Flowmaster 50 Series Muffler

[spieg16]

Hey guys i was thinking about putting a new exhaust on my truck and I was considering the Flowmaster 50 Series. I was wondering if there is any way of checking w/o getting under my car, since its dark already and shipping is free on JC Whitney until midnight, if I have the single or dual inlet muffler. My car is a 97' XLT with the 4.0L SOHC engine. Also i was wondering if anyone w/ the same engine as me had this muffler, and if they had a sound clip of it. Im just curious as to how it sounds on a V6.

Thanks, Jason

 

[gijoecam]

Depends which 50-series you're talking about.... they make a 50-series and a 50-series SUV performance muffler... I have the 50/SUV on my 98 SOHC. The key with any Flowmaster is to make sure you include a resonator in the system. The general consensus around here is that without a resonator, it will drone unbearably. Those of us with a resonator don't seem to have much of a droning issue.

-Joe

 

[spieg16]

Yeah, I was talking about the 50 series/SUV, and where can i get a drone resonator for that muffler.

 

[aldive]

The key with any Flowmaster is to make sure you include a resonator in the system. The general consensus around here is that without a resonator, it will drone unbearably. Those of us with a resonator don't seem to have much of a droning issue.

-Joe

I have a custom cat back with 2 1/2" pipe and a Flowie 70. I have no resonator and absolutely no interior drone. I had a 50 for about 1/2 day and the drone was unbearable.

 

[gijoecam]

Yup. Al, you were one of the guys that immediately complained about the drone with the 50. I, however, don't have the drone. I'm also running the stock tailpipe, which has a resonator built in. Also note that you have the OHV, he and I have the SOHC, which will produce distinctly different notes at any given RPM.

Any good exhaust shop should be able to provide you with a resonator. Essentially it's just a wide spot in the pipe that slows the exhaust flow down as it passes through.

-Joe

 

[aldive]

Also note that you have the OHV, he and I have the SOHC, which will produce distinctly different notes at any given RPM.

I do? Wonder when someone stole my motor and put in an OHV?

 

[gijoecam]

D'OH!!! Why was I thinkin' you had the OHV??? No clue... It's late... I was huffin' hydraulic oil fumes all day, and worked an extra three hours to boot... chalk it up to a bad brain fart.

Regardless, you immediately had a drone and I didn't, and, IIRC, the consensus was that the resonator made all the difference in the world, right?

-Joe

 

[spieg16]

so im guessing that means that both of you guys have the dual inlet mufflers. I was wondering do either of you have a sound clip of your truck?

 

[aldive]

My 70 is single 2 1/2' in single 2 1/2" out.

 

[gijoecam]

My 50 SUV is dual in single out. The muffler shop had to fab up a flanged inlet for it because the 98 has one flanged inlet and one slip-fit inlet, then make an adapter to adapt the 3" outlet back down to the stock tailpipe.

-Joe

 

[aldive]

Joe, just curious, but why did you keep the stock pipe?

 

[gijoecam]

There was nothing wrong with it. It's a low-grade stainless, and was intact and solid all the way back, but the muffler had rotted through. I was not looking to spend any more money than I needed to on the repair. $100 for the muffler and $50 for the install was less than the local chain wanted for just an OEM replacement muffler.

-Joe

 

[stang99x]

The resonator is that piece of **** that rusts out every few years and has to be constantly replaced due to water rotting it. It is completely unceccasary (don't even need it for emissions) The 50 series has a nice sound to it, maybe a tiny bit raspy on the 4.0 It all depends on what size pipe you run to it. You don't need massive pipe for that little 4.0, just some 2.25 is plenty.
The 50 will be tame on idle, and loud on full on accel, while having bass during highway travel. The 70 is like a stock muffler with a cold. I never understood why anyone would want a 70, its like, I want an exhaust with an off switch.

I had twin 40's on my 5.4, and changed to twin 50's to reduce noise but with twin 3 inch pipe, its always gonna be loud

 

[gijoecam]

The resonator is that piece of **** that rusts out every few years and has to be constantly replaced due to water rotting it. It is completely unceccasary (don't even need it for emissions) ...snip

Funny how mine hasn't rotted out in 7 years... And it does, in fact, serve a purpose: A properly sized resonator will, in fact, get rid of the drone. It changes the resonant frequency of the system. Resonance is what causes the drone in the first place.

-Joe

 

[stang99x]

Anyone who believes that the internal combustion engine should be muffled to no noise whatsoever is not a true car enthusiast. The motor should be allowed to breathe freely and be heard. Why do you think the products of detroit from the 50's and 60's cost so much right now?

Also, I was speaking of the gen 1, although I now look back and realize I am in the gen 2 forum. Best thing for the resonator is a scrap pile, bar none.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Anyone who believes that the internal combustion engine should be muffled to no noise whatsoever is not a true car enthusiast. The motor should be allowed to breathe freely and be heard. Why do you think the products of detroit from the 50's and 60's cost so much right now?

Also, I was speaking of the gen 1, although I now look back and realize I am in the gen 2 forum. Best thing for the resonator is a scrap pile, bar none.

I'm a car enthusiast as well but I like to hear myself think when I'm driving.

When your hearing is gone in a few years don't come *****ing here!

 

[stang99x]

I run twin 50 series through 3 inch pipe and near 400FWHP, and at 80mph still converse quietly with my wife in the front seat.

 

[Turdle]

Here we go again!!

 

[gijoecam]

There's a HUGE difference between 'noise' and 'drone'.

The products from the 50s and 60s cost so much now because they're classics and collector's items, not because they were any louder or quieter than vehicles of today, if that's what you were implying.

Without the resonator, numerous exhaust systems will drone, as will the stock system if you just remove the resonator. They don't just throw it on there to take up space because they had a million of 'em laying around, they do serve a purpose. The exhaust is engineered as a part of a system, not a bunch of cobbled-together components. On the 98 SOHC Sport, specifically, the shorter tailpipe causes a resonance in the exhaust system at certain speeds and engine RPMs that will drive a person crazy in no time flat.

And nowhere in this thread have we talked about muffling it to the point that there's no noise. There's a huge difference between exhaust noise and exhaust drone.

-Joe

 

[aldive]

stang99x, do you try to stir up trouble in every thread in which you post?