I have a big block chevy with headers and small cam. I am considering a flowmaster header back system. Do flowmasters flow well? I'm looking for a somewhat quiet idle but a nice sound at higher rpm. thanks.
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I have a big block chevy with headers and small cam. I am considering a flowmaster header back system. Do flowmasters flow well? I'm looking for a somewhat quiet idle but a nice sound at higher rpm. thanks.
I run flows on my sbc and love them. They sound like a hot rod is suppossed to. I run twin series 40 with a cross over pipe.
I have run glass packs and walker chambered exhaust, and the flows sound the best. Buy them, and you won't regret it!
Most flowmaster's don't flow that well. Most people like them because they don't wear out, and they have an unmatched sound. I believe the race flowmasters flow pretty good. If you're looking for flow, the turbo mufflers work good, magnaflows, Dynomax Ultraflows are good as well. All of these have packing in them and will eventually wear out. In tests they usually compare the mufflers to a straight open pipe... standard flowmasters have been tested at 40% vs. open pipe, turbo mufflers can flow as well as 90-95% vs. an open pipe. They still have good sound control as well.
Oh, by the way. I ran a set of Super Turbo mufflers on my 69 el camino and the mufflers did exactly how you want it. Not sure of the brand, they are on my friends truck now. Google them. They were quiet cruising, and when you punched it, they had a deep throaty sound. When I switched to my Warlocks I noticed a huge loss in power unless they were uncapped. The super turbos had about the same power but more throttle response than the uncapped Warlock(straight open pipe). Probably due to better backpressure.Quote:
Originally Posted by flanker1970
Switching from 2.5" glass-pack patriot side-pipes to 3" flowmaster 40's dropped 3 tenths from my 1/4mile E.T. (427++ BBC)
I don't know of any muffler out there that flows better...
However, they definitely are not quiet but I prefer the sound of the flowmasters to the glass packs I was running. :D
If you're looking for quiet at idle, though, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. :LOL:
-Chris
i think flowmasters sound is to tinny and they sound just like any other car with them IMHO..... there is no definitave sound
i quit looking for mufflers after i got my flowmasters
I think the real secret to flowmasters is to use some too-large for the application.
On my 78 bird with 305, I have a pair of 3" inlet/outlet flowmasters, they are obscenely huge. I've welded scrape pads on them after they got ground through. They are hanging right off the headers, and some little 2 1/4" scrap pipe out the sides in front of the rear wheels. sounds awesome, does not rob power.
On the other hand.. I tried a dual inlet/ dual outlet flowmaster in stock position behind the gas tank, it robbed power. It's difficult to speculate if the power loss was due to the muffler itself or the long exhaust run out the back. Sounded great, though.
I agree, every chevy tahoe, chevy truck, ford truck, newer mustangs, etc. all have flowmasters. A lot of the LS1 camaro guys are running Borla but that's getting played out now too. Still it's good to hear a car that doesn't have flows on it once in a while.Quote:
Originally Posted by gassersrule_196
I've had Flowmasters on everything I own for years. It's all what you like.
The more motor you have the better they sound. Headers with full tailpipes
is my preferance. Everything sounds bad hooked direct to headers or with no
tailpipes. IMO
Ron
I'm runnin' Flowmasters on my 350 powered 46 Ford coupe,been on there for YEARS. Also on my 03 Ram Hemi, (40series here) 46 is mellow, Hemi is nasty mean soundin. They do last.
if it was legal id just run open headers they sound the best :D
All the new straight thru design mufflers are ...surprise just like a glass pack and the new "glass packs"have no glass in them just like the exspensive flow thru mufflers and almost exactly like a straight pipe,How can you get less flow with a 2 1/2 inch hole thru the center:LOL:
It does not get any cheaper or better flowing than straight pipe with no restrctions,if looking for power and no restriction,cherry bombs,anything else is just looking for a certain sound and thats ok too ,but to some go is better than show or sound in this case.:rolleyes:
I have one on my truck with a hot 305 ,rams horns into a single with no pipe currently after the bomb.It sounds ok,but I am sure there is no impedance to flow at all from it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld4vfbizOBI
thanks for all of the replies!! Again I'm looking for a quiet idle but a good sound when you stomp on it. I have dynamax on there now and they did sound good but they are worn out. I think that they were a bit loud at idle. Thanks again
I don't like the zig-zag offset of most of the mufflers and prefer straight line mufflers for easy geometry, but most of them are probably pretty noisy. I have heard that the longer ones are a little quieter, what is the longest cherry bomb/glasspak you can get and are they really quieter?
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
I don,t know who makes these but they are called Big Daddys and they are built like cherry bombs but have their own sound. Don,t mean to offend anyone but flowmasters sound sick. I guess it,s because everyone has them and i have always liked to be different, just can,t stand to be just part of the crowd.
Had flowmasters on my 34 (sb) and they were decent. But they were beginning to get rusty so I replaced with a pair of Smithy's. Much louder, but if you go fast enough, you won't hear them.:LOL: :LOL:
I also have a set of Smithy's on my big block Olds, and that is were they really sound great. Nothing sounds as good as a big block running in-line glass paks.:eek: :cool: :3dSMILE:
...I had a Flowmaster Cat Back on my '94 Firebird LT1 & I loved the sound. But I did read {on camaroz28.com } that they were not the best flowing. I don't remember which ones flowed best. But I do remember that Flowmaster makes a bunch of different mufflers that have different sounds. If I were you I'd get their catalog or go to their web site & check out the different styles available.... Bill
JC Whittney has side pipes, up to 72" I believe. They are just a long glasspack, and sound awesome. Great flow. Had some on the ol' lady's 86 Dodge diplomat ( former cop car ) with a 318. The side shields on these has realy cheezy crummy chrome though. Looks great until it gets wet a couple times then it's time to grab the high-temp flat white rattle can and cover them over.
As for Dynomax, I have a set of their big glass pack turbos, with offset inlet/outlet. Never really liked them.
Try BORLA stainless headers & flomasters & you will not even beleive the sound.
Regs
Are you aware of "Jones Mufflers" which are an exact copy of the Flowmaster. B & B auto parts in the Seattle area sell them for 1/2 the price of the real thing and they sound great behind my GM 350.
Very true!!Quote:
Originally Posted by gassersrule_196
Well here is my 2 cents worth of info.
I dont think they (FM's) sound tinny at all. In fact, just the opposite. In addition, different diameter pipes, different series flowmasters, and different configurations (dumped at the axle, straight out the back, 45 degree out, etc...) are all gonna sound different. AND, it'll sound different depending on where you stand around the car (back, side, inside, etc...) So to say flowmasters sound like this or that is the most general of statements.
As far as flow...well, one of the rags did a test a few years back on a particular series FM and they did flow poorly in comparison to the other brands. Do they all flow crappy? who knows... We'll find out when someone conducts a test or when more people provide some ET numbers that we can compare (hint hint people).
So really, do whatever the heck you want. Hell, go to U-tube or one of them places and search around. Plenty of guys (who's wive's and girlfriends think they are nuts) post videos of their exhaust notes.
Decisions, decisions....
I have flowmasters on my 62 impala with a full length 2 1/4 exhaust system. The sound is great until you get on it then it has that old time glass pack "rattle" which bugs me. I don't have an H pipe which might settle it down a little but with the X frame exhaust it is kind of hard to do. I had a set of 40s on my mustang and it sounded great. Side pipes on the wifes mustang sounds pretty good too.
John