I plan on ordering up a flowmaster 80 series muffler for my car. What side pipes exiting the muffler should u get. Same as stock? Mine are perfectly fine as they are I'd like to get a muffler were i can just pop it in. Not cutting or nothing. Did you guys run into any problems? Thanks How do they sound?

 

i have a flowmaster 80 series on my car, sounds fantastic

 

Yup...sounds great...friend thought I had a V-8....FYI it sounds much better when the car is warm though for some reason. Also, the guy told me that the 80 series are the only ones capable of making a dual exhaust set up.....of course I think he just wanted to hear whatit sounds like cause he mostly worked on imports and stuff

Oh...and get a 2.5 inch catback.....I did and it improved performance and stuff

 

i got a muffler that i thought i could just unbolt the u-bolts and pop it in. didnt worked that way. bolts pinched the metals together and the extreme heat seized them up and rusted them together. o well

 

imo the 2.5" flowmaster 80 series muffler is too loud for the v6 and at high rpms sounds like a 4 cylinder. I like dynomax better or hooker aerochamber.

 

I have my pipes going strait back out and the tips end about an inch after the bumper.

 

Okay. I ordered up the flowmaster How loud is it? Had to cut the old muffler off. Got a little of the intermediate pipe but no biggy. I will just clean it up. I also saved the exhuast tips. I will sandblast them up and spray them with some high heat paint Can't wait

 

Your stock tips wont fit unless they are 2.50 inches your stock ones should be 2.25. You can hear my flowmaster about a block away it sounds good at idle but in high RPMS it gets raspy but overall im happy with it but i am considering to getting a more silent muffler because im tired of being pulled over and harassed.

 

Yup, I agree....but I like it haha

 

Where do I go about getting bigger exhuast pipes that come out the rear? Does the intermediate pipe fit? I get stopped with stock exhuast on my car. I just keep it quiet when I see them. Its not a daily driver either

 

I took mine to a muffler shop they made an adaptor that made it go from 2.25 to 2.50 to fit the I pipe and muffler togheter. AS for the tips i had the muffler shop bend the pipe for me and put the tips on it only cost 100 bucks to have the muffler installed. Might be easier for you to just go to a shop and have them put it on i bought mine with intents of putting it on the same day until i got it then had no clue what to do becasue i dont weld at all nor did i have exhaust pipe or a bender.

 

They sell coupler i believe that go from 1/4 to 1/2. Right? Thats all I should need no? Thanks guys

 

Ya the sell a coupler that will reduce it for some reason i think my muffler may have come with one but im not sure this was about 6 years ago when i had it put on.

 

You will need a muffler person to do the installation.
AND a flowmaster is heavier due to the steel shell body, not thin stamped stuff used by other mufflers.

 

you will have to have a muffler shop do it. i just got a dynomax and they installed it, made up two new tail pipes and added an extra hanger on the passenger side because the muffler was so much heavier. cost me like 90 dollars

 

Are you guys serous? No one here has installed it thereselfs? How hard can it possibly be? I hate bring it places and having others work on my car. Why could I not get the 1/4 to 1/2 adapters, weld them onto the pipes. Attach them to the muffler and put everything back in place. This will not work here?

 

probably cuz we dont have the tools to do it. welder, hydraulic lift, saw....easier to just have someone else do it and pay a little money. if u went and spent the money on the muffler y not spend a little more and get the bigger pipes to fit it. seems a little pointless to get a high flow muffler just to choke it off with smaller pipes

 

Where can you get the 2 1/2 size end pipes for it? Is that what came on the v-8s? If it is and I got v-8 pipes would they match up as far as mount brackets and whatnot? Any advice would be great

 

I did it myself. It was fairly easy. I bought the 80 series, as well as 4 u-bolts. Then I used a saws-all and cut off the old muffler because the old u bolts crimped the old pipes together. Then I mounted the new muffler with the new U-bolts. The only thing that was tricky is that i wanted the pipes to come out equally spaced on each side. So I bought about a 10" extension and bolted that up with the extra u-bolt. I bought some stainless steel exhaust tips, hacked off the parts of the side pipes that curved down and mounted the tips with some self-tapping screws, but you can use more u bolts if you want. Simple, took me an afternoon.

That was my old setup though. I decided to get a 3" cat-back and had that mounted and welded by a shop to ensure no leaks.

 

The muffler shop would have the 2 1/2 inch pipes for ya. Everything will match up since its basicly the same car.

 

IF ya wanna cheat you MAY have one easy option and it can only kinda work on one spot of your project.
Go to the yards and seek out a V8 car & look at the muffler. Find the sized MUFFLER tailpipes ya seek.
Then cut off the outlet pipes from muffler to rear of car.
Those pipes will be fresh good metal.
BUT the I Pipe leave that behind on a wrecking yard car.
IF ya feel the need for that pipe, get it new.
Unless your current I Pipe is shot, no "big deal" between a 2 1/4" & a 2 1/2". Unless ya pushing serious HP. A 2 1/4" I pipe can give ya much more low end torque than a 2 1/2" pipe. Especially with a a 2.8.
I also use a muffler shop due to no welder nor the pipe bender or lift. AND my way is much easier & also more 100% (so I hope!!) leak free than IF I attempt myself. I try to save on the purchasing end of parts.

 

Yeah, I agree. When they bent up my pipes, it was perfect....but as time went (about a month ) the exhaust started clanging and hitting the track bar (?) and made some nasty noises because I think the stock rubber hanger stretched so they welded on another bracket and hanger to help it out.

 

I installed mine at home. Its not that hard. You'll probably have to do a little welding but its not that bad.

 

How much difference did you notice in the sound of your 3in cat back system compared to the old? My old one was a flowmaster as well, but for a 2.5 inch system.

I about fell over when I cranked mine Thurs when I picked it up! I had it completely redone...from the headers back...At the collectors I have 2.5 dual pipes to the single 3in...then 3in cut out...then 3in Magnaflow high flow cat...to the 3in flowmaster American Thunder cat back...with 2.5 dual outlets and my 4 square tips!

Its so deep now... I was showing it to Joe this weekend... its actually deeper now then Joes LT1... though his is all stock with 2.5 inch y-pipe... we both were amazed... then I took off the cut out block off... Whew we! You feel it in your chest it rumbles so deep. Not nearly as tinny as with the 2.5 inch flowmaster system I had before! You can still here the 6 in it at higher rpms, but not like before!

And I honestly think with the mods we are about to throw at it...the exhaust is the perfect size. The car does not backfire or pop at all like most do when the exhaust is too big! Just has a nice gurgle at idle!

Mine was all professionally done with mandrel bends! Just to ensure no flow was lost!

 

If you do got to a shop be careful if they have to bend any pipes! Most places use a pipe bender and it will reduce the effective size of the pipe when it is bent! My supposed 2.25 inch system that was made by a shop was more like 1.5 due to the bending! That is why I went the route I did with the larger mandrel bent system!

 

Shannon:
Well its hard to explain the difference. My old system was all stock except for an 80 series muffler and tips. The new system is the American Thunder series 3" catback #17234. It uses the 80 series as well, but all the inlets and outlets are 3" and mandrel bent. I let my muffler shop do the install so that it could be welded properly. Also, he welded some extra hangers and re-aligned the tips since they were not straight (as is the case with Flowmaster, alot).

I never put the headers in because they do not have my AIR fittings. Don't know what to do with that yet. A high flow cat is in order, just waiting for now becuase it is not necessary.

But anyway, back to your question. The car is definately lower and louder. Sounds much better at idle. Higher rpms sound better as well, but still a bit raspy for my 6. Only thing I liked about the older system was that it sounded better when I revved it. You heard more of the engine than a reverberation, but the difference is nominal at best. But I felt a performance increase for sure. I had bad flow with my old sytem do to too many pinched pipes and a leak which I never fixed. Now, no problems.

Just waiting for my 350 TPI to be swapped in this summer (graduation gift). Can't wait to hear that thing growl through my exhaust.

 

Would it be alright to leave the two 2 1/4 tail pipes exiting and just weld on some adapters to the muffler? Would I loose power and would it sound like crap? Or should I just go to the scrape yard and get some 2 1/2 pipes. Whats better for power and sound? Thanks

 

Read my reply, again, prior to this. That's what I still suggest.
Save the extra funds, until ya stick in the 3.4

 

If you dont want to get a professional to do it, here is what I suggest. Go to the yard and get some 2 1/2" pipes. Obviously flow will be better, maybe only by a little, but it helps. Also, you wont have to torque down the u-bolts so much if the pipes are the right size. If they are too small than you will have to tighten the u-bolts so much you will crimp the metal and then the muffler kinda gets ruined, and it makes it hard to be re-used in case you want to sell it in the future (I came across that problem).

Good luck!

 

Look where he is located.
Finding good exhaust pipes in snow country is not a true possibility.
That's why I suggest what I have.
I saw the 1995 Jimmy exhaust pipes on my parents car & they from PA. They've had two pipe sets installed already due to snow. They've owned it since new.

 

Its possible to find good ones, just have to look. I sure someone sells new ones as well? Dynomax makes them, but I think they 2 1/4". I'll check when I get home.

 

I've never said it's NOT possible to score good pipes in a yard.
I myself have done just that! I'm in rust free zone of USA, So Cal!
BUT in Mass. it's snows alot & an old car in the yard it there for a very good reason.

 

Got to find some off a v-8 car. If I can't then i will stick to the stock. Can't even find them new which is odd. WIll they sound better then the 2 1/4 ones? I will get the 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 adapters so it all fit up nice if I have to. The stock v-8 ones will and have the same mounting positions as the 6 right? Thanks guys

 

I found them for ya. I knew summit had them.
Driver side: WLK-43244
Passender side :WLK-43243
Search that under summit. They are made by dynomax. And they should bolt up exactly the same.

 

I was told that they will work but they will make the car sound crappy. The smaller you are the better sounding? I heard it from a couple of people actaully. Is this true? Thanks

Thanks for the part number. I'll keep it just in case

 

If you go TOO big on a car...(exhaust too large for mods done) then Yes is can sound like crap! But that is typically due to not enough back pressure, which can lead to popping and backfiring in the exhaust. Also the larger the pipe the more you hear the engines tone. From V-6s that are only lightly modified you get a tinny tone..not as bad as 4 cyl mind you...

Mine has the full 3 inch system, but its a 3.4 which is heavily modified...sounds like a v-8!

But in your case...2.5 inch pipe will not make enough of a diff to make the car sound bad! Plus, even factory rear pipes have a slight crimp bend in them, so it is not even a true 2.5...

You will be fine with 2.5 don't worry about it! If and when you have to replace your cat again I suggest a 2.5 inch as well...or if your whole system is 2.5 get a 2.75 cat!

 

Thanks again for the help. Some people are telling me to just put on 2 1/2 and you will not notice the difference in sound. Some say stick to the 2 1/4 it will sound much better and deeper. If you go to 2 1/2 it will sound like crap because its a stock motor. What the heck guys lol.

 

You will have no problem with a 2 1/2 exhaust.

 

2.5" should be fine for ya.

 

go with he 2.5's the difference is very small. hell, you might like the sound better.

 

In my case the car got deeper with larger exhaust, so I'm not sure why someone would say it would be deeper with smaller exhaust

 

ENGINE SIZE
AND
AMOUNT OF "AIR" PUSHED THRU THE PIPE
2.8 shouldn't go over the "factory" sized I Pipe
That said (only if the original pipe is still good)
2.5" would be perfect compromise IF ya need replace the I Pipe

 

I put it on tonight. Sounds awesome and deep until it hits like 3500. I keep the orginal 2.25 inch pipes on it. Just used adapters. The only prob that I do have is that it hits the frame on the passenger side. Where it goes up over the axel. I will try to bend it a little I guess. It also hit the spare tire wall. But when driving does not rattle or anything, should I worry about it? The drivers side rubber hanger for the left exhuast pipe it pushed toward the 1/4 panel to. I think the adapters I have screwed it up a bit. Everything is in there snug though and sounds awesome. SHould I leave it? I was going to get some of that header tape they sell that keeps heat down and wrap the pipes, but not sure. This car sits outside, but i don't drive it much in the rain. Any help would be great

 

i always heard that 3.0" on a stock and even lightly modded 3.1 would sound bad. i got a 2.5" dynomax and just what camaro man just said sounds good till about 3500rpms. Im getting intake/tb/headers/cam. would these mods make it sound more like a v8. Also when i get these mods done wouldnt 2.5" make it more deeper like a v8 then the 3.0"?

 

I stayed the stock 2.25 I pipe, flowmaster and then the stock 2.25 pipes exiting. Very deep. I tried the 2.50, and it popped and sounded raspy. The stock ones are much better Did you guys have to get customs exhuast mounts though? My I pipe hits the frame on me along with the the tail pipe hitting the spare tire well. Any advice?

That 80 series is very loud without a cat, will a cat quiet it down? I hope not

 

a cat will quiet it up some

 

Strange since my 3" catback has no pops when I rev it. Sounds very good too, much lower. What IS true is that its much raspier at 3500 rpms and above than my old system (2.25). Depends on what you want, and what mods are done to the engine.

 

Sucks! I so need a tach! Couldn't tell you when mine rasps out!

 

so basically from reading this, whenI get the 3.4 in, go with a 2.5inch from the headers back?

Don't plan on jacking the thread but no point in starting another. You guys were suggesting for the 3.1's that they egt 2.5inch all the way back, so 3.4 would 2.5 work aswell o rshould I gow tih 2.75, I don't know if I'm going to put a new cat on or not, I dont need to pass emissions so it doesn't matter, it would just be sound/backpressure that I would be thinking about.

I was thinking maybe 2.5 or 2.75 from the new headers back (not dual, just single), Flowmaster 40 dual outlet, chrome tipped for the looks, but was also thinking of adding a cutout *electric controlled* so that I could keep my low end torque nice and steady then when I want to step on it I open the cut out and gun it and itll be much more free flowing. How does that sound?

 

I believe a cut out will lower you torque on the V6, even a 3.4L. It raises HP though.