Hi I need a new muffler and want some input from everyone before I go shopping. As stated I have a Chevy 250 straight six with an edelbrock 1404 on an offenhauser intake with currently stock exhaust manifold. Not looking for headers, just want a quieter ride (so my wife will get in the car once in a while) with no loss in performance. Thanks! Sent from my SM-G920T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I use SpinTech. Low restriction and great sound. Compact as well. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You do not say what else is done to the motor. Assuming nothing, take it to a good muffler shop and have them make up a stock type exhaust system but 1/2" larger diameter than stock, front to back. If you want it quiet have a stock passenger car type muffler installed. It will not hurt performance enough to notice and your wife will smile. Don't let them do one of those cheap farm boy jobs where the exhaust dumps right behind the cab. Make sure the tail pipe runs to the back of the truck in stock fashion. If you do not know which muffler shops are good and which aren't, ask around among your gear head friends. Or look at the pipes they use. If the metal is paper thin go elsewhere. If they use good pipe chances are the whole system will be good. You may pay $50 more than the cheapies but your exhaust will be quieter and last more than twice as long. Incidentally if you want your exhaust to last paint it with 2 coats of high temp paint. I did this years ago as an experiment using cheap stove pipe aluminum paint from the hardware store. It discolored for the first 2 or 3 feet from the engine but did not burn off. After ten years the system was rust free and in perfect condition. Today there are better high temp paints available but the point is, even cheap paint will preserve your exhaust indefinitely. Also, drill a 1/8" drain hole in the lowest part of the muffler to drain off condensation.
Paragraph 2 of what Rusty O'Toole said says it all when it comes to noise in a truck or cutting it down. You have to get the pipe clear to the back of the truck no matter what kind of muffler you have. I drove my 48 probably 100K with that "farm boy" exhaust exiting in front of the rear tire with the 250 and a burned out glasspack and drove some long distances with it and it does get tiring listening to it on the road for miles on end. No more of that nonsense for this old fart. I plan to run Porters on the duals on my 48 with the 292 4 barrel and Langdon cast headers at but I like the rap they give without being offensively loud.
48 that is exactly my set up- burned out glass pack pointed right out the driver's side window. My problem with running to the back is how to route it since I have a 109 Land Rover and not sure how to clear the rear axle. Sent from my SM-G920T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I cant tell whats best BUT I can make a suggestion on what to possibly avoid. Got a stock 250 in my 36 Chevy truck , I had a Smithy (spelling??) from a previos build so cheap ass me made the 2" system using that. Stock manifold, piped all the way to the back,,,,sounds awful. Almost like a fart can on a rice box. I too am looking for a suitable replacement to hush it down a tad, really just for my own content. Maybe on a warmed over inline it might sound good but not on mine. Mitch.
You don't have to figure it out, just route it like the factory did. If the original system is gone see if you can find a picture on the net and print it out. Any good muffler shop will be able to figure it out from there. In fact they should be able to figure it out without a picture but following the factory layout is easier.
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