Custom muffler woes

[slogar]

OK, so I decided to replace my stock muffler with something more interesting, a stainless ANSA free flow model(2.25 inlet, dual 3" exits). The rest of the exhaust is stock on my '92 GS. It sounds great at idle and above 3k, but at low rpm there is an incredible mind-numbing resonating boom that is not at all enjoyable. Car alarms are going off around me. I understand some resonance is to be expected, but this is ridiculous. My '76 280 makes much less noise and it has bigger pipes, no cat and only a premuffler leading to a glasspack tip! <p>Will this thing calm down as carbon builds up? Is such booming typical of all straight-thru mufflers, or this particular one? Does the MX-3 hatchback design make it worse in the cabin? Can I wrap it in sound-deading material? Please let me hear from you guys with aftermarket mufflers. Which ones sound good but do not induce hearing loss and headaches? --Thanks!

[992mmx3]

You might need to hear something different from a gs guy, but I was told if you throw a glass-pack before the muffler it will lower the sound dramatically.

[sheller]

I have a Ractive muffler that I believe is straight through. It is also pretty loud at lower rpm's and it drops off sharply at 3k rpm. I haven't noticed a problem with mine being loud enough to set off alarms though.
Steve

[Tyler17rose]

Sheller, is that ractive muffler the Fireball Axle back one? If it is, how do you like the sound? is it really loud? and does it go completely silent after 3000rpms? I only ask because i was thinking about getting it. But if it goes silent after 3000 then i wont. Also do you have any more pics of your car with it on it? like from the back or something?

[thebonestockkid]

I have a magnaflow muffler with stock piping, and it cuts out pretty much after 3k also. i dont think its the mufflers in this case, but i cant come up with a decent answer to state otherwise lol.<p>and also, mine is pretty loud (deep) at low rpms, im pretty sure its normal<p>[ April 04, 2003: Message edited by: thebonestockkid ]</p>

[sheller]

T-Rose,
I believe that's the one. Added another picture of the exhaust to my page if you want a different angle.
Now about the sound. Between 2-3k rpm it is pretty loud. I'm not sure if it has something to do with the accustics of being a hatchback or what, but it is as loud inside the car as outside...maybe even a little louder. With a lighter foot, the sound drops pretty dramatically after 3k. It is still a little louder than stock but not super loud. If you have a heavy foot, the sound level will still drop but not quite as much.
I personally got the exhaust for performance gains and not to have something really loud. Up to that 3k mark it is louder than I really want but I do have a bit more power now. I already have some sound deadening stuff in the trunk and I'm going to get some more to quite things down a bit. To each his own though.
Steve

[slogar]

Thanks for the comments...my resonance is so bad I started wearing earplugs today! I just contacted ANSA and asked them for some technical explanation/advice--I'll let you all know what they say.

[shocker]

I got a straight-thru muffler as well, and its loud as hell. anywhere from 2 to 3.3rpm is outrageously loud, thanks for the tips on the earplugs, that might help

[Coodoodxx]

Hey "thebonestockkid" just wondering which magnaflow muffler you put on, im looking at getting one, and i hear they sound really nice, how much did you fork over for yours, and how much did it cost to put it on, or didyou just welded it yourself. Hopefully you can lemme know a little more info on the performance of the muffler, thanx dood.

[Mnemonic]

when i got my pacesetter exhaust for 2 weeks it was sorta annoying sounding then once it settled i got a wonderful deep muffle sound so it might be that