Exhaust size and sound

[loa]

Hello, 

(First post here, just bought a 1974 Charger!)

I need to replace the exhaust on my 340 Charger and I was wondering if it was worth it to go with bigger pipes (3 inches as opposed to 2.5). I'm not very worried about performance, but I love my mopars to have nice and low exhaust sounds. Would 3 inches pipes help?

Thanks!

[DynoDave]

Dual 2.5" pipes will sound nice (given the right muffler, crossover, and other factors), and offer all the flow you will need.

[loa]

Thanks for the reply. I knew that 2.5 would be enough, but would getting 3" pipes make the sound "lower" (not softer, just lower pitch)?

[DynoDave]

I think it would be louder, nut not necessarily a lower pitch. I think the "tone" is going to be controlled by muffler choice.

Have you poked around on YouTube for exhaust sound clips? Lots of people post them. Just watch the variables that can impact exhaust note. As mentioned, pipe diameter, muffler choice, crossover choice all play a part. But so do manifolds Vs. headers, resonators Vs. non resonators, and tips that come straight out (horizontal) Vs. turndowns.

[loa]

Hello!

Thanks for the added info. It looks like I'll have to go at it empirically and listen to a lot of cars on youtube.

Luckily, I now have the car in my driveway and can see that the exhaust isn't all that bad, so I have time to shop around.

[alanstoldt]

Late coming in here, but throwing this in for the mix.

I picked up a 73SE with a 318. It has dual 1 1/2 (or 2.0 maybe??) pipes back into Magnaflow mufflers.

This gives it a nice rumble sounds at highway speeds and during acceleration.

Not sure if low = rumble or not, but some input.

On my previous 72 Charger had dual 2 1/2 pipes and the smaller diameters seem to make a difference.

[robertsrt]

I'm sure you would be happier with 2.5 vs. 3 inch pipes. I know it doesn't sound right (pardon the pun!) but it will sound 'more right'. 3" is too big for that engine unless its heavily modified.
A nice example is this one. Its personally my favorite.



Randy is using TTI exhaust, and they use Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers.

www.ttiexhaust.com/Category-ClassicExhaust/MFDback.htm

Cheers,

[odzking]

I have a 73 400 HP. There were Flowmaster mufflers on it when I got it and I thought it was annoyingly loud. People actually commented a couple time "I heard you coming".
I couldn't wait to get rid of them. Now I have 2.5 inch WITH crossover on my 67 383. I put Dynomax "Turbo" (not Super Turbo) mufflers on it and it has a beautiful rumble, I am very pleased. I wanted the same for my 73 but they don't make them anymore, only "Super". So I went with those. They were a bit too loud for me.
Forward to end of story, when I ordered my complete system I went 2.25 as original with "Original Style" mufflers that were made to factory specs by www.waldronexhaust.com/ in Michigan. It is absolutely perfect. They also have examples on their website of the sound.
So my 2 cents!

[CDN72SE]

Hmmm may have to look into waldronexhaust, my search for an exhaust has started.

[wp29p4a]

I have replaced the mufflers on my 74 with 400ci twice and still don't like the sound. The first time I went with 2.5" pipe and Flomaster 50 series, Delta flow mufflers and the sound was ok but the drone noise was unbearable and I hated driving the car especially at freeway speeds. the car has a cross over pipe in the exhaust. I went with the biggest muffler Flomaster makes the 70 series big block II mufflers and the sound is no different but it did knock down the drone sound by 70%. Now I am looking at adding resonators before the mufflers to kill the drone noise completely. Just need to find the right resonators now and hope that makes the difference.

I have found that the majority of the advertising words used to describe their product mean almost nothing in the real world.