Any suggestions on how to make my 2000 Ford Explorer XLS beefier?

[celly]

ok.. now the OHV does not sound like a ricer, its one of the best sounding V6's that you'll find. I personally haven't heard a lot of SOHC but I don't see why they would be too much different.

Let's put it this way. On my old SOHC equipped Sport, I hit an exhaust shop without doing much research and ended up with a Magnflow muffler, welded into stock pipes (OEM resonator intact). As soon as I pulled away, I wasn't a big fan of the sound, but given that I'd never dabbled in aftermarket exhaust, I wanted to give it some time before I came to the conclusion whether I liked it or not. That day as I was pulling away from my house, the exhaust caught my wife's ear. She never comments about mods done to my truck and didn't even know I'd got a new exhaust. She said my truck sounded like a "Riceburner" (her term, not mine). Said it sounded like some of the Hondas with the fartcans that seem to be everywhere.

A week or so later, we road-tripped (4 hour drive) and I was getting a headache at highway speeds from the drone. I did a lot of homework then and ended up with the Flowmaster SUV 50 series. It was louder than stock, but didn't have the uneven sounding, droney sound of the Magnaflow. I also got new pipes and got the OEM resonator cut out. Sounded WAY better than Magnaflow. I did get a bit bored with the sound in the cab and invested in Flo Pro resonator a while later and the sound was ideal for me.

I do think the OHV sounds much better than SOHC with aftermarket exhaust (based on the many soundclips I've listened to). I do have to chuckle when people try and pass them off as sounding like a V8 though. After owning a OHV V6, two SOHC V6s and now a OHV V8 equipped Explorer, I can assure you that only a V8 sounds like a V8. It's a unique tone that can't be replicated by a muffler and some pipes.

I still own that Magnaflow and plan to try it out on my 5.0 some day when my current Flo Pro muffler dies (could be a while...they're built well). Magnaflow mufflers sound good on the 5.0, IMHO. I went with Flo Pro on advice from my exhaust shop. No regrets. I wanted mellow and it fit the bill.

 

[ahodges]

well i'd have to agree about probably everything you said there. No matter what a V6 will never sound like a V8, and thanks for the info on the SOHC exhaust..

 

[Paraphoe]

I've got a flowmaster 70 series. Was like $200 installed, pretty good deal. I like the sound. Not too loud, but enough where when you get on it, you know it's not stock. The 50 series SUV would probably have been a better buy, because some days I feel the 70 series is too quiet, but overall, I'm happy.

Sounds clips/vids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhkTe2Yaj0o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbFNJnbatuQ

 

[celly]

I've got a flowmaster 70 series. Was like $200 installed, pretty good deal. I like the sound. Not too loud, but enough where when you get on it, you know it's not stock. The 50 series SUV would probably have been a better buy, because some days I feel the 70 series is too quiet, but overall, I'm happy.

I probably would have considered the 70 series except the SUV 50 was readily available at a shop in town for less $$$ than I was seeing them for online. I couldn't pass it up. I'm personally not in it for the sound, but the performance. I've heard great things about the 70 series if you want a free-flowing exhaust that flows better than stock, but isn't obnoxious.

Face it, people tend to like obnoxious when it comes to exhaust (as evidenced by a lot of the clips I've listened to).

 

[choey53]

alright chill, i'm 16, just trying to get a nice looking ride. i love my explorer, wouldn't trade it for anything..a V8 would be nice, and so would getting black rims and bigger wheels, but i just don't have the cash. i was just lookin for a cheaper way to make my car way cooler

 

[ahodges]

determine what engine you have and make an exhaust decision based on that.. my first "cooler/ nice looking" exhaust was just painting the end of the stock pipe with silver paint for 2 years until I got enough money for a Gibson cat back system. Since then I've done many more mods.

I also started out by just getting rid of all the visable rust with a wire wheel and painting all the underside (including the wheel wells) with undercoating and the hitch resever with black paint.. I have since gotten the hitch resever Rino Lined also which is holding up nicely.

Just some cheap ideas..

 

[BobWiersema]

I found a way to do it.

Just kidding, this only works for time travel, so you wont go any faster then 88 MPH.
Now if I could just get my hands on some plutonium and a 82 DeLorean.

 

[gmanpaint]

alright chill, i'm 16, just trying to get a nice looking ride. i love my explorer, wouldn't trade it for anything..a V8 would be nice, and so would getting black rims and bigger wheels, but i just don't have the cash. i was just lookin for a cheaper way to make my car way cooler

Sorry to break the news to you young man, but Mods cost money. If you wanna play, you gotta pay.

Look beefier, or sound beefier?

You can go the "Poser" direction, some rattle can paint, window tints, and some stickers. Drill some holes in your exhaust and fail state inspections if you have them.

You can go the "Real" Mod direction and get a job, and save for one good Mod at a time.

Your 16 yrs old, unless you have a silver spoon, your going to have to do it the old fashioned way. Hard work, and patience. Instant gratification seems to be the trend with youth today. The Real world does not work that way. Take some automotive classes in school, learn to wrench, and start shopping for parts by scavenging the Junk yards and classified ads, looking for deals. Time & effort using your own common sense will go far on what you want.

Don't take me wrong, as I am all for helping someone. I just want to make sure you have an understanding of what it takes to get your vehicle to look and sound like some of the rigs you see on this forum. We don't do it overnight, it takes lots of time, and lots of personal research. You have made the right move by joining here and asking questions. Just keep plugging away and don't get frustrated if you don't get the responses you think you should get.

You will get there, it just takes time & $$. Good luck to you.

 

[celly]

Sorry to break the news to you young man, but Mods cost money. If you wanna play, you gotta pay.....

You can go the "Poser" direction, some rattle can paint, window tints, and some stickers.....

You can go the "Real" Mod direction and get a job, and save for one good Mod at a time.....

Your 16 yrs old, unless you have a silver spoon, your going to have to do it the old fashioned way. Hard work, and patience. Instant gratification seems to be the trend with youth today.

.....Time & effort using your own common sense will go far on what you want.

....We don't do it overnight, it takes lots of time, and lots of personal research. You have made the right move by joining here and asking questions. Just keep plugging away and don't get frustrated if you don't get the responses you think you should get.

Well said on many fronts, Gregg. Your response should be a forum sticky! There seem to be a lot of these "instant gratification" posts lately.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Well said on many fronts, Gregg. Your response should be a forum sticky! There seem to be a lot of these "instant gratification" posts lately.

It's not just youth. That's why the ecnomy is in the tank. The "I gotta have it now so I put it on plastic or take out a loan that I can't afford crowd".

 

[trj360]

learn to wrench, and start shopping for parts by scavenging the Junk yards and classified ads, looking for deals. Time & effort using your own common sense will go far on what you want.

Don't take me wrong, as I am all for helping someone. I just want to make sure you have an understanding of what it takes to get your vehicle to look and sound like some of the rigs you see on this forum. We don't do it overnight, it takes lots of time, and lots of personal research. You have made the right move by joining here and asking questions. Just keep plugging away and don't get frustrated if you don't get the responses you think you should get.

You will get there, it just takes time & $$. Good luck to you.

This is how i've built up my jeep so far, junkyard parts, deal hunting, craigslist, and learning how to do it as i go along. the stuff you learn from building up and modifying a vehicle this way is invaluable. not to mention addicting.

 

[scottnh1970]

I had a Borla cat-back exhaust on my 92 X. It sounded very deep and throaty. Not sure if they make one for your year and model.

 

[TekMan05]

Has anyone else noticed overall a OHC engine will produce a more "Ricey" raspy sound compared to a Pushrod engine?

 

[SCB1904]

Sorry to break the news to you young man, but Mods cost money. If you wanna play, you gotta pay.

Look beefier, or sound beefier?

You can go the "Poser" direction, some rattle can paint, window tints, and some stickers. Drill some holes in your exhaust and fail state inspections if you have them.

You can go the "Real" Mod direction and get a job, and save for one good Mod at a time.

Your 16 yrs old, unless you have a silver spoon, your going to have to do it the old fashioned way. Hard work, and patience. Instant gratification seems to be the trend with youth today. The Real world does not work that way. Take some automotive classes in school, learn to wrench, and start shopping for parts by scavenging the Junk yards and classified ads, looking for deals. Time & effort using your own common sense will go far on what you want.

Don't take me wrong, as I am all for helping someone. I just want to make sure you have an understanding of what it takes to get your vehicle to look and sound like some of the rigs you see on this forum. We don't do it overnight, it takes lots of time, and lots of personal research. You have made the right move by joining here and asking questions. Just keep plugging away and don't get frustrated if you don't get the responses you think you should get.

You will get there, it just takes time & $$. Good luck to you.

amen

 

[Sbyrne97]

dont give up kid...youll get there...and i like magnaflows staightthrough mufflers...flomasters have restrictions that i don't like

 

[choey53]

alright gman, i was just putting a post up in here to get some suggestions to save for. i'm playing soccer for my school, and then once that is up, i'm getting a job. thanx for the reality check. haha. i know teens these days can be "gotta have it now." i'm trying to be patient until i get a job and put some money aside for mods, that are worth it. thanks man!

Sorry to break the news to you young man, but Mods cost money. If you wanna play, you gotta pay.

Look beefier, or sound beefier?

You can go the "Poser" direction, some rattle can paint, window tints, and some stickers. Drill some holes in your exhaust and fail state inspections if you have them.

You can go the "Real" Mod direction and get a job, and save for one good Mod at a time.

Your 16 yrs old, unless you have a silver spoon, your going to have to do it the old fashioned way. Hard work, and patience. Instant gratification seems to be the trend with youth today. The Real world does not work that way. Take some automotive classes in school, learn to wrench, and start shopping for parts by scavenging the Junk yards and classified ads, looking for deals. Time & effort using your own common sense will go far on what you want.

Don't take me wrong, as I am all for helping someone. I just want to make sure you have an understanding of what it takes to get your vehicle to look and sound like some of the rigs you see on this forum. We don't do it overnight, it takes lots of time, and lots of personal research. You have made the right move by joining here and asking questions. Just keep plugging away and don't get frustrated if you don't get the responses you think you should get.

You will get there, it just takes time & $$. Good luck to you.

 

[theSpoon]

some of the cheapest things I have done is a SMD LED conversion(dash 15$) and painting the faded stock pillars and wiper stuff gloss black (5$) There's lots of information on both all over this forum.

 

[XLT]

If you need cheap i would recommend just a muffler and k&n air filter (or fram air hogs which is cheaper) would probably be your best bet for getting your truck to roar instead of purr. You could also drill some holes in the air filter box as well which would help. I read an artical once in 4 Wheel parts magazine comparing a catback to just replacing the muffler. The conclusion was the muffler was the better bang for the buck and even gained the guy 1/2 mpg. This is route i will go if i decide to replace my rusty muffler.

 

[abm89]

I have a 1995 V6 with a Flowmaster Super 44. It sounds good with a deep tone, quiet idle, and it sets off alarms in parking garages.