thanks.....now i just need a better condition car to put it on..lol still no SES light.. i think my non-fouler is working good.....

Looks great Rob. Good to see your Riv getting a new mod!

I've seen somewhere that the PCM can be reprogrammed to think the second O2 sensor is seeing a cat. I have a series II and have been toying with the idea of deleting the cat/resonator and replacing with a straight pipe but have been told the resonator is preferrrable in our applications because after all, they are sleek refined hot rods and the 3.8 does not sound good without it. If thats the case and a resonator is only a glass pack what would it sound like with a 31" cherry bomb? running back to the stock dual turbos of course.

Aaron, what would it look like if you enlarged it and put it in the middle like the Porches?

AA wrote:

That's my car + the MB tip + Photoshop. It hasn't been done, to my knowledge, but now I've let the cat out of the bag, so I need to get busy with this project before you or Codith beats me to it!

whats up with the lisence plate?

Once again I've pulled a few strings at work and got a Dynomax Part# 24219 race bullet to add to my current exhaust.

Since I don't think you all have it memorized it is wrapped PEMs, 3" hogan shorty DP, all 3" mandrel run (no cat or resonator) to the back to dual 2.5" dynomax superturbo mufflers.

http://www.prostreetonline.com/pso/images/products/DYN-24234.jpg

^ That's the little bugger I'm going to put somewhere near the orginal resonator position. I'm hoping to elimiate a little drone. Right now it sounds awesome idling, pretty quiet at a true cruise, actually nice at WOT (which is an accomplishment) but a bit too much drone under light to moderate throttle at lower rpms. Of course I don't expect this to be a magic sonic device and cancel all the drone but I'll be happy if it absorbs it just a little bit. I also need to get an O2 fitting put in for a future wideband install.

I'll try to do a decent before/after video.

I also want to get rid of my resantor. But I'm not sure if I should just replace it with a straight pipe or some kind of glasspack or race muffler?my exhuast guy I go to said he will replace the resantor with a straight pipe for $50 or$60 does that sound like a good deal?

I think these motors sound like ass with no resonator. The droning is unbearable to me. Some folks say the Riv doesn't sound as bad as other 3800 platforms, though...

never thought of that anyone else have any sugestions?

I've been looking into getting a couple Cherry Bomb or Thrush glasspack mufflers. Anyone know anything about these in particular?

so what do you all think? Should I leave the resanator alone, replace it with a piece of pipe, or replace it with etier a glasspack or race muffler?

Depends on how much you like a loud droning sound cruising at 65 mph. I prefer to leave the stock resonator and mufflers alone, keeping the car sounding basically stock.

ok I will probley leave the resanator alone but I already have magnaflow mufflers and they sound nice! Might just go with a dp and a high flow cat insted.

I'm also looking at upgrading to a front plog.

The plog isn't a bad mod. I'd pick one up used though ( thats what i did). I think if you spend <$100 then you'll be happy with it. At full price maybe not. Definitely go for ceramic coated or stainless though , as it really does make a difference with heat ( i had an uncoated plog for a while). However if you think you're gonna wanna get headers soon then go plog. If you don't think you're gonna get them for a while then its all up to you.

FYI i got a ceramic coated plog ( about 200 bucks new) for like 85 bucks shipped so its possible to get a good deal.

You should get some vids of your exhaust up too. How loud would you say it is on 1-10?

Would one or more of you who's done it post a list of parts for do-it-yourself exhaust replacement., or point me to such a list. I want to replace my exhaust from the resonator back.

I was thinking that I could get some pipes with stock mandrel bends and cut them to fit. I was also thinking that although this is probably not the project for me to learn welding, welding the new parts on might not be a bad idea.

Basically I am thinking about 2.5" stainless (405 not polished, not 304 polished) from the resonator to a Y, 2.5" tubing back from that to a couple Hooker Maximum Flows, and instead of SS tips or whatever, just bend the ends down toward the ground (more stock mandrel bent pipe, cut just right...

Please share you rexperience and parts lists. Including hangers and such.

Thanks

Albertj

My next mod is the exhaust too, so I'd be very interested in this as well...

here is what I have (listed) so far.

for stock system can use "Walker" parts. These are aluminized, would get a year or 2 out of them. From y-pipe back:
- 2 #3544 clamps
- 1 #53299 right muff
- 1 #53300 left muff
Re-use stock rubber hangers.

Have to cut y-pipe near each muffler and use 1 7/8" coupler to mate new muffs to old pipes.

For a mild mod, if system is otherwise sound:

- 1 2 1/4" y-coupler
- reducers as needed
- mandrel-bent pipes (see http://www.overstock.com/Auto-Parts/Exhaust-Tubing/18827/subcat.html) from which sections needed can be cut to fit (still have to figure out which ones, this site lacks detailon the bends)
- 2 mufflers (such as the 20" offset ones shown on http://www.overstock.com/Auto-Parts/MagnaFlow-20-inch-Performance-Muffler/3515776/product.html)
- reducers for the mufflers if needed
- tailpipes for the mufflers - I prefer to turn the pipes down and finish 'em with angled baloney cut...

or

- 2 1/2" Y-coupler
- mandrel-bent pipes (see http://www.overstock.com/Auto-Parts/Exhaust-Tubing/18827/subcat.html) from which sections needed can be cut to fit (still have to figure out which ones, this site lacks detailon the bends)
- 2 mufflers (such as the 20" offset ones shown on http://www.overstock.com/Auto-Parts/MagnaFlow-20-inch-Performance-Muffler/3515776/product.html)
- reducers for the mufflers if needed
- tailpipes for the mufflers - I prefer to turn the pipes down and finish 'em with angled baloney cut...


For this install I would cut exhaust y-pipe just ahead of Y, bolt on the parts, and hope no one peeks under except my doctor...


I'm pretty sure you guys have done better that waht I have listed above. What did you do?


Albertj

What is your objective? Do you want to hear more of the engine, are you looking to get points at a show, or do you want to increase HP?

HP for me