5.0 Exhaust Thread

[MetricMuscle]

I wanna improve my exhaust system but instead of finding a compromise between performance and sound I'm gonna use a cut out so I can have both War and Peace.

My plan is to install a Flowmaster Super44 in place of the 2nd cats, dual in and single 3" out. Then replace the OE muffler with a single 3" in / single 3" out quiet muffler, as in OE quiet or quieter. Install the cut out between them.

What is a super quiet muffler these days? Either universal aftermarket or a known good OE muffler. The reason for 3" is so flow might still be maintained with a large bodied super quiet muffler.

The area we have for mufflers, between the crossmember and rear axle is about 70". The Flowmaster is 19" long and a large super quiet muffler is probably gonna be purdy long with a large cross section. The cut out will need less than 10".

The OE muffler and resonator on my 2001 Explorer still works pretty well for 210,000 miles but even quieter would be nice and without a resonator on the tail pipe. Used to be large long truck mufflers were both quiet and flowed real well, especially if used on a smaller engine than they were originally designed for.

 

[Fifty150]

You have options. MagnaFlow, Cherry Bomb, FlowMaster....all sell 3" in/3" out, high flow mufflers.

I had a Cherry Bomb and it sounded great. It wasn't loud, in the way that kids drive loud cars. The exhaust note was deep. Almost like a properly tuned bass speaker.

What I like doesn't matter.

You are already using FlowMaster. Stick with FlowMaster.

Flowmaster 13016100 Pro Series Muffler – 3.00 Center In / 3.00 Center Out – Moderate Sound
SKU: 13016100

Flowmaster 53070 70 Series Muffler – 3.00 Center In / 3.00 Center Out – Mild Sound
SKU: 53070

 

[CDW6212R]

Chambered muffler like Flowmaster are the most restrictive mufflers. Flow numbers for them are often in the 50% range, compared to a straight pipe.

Cherry Bomb has some of the highest flowing mufflers, a couple of models like the Vortex, plus they make the typical turbo type. All aftermarket mufflers are generally a lot louder than OEM, because OEM mufflers all have Helmholtz chambers built into them. So choosing an aftermarket muffler is really about how loud you want it.

I'm going to make an attempt to build a resonator that is a Helmholtz device, with a dead end volume inside that airflow passes by but sound will go into.

I just bought another pair of Vortex mufflers, the prices dropped from about $70 each to $37. I got a pair of two inlet, one outlet Vortex, with 2.25" inlets, and one 2.5" outlet. Those are relatively thin, just a hair over 4" thick. Two of them will stack easily in place of the stock muffler(placed forward a bit to make room). I'll try those first over the Winter, and I'm sure I'll prefer it quieter, so then I'll make the resonators and weld those in behind the mufflers, one in each tail pipe.

 

[ahodges]

Nothing "high flow" is going to be as quiet or quieter than your stock muffler. Even the new F150's that have a 5.0 have 3" mufflers but are louder than the stock 2nd gen explorer mufflers. Personally I had cut-outs on mine and they leaked and rattled, probably partially due to the cam in my engine, but I wasn't impressed with the cut-outs I had. Those were made by Pipes and I wouldn't recommend them.

 

[MetricMuscle]

Has anybody ever tried a Walker Quiet Flow muffler or heard one?

 

[Fifty150]

Walker makes a midpipe for Explorer, which is 2.5". Part no.
Dynomax 46909
You can replace the OEM Y-pipe with one which exits the 2-into-1 at 2.5". Or use a 2.25" dual inlet 2.5" single outlet muffler.

 

[MetricMuscle]

Has anyone had a custom tailpipe bent and installed which didn't have so many of the side-to-side bends? Maybe come out of the muffler more to the right (passenger) side and just go up and over the rear axle? Maybe a bend at the end to get the exit angle correct. Looks like there is room to stay on a straight rearward trajectory.

 

[MetricMuscle]

Something like this?

 

[CDW6212R]

Here's a pair of custom bent tailpipes, I don't recall who's truck it is.

 

[MetricMuscle]

You can replace the OEM Y-pipe with one which exits the 2-into-1 at 2.5". Or use a 2.25" dual inlet 2.5" single outlet muffler.

So what diameter is the pipe going into the second cats? This looks to be the spot where everybody installs a dual in muffler. Most mufflers seem to be dual 2.5" in but I'm not sure the pipe is that big, might have to use an adapter. 2.25" ID x 2.5" OD.
Might anybody know the spacing of the pipes? IIRC my FlowMaster Super44 is about 5" C-to-C.

 

[CDW6212R]

So what diameter is the pipe going into the second cats? This looks to be the spot where everybody installs a dual in muffler. Most mufflers seem to be dual 2.5" in but I'm not sure the pipe is that big, might have to use an adapter. 2.25" ID x 2.5" OD.
Might anybody know the spacing of the pipes? IIRC my FlowMaster Super44 is about 5" C-to-C.

The stock exhausts are all 2.25" pipes, V8 and V6's, end to end.

There is a ton of space/distance between the cats and the back of the muffler. There's plenty of room for any two typical sized mufflers, no excuse to only use one muffler. Remove the rear cats and figure out how to fit two of your choice of mufflers. Run the pipes from the cats back to each muffler, skip a cross over if it costs much at all, and have two tail pipes made to end wherever you have to. Skip the resonator if you choose mufflers that aren't too loud(most are to me).

The mufflers I have chosen are just 4" thick, a pair can be stacked together in the factory location. I'm going to mount them forward a little to leave room behind them for a home built resonator for each. I expect the Vortex mufflers will be too loud for me, I'm getting old and don't appreciate the louder ones.

 

[MetricMuscle]

My current plan is a Super44 dual 2.5" inlet/single 3" outlet muffler into a single 3" inlet/outlet QuietFlow muffler and single 3" tailpipe in the OE location. A 3" cutout on the pipe between the two mufflers with a short dump aimed down and to the right. The QuietFlow muffler was originally designed for an F250 with V8 or V10 so hopefully quiet and with good enough flow for sub WOT.

 

[CDW6212R]

Two mufflers run in series will be quieter, no doubt. But that is also increasing back pressure, and Flowmasters are among the worst flowing by design. You'd do better to concentrate on one muffler design you like the sound of, and use two of them, plus any resonator as needed if it's too loud.

Two mufflers in parallel(dual exhaust) cuts the restriction(back pressure) in half, and doubles the airflow potential. Slower exhaust will also somewhat make the sound deeper and slightly less loud. It won't make a loud muffler quiet, when I say slightly I don't mean that. It might be just a decibel or two at most.

I would never run a single Flowmaster on a V8 because they are quite restrictive, but two large ones are good enough for milder V8's.

These 302 Explorers have two massive exhaust restrictions, not counting the typical OEM cat pipes. The exhaust manifolds are absolutely horrible, and the single exhaust(one muffler and one tail pipe) is another big choking restriction.

 

[MetricMuscle]

I want the option of OE quiet or Racecar. Once I get the rest of the exhaust system done, headers and collectors, I plan to have the exhaust split to both the quiet muffler and the Super44, they will be parallel to each other, with the cutout on the exit side of the Super44.

FlowMaster chambered mufflers certainly look to have more in the way of exhaust flow but I haven't seen any dyno data that shows them to make any less power than maybe 2-3% vs. a glasspack design or whatever was the highest HP making of the test.

 

[CDW6212R]

I think the Cherry Bomb website was where I saw some good flow data charts. I thought they listed other brands too at one time. The Flowmasters were way down the list versus others, and say 60% or less of a straight pipe.

Typically only an OEM muffler will be really quiet. I could see having one OEM muffler for that, but there isn't likely room for another two mufflers(unless they were like the Vortex(thin enough to stack)). Each one adds a decent chunk of weight though, maybe 10 lbs each or more.

 

[Centaurus5.0]

fyi

2011 and up 5.0L and 6.2L F150's come with single 2.5" exhausts. That is for engines making around 400hp and rev to 6,000rpm. Aftermarket kits are all single 3" with some having duals after the single muffler for sound and aesthetics.

Look at the difference between the Roush's Stage 1 and 2 performance packs:

Stage 1: CAI and Tune = adds 16 RWHP and 19 RWTQ
Stage 2: Adds a 3" single exhaust = 32 RWHP and 28 RWTQ

2015-2017 F-150 5.0L V8 Performance Pac Level 1
2015-2017 F-150 5.0L V8 Performance Pac Level 2

From Roush's own numbers, going from a single 2.5" to a single 3" exhaust WITH a tune and CAI netted 16hp and 9tq to the wheels on the 395hp 5.0L engines. It's safe to assume that just bolting up 3" to a stock rig would gain little to no hp without a CAI and tune.

Again.. y-piped single 2.5" for 395hp

For comparison...the 5.0L's in our Explorers have dual 2.25" all the way to the (longer than car) muffler and 2.25" tailpipe for a 210hp motor..

Install TMHs and pick whatever aftermarket muffler sounds good to you. Go with the Dynomax 2.5" tailpipe if you want it louder over a oem 2.25" with resonator (stock explorer). As far as hp goes, duals are a waste of time in and of themselves. You can start thinking about a single 3" or 2.5" duals or whatever you please when you get to 300rwhp, which is not easy or cheap in a second gen Explorer.

I also wouldn't waste $350 on a gibson kit when you can get a nice 2.5" muffler like a stainless AP/Cherry Bomb and 2.5" tailpipe with a stainless tip welded up for $200.

If you want to put dual flowmasters on to make your rig sound like a mustang, go for it. But it ain't going to run like a mustang just because it sounds like a mustang. Well.. not until you change the cam and loose 1,400lbs anyway.

 

[CDW6212R]

Definitely, when the change gains plenty of power, a new PCM tune is a must. I hadn't heard any newer V8's had a small exhaust in them, that's a surprise to me. I'd like to see some of those too. Trucks are naturally limited by factory manufacturing decisions. Usually cars get the bare minimum of decent parts, such as a 2.25" dual exhaust.

 

[Centaurus5.0]

Yeah, was a bit surprised when I seen the same part number for the muffler and pipe assembly for 5.0's AND 6.2's.

2013 Ford F-150 Muffler. MUFFLER AND PIPE ASY. MUFFLER AND PIPE ASY - REAR - BL3Z5230B | Lakeland Ford Online Parts, Lakeland FL

When we installed Bassani longtubes on my pops 2001 6.0L 2500HD I was amazed they came with dual stainless 3" into a giant muffler with a 3.5" single tail. I mean c'mon, for a 6.0L rated at 300hp?? and Ford puts a single 2.5" on a 385hp 6.2L??



Has to all be in the cam specs and tune..

**EDIT**

The newer F150's have a single 2.5" up to the muffler and a 3" tail.

Figuring Chevy didn't didn't want to make two separate exhausts for the 6.0L and 8.1L and Ford (being the penny pinchers they are) made just one for the 5.0L and 6.2L and wanted to get away with a single because, ya know, two pipes cost more than one.

 

[Chris Cajun]

the old set up when the 302 was in it. new set up is even more frightening to people

WOW!! This is exactly how I am wanting mine to sound. Can you give any information as to how it was setup at that time?

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i can say that muffler didnt last long on the truck. shortly after it was put on, i made a major road trip with it (over 50 hours round trip) and the back and bottom welds let loose. from memory i believe the brand was flow pro duel in and out 2 1/2. the rest of it was tmh, with a stock size pipe just past the front diff. from there back it went to 2 1/2 pipe with the cats removed. then the tips are i believe 3 inch black chrome