Fabspeed Sport Cats/Exhaust installed - TONS of drone and WAY TOO LOUD?
#16
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hmm, appreciate your post and it makes me think I somehow screwed up the install. My mufflers, literally, sound like a 1980 Mazda that is missing the mufflers all together - it sounds like an out of control drag car that needs to be silenced...so as far as Fabspeed being too quiet, in my case I have to disagree as it is EXTREMELY loud.
The one thing that I did not do during install was replace the stock gaskets, and I am wondering if this has anything to do with it or if air leaks out of it and is causing it to be so obnoxious...literally, if I took everything off it would sound the same way coming straight out of the headers!
If I took it to a local, do you think they would they be able to test for leaks or troubleshoot the issue? Sounds nothing like the videos I have seen (those cars sound GREAT)...again, it sounds like an old beat up car that lost its mufflers miles back on the highway.
The one thing that I did not do during install was replace the stock gaskets, and I am wondering if this has anything to do with it or if air leaks out of it and is causing it to be so obnoxious...literally, if I took everything off it would sound the same way coming straight out of the headers!
If I took it to a local, do you think they would they be able to test for leaks or troubleshoot the issue? Sounds nothing like the videos I have seen (those cars sound GREAT)...again, it sounds like an old beat up car that lost its mufflers miles back on the highway.
#17
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The more and more I read about cats the more and more I think I have to replace the sport cats with stock - I hate to go back but I tried driving again tonight and the AWEFUL drone sound around 2500-3000 RPM is absolutely brutal.
Can I assume that if I replace the sport cats, go back to stock cats, and leave the Fabspeed mufflers that the drone will no longer exist?
Can I assume that if I replace the sport cats, go back to stock cats, and leave the Fabspeed mufflers that the drone will no longer exist?
#18
Addict
Lifetime Rennlist
Member - times 3
Lifetime Rennlist
Member - times 3
I edited my post. I should never say Fabspeeds are too quiet, just that they are quieter than the Montys. At the track I run without cats, and with the Montys, the car was loud at any throttle setting. With the Fabspeeds, the car gets pretty quite when not accelerating. That's why I think it is odd that you have a serious drone when cruising.
In my limited experience, cats are about as effective at muffling as the mufflers. (I've never heard sport cats). At the track, a car with stock cats and no mufflers sounds about as loud, but different tone, as my car with no cats and with mufflers. With the cost of cats, and assuming you still have the stock mufflers, the first thing I would try were I you is to go back to the stock mufflers. (If you still have the stock cats, you could try those with the Fabspeeds.
It's very subjective. If you heard my car, you might think it was too loud. You might not. I don't have a radio in my car, so there is nothing to fight the sound of the exhaust.
In my limited experience, cats are about as effective at muffling as the mufflers. (I've never heard sport cats). At the track, a car with stock cats and no mufflers sounds about as loud, but different tone, as my car with no cats and with mufflers. With the cost of cats, and assuming you still have the stock mufflers, the first thing I would try were I you is to go back to the stock mufflers. (If you still have the stock cats, you could try those with the Fabspeeds.
It's very subjective. If you heard my car, you might think it was too loud. You might not. I don't have a radio in my car, so there is nothing to fight the sound of the exhaust.
#19
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Patrick, I appreciate your comments and my guess is my "too loud" car would be way "too quiet" for your taste
UPDATE: I re-installed the stock cats and the only exhaust mods left on the car are the Fabspeed Mufflers, and they sound amazing - only loud when WOT, otherwise pretty quiet which I like. It gives just that right amount of sporty sound when accelerating, but now it will not draw any attention from 10 blocks away!
I am going to see if I can return the sport cats to Fabspeed, those were NOT cheap. Anyways, I am hoping this might help some people out with exhaust ideas...the sport cats from Fabspeed DEFINITELY made a difference as far as throttle response goes but unfortunately, for me, just too loud and too much droning when cruising - thanks everyone for your help.
UPDATE: I re-installed the stock cats and the only exhaust mods left on the car are the Fabspeed Mufflers, and they sound amazing - only loud when WOT, otherwise pretty quiet which I like. It gives just that right amount of sporty sound when accelerating, but now it will not draw any attention from 10 blocks away!
I am going to see if I can return the sport cats to Fabspeed, those were NOT cheap. Anyways, I am hoping this might help some people out with exhaust ideas...the sport cats from Fabspeed DEFINITELY made a difference as far as throttle response goes but unfortunately, for me, just too loud and too much droning when cruising - thanks everyone for your help.
#20
Rennlist Member
Greetings from Stillwater! Thanks much for posting your experience. Sorry it was so costly for you, but sure it was a lot of help to others around here. I am really interested in the Fabspeed muffler only, and it sounds just like what I want. Notice any drone with just the muffler?
#21
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The mufflers alone sound GREAT - just sporty enough and not obnoxious if you are just going around town - but decently loud when accelerating hard.
You are more than welcome to meet me somewhere if you would like to test it out, it is not a small chunk of change as you know to install them! I would highly recommend doing it yourself to save on the extra $ for installation - otherwise I know a great guy at the local Midas here in Edina who could do it for about $150-$200 installed.
Let me know if you would like to take it for a spin and see what you think - I am located in SW Minneapolis, basically Edina area - thanks for reaching out!
You are more than welcome to meet me somewhere if you would like to test it out, it is not a small chunk of change as you know to install them! I would highly recommend doing it yourself to save on the extra $ for installation - otherwise I know a great guy at the local Midas here in Edina who could do it for about $150-$200 installed.
Let me know if you would like to take it for a spin and see what you think - I am located in SW Minneapolis, basically Edina area - thanks for reaching out!
#22
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And to answer your drone question, little, if any drone, when cruising around 2K RPM but usual driving upwards of 2500 or more it sounds great. Highway driving, cruising at 75 MPH absolutely no drone whatsoever - and the little you might here is actually quite a nice sound.
Before when I had the cats as well it was brutally loud in the cabin - night and day difference without the sport cats. Although I could feel that I lost a bit of power that the sport cats provided...but I don't mind.
Before when I had the cats as well it was brutally loud in the cabin - night and day difference without the sport cats. Although I could feel that I lost a bit of power that the sport cats provided...but I don't mind.
#23
Rennlist Member
The mufflers alone sound GREAT - just sporty enough and not obnoxious if you are just going around town - but decently loud when accelerating hard.
You are more than welcome to meet me somewhere if you would like to test it out, it is not a small chunk of change as you know to install them! I would highly recommend doing it yourself to save on the extra $ for installation - otherwise I know a great guy at the local Midas here in Edina who could do it for about $150-$200 installed.
Let me know if you would like to take it for a spin and see what you think - I am located in SW Minneapolis, basically Edina area - thanks for reaching out!
You are more than welcome to meet me somewhere if you would like to test it out, it is not a small chunk of change as you know to install them! I would highly recommend doing it yourself to save on the extra $ for installation - otherwise I know a great guy at the local Midas here in Edina who could do it for about $150-$200 installed.
Let me know if you would like to take it for a spin and see what you think - I am located in SW Minneapolis, basically Edina area - thanks for reaching out!
Super--still up in the air on the mufflers, but I will keep this on file and PM you--