2012 4.6l Borla Install: Loud!

[2froggy]

A month ago I purchased a dealer "loaner car" from MA and had it shipped to my home in Northern CA - white with cashmere interior & 2400 miles on the odo. So far, I have done the seemingly obligitory re-badging (black chrome wing in back and wheel caps - but no hood wing as I prefer a cleaner look).
Yesterday, I had the local muffler shop install the #140377 Borla and even they commented about how loud it was: when reved at rest it sort of crackled / popped as it wound down. Drove it home (loud) and last night my wife drove it to work where a co-worker accused her of now having a low rider. When a muffler shop makes a comment, I knew the wife would also.
Today, I took it back to the muffler shop (they told me they would save the resonators) and had them installed. Fortunately, they were able to fit them with little trouble ($70.00 worth) and now the car sounds very nice: you still notice the exhaust noise but it is no longer bothersomely loud. I have a 97 Lincoln Mark V111 that has the 4.6l 4v motor (some say Hyundai may have copied this engine) and I had changed the exhaust to 2 1/2" with Magnaflows. This Borla setup with the stock resonators now sounds very much like my Lincoln which I have always enjoyed (one person said it sounded like a Ferrari (V-8).
I read several posts here and didn't get the idea how loud it actually was. Now, "loud" is subjective but I like a nice exhaust note (I founded a car club in 1959 so I have been around cars a while) - and my boat 525 hp / 496 c.i. has straight thru (TTH) exhaust so I am no stranger to noise. IMHO, the average Genny user will not be happy with the noise level of the Borla unless you like something closer to a Flowmaster. The Borla muffler is very small......
Another mod I made was to retain the SS bumper insert so I had the dual cone tips removed - preferring the factory look over the dual tips which don't really fit in the cutout - and used the stock factory single pipe outlet. BTW, the tips are 4Sale should someone have an interest.

 

[Aquineas]

Thanks for the info. I had a similar "holy @*!* there's no way I can live with this!!" moment after I had hotshot headers installed on a 3.5 Altima. I too was saved by a repeat visit to the muffler shop to have resonators installed. Interestingly enough, I haven't modded the intake or an exhaust on any of my cars since .

 

[Vermillion3]

Was there any or much drone in the car with windows up and in cruising configuration?

 

[Rey]

Drone is a huge problem with virtually any aftermarket cat back exhaust system. There are two aftermarket systems now available for the Genesis, Borla and MagnaFlow. They both drone, though the 2012+ Magnaflow seems to drone a bit less.
Drone is hard to live with as it occurs around 1200-1500 rpm under loading. Auto transmissions are frequently in this zone.
Corbin deals with drone by engineering an exhaust with reflective-sound (sic) technology. I checked with Corbin. They have no plans to make a Genesis exhaust system; and told me that trying to adopt an existing Corbin system would not work as Corbin designs each system specifically.
To eliminate drone you need to slow down exhaust flow into a large chamber. Corvette in its optional exhaust and Jaguar XK/XKR handle this by routing exhaust gas under low rpm into a large chamber. As rpm and gas flow rises a spring-loaded or computer controlled exhaust flap opens derestricting exhaust flow.
Dynomax offers similar technology in their VT Muffler. I virtually eliminated exhaust drone in my '11 V8 with a Magnaflow by adopting VT mufflers. This combination retained the power increase, and drone was reduced to just a comparative whisper. Sold the car to a good friend who is not into exhaust noise. He loves it. Now there are over 25K miles on the Dynomax mufflers without any reliability problems. It was tricky to adopt the Dynomax to the early pre-2012, but I think the new Magnaflow will be much easier to work with.

 

[2froggy]

The loundness I spoke about in my original post was not so much a "drone" - but just too noisy, however, I only had the straight Borla on for less than a day so I really can't say if there was a drone.
This current configuration (Borla + resonators) I really can't characterize as having a drone and even my wife is now happy. Did the resonators cost some performance - maybe - but the resonators are straight thru so I would think any loss would be minimum.
My 2 cents.....................

 

[Kamkaze]

You are just talking about the bolt on borla catback correct?

 

[sick_role]

Drone is the biggest concern of this. I have the borla on my 4.6L and in order to avoid the considerable drone, you had better get used to driving with the auto-stick. I keep the RPM's above 2k and there are no issues...and it sounds sweet. but if I were to have to leave it in "D" and have it chug along around 1.5k all the time...nope...it would be coming off.

 

[Big_tugg]

Side branch resonator

Posted via Topify using Android

 

[GNASTY69]

Wut in the world is Drone on a exhaust system plzs tell me
(IN THE DARK )

 

[dmitriylm]

Wut in the world is Drone on a exhaust system plzs tell me
(IN THE DARK )

What is exhaust system drone?

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[Sal Collaziano]

Wut in the world is Drone on a exhaust system plzs tell me
(IN THE DARK )

Without drone the exhaust quiets down nicely when you're cruising on the highway or simply not giving it much gas. With drone - you always hear a humming sound coming from the exhaust.