Straight pipe??

Lazerred98

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I have a 98 with 3.8. The exhaust is all original, and whisper quiet. On my 65 with the 200 6 cyl. I am running a glass pack. I am thinking on the 98 that I might just remove the muffler altogether and just have the cats for muffuling. I did that on a 80 gmc pickup with a 350 engine, and it wasn't loud at all, but the cat was much larger on it. So what do you guys think about running a straight pipe (with a tailpipe of course) ??? I just want some sound, even if it isn't the nice sound of duals. I grew up running straight pipes on almost everything, but I never had any high performance engines then either.
 

ttocs

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As you said that I started to remember an old buddy of mine that thought the same thing. He like it for about a week and then it drove him crazy. This was in high school and I can still remember one night when he wanted to see if I was still up and "creeped" by my house. I heard him coming for a good 2-3 mins before and wondered what it was and then after I was able to hear him leave the neighborhood and make the next 4 turns out of it, 1/4 mile away... I would say to install cut outs if you really think its fun and then at least you can open/close them.
 

96blak54

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The cats smooth out the exhaust pulses really good. I feel like if just substitute the mufflers with straight pipes, itll will be what you want.
 
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Lazerred98

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As you said that I started to remember an old buddy of mine that thought the same thing. He like it for about a week and then it drove him crazy. This was in high school and I can still remember one night when he wanted to see if I was still up and "creeped" by my house. I heard him coming for a good 2-3 mins before and wondered what it was and then after I was able to hear him leave the neighborhood and make the next 4 turns out of it, 1/4 mile away... I would say to install cut outs if you really think its fun and then at least you can open/close them.
Yes, I agree that if it were to be a daily driver, that I would probably get tired of the noise soon. BUT, I only drive this car to shows and cruises, etc. only maybe 1000 miles per year, and then only if I go to a show very far away once. My thought is it will be oknoise wise, as long as there is no adverse effects on the car in any way. Of course I could put a very short glass pack on it .
 
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Lazerred98

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I am reading on some other websites that running straight pipe will actually lower the torque at lower than 2500 or so rpm. Also, that the less back pressure could cause the o2 sensor to not read right, causing loss of gas mileage. Does anyone have any legitimate facts on these things. I would really like the sound, but really don't want to lose noticeable power, or mileage.
At the same time, they also said to put on a glass pack muffler and all would be ok. Since the several Glasspacks that I have used over the years were as straight through as a plain pipe, I don't see the difference. Except that they are quieter than a pipe.
 

96blak54

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Yes changing away from how the factory has the exhaust set up will take away low rpm driving torque and also skew the tune. Anytime any part deviation away from stock alters how the sensors read and the computer cant compensate for it in detail.

Keep the cats, straight pipe the muffler offers the best overall sound in my opinion.
 
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Lazerred98

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Yes changing away from how the factory has the exhaust set up will take away low rpm driving torque and also skew the tune. Anytime any part deviation away from stock alters how the sensors read and the computer cant compensate for it in detail.

Keep the cats, straight pipe the muffler offers the best overall sound in my opinion.
Yes I would keep the cats and only put in a straight pipe in place of the muffler. Would that still screw up my tune? I know nothing about tuning cars with computers, so don't want to have to mess with that, and hate to have to take it to a pro.
 

sluggish94

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A muffler is designed to MUFFLE SOUND.
That's it.
The backpressure/low rpm comments are negligible.
If you want a raspy dump truck sound just have a muffler shop cut the muffler and install a straight pipe in favor of the muffler.
If you want a "cleaner" sounding exhaust that might actually have some tone to it, get a "glasspack" otherwise known as a "straight-through" muffler, like a dynomax race bullet, pypes M80, cherry bomb...
 

waynenorcross

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Not sure about a V6 but I had Magnaflow exhaust with a Bassani X-pipe with high flow cats. And FRPP shorty headers. Great sound and added about 15 hp.
 

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