Eight Cylinder Catback Exhaust Solutions
The best way to go in my opinion is to a custom muffler shop and have them install a custom exhaust. You will get a better fit, welded pipes, and lower prices than a catback system that you will have to install. I currently have a magnaflow muffler # 12249 installed on my 97 XLT V8. It is a 3 inch inlet and a 2.5 inch outlet. My muffler originally had a 3 inch outlet but because of the dreaded 5.0 liter drone and resonance between 1800 and 2300 RPM and right rear horizontal shock clearance issues, I downsized my tailpipe to 2.5 inches. Please refer to my past post (Magnaflow Muffler Drone Help), this is a very educational post for V8 Explorer owners. My X is a family vehicle also so I did not want a super loud exhaust note just a deep one. The magnaflow provides me with what I want. The challange for a muffler connected to the V8 is to quiet the drone that is produced in the 1800 to 2300 RPM range on the V8's. Too my surprise my current muffler is not quiet enough for me in that RPM range. The drone and cabin resonance is very loud when the X is pulling a load of luggage and family members. I have installed sound deadening material under the rear seat footwells, rear cargo floor, rear cargo area side panels and the rear hatch. This only lowered the cabin resonance by 3 decibels. Since the muffler is connected to the frame by the hangers it is impossibe to cancel out all of the resonance that the muffler produces. So you need to get the largest high flow muffler that will fit your X. The larger the muffler the greater the quieting area, the lower the decibel level of the 1800 to 2300 RPM drone and resonance. I contacted magnaflow and told them about my problem. The magnaflow technician stated that since SUV's have enclosed cabins and not open beds like trucks they are extremely vulnerable to the drone and resonance of high performance mufflers. He stated that my current muffler #12249 is the muffler that they install on open bed trucks not SUV's. He recommended that I try the muffler that they designed specifically for SUV's and trucks with enclosed beds, muffler # 12579. Magnaflow shiped the 12579 muffler to me with a y-pipe and flange attached at the inlet free of charge. MAGNAFLOW HAS AWESOME CUSTOMER SERVICE! I have not had time to install it yet but when I install it I will update my magnaflow muffler drone help post with the results. I also recommend the installation of a resonated exhaust tip. Just like the muffler the bigger the tip, and the lager the resonater area of the tip, the more quieting power. I am going to install a Hooker 4 inch Large Bore Resonated tip when I install the new muffler. When installing the tailpipe I would set it at the same anlge as the stock tailpipe outlet. I installesd my current tip with it extending beyond the bumper by 1 inch with the outlet at a 90 degree anlge, flush with the bumper. This allowed more noise to get into the cabin. Aiming the exhaust tip down like the stock tip sends the sound down and away from the cabin. The Magnaflow is an outstanding muffler. If my current muffler did not drone at a high volume in the 1800 to 2300 RPM range it would be a perfect muffler. I hope the larger muffler #12579 will lower the drone and resonance to a level that I am satisfied with. If this was not a family vehicle that is used for long road trips the muffler drone would be acceptable. My highway gas milage improved from 18 MPG highway to 21 MPG highway. Here is the address to a great article on performance mufflers. Dead Link Removed