2010 Explorer Exhaust

[Trainmaster]

The twelve year old OEM exhaust finally bit the dust on the 2010 V8, and I searched for a new one. My choices weren't good. I really wanted to replace it with Motorcraft stuff; a pricey $427 but I know it would last at least ten years. It's 304 Stainless. Most of the other stuff is noisy junk marketed to kids who want cars to sound like 60's hot rods or little buzzy Hondas. And then there's the old standby, Walker, made in Pennsylvania, mufflers made of 409 stainless. Pipes are carbon steel junk. but on their own Web Site described as lasting two to three years.

Ford was on "national backorder" for the past six months. None available from any dealer's stock. They probably won't make these original glass-packed fortress mufflers again. I wanted OEM sound, so the rest of the crap was out. I had no choice but Walker.

For $300, I went from the cats back. Beautifully made stuff. Went in like a dream. Used band clamps and notched the pipes, so I can replace anything that rots out. Drilled drain holes in the muffler and resonator.

Virtually as quiet as stock. Now lets see how long this stuff lasts.

 

[Blackhawkxx]

Pipes are carbon steel junk. but on their own Web Site described as lasting two to three years.

That is pretty bad. One would think that they would offer a upgrade S.S. or at least aluminumized.

 

[Trainmaster]

That is their "stainless" muffler. Walker says they last two to three years. If you drill 1/8" drain holes in them they will last longer, maybe 4 or 5 if they are close to the manifolds and you take longer trips that permit them to heat up.

Surprisingly, the Walker setup is almost as quiet as the original. But the Ford one was 304 stainless, with cast baffles and was packed with Fiberglas batting. An excellent muffler originally. Mine got 12 years at the beach in New York road salt.

 

[michael loibl]

My 2006 V6 is still going strong on the original exhaust system. I owned it since new spending most of its time in north jersey salty winter roads, and at least 4 weeks per year 3 blocks from the beach. Barely any louder than when new, only a slight resonance around 55 mph in top gear with torque converter locked up. Very impressed

 

[Trainmaster]

My 2006 V6 is still going strong on the original exhaust system. I owned it since new spending most of its time in north jersey salty winter roads, and at least 4 weeks per year 3 blocks from the beach. Barely any louder than when new, only a slight resonance around 55 mph in top gear with torque converter locked up. Very impressed

I was rather surprised my 2010 rotted out. The ones in my Expeditions have lasted over 20 years. Maybe the thing was under water at some point, who knows. First the flange went, and I replaced it with a bolt-on one that lasted a year. About a year later I got noise which I feared was a tensioner or something bad. I put a vacuum cleaner blower hose in the tailpipe and the exhaust was leaking everywhere. The seams on that mega-muffler had opened like a clam.

The Ford muffler is beautifully made, which is probably why it's $427. Cast innards packed with some hairy stuff. I would have replaced it with another if I could get it. It's been backordered for a year.

 

[94Eddie]

I was rather surprised my 2010 rotted out. The ones in my Expeditions have lasted over 20 years. Maybe the thing was under water at some point, who knows. First the flange went, and I replaced it with a bolt-on one that lasted a year. About a year later I got noise which I feared was a tensioner or something bad. I put a vacuum cleaner blower hose in the tailpipe and the exhaust was leaking everywhere. The seams on that mega-muffler had opened like a clam.

The Ford muffler is beautifully made, which is probably why it's $427. Cast innards packed with some hairy stuff. I would have replaced it with another if I could get it. It's been backordered for a year.

Have you tried getting what you need from a salvage yard?

 

[Trainmaster]

Yes, I checked car-parts.com which searches nationwide. All I found was old stuff, high mileage. I wouldn't bother with a junkyard muffler unless it was a very low mileage wreck. Thanks.

 

[94Eddie]

Yes, I checked car-parts.com which searches nationwide. All I found was old stuff, high mileage. I wouldn't bother with a junkyard muffler unless it was a very low mileage wreck. Thanks.

I wouldn't mind the mileage, just the condition. I had a very good condition OEM exhaust system on my 2002 Explorer that was 18 years old and had hardly any rust. Low mileage means little. It is where the vehicle lived its life (i.e. in the rust belt) that counts. Visit a salvage and lay eyes on what you are buying and I bet you will find the parts you need that are in plenty good condition.

 

[ThunderbirdSport]

I can check the muffler that I took off of my 06...i replaced it with a Gibson catback. Has a lot of miles, unsure if it's OEM. was quiet though when I did the catback...

 

[Trainmaster]

Thank you much, but it's too late now. The Walker will be with me for at least the two years before it rots off....

 

[rustylugnut]

I was faced with this same dilemma on my V8 mountaineer. The factory exhaust on it was total junk, literally the entire system from the manifolds to the tailpipe.
Magnaflow Y pipe with cats was very high quality, but the AP muffler I bought was a piece of ****.
Factory exhaust note on the 3v 4.6 is very nice in my opinion. The stock muffler is very nice until it rots out.