I got a couple of goodies in the mail this week, a Bonez hi flow cat and a Racing Beat muffler (ordered from mazda trix... but same thing right?).

Anyways, I finally got them on today and we cranked the car to check for leaks... and I could barely hear it, it was amazing. Previously my car still had the 20 year old equipment on it and the muffler was rattling but it still had nice little rumble to it at idle and while driving. Now I can barely hear my car.

I'm pleased with the quality of the stuff I bought overall and it feels like I've got more power (I'm betting those cats were clogged after 20yrs), but I'm a little disappointed by the sound, I wanted a little more out of it. The tone is good, has more of a "tuned" sound I guess you could say, it just needs more volume. Has anyone else with a similar setup experience this? Will the muffler break in and get a little louder over time?

I know this is kind of a weird complaint, but ever other kind of performance exhaust/muffler I've put on a car you can definitely hear it afterwards. I dunno, maybe the old muffler had a small hole in it somewhere, it was rusted nicely and had an internal rattle at idle.

 

I sympathize, I really liked the sound of the original exhaust system in my 84 GSL, which, being a Florida car, had the main cat replaced with a straight pipe. It had great sound, I especially liked the hum of the rotors at highway speed. But my new 85 GSL has all the cats and it sounds, well, muffled. Maybe it's a cat thing? Or maybe you need a nice old exhaust system with just the right rattle? I hate to have to just buy different components, as Zach has, to find a good combination, but I guess that's what you have to do. I'm going to try a bonez presilencer in front of a stock cat back system, is this going to work?

Ray

 

My RB muffler was super quiet when I first had it on my car. It progressively developed noise...thanks mainly due to a nice streetport with headers and straight pipe

 

Here is a picture of the new exhaust in case anyone was curious:



Ray, I'm think it might be a cat thing. Oh well, I'll eventually get a header so we'll see if that adds anything, or eventually I'll drop the cat. I'll be emissions exempt before in a five years or maybe I can buddy up with an inspection station.

I'm pleased with it on the whole, just wish I had a little more volume.

 

It'll get louder when you put a header on it.
But quiet is good, too.

 

Looks pretty, that's enough to make it worthwhile
Ray

 

Yeah, I had the same reaction to mine when I installed it. I loved the look and the sound, its just a little too quiet IMO. Oh well, I still like it .

~T.J.

 

I'm still young and stupid enough to think loud is cool though

 

Young and stupid is good, loud gets you tickets.

 

I love the low rumble of the RB on my 83.

F

 

just drill some holes in your new muffler - problem solved.

Better yet....get one of those stupid "Whistler Tips" that they weld into your tailpipe.

I just saw some MPEG video of a news crew interviewing some people in the ghetto.....

This thing sounds like your car has a constant train horn......and same decibel level too.

I believe their quote was:

"Its the Woooooooooo-Woooooooooooooooooo!"

 

Cody:
While Bubb Rubb is one of my idols in life... I don't see a whistle tip in my future

Ray:
When I say loud, I don't mean like fat boy Harley loud, I mean like at least audible at idle loud,

 

a regular header / single system exhaust will be loud, and a dual system will be a bit more quite, but not as quite as with a cat...if that makes any sence

 

Nice muffler man!!! Quiet is great, I wish my car was silent.

 

Does anyone have sound comparison? Like a wav file of regular muffler, then one with just the RB muffler then one with the entire exhaust? I like quiet and would want to get my 84GSL-SE as quiet as possible...(without sacrificing too much performance ofcourse)
Thanx!

 

Nothing beats the sound of a RB dual system and a nice streetport/weber set up. Sounds like a Ferrari under the hood, and a Huey chopper in the back (whup-whup-whup-whup-whup-whup...)

 

yea, i wish my problem was the car being quiet... my car is so loud. its annoying sometimes...