Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Hello everyone. I Just swapped a 5.7 into my 83 Camaro Z28.
After having a custom "Y" pipe fabricated today I have a fairly odd problem.
When the car is idling in park, drive or coasting (500-1300rpm) it has the most constant deafening resonance/drone/bass tone.. like a giant subwoofer. It even drowns out any conversation and the nice lope my cam has.

Anything above 1500 rpm or so and the noise is totally gone. Also if you cover 1 tail pipe by hand the other will sound clear and the bass effect will be gone 100%.
I've heard of drone at 2k rpm or so but this is far different from that. (All noise is coming from tailpipes)

Specs include: SBC 350 w/Lunati bracket master II, edelbrock 1406 carb, pro comp air gap intake, 1.5 roller rockers. w/ 700r4

Exhaust is composed of: 1 hooker long tube on the driver side, 1 flowtech mid length/shorty passenger side. Custom "Y" pipe to 3" exhaust, flowmaster 80 series 3" inlet 3" dual out to 3" Tips (crossflow muffler 53083)

Any Idea's? All input appreciated. :chevy:

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

That's why.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Take off the crapmaster.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

You have two different headers on? lol?

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

That's pretty ghetto to have two different headers, hmm.. But yeah the crapmaster should probably go (love the sound, but hate the idle / cruising drone sound..) I myself am debating whether or not to get a Magnaflow which I have heard is better at idle and cruise, but louder at full throttle.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

He was probably going for the Subaru type unequal length headers!

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Haha. That's a good one.
Actually when I bought my car 2 flowtechs headers were included.
When I bought my engine 2 hooker headers were included.

Only 1 out of each pair actually fit the car nicely due to their (shape / part numbers). So for the time being I will run them.

Talked to my machinist. He recommends going true duel with no 'Y' pipe and exit before the rear tires. Any good set ups out there for side exits?

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

A good 3" single flows just as well as any dual setup. I couldn't get either side of the flow tech headers on mine, so I went with Hooker 2460s, and they both fit no problem. Side pipes aren't really feasible on these cars because they just don't have the clearance, unless you cut into the rocker panels, and have them exit that way. Start by changing mufflers first, that will be cheapest.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

" Flowmaster 80 series 3" inlet 3" dual out to 3" Tips (cross flow muffler 53083)"

That #53083 comes up as 2.5 dual outlet pipes.
I would measure.

Anyway the more radical the car is the more you will hear the Flowmaster "inside" and out.

The 80 series Flowmaster is one of, if not the loudest cross flow mufflers there is and has an interior resonance that can most defiantly be heard.

Some call it drone, I call it the Flowmaster sound.

In my 5.0 it’s perfect for me but anything with power using headers and 3in. system will bring out the FLOWMASTER SOUND.

I believe you may have picked the wrong muffler.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

I've found the setup I currently have. It actually is a flowmaster american thunder system. http://www.ebay.com/itm/310853465949...84.m1423.l2649 (again came with the car).

As for changing out the muffler I totally agree with that. Will check other threads for muffler recommendations with little to no drone. (least in cabin noise). Feel free to suggest.

Will update once Ive got a different muffler. (with before and after videos)
Thanks everyone

"Start by changing mufflers first, that will be cheapest." :goodidea:

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

flowmaster is your problem

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Love my Magnaflow #16829 kit. Quiet at idle. A beast at WOT. I don't notice any drone.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Im pretty excited to see how loud this interior resonance is when i slap my Flowmaster #17233 Catback. If you guys are just being old grandma's and its not even that bad im going to come rave on all of you for liking a QUIET V8. Im not really sure who likes that? I mean unless your driving a AMG benz or a M6 i can see it, but these things are slightly meant to be loud? Let the beast out!

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

My car currently has open headers, and I don't even think it's loud enough for me...

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Open headers is to much rumble in the car for me.
I like my Full 3.5in all the way back. Took me a few weeks of altering / remaking the over the axle pipe to get it right. Comes to a 3.5 into dual 3 Y-pipe, No muffler or converters. Sounds good. Debating on denting my seats / floor pan in to run true duals =x

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

I want to remove the buckets for the rear seats, weld in some new sheetmetal, and run true duals into nascar sidepipes. But I don't have the money for it.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

I've got a pretty bumpy cam. Edelbrock TES headers, 3" mid and a Flowmaster with 2.5 tails. "Truck" tips. (All previous owners work). The car sounds awesome at idle, great revving, but driving in 4the gear at 25-3000 rpm the "drone" about drives me mad. It's not a good sound, it feels kinda like slowly being electrocuted at low voltage, while being in a constant vibrating earthquake.

That's the best definition of my exhaust I can think of. Everyone that hears my car loves it, thinks I'm crazy to want to change exhaust. But they haven't ridden in it. Terrible mid-throttle drone.

Would love to just swap mufflers to see if it would be more tolerable.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

typical "flowmaster sound ,personally I hate it. magnaflow 12267 for me. I have a 1968 dodge van with a built 340 with manifolds and 2.5 pipes with flowmaster 80s. and since its my service truck, I don't mind it too much. but on my Camaro. I prefer to hear the stereo and have a conversation with my passengers.you cant do that with a flowmaster

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Knoxville huh?

Crossville here. Small world.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

yep, im available for help should you need it.hit me up

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Look into aerochambers. They have a bassy sound but no drone... At least mine doesnt. Doesnt sound like a flowmaster, but for a "straight through" muffler they're one of the closer ones you're gonna get.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Didn't see an aerochamber that fits although they look nice. May just go with a Dynomax Ultra Flo 17536 crossflow 3"in 3"outlets.
^ Here's a link to my car idling, Camera doesn't pick up the overwhelming noise it makes.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

I think a Dynomax super turbo sound might be the sound you want .....quiet but louder than stock , doesn't drone or come up from the floor - but when you get on it comes alive - not obnoxiously alive ...... when you rev it in neutral and let off it doesn't have that raspy finishing burble a Flowmaster has either...... Just my .02 cents .

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ho...FQMT7AodHHYAEA

This is mine, but it's not the same system at all.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

get a slp loud mouth. so loud it doesnt drone because your deaf :D

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Open headers can't even make you deaf...

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

it seems that blowmasters set up a un pleasant harmonic .its the drone the poster mentioned. I hate it,personally. but I see that some of the younger members just love it

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

The fartmaster sounds good at idle and wot, but at around 2500 rpm it is where the drone comes in. Terrible in cruise mode. Open headers are loud but at least dont drone...

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

Personally I LOVE the way the 80 Series sounds on my car.

I think it being Seasoned/broke in and with the 3in piped Cat Back system its nice and deep.

That goes for what most call Drone. Nice and deep, and you can hear the engine while driving, and that's one of the reasons I chose it.

I get compliments on it all the time.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

because it has duals? you know,one per side.as I built the vans engine for max torque.it made sense at the time.

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

I get a lot of compliments as well, but do you not get at a certain rpm a very raspy, rattled sound mixed in with the deep awesome sound? I can't describe it properly in words, but it's like at a certain rpm range my exhaust hits a frequency that I can only describe by by maybe holding a 9volt to your tongue.

I know, weird huh. Best I can describe tho. It's only on part throttle cruise, if I romp it you'd never hear/feel it. That why I wonder if a mid-pipe resonator might kill it. My GTP did the same but much worse without the resonator.

RPM cam with 1.6's, Edelbrock headers, gutted cat, 3inch into Flowmaster into 2 1/2 tails. Ugly truck tips (previous owner).

Re: Constant bass tone / Drone at Idle
 

I would think the system your running could benefit with mount alterations. A bolt through the mounting point with washers and nut on the passenger side and a 1/2 thick piece of rubber in between the mounts and the car. It took a lot of the unwanted vibration the system produced away.

I almost forgot the exact procedure. It was many years ago but worked.

I was looking for a system that has a "bad attitude" and I picked the Flowmaster 3in.American Thunder Cat back with 80 Series muffler.

My car actually "GROWL'S" when I start it.