I'm thinking again about the flowmaster

[spta97]

I have been aprehensive to get the Flowmaster 70 series for my truck because I know it will rust. I called Flowmaster and they gave me these sugguestions:

1) Spray it with high-temp paint (he said black would help with heat dissapation but I'm not sure about that)
2) Drill a 1/8" hole on the outlet side of the muffler to allow drainage. (This sounds pretty scary).

I also asked about spraying the inside and he said it would smoke. I figure if I used 1500 degree paint it would be ok but I don't know.

From what I hear most of the mufflers rust from the inside out so I would only get about 2 years out of it with my short trips and warming up the truck in the winter (I live in NY). However, I'm hoping with some precautions like the above I can get a little more life out of it. I do have another question:

- Can I just install the Flowmaster on the factory hardware without welding? This way, I only have to buy the muffler and can put the stock one back if I need to?

I would get a magnaflow stainless but I keep on reading that is causes interrior drone on the 5.0 Liter like I have. I don't want that.

Thanks..

 

[Hartman]

You will want to upgrade to larger piping if you want to see some real gains. I think you are overreacting on the rust issue. Yes it will rust eventually but it will last much longer than any OEM muffler will. Mine has been through 3 Indiana winters and it doesn't even have rust on the outside yet. Do the suggestions that Flowmaster told you. Spray it with high temp paint and drill the hole, it won't hurt anything.

 

[1mustangnut]

I favor the Flowmaster mufflers. I had a 3 chamber equivalent to 40 series (it was before the 40, 50, 70 series started) on my 94' Explorer. I loved it but the wife hated it. It was loud enough to notice exhaust work was done but wasn't over powering loud like my mustang with the 2 chamber mufflers. I have since replaced the Explorer with a 2000 Mountaineer 5.0. I had Flowmaster 50 series dual in and dual out muffler installed on it. I am disappointed at how quite it is, however the wife still complains its too loud. Every Flowmaster muffler I've had on my cars have droned around 2000-2300 rpm. I went with the dual in dual out due to the tight space and still give the dual look. If I drove the car all time, I'd redo the exhaust with dual 2 chamber 40 or 50 series single in and out, which ever would fit. To answer your question, yes you can buy flexible exhaust tubing or couplers and clamp the muffler to factory pipe. However, you are better off getting it welded so it will last. I had the '94 for 4 years on West Virginia heavily salted winter roads and the muffler never rusted out. It barely had surface rust even with a lot of short trip driving. The only problem I had was the crappy weld by the exhaust shop on the inlet side of the muffler. I had to take it back 3 times.

 

[spta97]

You will want to upgrade to larger piping if you want to see some real gains. I think you are overreacting on the rust issue. Yes it will rust eventually but it will last much longer than any OEM muffler will. Mine has been through 3 Indiana winters and it doesn't even have rust on the outside yet. Do the suggestions that Flowmaster told you. Spray it with high temp paint and drill the hole, it won't hurt anything.

The shop I took it to said that my factory exhaust was stainless and would last the life of the truck (how ever long that is). I saw a truck that had a dual system in it and the pipes were all rusted out. I've got 40K on my truck (2000) and the exhaust is discolored, but seems solid.

 

[spta97]

Here is the one I have had my eye on:

Flowmast Catback system for Explorer 5.0

It's got a 70 series muffler and is custom made for the Explorer 5.0 2000 - 2001.

Edit: correction - it comes with a 50 series muffler.

 

[1mustangnut]

The system will make a nice change over stock as far sound and add a slight increase in power. I hate to compare apples and oranges but a friend of mine added a similar set to a '99 1500 chevy with the 5.3. The sound was great and I thought it was a tru dual set up but it was a single outlet muffler. I'll try to get a sound byte of my dual set up tonight and put on here for you to compare.

 

[spta97]

I was talked out of the duals because of difficulty routing without removing the spare tire. I like the idea that I can put this one in while in my driveway and have a few cheap welds done at a shop. I figure if I spray it with 1500 degree paint it should help it some.

 

[TheJMan]

I've got that exact flowmaster kit on my Mountaineer. It definitely sounds better than stock, but quieter than I was expecting. It sounds really nice at idle, and is just a bit louder than stock during hard acceleration. There is minimal drone on the highway, nothing obnoxious. I got it for $230 shipped from proficientperformance.com. The muffler is bigger than the stock muffler, but there is no resonator. Also the kit didn't fit perfectly on my Mountaineer, I had to take it to Midas and have them bend some hangers.

The kit sounds good, and I'd definitely recommend it.

 

[spta97]

Thanks for the info. Do you think the fitment issues were due to you having a Mountineer? Or is it a problem with the product? I saw another thread of someone who had installed it and he said the only issue was the last clamp holding the tail pipe. It came loose and turned the tail pipe up and melted the bumper.

How much did they charge you for the install?

 

[Hartman]

First of all, the stock system is certainly not stainless or else it wouldn't rust. If you are that worried about rust, just get stainless piping.

 

[spta97]

First of all, the stock system is certainly not stainless or else it wouldn't rust. If you are that worried about rust, just get stainless piping.

I've heard that it is and it is not. Do you have anywhere I can get info? The exhaust shop said it was stainless while it was up on the lift and I saw another X on the lift with an after market system that was really rusted. Mine is discolored, but not flaking rust.

Take a look at my tail pipe in this picture. It is discolored, but does not appear to be rusted. The shop said that my stock exhaust will last the life of the truck because it is stainless.

Edit: If I don't go with an out of the box system like above I can probably do the stainless piping. Although I like the fact I can install it myself so I will probably go with the kit.

 

[Hartman]

You can get the kits in stainless too, they are just more expensive.

 

[spta97]

You can get the kits in stainless too, they are just more expensive.

I don't think that this kit is available in stainless. I'll call flowmaster to see if it is though.

 

[spta97]

It's not. I called Flowmaster and they said that the kit is not available in stainless or the muffler (because it is dual-in / single-out).

 

[PPro]

I just wire brush the rust off and spray it all with rustoleum spray paint. I have no chrome on my truck so I painted my tailpipe black and it looks great. Spray down the underbody twice a year (Usually when the snow melts and right before it starts snowing again for me) and it always looks great.

 

[spta97]

I just wire brush the rust off and spray it all with rustoleum spray paint. I have no chrome on my truck so I painted my tailpipe black and it looks great. Spray down the underbody twice a year (Usually when the snow melts and right before it starts snowing again for me) and it always looks great.

I would love to do that to the bottom of my truck, but it is so rusted I would not know where to begin.

 

[TheJMan]

Thanks for the info. Do you think the fitment issues were due to you having a Mountineer? Or is it a problem with the product? I saw another thread of someone who had installed it and he said the only issue was the last clamp holding the tail pipe. It came loose and turned the tail pipe up and melted the bumper.

How much did they charge you for the install?

I called flowmaster directly, and they told me that the muffler hangers were different on the Explorer and Mountaineer, which is why they couldn't fit. Also, the rear fender where the exhaust tip comes out is a bit larger and hangs lower on the Mountaineer, which didn't allow the rear section to fit. I used some larger rubber pieces and I got it to fit, but it still occasionally hits the rear leaf spring, and has melted some of the fender.

Midas charged me $85 to fix it, plus I had them weld everything up.

I don't think the Explorer will have the same problem, because the right rear fender where the tip comes out is much shorter, and the muffler hangers are different.

 

[spta97]

That's good to hear. I don't want to end up having to get a new bumper as well.

 

[PPro]

I would love to do that to the bottom of my truck, but it is so rusted I would not know where to begin.

Just start in certain spots. Do the front end first, then do the frame rails, go to the back end, do the leaf springs, etc etc etc. Soon enough it'll all look like new. Usually 1 can is enough for me, and I spray pretty much everything.

 

[AmyLynn]

Hi there! I have a question....I have a 1996 Ford Explorer...the driver side seat belt will not latch and will not pass inspection because of it.
Is there a quick fix until i can afford to get it done?
I have gotten 3 quotes on fixing it.....but can't afford it right now.

Thanks.
Amy