Mufflers, Which Flowmaster? Options

[Randal]

II'm getting busted for loud exhaust at Alameda where we have to be quieter.

I currently have a delta force flow master (single chamber) welded on to the extension pipe to my header. This muffler is small (3" high by 7 or 8" case).

Performance wise it works. You can't tell any difference from running an open exhaust; nice but loud.

Here are the alternatives.

If any of you have experience please post your experience.

Flowmaster 40 series - two chambers (4" high - 13" case). Single input, single output

Would you say this produces 95 db or less? Any feeling for power loss as compared to an open pipe.

They also offer a single input, dual output, which looks pretty cool, but (my guess) is probably noisier.

Flowmaster 50 series - three chambers (4" high - 17" case)

Would you say this produces 95 db or less? Any feeling for power loss as compared to an open pipe.

Flowmaster's are pretty nice as you can get 2.25 pipe inputs on any of the above. I think that all of the above will fit without sticking out of the back of the car, one just has to be a bit creative with the installation.

Thanks.

[Demick]

Randal

I have the 40 series delta flow on my car (or rather on the floor of my garage). Nobody has complained about the noise yet - and I'm not sure how your's compares to mine. 50 series would be quite a bit quieter - I would have gone with that but it was too long for me to fit with my 4-1 collector.

Demick

[Randal]

Thanks Demick.

One of these days it'd be fun to try different setup on the same engine to figure out what works (hp wise) and is quietest.

No fun spending $120 for a new 50 series muffler, only to find out that it isn't quiet enough to soothe the management.

Funny, but no one at FlowMaster seemed to have any idea on the various db levels of their mufflers. You'd think they would have a mule to test the various hp and db levels of the different series mufflers.

[Demick]

Too many other variables to be able to specify a db rating for each muffler. They do give relative noise levels for each model on their website. They list 50 series as significantly quieter than 40 series.

Demick

[smrz914]

I have (2) 40 series mufflers on my v8 car (one for each bank) and really feel they are to loud for the street. But my exhaust is really short. I would say it's under 95 decibles but it's louder in the car then out of it (it seems). I have no idea how they would behave on a 4 cyl. 914 My friend has a flowmaster on his 91 integra and i think it's the 50 series b/c it's not very loud and gives a nice tone to the exhaust. I would go with the 50 series.