Gapped my 5.0 exhaust... returned it back to stock 2 days later

[SuperKing]

Got bored and decided to slap some washers in the exhaust flanges to create a gap. Started off with a 1/4" gap. Sounded great from the outside, sounds good when free revving... but any kind of load on the engine and it drones like crazy. Past 3000rpm it sounds great again. Tried to get rid of the drone by trying out different size gaps and by the time I got rid of the drone, the gap was so small that it just sounded like the exhaust leak that it is... oh well... Video below is with a 1/8" gap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRt9fDrFkTM

 

[1FstYota]

So you created an exhaust leak to get sound? WTF lol.

 

[SuperKing]

So you created an exhaust leak to get sound? WTF lol.

Yeah, that's what adjustable cutouts are... an adjustable exhaust leak.

 

[dougmcp]

There is a reason exhaust systems are sealed all the way to the back bumper. I guess if you never sit in a traffic jam it might be safe at speed otherwise CO poisoning may be calling.

 

[SuperKing]

Mercedes SLR vents the exhaust out the sides... in front of the doors... Honestly, in traffic, I should be more worried about the car in front of me exhausting their gasses where my cabin intake can suck it in.

 

[1FstYota]

Yeah, that's what adjustable cutouts are... an adjustable exhaust leak.

I get that, I have a 4in cutout coming off a 5in downpipe. But stacking washers on a exhaust flange is a whole different ball game I guess.

 

[SuperKing]

It's actually more common than you think. Quite a lot of American V8 owners do this which is where I got this idea. I didn't want to commit to spending time to get something installed and then find out I didn't like it. Was planning to install open dumps or just go with a straight pipe if I liked what I heard but I didn't so I'm going to be sticking to stock.

 

[1FstYota]

It's actually more common than you think. Quite a lot of American V8 owners do this which is where I got this idea. I didn't want to commit to spending time to get something installed and then find out I didn't like it. Was planning to install open dumps or just go with a straight pipe if I liked what I heard but I didn't so I'm going to be sticking to stock.

Sounds cool regardless, would of gotten a 5.0 if I didn't need awd.

 

[DavidHanLee]

[video=youtube;Kha8T19TwZE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kha8T19TwZE[/video]

 

[TheDr9669]

This is how I have been running the exhaust on my R-Spec for about a year now. Instead of multiple washers per side, I used one large washer on each side. The two washers have a 2.5" I.D. and are 7/64" thick I believe. I cut and notched them so they only open facing down and sit on the existing flange studs. I have gotten nothing but compliments from anyone who has heard the car.
I do not deny the car can drone. Personally it does not bother me, but to each his own.

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[XPO439]

X-pipe with Aero mufflers, love my setup. Was tempted to go straight pipe but the sound wouldn't really fit the car. Drone is tolerable, but this is my weekend car.

 

[Bmos]

X-pipe with Aero mufflers, love my setup. Was tempted to go straight pipe but the sound wouldn't really fit the car. Drone is tolerable, but this is my weekend car.

Custom X-pipe or did you find something off the shelf?

 

[tmf2004]

i still would like a mild exhaust tone.. nothing to crazy.. I'm used to drone but i'd like to keep it minimal in this car

 

[glennk]

i still would like a mild exhaust tone.. nothing to crazy.. I'm used to drone but i'd like to keep it minimal in this car

+1

 

[Beau2424]

why not get best of both worlds.. look up QTP Electronic Cutouts! i got these installed and can go from stock quiet to bad ass back to stock in 2.5 seconds. Greatest decision and mod i have ever done. [video=youtube;y2a0vjHyUCE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2a0vjHyUCE[/video]

 

[tmf2004]

why not get best of both worlds.. look up QTP Electronic Cutouts! i got these installed and can go from stock quiet to bad ass back to stock in 2.5 seconds. Greatest decision and mod i have ever done. [video=youtube;y2a0vjHyUCE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2a0vjHyUCE[/video]

God i love that video lol... Do you have a video? what about price?

 

[Genpire]

I did this today to my 15 5.0. I ....am......in.....LOOVVE!! I gapped it about 1/4" with 7/16 stainless washers I had laying around. I just wanted to hear what it would be like if I went straight pipe to the rear and just dropped the mufflers and kept them in storage for future use if we needed to go back to stock. This is my wife's car and she is in love as well! had a guy in a dodge challenger look at use like wtf....what is that thing?? lol! it does drone on the highway, but that will go away when I get the straight pipes that exit the rear. right now it is resonating off the bottom of the car and into the cabin. this is temporary as we just wanted to hear what it would sound like. tempting to delete the resonator as well LOL! nah...need to keep it alittle tame. cut outs are a possibility in the future, but I'm just gonna go cheap straight pipe for now. and what I mean is from where the mufflers unbolt from the resonator...to the back of the car. that part would just be straight pipe. this car doesn't need mufflers to get this sound, the resonator helps tame it just enough on its own.

 

[bjayfry]

I did this last week while trying to burn some time off before the end of my company's fiscal year, but changed it back just a few days later as well. It sounded great when I was hammering on it but at slower speeds around town it just got to be too annoying. I like the idea of the electronic cutouts in that you can sort of have the best of both worlds, but I think even more ideal would be to have some sort of self regulating exhaust cutout valve. I can't imagine this would be too difficult, basically a cutout with a spring-loaded valve on it that is triggered by exhaust pressure so that when you floor it it's wide open and when you're sitting at idle or below a particular RPM it's closed.

 

[SuperKing]

I did this last week while trying to burn some time off before the end of my company's fiscal year, but changed it back just a few days later as well. It sounded great when I was hammering on it but at slower speeds around town it just got to be too annoying. I like the idea of the electronic cutouts in that you can sort of have the best of both worlds, but I think even more ideal would be to have some sort of self regulating exhaust cutout valve. I can't imagine this would be too difficult, basically a cutout with a spring-loaded valve on it that is triggered by exhaust pressure so that when you floor it it's wide open and when you're sitting at idle or below a particular RPM it's closed.

Maybe try welding on a mechanical wastegate? They work exactly as you describe but finding a spring that will open at a certain RPM will take some time. It's more modification than I want to do, I plan to trade the car in after 4 years when the warranty runs out.

 

[Bmos]

Maybe try welding on a mechanical wastegate? They work exactly as you describe but finding a spring that will open at a certain RPM will take some time. It's more modification than I want to do, I plan to trade the car in after 4 years when the warranty runs out.

There was a muffler that did exactly this. It was discontinued presumably due to horrible reviews on flap rattling at low speed and rust issues. Good idea. Bad execution.