Thread: flowmaster mufflers...worth it?

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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.

Originally Posted by flanker1970

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.

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.

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.

If you're looking for quiet at idle, though, you'll probably want to look elsewhere.

-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.

Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

i think flowmasters sound is to tinny and they sound just like any other car with them IMHO..... there is no definitave sound

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.

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

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
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.
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