Gutted rear muffler

[macaulay7]

After a lot of research into what a gutted rear case muffler would sound like I didn't come across much - a few pictures and a video of it being cut open but nothing completed.

Having had vehicles in the past that benefited from doing so I decided to take on the task myself. I cut the top off and removed a majority of the internals then had it welded back shut.

It sounds absolutely AMAZ-just kidding. Literally sounds the exact same. I wont claim it as a total loss as it does seem to flow a little better and there must be some minimal weight savings but for those who are curious and ambitious you may as well save your time/money.

I can take a video if necessary but, well, we all know how the stock exhaust sounds.

[Detroiter]

Why not just get a muffler delete? It seems a little pointless to gut the muffler as it will still be a non straight through design resulting in no "performance gains" (no catbacks will even give you anything worthwhile).

The two reasons to change exhaust parts is performance and noise. So if this will sound exactly the same and result in no power gains then why take the time and money to do it? Especially when a muffler delete for the 86 is so cheap and easy. But if you want to do it by all means try it out and post sound tests if you feel it makes a difference.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Detroiter

Why not just get a muffler delete? It seems a little pointless to gut the muffler as it will still be a non straight through design resulting in no "performance gains" (no catbacks will even give you anything worthwhile).

The two reasons to change exhaust parts is performance and noise. So if this will sound exactly the same and result in no power gains then why take the time and money to do it? Especially when a muffler delete for the 86 is so cheap and easy. But if you want to do it by all means try it out and post sound tests if you feel it makes a difference.

I think that's what the OP's conclusion was .....


humfrz

[Detroiter]

Originally Posted by humfrz

I think that's what the OP's conclusion was .....


humfrz

After reading it again I now realize that OP had already gutted it. Must of been the couple beers I had earlier as I thought OP was going to try doing it.

In that case I agree with OP's findings

[macaulay7]

Humfrz is correct, it's already been done.

The reason I didn't go with the muffler delete is I do not particularly like the sound it provides so I let curiosity get the best of me and modified the muffler instead.

Makes me wonder why toyobaru would bother with all the internals if it seemingly does nothing.

[Detroiter]

Originally Posted by macaulay7

Humfrz is correct, it's already been done.

The reason I didn't go with the muffler delete is I do not particularly like the sound it provides so I let curiosity get the best of me and modified the muffler instead.

Makes me wonder why toyobaru would bother with all the internals if it seemingly does nothing.

My assumption is that it could be a regulation thing for how factory mufflers have to be designed.

On a side note, I've always wondered what the reasoning was behind cars like the 86, STI, Focus RS(Yes it pops but still pathetically quiet for a 350hp beast), and basically all non supercars use essentially silent exhaust setups. Surely the majority of consumers purchasing these cars want at least a small amount of sound. There is only a few I can think of that actually have an exhaust tone from the factory IE Fiat 500 Abarth, Alfa 4C, hell even the old Neon SRT4 made some noise.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Detroiter

After reading it again I now realize that OP had already gutted it. Must of been the couple beers I had earlier as I thought OP was going to try doing it.

In that case I agree with OP's findings

Sometimes, alcohol and forum posting don't mix well ........

Just ask _____ or _____ or _______ ........ nah, don't waste your time ...... they don't realize it ......


humfrz

[gtpvette]

Here's my mods. Still running the second version and never installed the third. I suspect I'll sound the best.


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...light=gtpvette

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by macaulay7

Makes me wonder why toyobaru would bother with all the internals if it seemingly does nothing.

Do you have data as far as frequency, recorded sound, NVH measurements, etc.?

Stock mufflers are built the way they are because it's the most cost-effective way to address whatever engineering goals they had in mind. Sometimes this includes excessive vibration and/or abnormal noises in the cabin under certain conditions.

Every item on the car serves a purpose.

-alex

[macaulay7]

Originally Posted by gtpvette

Here's my mods. Still running the second version and never installed the third. I suspect I'll sound the best.


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...light=gtpvette

How. How did I not come across this thread in my searching. I tried so hard, and I fail.
Looks interesting, when I get home I'll have a listen.

[macaulay7]

Originally Posted by mav1178

Do you have data as far as frequency, recorded sound, NVH measurements, etc.?

Stock mufflers are built the way they are because it's the most cost-effective way to address whatever engineering goals they had in mind. Sometimes this includes excessive vibration and/or abnormal noises in the cabin under certain conditions.

Every item on the car serves a purpose.

-alex

That's my understanding as well, vehicle manufacturing is a nickel and dime situation.
I do not own any actual testing equipment but I have been driving it for a couple weeks and cannot find any discernible difference in it. Weird too as I came across a cut open European muffler and it has even more piping inside.

[churchx]

mav1178: just that sometimes purpose might be somewhat lame, like trd fuel caps or some other "dress-up" parts for looks only

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by macaulay7

That's my understanding as well, vehicle manufacturing is a nickel and dime situation.
I do not own any actual testing equipment but I have been driving it for a couple weeks and cannot find any discernible difference in it. Weird too as I came across a cut open European muffler and it has even more piping inside.

Originally Posted by churchx

mav1178: just that sometimes purpose might be somewhat lame, like trd fuel caps or some other "dress-up" parts for looks only

Dress-up parts aren't really designed with engineering goals in mind.

The average $30k car may cost around $10-15k in actual manufacturing/material cost. Once you divide that further, the cost of the stock exhaust system is outrageously low, somewhere around $50-100 tops. The OE requirement usually just asks a supplier to make an exhaust that meets their budget requirements, and has to meet certain flow/sound requirements.

The cheapest way to meet these requirements is to make it with baffles. Every other method increases the production cost.

I hate to say it this way, but we bought an entry level sports car, everything on this car is there for a reason, don't overthink it nor do we need to discount it as "useless"

-alex