I am getting ready to upgrde my exhaust system on my 88 3.8L and I'm going to cut off the cats and run true duals out the back.:burnout:
My question is does anybody know a ler I can use to keep it quiet as possible while still letting it flow? I know without cats it will be hard to keep it quieter but I'm still gonna try... I would love to let it scream :evilgrin: but my neighbors and landlord would be VERY UN-happy when I leave for work every morning! :flame:
I would say some dynomax turbo lers would be alright. As long as you aren't reaching for the red-line when you take off, it will be alright. It won't be loud, but it will flow and you will get a deeper tone out of it. I had them on my old 88 3.8 with true duals, and I liked the sound.
Magnaflow??? Not sure with a V6
One inherent problem with the V6 is that if you get lots of flow, and not enough back pressure, you'll suck the bottom end torque right out of that engine. The V6 NEEDS some back pressure to develop the torque. Sounds crazy, I know, but I can tell the difference in the bottom end of the two 3.8's I have. One has a cat-back split that's chopped off in front of the axel, and the other has full stock exhaust. All V6's do with high flow exhaust is make bad noise.
Dynomax also makes quite-flow lers. They're a turbo type ler and arent much louder than stock.
take a look at this..
If you're running the stock cast manifolds, you don't have to worry about backpressure nearly as much.
Like mentioned before, I would run some super turbos.
I agree back pressure is overrated as long as your exhaust system is complete you will be fine.
Pressure wave tuning.
Read these: http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=19019
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/articles/hardcore/0505em_exh/index.html
sarjxxx im in the same position as you about to get a true dual and all and since im limited in space because of the fuel filter they guy at the shop suggested hushpower 2 lers since they are narrower but i dont know what they sound like has anyoe experienced them
NO BACK PRESSURE IS ALWAYS BETTER!!!! You need to richen up the A/F ratio to take advantage of the increased flow...
Remember without cats, if you run your car for ANY length of time in a closed area you (end everything made of cloth around you) WILL smell very strong like exhaust. I've stood next to older idling cars w/o cats and sometimes the exhaust will make your eyes water.
Here's a thought...how about run just high flow cats and no lers? Not sure if you have any emissions testing in Canada, but w/o cats you probably won't pass...unless it's a VERY well tuned engine and fully warmed up. And then it's a "maybe" depending on the level of test they run...
My $0.02
I appreciate all the advice everyone. Mine does still has factory manifolds on it :( so I'm just trying to do is open up what I can...my low end already sucks anyway so I'm not to worried about that but I want to free up some pressure cause I just installed a BRAND NEW sparkly engine and I don't want to ruin her early and I've heard that less backpressure helps... plus I can get a few more horses out of it that way. At least in the higher end if nothing. My problem is just trying to get it to sound mean without alerting unwanted lawful attention. As far as what the other guy is talking about, you probably WON'T pass inspection w/out cats. Not with these cars. Mine seems to burn dirty even with the new engine. Luckily... Florida doesn't have inspections. BTW, how do you play witht the a/f ratio in this car I have been wondering that for a while. Do you have to go spend lotsa $$ on an expensive ecu tuner or is it simpler than that?
and the 88 3.8L has no adjustment to the fuel pres regulator unlike the 87 and earlier.
flow tech makes a ler called a raptor they are very quiet
Thrush Turbos are quite yet still have a nice rumble,,and arent expensive
Most bone stock Fords run too rich as it is from the factory. The decrease in backpressure WILL benefit....
It's not uncommon to put a bone stock S197 on the dyno and see A/F ratios in the high 10 region @ WOT.
From the videos i.ve seen i think i really like the Dynomax turbo so thats probably what i.ll go with... once again guys thanks for the advice and expect to hear it on you tube after completion
Keep in mind a 3.8 will sound like doodoo with a high flow exhaust if not done properly.
Are you going dual? Single? Cats no cats?
I hav eallot of experience making 3.8's sound decent and flow well...Let me know
Wow really...that's pretty dang rich....
Any resonator style er, such as Borla, Magnaflow, Dynomax, etc, will sound decent with the 3.8L. Just make sure you pick ones that are about the same size as the factory lers. They will give you a little rumble, since you aren't running the cats.
I wouldn't advise running a chambered ler, such as Flowmaster, Mac, with the 3.8L, because it will sound very un-refined.
With a bigger V6 engine such as the 3.8L, its always better to be on the quieter side. They don't sound very good with a loud exhaust.
Find the kind of lers used on a Grand National.Those had a VERY nice,deep mellow tone to them.Not too loud either.Made the 3.8 in the GN sound really intimidating.
gm cars have a different sound all together, I heard them w/ aftermarket s even the later model V6s. what do the guys w/the supercoupes run they had the 3.8 ford motor.
I'm going dual w/ no cats. Its in the original post... i have decided, however, that I am going to go ahead and get headers first and get all of the exhaust work out of the way at once... getting a pair of used factory stock 95 v6 mustang headers. Pretty sure those will fit... however, looking at the headers there are o2 sensors in both but my car only has one on the DS. My tech book for the car also says I should have two in the car, but I have nowhere to put one in on the stock manifold or anywhere to plug it into a computer harness, so I guess it is unnecessary. I'll just plug weld up the hole in the header or something... but will putting headers on it make it pretty much impossible to keep quiet? I'm not going for stock quiet,and I'm not really looking for that flowmaster throaty growl or that honda fart can either... I'm just trying to find something that will give that race car "scream" without g off every cop and neighbor in the city.