Riviera sound

I love the sound of the supercharger (As I'm sure many of you also do ). You can really hear it in the car, but I don't think it's so noticeable outside. By comparison, the Mustang Cobra ('01-04) is extremely loud. You can hear it if you're even anywhere near it (Video here). Is there any way to make the S/C on the Riviera louder? I know smaller pulleys make the S/C sound a little different but is there anything else I can do? (Our GTP has the 3.4 pulley and it sounds like this when you punch it)

I've also been thinking about exhaust. I've got the stock mufflers on it with the stock tips right now (except I've got my tips rotated around so they go out to the left and right instead of inward) but of course it makes no sound out the back. I've done nothing with the exhaust as of now because I think making a Riviera loud will make it sound more like a GTP, which we have and did put some turbo mufflers on it and it was pretty loud. On the Riviera, I think that would be trashy. It seems like a luxury car and the kind of sound the 3.8 S/C makes doesn't sound like it fits the Riviera's style, it just makes it sound kinda rough and ricey on a car like the Rivie. Almost like it's an old junker with a hole in the exhaust or something.

What do you all think? Is there anything I could do to give it a nice exhaust note that is only a hair louder than factory with a nice tone or doesn't sound like garbage? I remember our GTP when it had those turbo mufflers on it made this WSSSHHH sound out the back that scared anyone around you when you did it. Here is a link of a GTP with custom exhaust and ours sounded kinda like that. This doesn't sound too bad, but the big problem with all the 3800 S/Cs is they sound like V8s at idle (Good) but they pop and sound like sixes when the RPMs get up (Bad) which is to be expected.

The best example I can cite are the Cadillacs. They sound vicious when they're loud, but they don't befit what they are. For example, this. The GTP sounds ok loud like that, the sound goes with the type of car. Same thing for a Camaro. I'm just not sure if there is anything you can do for the Riviera without making it like the loud Cadillac - Tacky but cool sounding.

Anyone here have some custom exhaust on their Series II Rivie? If so, do you have any videos of it or advice for a good sound? Just kinda getting bored with stock exhaust, no one else can really hear me or my S/C and I just can't have that

I have two Ravins on mine. I'll get a video of it for you tomorrow. I have a video from a couple years ago, but it's on my other computer.

you can build a custome FWI, eliminating the stock tube/muffler and airbox will make a nice whine under load. As to the exhaust, in general the same exhaust notes should apply, but there is room for a longer resonator, which is the most important part IMO.

Ha, I almost bought an ETC!!! I was planning on having two magnaflows custom installed by Midas, but then the Eldo turned out to be too much money to service and insure, as compared to the Riv, so I got my Riv.
The FWI sounds like it'd do the trick as far as S/C whine goes. Usually any CAI using a shorter intake pipe will do that, maybe you could have just a cone on the throttle body like in my sig! Just a thought...

IBx1 wrote:

maybe you could have just a cone on the throttle body like in my sig! Just a thought...

thats a terrible idea!!!!

u wanna make ur car better, get a set of headers and rockers and leave the rest of the stock exhaust. ull be more pleased then ud realize

If you want SC whine, go FWI. If you want lots of noise, open up the exhaust. If you want the sound of a V8, find another engine.

So what exactly are you all talking about doing with the FWI? I've got a CAI on it now, all I did was take the old filter and all that out and just bolt it on there, but it keeps falling off on me.

Shintsu wrote:

So what exactly are you all talking about doing with the FWI? I've got a CAI on it now, all I did was take the old filter and all that out and just bolt it on there, but it keeps falling off on me.

if it's not outside the engine compartment, it's not a CAI. It's an HAI. To get cold air you need to isolate the filter from the engine compartment somehow. I'll post some pics if I can later tonight, but I used PVC elbows and pipe and put the filter underneath the fender, down in front of the drivers wheel. I had to open up the square hole underneath where the stock airbox was for the PVC pipe to go through, then attached the filter from underneath. It makes filter cleaning difficult (and it does get pretty dirty in there) but it dropped an average of 10 degrees from my IAT.

before I had built the FWI, I had the cone filter right on the throttle body like IBx1 said. It was loud then. After the FWI, it stayed about as loud so i'd say keep your cold intake for sure.

One thing i'd like to know is does porting make it louder also?

Exhaust... Honestly, I don't think our engines sound particularly great at much beyond idle no matter what you do to the exhaust. Every video i've ever heard of GTPs, regals, rivieras, etc. with extensively modified exhaust (including my own) has some degree of rasp and whatnot. Personally, I'm ok with that but if you don't like the way most of the GTPs and such sound, i'd stay stock. Like Alex mentioned, headers alone would probably suffice in the performance needs as they eliminate the 2 most restrictive parts of the exhaust and they barely have any effect on sound. If you just want a little more sound, i'd suggest getting some mufflers only (w/ or w/o the headers). When I just had glasspacks (clearly not the most modest muffler available) with the rest stock, it sounded louder and there was practically no rasp.

Here is basically the only L67 i've ever heard that actually sounds, for lack of a better way to say, different..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFbiUcW0DY4

I really have no clue how he did it but if you watch when he takes off on the street, it actually sounds more like my v6 eclipse i had than my riv which is quite interesting if you ask me

Quote :

One thing i'd like to know is does porting make it louder also?

If you mean the exhaust manifolds, I think polishing would make them not much louder if any.

Some of the cammed 90º V6s sound nice, even with straight pipes off headers. Other than that, I've never heard one I like. For good V6 sound, you want something like a VW VR6... or for the best sounding 6 cylinder, inline 6.

AA wrote:

Quote :

One thing i'd like to know is does porting make it louder also?

If you mean the exhaust manifolds, I think polishing would make them not much louder if any.

I meant the blower

Here's mine.

Click here to watch '1997-SC-Riviera-Exhuast'



I really need to clean the engine.

Thanks for the vid, sounds just like the GTP did with the turbos. Honestly, I don't think the S/C 3800 Series II sounds bad. I never meant to implicate that, I just don't think that sound fits with the Riviera's styling and appearance. If it were a GTP it'd be fine. I kind of like the sound though, it sounds V8ish at idle and I've heard a lot of GTPs that sound kinda cool.

Yes, there are other sixes that sound better - namely European sixes. They lack what we have though - good power with a S/C! Some of them do have power but the vast majority are underpowered and their performance doesn't match their sound. This sounds a lot like the GTP did with the turbo mufflers taking off. I'm sure you're saying something like this sounds much better. I do agree, but I've driven a BMW like that and it wouldn't even stand a chance against the Rivie (It has 190 N/A HP vs 240 S/C HP).

very nice taste in exhaust shintsu, i would say dynomax is good as well i will find a clip on the tube and post it up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdSnYsKouCc&feature=related

thats a 3400 not sure if they would sound different

Are you referring to my taste in European exhaust? Hehe, just randomly found that nice little vid. The big difference in the 3400 and the 3800 is the 3800 is not a POS. Seriously, I've never seen one 3400 that ran good. They always have something wrong with them and they're not that powerful in comparison, it's a shame the Camaros had them until 96. I see so many that go out around 70-100k miles or that are puffing lots of blue smoke. I'd rather the lower horsepower 3100 - had that in a 91 Olds Cutlass Supreme and it was decent for what it was.

While we're on the topic of exhaust, I'm quite fond of the Subaru's boxer four (Link). Also used to have an old Volvo 850 GLT that had a pretty neat sound but it wasn't a turbo like this one (Link). I also like the newer M5s (Link). My ultimate favorite has to be the Porsche Carrera GT which I'd kill for (Link). There's really too many!