1971 442 convert

After all my research and private messages and all your help I think I made a big mistake. Just had the new exhaust system put on the car and I went with the 2 1/2" stainless Magna Flow system, complete with the x pipe. I now have a very bad loud drone at 30 to 40 miles per hour. Is it the mufflers that are causing this? Also my sound has gone higher (not like I was not warned), and would this be the mufflers as well? I have lost the famous 442 chug???
I understand that the turbo mufflers would sound better?
If so I may try to exchange the mufflers.
Is it Walker or Dynomax or are they the same company?

Thanks for any help
If so are they available in Canada?

MJAKS462

I would be interested in your Magnaflows. I think them and Flowmaster have the best sound of any. Some guys at a car show can name your muffler by the sound , you have one of the top 2 in my opinion

cutlassjoe

I think it may be the mufflers that are causing the drone, not sure though. I thought the x pipe or cross over would not cause that. If I am incorrect please let me know. Call JH Restorations, in Windsor Ontario, They specialize in muscle restorations mostly GM. My car is being finished there right now, and we are getting to do the exhaust. Call 519-737-8902, ask for Jesse Henke, tell him Joe McFadden asked you to call. He may be able to help you out. Good Luck.

extreme1

The change in tone is caused by the X-pipe, there should be no drone at all when cruising, I just had the 3" system installed on my '72 cutlass and it's a side exit.

No drone at idle or cruise throttle.

Have you listened to it outside of the car with someone else pulling away? it sounds a lot different in car than outside. I will post of pictures of mine tomorrow once the tips are installed.

1971 442 convert

Thanks guys.
So the mufflers are causing the drone and the change in pitch (sounds like a vet or BMW not a 442), is being caused by the x pipe?

I have not listened to it outside the car but it wont matter can not stand the sound inside its not like it is to loud just an annoying drone. Sure I will have a headache in no time.

I will call your man in the am Joe and 462 if I can't return the mufflers I may be looking to sell them. They have about 10 mins on them. LOL

extreme1

considering the mufflers are a straight through design... are you using stock manifolds? I also installed full length headers at the same time on mine...

1971 442 convert

No headers just straight off the wz manifolds

Olds64

I suggest waiting awhile before ditching the current mufflers. You may find that the sound changes over 1000 miles or so. When I initially installed the Thrush glasspacks on my 71 98 they were quite loud. After about 1500-2000 miles they mellowed out considerably.

1971 442 convert

Spoke to Joe's restoration shop this am and feel like I might have more of an answer. Their suggestion was that the Magna Flow systems will not give that old muscle car rumble (that I was looking for) and that the stainless is probably causing the sound to reverberate which maybe is adding to the change in sound. Anybody else experience this??
They are talking to the company they deal with called Ram Air Restorations for their suggestions?

My guy has basically told me if your not happy no problem they will just make the system out of 14 gauge and supply what ever mufflers I want.
I think I am leaning to no x pipe now (want that 442 chug) and some sort of turbo mufflers??


Thanks Joe

Boy this is exhausting

66ninetyeightls

Are you sure they didn't just damage your hearing???

Olds64

What did you say?

Oldsguy

So the recommendation is using heavier gauge tubing? That might do it then.

1971 442 convert

Not sure what the gauge is of the Magna Flow Stainless. I think it may have more to do with the actual smoothness of the stainless that is causing the higher pitched reverb tinny type sound.? Maybe it is a combination of the stainless and the mufflers??

Joffroi

My 1970 455 Cutlass SX needs a new exhaust and I was considering the 2 1/2" MagnaFlows. Is this still a good route to go?

ROCKET VAPOR

Stainless pipes have a tinny type of sound, by the very nature of the hard (ringing) alloy.

X shaped cross over pipes cancel out each bank's exhaust pulse, and will create more of a straight hum rather then the 442s original dual pipe pulses ("chug").

Joffroi

so for those looking for the low rumbling exhaust sound, what is the recommendation.

ROCKET VAPOR

Magnaflow will produce a low pitched rumble.

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/02muffler.asp

Joffroi

Would this work on a 1970 Cutlass SX?

http://hottexhaust.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=15894

1971 442 convert

Rocket hit the nail on the head with the tinny sound and no chug this is exactly what has happened to me, which I believe is a combination of the stainless and the x pipe.

Also I have a very bad drone not sure but this may becoming from the mufflers? So far I am not a big fan of Magno Flow and I have yet to hear anyone on hear say that their mufflers produced a low pitched rumble.
Everyone seems to be talking about Dynomax turbos or super turbos?
It is hard to know as you would have to hear it.

extreme1

Yes, that is the 2 1/2" of the 15895 3" that I bought.

ROCKET VAPOR

IMPO, I would stay far away from "X" and "H" style exhaust systems on classic muscle cars, because it kills exhaust pulses thru the scavenging process that these systems were designed to do.

Joffroi

Thanks for the info. Do you have any site / type you would recommend for getting that typical muscle car sound out of my SX?

Thanks

Olds64

I've always heard the opposite. It would be good to hear some definitive info. I wonder if Joe has any thoughts on this.

ROCKET VAPOR

IMPO, I would get this stock type system from Inline Tube.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/70-72...Q5fAccessories


Or.... If you want it louder than stock buy the proper Magna Flow mufflers for your car and have a local shop bend up some "coated" 2 1/2" head and tail pipes, and mount it all up for you.

Joffroi

$650... ouch

mmurphy77

I have the Magnaflow 'X-pipe' and muffler system on my car and it has a nice throaty burble at idle and sounds nice under throttle outside the car. But, there is a definate loud drone inside the car at certain rpms that I'm sure would be pretty annoying on a long trip if I had to stay in that rpm range. A little less or more throttle and it gets quiet again. I've had 'X' and 'H' pipes on other cars but with different mufflers and never got this so I would have to conclude it is the Magnaflow mufflers. Just my $.02

ROCKET VAPOR

Mike, I would figure that you would have a Gardner system on that 442.

mmurphy77

In due time. It happened to have a brand new system on it when I bought it a couple of months ago. I will put an OEM system on it eventually. I just can't see replacing a perfectly good system right now.

1971 442 convert

You could be right Mike about the mufflers. Is your system stainless and what size?

defiant1

442 Convert-

Not sure how fast you are looking to replace your system. But I plan on having an H-pipe system with Dynomax Super turbo mufflers installed by the end of next week. I can create video for you so you can hear the sound (inside and outside the car).

Granted you have a few more ci than my measly 350 but it should give you an idea.

I think I will do a video anyway, for reference at the very least. Maybe someone with get some use out of it when they decide to install an exhaust in the future.

d1

nonhog

I have a Pypes set up for my car but have yet to install it.
Pretty similar to you Magnaflow set up.
I watched many Youtube videos but they are not the same as being there.

Here is a thread about the drone which some may find interesting.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/i-di...ght=resonators

1971 442 convert

Wow Nonhog very interesting. My drone is so annoying I am not driving the car.

Thanks d1 I will probably have my new system installed by the middle of next week Just waiting for them to bend the pipes and I am going to go with just his regular turbo mufflers for now but I am very interested to hear the dynomax super turbos. Is your system 2 1/2"?

I plan to try to get my car back to sounding some what normal and then listen to some at the Nationals to get a better idea.

extreme1

Here's a question, do you have the full length tailpipes installed? I find most drone issues are caused by turn downs at the mufflers.

1971 442 convert

Yes I have the full length tailpipes with trumpet tips.

mmurphy77

It appears to be 2.5 into the mufflers then 2.0 tailpipes (by 'eyeballing' it). I'm not sure if it's stainless. Everything's pretty shiney even the mufflers. I drove it tonight and the drone is around 2500 rpms with a slight load.

redoldsman

I put some generic turbos on my 72 Cutlass with a 350 about 17 years ago when I first got it. After driving it for a couple weeks, I decided it has a little bit of a drone. I took it back and had an H pipe installed and it was perfect. I have never used an X pipe. I would guess that more guys on here have used dynomax super turbos than any other muffler. You can go to O'Reilly's and they have a demo with their different mufflers. It really won't mean very much other than how loud they are or aren't compared to their other mufflers. I think you can go to their website and get the same thing.

Olds64 you make some interesting comments about glasspacks getting quieter after a while. I remember back in the day (the 60's) that they would get louder after the fiberglass started to burn out. I can remember actually shooting water up my tailpipes because somebody told me that would break the fiberglass loose and make them louder. I don't think it made any difference but they did eventually burn out and I do remember the ticket I got in the bowling alley parking lot with my 60 Impala.

1969w3155

Why not aluminized instead of stainless? last an awful long time, and is generally cheaper. I had the duals on my '71 done up by a local shop 3 years ago, using my W31 spec. mufflers,(no headers) sounds good, no drone..$200.00

z11375ss

OK, here's the skinny. I had an 03 Cobra and put an x pipe on it. Sounded European immediately. Sold it and put the stocker back on. The x pipe makes for that euro sound. The h pipe makes for a chambered sound. Just had Flowmaster 2 1/2" with the h pipe put on my Cutlass. Very nice chambered mellow sound. No droning. Sounds really nice. I then had Magnaflows put on my Vette. Totally different sound. Too refined in my book. Sounds kind of poppy. Don't care for it and am having Flowmasters put on there as well. They sell the whole kit, pipes, mufflers for a reasonable price. If you have headers look into the "ball" joint flange to go between the header and the pipe also sold by Flowmaster and listed at Summit. No leaks, Perfect. The whole deal cost me 550ish installed. The Vette was stainless and almost 900. Yipes!

1971 442 convert

Mike that is exactly what I had before I switched to Magna Flow.
Found some really good info at the link that NonHog gave us Hotrodders.com. Even Joe is on there. Found a thread where everyone voted for their favorite exhaust which was pretty cool.

69 your right in my book that is what I am going back to.

Z I guess that is pretty close to the sound I have I kept thinking why does my car sound like a BMW what the hell??

In the survey at Hotrodders.com Flowmaster was top then Dynomax and Magna Flow did not have many votes.

Thanks to all for trying to help me with this problem.

Joffroi

Man, I'm getting a lot of information here and not really sure what option would be best to get that classic muscle on my 1970 Cutlass SX. Here are the options as of now it seems. What type should I lean towards?

Magnoflow X pipe - $400
http://hottexhaust.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=15894

70-72 W-31 F-85 Cutlass Factory duel exhaust system - $650
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/70-72...Q5fAccessories

Dynomax - $275 (H - pipe)
http://www.jegs.com/i/Dynomax/289/89023/10002/-1


Flowmaster - $465
http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/sh...vble6hrfds4kf3