Exhaust cut-outs

[RayLCC]

I have been looking for a muffler to make my Explorer sound better. The problem was that I don't like the freeway drone that comes with a louder muffler. Then I was watching Trucks and saw the electric exhaust cut-outs on the "Copperhead" truck and started doing research. These seem perfect! They can be opened when you wan't the noise and closed with stock sound when you don't. I also found some that were cheaper than $500. I figured I would get the Exhaust cut-out and weld header flanges on each end. Then cut a section out of the exhaust pipe to fit and then weld flanges to both sides of it. The cut-out would bolt right in and if I ever wanted to return it to stock ( something tells me I might get the urge to do this every two years or so around the time my plates are due...But just for a day ) I can weld another set of flanges to a pipe to bolt in place of the cut-out. Would this work? On another car I had a setup with the flanges welded that enabled me to unbolt the muffler and put a straight pipe in its place but this seems way more involved than that. By the way, I was going to install it before the muffler and after the cat. come to think of it I may need two but thats ok.

 

[jimbo74]

not sure how it is where you live but they are illegal in all states on pollution controlled vehicles.....

 

[huskyfan23]

Too bad all that noise is noise. It doesn't have a nice sound like a free flowing muffler.

 

[RayLCC]

Too bad all that noise is noise. It doesn't have a nice sound like a free flowing muffler.

Good point... Since it will be basically a custom install couldn't I put the smallest glasspack they make (shortest) to even out the tone? It would still be switchable from loud to stock and I could probably hang it right along side the original muffler. That would technically solve the legality issue that Jimabena brought up since the exhaust is still flowing through the cats. and a muffler. The exhaust will still flow a little through the stock pipe so it is basically a switchable dual exhaust. The glasspack I had on my escort wasn't much bigger than the straight pipe so space probably wouldn't be an issue. And with the flanges I could still bolt on the pipe to take out the cut-out for inspection and eliminate even the technical legality. I'm not sure that even made sense to me, but you get my drift.

 

[Lloyd10977]

That's an interesting idea you came up with. Does anyone have any ideas on how to wire in an electric cutout so that it would open in conjunction with the transmission kickdown when you floor the accelerator? And then close when you are no longer in a WOT condition?

 

[huskyfan23]

Glasspacks sound like ass and eventually became just a normal pipe.

 

[j602]

Exhaust cutouts sound like ****. That's all there is to it. Since it's just a metal butterfly valve, there's no gasket or anything of the sort to seal it off. Sounds like a huge exhaust leak no matter which way you have it, and the exhaust still escapes through both exits in whatever position it's in. The wing nut cutouts are different however, as they have a gasket between the cutout and removable plate.

 

[xmodster3o3]

I had a cut-out on my X, take it from me you don't want to put one on. Yeah it was load but after a few days it got really annoying. I ended up taking it off. Also it will kill your gas mileage.
Heres the one I had, http://go.mrgasket.com/ProductDetai...8&majID=425&minID=&selection=12&minselection=

 

[j602]

Yeah that WAS the one I was planning on getting, but then heard a guy at school's electric cutouts. They sound like ass. When closed, did the one you had leak and sound bad?

 

[boominXplorer]

im ditching my mufflers for 1 chambers to be louder. maybe even ditching some cats. I want high RPM power for 2wd offroad. When your offroad the louder, the better

 

[xmodster3o3]

Yeah that WAS the one I was planning on getting, but then heard a guy at school's electric cutouts. They sound like ass. When closed, did the one you had leak and sound bad?

Yeah it sounded pretty bad, and yes it had a leak and even rattled when closed. But on the bright side i'll sell you mine for 5 bucks.
Another thing one might want to consider with cutouts, where are all the fumes going? The main reason I took off mine was I smelled fumes in the truck, which I know is not good, but was great for those days when you just can't sleep.

 

[RayLCC]

Good input everyone. I thought about the fumes and exhaust leaking and figure running the glasspack and pipe will eliminate a lot of that. I may try it anyway just to play around but I doubt I'll get better results. Thanks for the input. Now I just hope I don't make my truck sound like some overgrown honda.

 

[MonsterEnergy]

I had a cut-out on my X, take it from me you don't want to put one on. Yeah it was load but after a few days it got really annoying. I ended up taking it off. Also it will kill your gas mileage.
Heres the one I had, http://go.mrgasket.com/ProductDetai...2&minselection=

Could you explain how reducing the exhaust backpressure would decrease your mileage? thanks

 

[410Fortune]

when your off road the louder the better is not exactly true, nobody wants to hear open headers on the trail either, trust me I have been driving around with them for two days now and its tooooooo friggin much

 

[huskyfan23]

I wonder why people make these posts asking if they should do something, get only posts saying not to, then they do it anyways? What's the point?

 

[410Fortune]

feeling the water for opinions? When it comes down to it sometimes you just do it anyways

 

[xmodster3o3]

Could you explain how reducing the exhaust backpressure would decrease your mileage? thanks

I don't know the exact reason for for why low backpressure would decrease mileage, but I do know that I sufferd from having low backpressure, as a direct result from having the cutout. Thanks for the input.

 

[410Fortune]

the 4.0L OHV engine relys on some restriction in the exhaust to make good power down low, if you remove it you will see an increase in high end but a large decrease in low down torque, a nice balance is a 2.25" exhaust for a naturally aspirated engine.

 

[RayLCC]

410's right. I started this thread to see what everyone thought about the cut-outs. After posting this thread I heard a 5.0 mustang with cutouts installed (screw-on type, not electric) And liked the sound. It was a little loud but the system I thought of will remedy that. Each of us has our own opinion of whats cool and whats not. My father agrees with you. He hates the sound of glasspacks. I think they sound good. So yes, I value everyones input and wisdom, but that doesn't mean I'll always agree with what's said or do what's suggested. If it works I'll keep it. If it sounds like a huge exhaust leak... It's iron-pile fodder. Either way it keeps me occupied for a while. Oh, and Lloyd, the easiest way I could think of for your question would be to mount a momentary switch on the floor under the gas pedal. When the pedal is floored it opens the valve. The problem would be getting it closed afterward and I'm not sure the valve would open fast enough to do what you wanted. It's a DAMN cool idea though!

 

[xmodster3o3]

i think that mr. gasket cutout would work great on that floor it idea. instead of putting the wire on the dash, just connect it to the gas pedal and get it right so that it opens when flooring it. And when you let go of the gas it would return, and close the gasket.