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Aftermarket Muffler

by twinky64, October 27, 2006

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I cam across a person who owns a scion xb who has a magnaflow catback exhaust. That exhaust sounded deep and rich. The individual pulses were not a noticeable aspect of it and quiet too!!!. Since magnaflow makes alot of exhausts for trucks, this sounded like a 2.5L on a 1.5L. I was wondering if anybody could suggest some aftermarket mufflers/axel-back for 1998 toyota corolla that would not only increase a little hp but sound deep and rich? Not lean and tinny.

All in the chambering of the muffler to give it that sound. Magnaflow, AlphaWerks, TRD, Borla, Flowmaster, and others make exhausts that sound deeper than OEM. Others "fart can" style mufflers tend to sound blatty (hence their slang name) - because most are stright through or do not have any kind of chambering.

Unless you are running some forced induction - I would save up the money and just change the muffler and not do a cat back. Many cases, you will gain high end HP by sacrificing low end torque. Mosre for show and sound than performance for our engines. If we had a straight 6, V8, or forced induction - then that would be a different story.

Unless you are running some forced induction - I would save up the money and just change the muffler and not do a cat back. Many cases, you will gain high end HP by sacrificing low end torque. Mosre for show and sound than performance for our engines. If we had a straight 6, V8, or forced induction - then that would be a different story.
i really do HATE saying this, but WITH the head, dropping the muffler has given a very pronounced pull above 3500 rpm. the engine just comes alive and pulls up there now, its sort of fun! i lost some lower rpm power tho, but i still have a powerband above 2500 (below that tho feels much weaker but is still driveable)

 

 

Yeah, but you also did more stuff to the car. Bumped the timing, got an idea for A/F ratios with the wideband, header, etc. Plus there is some hidden potential in the A-series engiens even with the F-heads.

The 1ZZ-FE is pretty much optimized out of the box. Most inexpensive bolt ones do not have much affect with its performance. With some ECM piggyback tuning, might get better gains due to the excessively conservative A/F ratios that Toyota runs at higher RPMs (lean it out a hair and you can add an extra 10HP easy).

yea, the 1zzfe is balls to the wall from the factory, there isnt much more to get out of it unfortunately.

i still need to install the safc2...and track down my left turn problem. i was going to pull the pump and check/change the fuel strainer today but the weather isn't cooperating.

Anybody know the exhaust pipe diameter just before it hits the muffler? When getting a universal muffler, you have to weld it right? Will any universal muffler fit on a 98 corolla or do I have to look out for certain shapes for it to fit properly? There's this twin loop style muffler, anybody heard anything about it?

There is a flange before the muffler - on bolt on apps - the old one unbolts, new one bolts right in its place and uses the existing hangers. But those are the bolt in variety - usually runs quite a bit more. The universals have basically the same performance, but doesn't have the flange or rods for the hangers - that's why they are so much cheaper, sometimes on the order of something like a TRD bolt on for ~$250 vs universal for ~$50.

If it is universal - you need to have a shop cut the flange off the OEM one and weld it to the new one. They will also make the appropriate mods to make the muffler fit the existing hangers or put new ones in. I believe the OEM pipe diameter is 1 7/8", but I will have to measure it to be sure, if you add a universal (most are between 2" - 3" for inlet side) get a flange or use pipe reducers to fit. Problem with welding it directly to the exhaust is if you need to take it off in a hurry (cop gives you a noise fix-it ticket, for example) then you will be screwed unless you have a buddy with a welder or find some way to effectively clamp on a new muffler after you cut the other one off with a hacksaw (clamps never seem to stay on for me).

As for the twin-loop design - I've seen a few variations of it. Bottom line - it uses a preset length of tubing routed back into itself to help cancel out a particular frequency (think destructive interference). They market it as a performance muffler that is not loud - trust me, that thing gets plenty loud - just less than a straight through design. Also, a well designed twin loop muffler verses a premium multi-chambered design will provide about the same performance. Glasspacks and stright through designs will provide the best flow but you need to check the exhaust scavenging to make sure you don't loose too much low end power.

Is it a safe assumption to make that the straight through designs (ones that look like coke cans) are "fart cans"?

More are considred "fart" cans - but there are some really decent ones out there too. Just the supersized 5" tip or larger on some give the straight through variants a bad name.

I've used glasspacks on my old 70s street car for years - that's with a 3" tip. Just some manufacturers are jumping on this bandwagon of bigger is better - and it it pulls the rep of the entire market up or down, depending on how you feel about the so called "fart" can phenomenon.

More are considred "fart" cans - but there are some really decent ones out there too. Just the supersized 5" tip or larger on some give the straight through variants a bad name.

I've used glasspacks on my old 70s street car for years - that's with a 3" tip. Just some manufacturers are jumping on this bandwagon of bigger is better - and it it pulls the rep of the entire market up or down, depending on how you feel about the so called "fart" can phenomenon.

I actually tried a "fart can" on my 2001 civic lx I had at the time. It was a Tenzo bolt on with a 3.5" outlet and silencer that reduced outlet to 2" if I wanted. It actually sounded good, not tinny, but deeper, almost like a chambered design. I was very happy with it, but got minimal hp gains, maybe only 2hp and lost a couple ft lbs of torque as the consequence. Oh yeah, and it also got stolen because it was a $300 bolt on muffler. Bad choice. Even if the oem design is bolt on, and you get a performance muffler, I would still weld it. Just make sure you really like it first.

used to work for a muffler shop (yeah, i have been automotive related for somet ime now.) for a few years.

If you want "deep" powerful sound. go and find a v8. with a 4banger, it will always sound tingy.

it cannt be helped. the engine revs higher, therefore the sound is also higher.

f1 race cars have engines that rev 10k+. thats why they dont sound like a big block v8.

now, if you want louder, that easy. get something freer flowing than the stock.

spend some time crawling around below your car, measuring, and figure out exactly how much space you have and what kind of offset ou need/want.

once you have that figure out, go online and start looking for a muffler that will fit.

If/when you do decide on a muffler, take it to a shop, and have them cut and weld it for you (unless you have access to a welder).

It shouldnt be more than $30-40 just to cut and weld.

good luck

tdk.

I saw a video of a celica that has no muffler, just the pipe running all the way to the back underneath the rear bumper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n8tTGeF344

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxrhklcDMbc

Without the muffler, it doesn't sound all that loud comparing to other fart cans out there. I was wondering if it's legal to for an automobile to lack a muffler in CA? I mean, if it isn't too loud, then you shouldn't be able to get a noise polution ticket right? Shed some thoughts please

Nope - in Cali, they will ticket you for bypassing the OEM exhaust system (that is if they catch you first - but do you really want to play those odds). I know that SAN (SEMA Action Network) has done quite a lot of lobbying to allow people to replace OEM parts with aftermarket parts with the promise of better perofrmance. They actually won quite a few cases and overturned some ruling in many states - except for a few in Cali.

They consider the exhaust (muffler) part of the emissions system - any modifications will be considered illegal unless a valid CARB EO number is produced for the part. Hard to get a CARB EO number for a straight pipe. Even if you can get the noise levels down to "legal" levels, you will be too close to the edge to give you much flexibility. Better to go with a 2.25" or 2.5" full mendrel bent system with CARB EO approved muffler and components - would get decent gains with that.

Plus - hard to judge a system with a built in mic on a digicam or camcorder. On the Celica one - it blasts the mic pretty good - most have a rolloff at around 95dB - which is right where the noise limit is. That exhaust was much louder than what the mic could pick up.

my 93 with header and no muffler, but all stock piping is pretty loud at full throttle. its comprable to my friends 2000 2.4L eclipse with a greddy evo2 exhaust (in terms of volume)...and that can set off alarms in the city. when i'm near police or in residential areas i make it a point to be very gentle on the throttle as not to call attention to myself or to annoy people. on the open road i care much less since engine braking semi's are ALOT louder than my car.

in cali your best bet is to either get it registered in nevada or stick with carb cert stuff.

I'm trying to shop for something thats under 50 bucks, 2" - 2.5" outlet, and carb eo. I understand for that price Ima have to weld. thats ok. Any ideas where I can get such a muffler?

Maybe for around $75 - you could get something that will work. Magnaflow is one make - they have universal jobs that will fit your requirements and I believe they have a CARB EO number (Magnaflow headquarters are in SoCal). Though - that is no guarantee - since the CARB E.O. testing process is voluntary, there are companies inside and outside of California that are manufacturing and selling non-CARB-approved products without fear of any penalty.

Always check with local laws - as you may be able to run a exhaust system without a CARB EO number (unlikely, but possible). The CARB EO process adds a hefty premium to every part - since the testing has to be done at certified labs, the cost can run a manufaturer tens of thousands of dollars. For a piece that is going onto a car like a Corolla - you can see why there is such limited aftermarket support for our cars.

Bikeman982

I saw a video of a celica that has no muffler, just the pipe running all the way to the back underneath the rear bumper. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n8tTGeF344

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxrhklcDMbc

Without the muffler, it doesn't sound all that loud comparing to other fart cans out there. I was wondering if it's legal to for an automobile to lack a muffler in CA? I mean, if it isn't too loud, then you shouldn't be able to get a noise polution ticket right? Shed some thoughts please

If your car doesn't look to radical or sound loud, they won't normally bother you.

 

In CA you will still need it to pass smog test every two years.

It won't normally pass smog without a catalytic converter and straight pipes will be noticed at the test station.

i really do HATE saying this, but WITH the head, dropping the muffler has given a very pronounced pull above 3500 rpm. the engine just comes alive and pulls up there now, its sort of fun! i lost some lower rpm power tho, but i still have a powerband above 2500 (below that tho feels much weaker but is still driveable)

The problem is that, at least from what I experienced with my 98' auto Corolla, I rarely can get my RPM that high, even with my pedal all the way down, and when I do get it that high it feels like my Corolla is in pain. About the highest I ever saw my tachometer go up to was about 4500. I'm a fast driver and I accelerate fast, but even with my driving habits, the RPM for me stays around 2000 to 3000. I suppose it might be a completely different story for standard shift drivers.

Bikeman982

I saw a video of a celica that has no muffler, just the pipe running all the way to the back underneath the rear bumper. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n8tTGeF344

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxrhklcDMbc

Without the muffler, it doesn't sound all that loud comparing to other fart cans out there. I was wondering if it's legal to for an automobile to lack a muffler in CA? I mean, if it isn't too loud, then you shouldn't be able to get a noise polution ticket right? Shed some thoughts please

If your car doesn't look to radical or sound loud, they won't normally bother you.

 

In CA you will still need it to pass smog test every two years.

It won't normally pass smog without a catalytic converter and straight pipes will be noticed at the test station.

In California, the concern is for the pollution of the emissions, rather than the volume of the exhaust.

 

 

i really do HATE saying this, but WITH the head, dropping the muffler has given a very pronounced pull above 3500 rpm. the engine just comes alive and pulls up there now, its sort of fun! i lost some lower rpm power tho, but i still have a powerband above 2500 (below that tho feels much weaker but is still driveable)

The problem is that, at least from what I experienced with my 98' auto Corolla, I rarely can get my RPM that high, even with my pedal all the way down, and when I do get it that high it feels like my Corolla is in pain. About the highest I ever saw my tachometer go up to was about 4500. I'm a fast driver and I accelerate fast, but even with my driving habits, the RPM for me stays around 2000 to 3000. I suppose it might be a completely different story for standard shift drivers.

thats bizzare, i have an auto and it'll let the engine goto 5600-5700rpm at WOT before it upshifts. something is wrong with your transmission or car, perhaps a bad coolant temp sensor is keeping the car stuck in warmup mode which does shift the trans early at about 4500 rpm at WOT.

 

of course its hard to compare 2 different gens of corolla, tho we have very similar automatic transmissions. the A245E (mine) and the A246E (yours) are essentially the same bit different gearing. the A246E is geared a little higher because the 1ZZFE has a higher peak torque.

I highly doubt there is anything wrong with my car. With just 62k miles, it's not even broken into. I bought it two years ago at 50k. The previous owner was a 73 year old man. It drives like a dream, accelerates perfectly, and mechanically sound. I take excellent car of it (repairs, cleaning, oil changes). I just spend $1200 on my 60k servicing getting all new brakes, rotor ground, new tires, new belts, and power steering flush. I trust my mechanic at Wellesley Toyota (where I bought my car from). He's not so incompetent to miss something major like that.

I'm just saying that, at least with my car, the RPM generally remains low. Acceleration gets strong at about 2500 RPM and usually shifts by 3500 RPM, unless I'm really gunning it. Cruising, the RPM remains at around 1400 to 1800, depending on my speed. My car is rated at 0-60 in 10.3 seconds. I once tested that out myself at night on a highway and got it to 60MPH in about 10.7 seconds. The highest I saw the RPM hit was approximately 4700 or 4800, I can't remember; it was a while ago. My mom, who drives an 04' Corolla, also doesn't hit above 4000 RPM, though she drives much more conservatively than me. One thing I do have to say is that I can definately feel a power loss when it's shifting. I read up on that at sites like auto.consumerguide.com and it seems like that was a major criticism of the 98'-02' automatic Corollas when it came to 0-60 acceleration tests.

Edit: I just thought of something; my Corolla has overdrive on it, which I keep turned on all the time. That may be why the RPM remains low.

Removing the cat(s) is seldom a great idea. I've yet to see any modern NA car make significant gains from deleting the cat. Modern ECUs detect the lack of a cat and throw a CEL - iften pulling timing and dumping extra fuel. Often they will make less power on the dyno with no cat. If you replace the entire system and use one with a high-flow then you will see some gains. From tuning and minor bolt-ons like CAI and full exhaust it's rare to see more than 15hp gained.

-Michael

I highly doubt there is anything wrong with my car. With just 62k miles, it's not even broken into. I bought it two years ago at 50k. The previous owner was a 73 year old man. It drives like a dream, accelerates perfectly, and mechanically sound. I take excellent car of it (repairs, cleaning, oil changes). I just spend $1200 on my 60k servicing getting all new brakes, rotor ground, new tires, new belts, and power steering flush. I trust my mechanic at Wellesley Toyota (where I bought my car from). He's not so incompetent to miss something major like that.

I'm just saying that, at least with my car, the RPM generally remains low. Acceleration gets strong at about 2500 RPM and usually shifts by 3500 RPM, unless I'm really gunning it. Cruising, the RPM remains at around 1400 to 1800, depending on my speed. My car is rated at 0-60 in 10.3 seconds. I once tested that out myself at night on a highway and got it to 60MPH in about 10.7 seconds. The highest I saw the RPM hit was approximately 4700 or 4800, I can't remember; it was a while ago. My mom, who drives an 04' Corolla, also doesn't hit above 4000 RPM, though she drives much more conservatively than me. One thing I do have to say is that I can definately feel a power loss when it's shifting. I read up on that at sites like auto.consumerguide.com and it seems like that was a major criticism of the 98'-02' automatic Corollas when it came to 0-60 acceleration tests.

Edit: I just thought of something; my Corolla has overdrive on it, which I keep turned on all the time. That may be why the RPM remains low.

if you hold WOT then the trans when warmed (and a warm engine) should allow the engine to rev to near 6000 rpm before it shifts to the next gear.

 

 

I guess you are probably right. I usually release the pedal a little bit while it begins to want to shift that way it can shift more smoothly. Like I said, the 98-02 have been complained for their power-loss during shifting. I noticed with my car, if I loosen up on the pedal when it begins to want to shift, it will shift quicker and have less of that stagnating sound, which I just don't like! One thing I must say is that when I go into WOT, it really sounds like the engine is about to explode. Perhaps it is just poor cabin noise reduction, but I don't like to push my engine that hard.

i can understand, i thought you were saying that EVERYTIME no matter what it was shifting early! it'll take more then several thousand rpm to make a 1zzfe explode and i doubt that bringing it through its whole rev range a few times will harm it, infact the higher heat at those high rpms can actually burn off deposits on the pistons, valves, and spark plugs.



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