Cheap way to sound good.

Maruki-kun · 04-22-2009, 12:24 AM

I have heard a 5SFE running right off the headers and it sound really nice. albeit a little too loud and you can hear the mechanics of it too much. something I'm thinking of doing is something like gutting the muffler. so it's a lot louder and has more growl but no mechanical sound.

anyone got something like this or any ideas on how to put together an exhaust for less than $100 while looking stock?

TomsMR2 · 04-22-2009, 07:15 AM

i think our ideas of "good" vary significantly. 5sfes with open headers sound absolutely terrible.

Bryce Scotti · 04-22-2009, 09:48 AM

he sounds grumpy

Maruki-kun · 04-22-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomsMR2

i think our ideas of "good" vary significantly. 5sfes with open headers sound absolutely terrible.

by very nice, I don't mean like "Listen to that fantastic exotic car go!!!" I mean like. it wasn't a high pitched whiney raspy piece of ass sounding honda.

it sounded very nice for open headers/stock cat.

BUT Let's not get the angry sheep angry again.

I don't want to spend $600 on an exhaust for nominal HP gains when I could spend $600 on cams and get double the power of exhaust.... I want to be able to buy headers and just attach a custom exhaust or preferably gutted stock exhaust to increase flow and to make it sound a bit nicer then it does now.

fvillota · 04-22-2009, 10:49 AM

well i installed headers and removed the catalitic. and it sounds decent but stock and yes its a bit loud but no where as loud as an aftermarket exhaust.
how would you gut the muffleR?

Maruki-kun · 04-22-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fvillota

well i installed headers and removed the catalitic. and it sounds decent but stock and yes its a bit loud but no where as loud as an aftermarket exhaust.
how would you gut the muffleR?

I'm thinging I can sawsall off both side caps to the muffler and pull the sides off (probably have to cut the insides clean off the sides before I could pull them off, so think long as hell blade) and then strip off the parts and then just weld the caps back on.

Redstar · 04-22-2009, 11:15 AM

The cat is acting as a restriction and a resonator, getting rid of it (if your local laws allow) should be an easy and cheap way to wake up the engine a little.

I have cheapo aftermarket headers and b-pipe running into the stock muffler. They ran me about $160 (including new gaskets and getting the header flange re-surfaced). Above 4k rpm its too loud for my taste but it does sound pretty mean.

Maruki-kun · 04-22-2009, 11:33 AM

so you are saying just to grab catless headers and mate it with the stock exhaust? I heard this makes it raspy under WOT.

mr2greasemonkey · 04-22-2009, 11:46 AM

How bout straight through glass packs.

Redstar · 04-22-2009, 11:50 AM

I wouldn't call it raspy, but maybe we have different opinions. The reaction I get from people who have heard it under WOT is usually "what's that thing got in it?" not "What the hell did you do to your car?"

But, this is a pretty subjective topic. I was just throwing out another option you might want to consider.

fvillota · 04-22-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ku-sama

so you are saying just to grab catless headers and mate it with the stock exhaust? I heard this makes it raspy under WOT.

thats what i did. but i dont think its very loud. but i have gotten comments that it sounds decent.

Maruki-kun · 04-22-2009, 12:10 PM

I guess I could do that.

fvillota · 04-22-2009, 12:12 PM

try it. lol im sure you'll like it. if i mind my camera i'll try to record it so you get a better grip on it.

fvillota · 04-25-2009, 12:37 PM

ok i recorded it but i just dont know how to post an audio file. lol

GINA2MR2 · 04-25-2009, 07:34 PM

Im have a 91 NA and im running stock header and cat. and nothing else.
not loud at all .. some what disappointing but VERY good sound.
do it you wont be dissapointed.

GINA2MR2 · 04-25-2009, 07:36 PM

wwhhooaa...
BAD idea with gutting the muffler!
it will be booomy as hell or tin can .. im going to go tin can ..
not the best of ideas imo.. but if it works... do it up

GENESIS · 04-25-2009, 11:33 PM

i have an ebay headers on my na right now with stock exhaust its not bad it sound like stock maybe 5percent louder than stock,i had a custom single exhaust on it and didn't like it not because it was loud,it was actually all right but it drones the ears.I was better of with my old setup which is the stock headers and aftermarket exhaust,the aftermarket headers took some low-end torque away but i couldn't stand the ugly stock rusty headers .

TomsMR2 · 04-26-2009, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryce Scotti

he sounds grumpy

im not. im just direct and dont bs people. 9/10 people will think a 5sfe sounds absolutely terrible with an open header. its raspy, farty, and sounds poor. anything that resonates so badly that it causes hearing damage/pain/headaches on the freeway doesnt sound good. an open header on an mr2 does that.

plus, theres zero gains to be made from running like that.. actually you'll lose quite a bit of power, so why do it?

Sh0ty · 05-08-2009, 11:22 AM

Any good ideas for getting a better sound then?

Jon3sgte · 05-08-2009, 01:23 PM

Gut your cat. it's free. It will improve flow as well and if it is a high mileage car the cat is probably clogged up anyway. I am running a Hotshot header and dual 3'' exhaust (no cat) it is loud but I like it. Not raspy at all and has a nice deep tone.

04-22-2009, 12:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
Maruki-kun Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Millington, MD Posts: 2,487 Thanks: 9 Thanked 74 Times in 67 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	Cheap way to sound good. I have heard a 5SFE running right off the headers and it sound really nice. albeit a little too loud and you can hear the mechanics of it too much. something I'm thinking of doing is something like gutting the muffler. so it's a lot louder and has more growl but no mechanical sound. anyone got something like this or any ideas on how to put together an exhaust for less than $100 while looking stock?

04-22-2009, 07:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
TomsMR2 Still not heraldo. Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pineapple under the sea Posts: 4,910 Thanks: 18 Thanked 404 Times in 301 Posts Blog Entries: 1 iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	i think our ideas of "good" vary significantly. 5sfes with open headers sound absolutely terrible. __________________ Science fact: If you took all the veins from your body and laid them end to end, you would die.

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04-22-2009, 09:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
Bryce Scotti No Skills Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bellingham WA Posts: 38 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	he sounds grumpy

04-22-2009, 10:49 AM	#5 (permalink)
fvillota Did you just press that? Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 2,538 Thanks: 73 Thanked 52 Times in 52 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	well i installed headers and removed the catalitic. and it sounds decent but stock and yes its a bit loud but no where as loud as an aftermarket exhaust. how would you gut the muffleR?

04-22-2009, 11:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
Redstar My other cars are jealous Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 439 Thanks: 21 Thanked 40 Times in 29 Posts iTrader Rating: (12/100% )	The cat is acting as a restriction and a resonator, getting rid of it (if your local laws allow) should be an easy and cheap way to wake up the engine a little. I have cheapo aftermarket headers and b-pipe running into the stock muffler. They ran me about $160 (including new gaskets and getting the header flange re-surfaced). Above 4k rpm its too loud for my taste but it does sound pretty mean.

04-22-2009, 11:33 AM	#8 (permalink)
Maruki-kun Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Millington, MD Posts: 2,487 Thanks: 9 Thanked 74 Times in 67 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	so you are saying just to grab catless headers and mate it with the stock exhaust? I heard this makes it raspy under WOT.

04-22-2009, 11:46 AM	#9 (permalink)
mr2greasemonkey Once again....yups Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,658 Thanks: 4 Thanked 63 Times in 42 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	How bout straight through glass packs.

04-22-2009, 11:50 AM	#10 (permalink)
Redstar My other cars are jealous Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 439 Thanks: 21 Thanked 40 Times in 29 Posts iTrader Rating: (12/100% )	I wouldn't call it raspy, but maybe we have different opinions. The reaction I get from people who have heard it under WOT is usually "what's that thing got in it?" not "What the hell did you do to your car?" But, this is a pretty subjective topic. I was just throwing out another option you might want to consider.

04-22-2009, 12:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
Maruki-kun Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Millington, MD Posts: 2,487 Thanks: 9 Thanked 74 Times in 67 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	I guess I could do that.

04-22-2009, 12:12 PM	#13 (permalink)
fvillota Did you just press that? Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 2,538 Thanks: 73 Thanked 52 Times in 52 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	try it. lol im sure you'll like it. if i mind my camera i'll try to record it so you get a better grip on it.

04-25-2009, 12:37 PM	#14 (permalink)
fvillota Did you just press that? Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 2,538 Thanks: 73 Thanked 52 Times in 52 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	ok i recorded it but i just dont know how to post an audio file. lol

04-25-2009, 07:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
GINA2MR2 Not A VR6 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: J-Town Posts: 339 Thanks: 3 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Im have a 91 NA and im running stock header and cat. and nothing else. not loud at all .. some what disappointing but VERY good sound. do it you wont be dissapointed.

04-25-2009, 07:36 PM	#16 (permalink)
GINA2MR2 Not A VR6 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: J-Town Posts: 339 Thanks: 3 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	wwhhooaa... BAD idea with gutting the muffler! it will be booomy as hell or tin can .. im going to go tin can .. not the best of ideas imo.. but if it works... do it up

04-25-2009, 11:33 PM	#17 (permalink)
GENESIS Gate keeper of Redwood rd Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: dublin,ca Posts: 778 Thanks: 4 Thanked 23 Times in 24 Posts iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	i have an ebay headers on my na right now with stock exhaust its not bad it sound like stock maybe 5percent louder than stock,i had a custom single exhaust on it and didn't like it not because it was loud,it was actually all right but it drones the ears.I was better of with my old setup which is the stock headers and aftermarket exhaust,the aftermarket headers took some low-end torque away but i couldn't stand the ugly stock rusty headers .

05-08-2009, 11:22 AM	#19 (permalink)
Sh0ty Armchair Racer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Novi, MI Posts: 1,273 Thanks: 22 Thanked 57 Times in 54 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Any good ideas for getting a better sound then?

05-08-2009, 01:23 PM	#20 (permalink)
Jon3sgte Cage Fighter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 186 Thanks: 8 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Gut your cat. it's free. It will improve flow as well and if it is a high mileage car the cat is probably clogged up anyway. I am running a Hotshot header and dual 3'' exhaust (no cat) it is loud but I like it. Not raspy at all and has a nice deep tone.