Muffler question- flowmaster vs. ?

-

mopowers

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2006
Messages
8,532
Reaction score
4,745
Location
West Sacramento, CA
Is there a muffler that outperforms Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, but sounds similar?

I need to replace my Flowmaster 40 series mufflers due to a small rust hole, but love the sound of them, though I realize they're known performance killers.

Is there something out there that sounds similar, but flows well?
 
Hmmm...
Muffler flow rates.jpg
 
Flowmaster my ***!

Junk!

But some will run them on sound alone and if that’s all there after, then it’s all good.
 
I run the super 44's yes for the sound. But next up I'm gonna try the Dynomax race bullets when I build my 3" system that's gonna exit in front of the rear axle. Might be loud.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Kern. Any idea which ones sound similar to Flowmaster 40s?
The closest that I can think of are some generics that my local Muffler Monkey put on a 78 Trail Duster I had a few years ago. They looked just like Flowmasters on the outside and sounded very similar. Porter Muffler on Atlantic in Roseville has been my exhaust guy since 2001.
DSCN1031.JPG
 
You like how the Flowmaster 40 sounds. Yours have holes. All mufflers have a life span. Just go with some more Flowmaster 40s. You like how they sound. You said so yourself. You're splittin hairs on a street car worrying about which one flows better, makes more power and so on. Just pick the one you like the sound of. You're already askin people if so and so sounds like Flowmasters. Get the Flowmasters. Hose um down with some VHT high heat paint if you want some more protection.
 
I drill holes in my mufflers on purpose to let out the condensation which would otherwise form acids that would eat the metal. I drill in the lowest spot. Jus saying

That's what the factory did. Always in the rear horizontal wall of the case at the lowest point in the center.
 
I run dynomax ultra flows on my blue valiant. 3” with turn outs. Mellower than a flowmaster. Doesn’t have the flowmaster tin can noise.

Enough flow to run 10.79 @ 125 through the mufflers.

We are running jegs fully welded 2 chamber flowmaster wannabes on Jason’s car. Sounds dead nuts for a flowmaster 2 chamber.

Hope this helps. Eric
 
I hate the sound of flow masters, they have that rappy blue bottle sound to them. I run Hooker Aero chamber mufflers, have on all my performance cars.
 
I hate the sound of flow masters, they have that rappy blue bottle sound to them. I run Hooker Aero chamber mufflers, have on all my performance cars.

I hate them too personally, they remind me of a flushing toilet or echoes in a storm drain. I have a feeling a lot of people who drive them like the way they sound from inside the car but if they heard it properly from the outside (not just idling in the driveway doing a walk-around) they'd change their minds. Not saying this about the OP btw no offense, purely personal preference.

Hooker AeroChambers sound awesome, I also like DynoMax Ultra Flos for cheap medium-volume mufflers. My Duster though has Classic Chambered PowerSticks they sound like nothing I've ever heard. Kinda like a glasspack but less "blatty" with more of a snarl/raspiness. I've also been told they're much, MUCH louder outside the car than inside LOL!
 
I drill holes in my mufflers on purpose to let out the condensation which would otherwise form acids that would eat the metal. I drill in the lowest spot. Jus saying

Besides that simple and fairly common solution, there also 'used to be a time' when people would simple fix something, instead of just replacing the part...

It's just a steel box... So how about simply welding that little rusty hole closed again?
 
the DynoMax Ultra flo's have a really nice sound and good performance I get a lot of compliments from them . I had one split and rattle at 1500 miles but the replacement has been holding up well .
 
Dynomax Thrush welded mufflers sound and act like the flowmasters. Same basic technology.
Tom Hand

Is there a muffler that outperforms Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, but sounds similar?

I need to replace my Flowmaster 40 series mufflers due to a small rust hole, but love the sound of them, though I realize they're known performance killers.

Is there something out there that sounds similar, but flows well?
 
To me, flowmasters sound like someone left a few tuna can lids inside the chamber.


Does that chart say a muffler flows 101% of an open pipe?
 
Ultra flow and the like do flow at that rate. Weird right? Interesting science behind it. The muffler actually accelerates the exhaust gasses.
 
The closest that I can think of are some generics that my local Muffler Monkey put on a 78 Trail Duster I had a few years ago. They looked just like Flowmasters on the outside and sounded very similar. Porter Muffler on Atlantic in Roseville has been my exhaust guy since 2001.
View attachment 1715284020
Sharp Ride! 3 inch Flowmaster 40 series have a significant seat of the pants power loss over an open 2-3/4 inch single pipe on a 2002 Z71, proven on my brothers beater vehicle
 
Last edited:
Is there a muffler that outperforms Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, but sounds similar?

I need to replace my Flowmaster 40 series mufflers due to a small rust hole, but love the sound of them, though I realize they're known performance killers.

Is there something out there that sounds similar, but flows well?

found this video about exhaust systems myths headers , collectors , scavenaging effects, pipe diameters , muffler types and tailpipes . REALY Good info. enjoy !
 
To me, flowmasters sound like someone left a few tuna can lids inside the chamber.


Does that chart say a muffler flows 101% of an open pipe?

Yeah the chart says that. lol
 
I have 525 hp 552 TQ, a 3" mandrel bent TTI exhaust with X pipe and 3" Hooker mufflers dumped at the rear axle. It has a nice big engine throaty sound to it with ZERO restrictions.
 
I inherited Super 44’s on my car and I hate them. Car guy neighbors think they sound great as I drive by. Inside the car, which is sound insulated, they’re loud, and there’s a nasty low bass drone at about 1200 rpm that’s hard to talk over. That’s with a dual exhaust crossover pipe, too.
Kern Dog, that’s an interesting chart, thanks for sharing. Who took the time to test and publish that?
 
It's from the friendly folks at DynoMax/Walker Maremont. Imagine that... Notice MagnaFlow isn't on the list?
 
-
Back
Top